Genesis 48:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The mercy of God has bestowed upon me abundantly, he declares, surpassing even my hopes, or rather, exceeding all my expectations. Not only was I not denied your vision, but I also witnessed the birth of your offspring.

Filled with joy over his son Joseph, Jacob exclaimed: ‘I never expected to see your face; yet here I am, and God has revealed to me your children as well.’ As for the Jewish people, the Father was bereft of the Son. They believed that He would be confined by the gates of death and remain lifeless among others, leading them to condemn Him to crucifixion. However, God did not permit the Author of life to be overcome by death. Consequently, He rose again, and the Father beheld Him once more, along with the lineage that emerged from Him—that is, all who have faith, described as ‘a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession’ (1 Pet. 2:9). These are the ones Christ Himself delights in, declaring, ‘Here am I, and the children God has given Me’ (Heb. 2:13; Is. 8:18; cf. Gen. 48:9).