On Joseph (Memra 3)

Memra Three on Joseph When the holy Mar Jacob arranged his journey concerning Joseph, the Memra began to proceed. In you, O Mar, the word of the beautiful one is joined with the fair one. In her remembrance of Rachel, she again calls to the pit for a vision. The Lord of Jacob spoke in you concerning his beloved. You are the treasury of all true Memre, and from you the word takes power for speech. In you the Savior saw Joseph, how beautiful he is, that apart from you there is nothing that has his beauty. The radiance of the sun receives light and puts on glory, and from it takes the power to distinguish colors and forms. And the sun does not see the light, except through him who clothes it with radiance so that it and all may be seen. And for the intention, it is not in its own nature that it has glory, but from you it takes speech concerning your hiddenness. From you Joseph receives the radiance that is beautiful. In you the word of the sage is adorned so that his beauties may be seen. Behold the distinguishers, in which colors Joseph was formed, that by the scents of the countryside he scattered all his beauty. He cast modesty into the pit, and the hair of his head was spread out, like a crucified one who went down to the grave, and the mourners showed lamentations. His grave was modesty in the pit, while alive as if dead, and he blocked the stone that was rolled over him as if in a tomb. They were troubled who ate the bread of Joseph's brothers.

Like a watcher above the grave that holds life within it, and as the words that were being spoken from the letters, at that beginning when the mother killed in great anger, where now are the dreams and their interpretations? If they are true, show the power of their revelations. Like the image that he worshipped, that deceiver, who in darkness is now bitterly overturned. Where now are the sun and moon that worshipped him? They have sent their rays after him to be enslaved to him. The eleven stars worshipped him, as he used to say, and a bright light went down after him into the pit, a small portion of the tribute that the dreams gave him, which he interpreted. For in the pit they made him king, and in darkness it was fair to him, the narrow place where he was confined, so that for height he found in the depth a place to be a thrower. Where is that hand that was stretched out, as he used to say? Now it is cut off from within the pit by evil pains. Where is that garment that was given to him for dominion? Now he sleeps in the pit, and sees where he rules. Fair to him is the darkness of the pit that oppresses him, so that in the visions of falsehood he will not err again. They mocked him like the crucifiers of the Son of God, whom they buried and thought they had silenced his authority. And when that true one was mocked by the deceivers, and they derided him and thought that he had passed away and ended his course.

And when the torment stood over Joseph in the darkness of the pit, and behold, the ropes of death had already been cast into that desolate place, the secret of the Son was woven for him in the pit and gave him a sign, that Joseph might be a type of the image of the Son of God. And as these words were being spoken concerning the beautiful one, that Joseph might not be troubled by the darkness of the pit, "You have other words to pursue along the path of the Son, and the place of the pit does not hinder you; you will be delivered through it. To Egypt you must go, Joseph; you will be established there. The place is for your Lord; even there his features are set. Show his hopes to the land that has rebelled against the covenants, for behold, the scribe who teaches the truths is coming. Go, tell the mistress of the spells that he is arriving, the one who by his power disperses all falsehood. Come, ascend, Joseph; do not die on the road of the Aramaean, for it is not yours that the fate of destruction should befall you. Set words upon the path of blood and pass the hour, for your Lord comes and stirs her up with his great slaughter. To Egypt you shall go, for the path of the Son is there, and set upon her the pain of the slain king who will subdue her. Go, tell that deceiver that your hunter is coming, the great shepherd who has gone out to seek the lost ones. Ascend from the pit and lighten your course upon the hopes of the rugged road and the great slaughter that is stirred up upon it. These are the secrets that were woven for the youth confined in the pit.

And to Egypt they prepared the way as it was said. And when the governance of her salvation stood, the rope in the pit, and the will of salvation came, Midianite merchants arrived and reached there. Indeed, in truth they were merchants, as in reality. To these, both the merchandise and the good name of the great treasure were brought down to Egypt, for it was difficult. The chosen pearl of great and equal value, its prices were being sought as if by a rope, and they drew near and bought. And while the transaction was being conducted by God, Judah gave counsel to his brothers concerning the purchase: "From the profit that we will gain from selling our brother," he said, "come, let us sell him, and your hand shall not be in it." For it was fitting for Judah to counsel this, that the twelfth part in his name, the youngest of all his brothers, the twelve tribes were sealed in his name, and it was fitting for him that he should participate in the way of the mysteries of the truths. The calling of his name binds all the tribes of Jacob, for the great Redeemer was to be borne in his tribe. For this it was fitting that by his will he should participate in the way of Joseph, which was being sought from the Most High. "Come, let us sell him, and your hand shall not be in it." And they heard these things and were persuaded concerning the transaction. And because of this, Judah, your brothers made known to you that by your counsel they did not dip in the blood of that innocent one.

They came to sell him, and all the good merchants heard. And they drew him up from within the pit where he had been sold. And when God sent him to Egypt for the sake of provision, Judah began in that which was commanded by God, that the one who had descended was sent to set a measure of grain for the hungry. And when they did not wish, he did not remain from his path before them, for he was sent as it is written. While their evil will was being accomplished by him, the sons of the handmaidens were lords over the son of the free woman. And as if for a slave, they sold him for prices wantonly. The freeborn son was silent while being sold and did not protest that he was being likened to that lord who was a slave. He entered and took the sign of slaves and did not grieve that the mystery of the freeborn was offering itself to servitude. He was subjugated while his freedom was preserved in him, like that freeborn one who was a slave and a freeborn son. He was silent and was sold, and they took his price and he accepted, so that all the aspects of the freeborn might be seen in him throughout his entire journey. The new slave bowed his head, full of freedom, and entered into servitude to serve, though he was a freeborn son. He was likened to the lord of the races who was a slave, while his lordship was hidden in him as he was subjugated. The Arabs sold Joseph, a slave though he was a freeborn son. The Hebrews sold Jesus, who was of the same nature and the reviver of the dead.

Judah gave Joseph to the Midianites in purchase, and here Judah again took the price, and the freeborn son who was a slave sold him to Egypt. That is the well of humility by which he redeemed the creatures. Joseph set out on the way of the well, and again began in it, that he might bring back something of what he had left in the mountains through which they had passed. He ascended from the pit as from a tomb without burial, and again began in the likeness of the sufferings of the Crucifixion. They buried him in a pit, and without corruption he ascended like a master. And again from the head of the way he began to walk in it. The freeborn son who was to be a slave entered, as you have heard, that this pit did not cast him down in the likeness of what had come up. Little by little he completed the image of the true things, that from all the chosen ones he gathered the beauties that were not fitting for him. It was fitting for him when he was sold by his brothers, as Christ was sold by his disciple. It was fair for him when he entered Egypt, his face set, that the abundance of satiety might increase for the hungry within the land. He was enslaved and took the yoke of subjection, and went out and departed with the merchants on the way of Aram. He sent a mystery to Egypt by his hands as he went, that the place might be prepared for the Lord of slaves, that behold, he is coming to you. To Joseph I sent, that he might stand before him and learn from him, that the treasures hidden in him, in the king, behold, he is coming to you.

Look at the slave, and learn from him about his master, who distributes the riches of the world when he descends to it. See the plan of the boy whom she sent, how wise and knowing he is, beyond the old days, beyond measure. Look at the old man distributing to the hungry in your lap, and he began from him who is the storehouse of life, he who comes to you. The taste of the Lord in Joseph the slave sent a sign to you. He learned from him that the whole old man is for the hungry. From the son of Jacob, I am old for you, the type of the Son of God, who became the distributor of old age to the hungry in the lands. This gospel, a mystery, was sent through the hands of Joseph, secretly to Egypt, when he descended to it with the merchants. And when the freeborn son took slavery and went on his way, again the hatred of his brothers towards him did not cease. They were covering the kid and staining his tunic with blood, even when he was far away, he was killed by their hunt. His price was loss, and he did not profit from changing the land. And again his tunic was stained with blood from him. Joseph goes on the road to Egypt with the merchants, and the anger of his brothers over his tunic was blessed, for they were seeking the place of Joseph to be filled, as if for a corpse with blood, they stained it from their hatred. The great mystery of the crucifixion poured out among them, and without knowing, they completed the type of the truths.

That vessel is the one in which the mysteries were mingled, and only blood was lacking in it from its forms. For it was not stained with blood as with a mystery, nor was it completed by the colors of crucifixion. For the sword did not draw upon the vessel; its interior was stained from the crucified one when his mystery was there. All the beauty of the crucifixion that descended into it was there, and where the flow of blood of the crucified one is lacking, it was fitting for the image that Jacob had formed to be filled in the interior with the beautiful blood of the living one. He made the impressions of the nails in the wood of the crucifixion, and only blood was wanting for it, and behold, it was completed. The cross was lacking and did not receive all its colors, and the stained interior was lacking in it, yet it was completed. When the mystery looked upon it and saw what it needed, it dyed the colors in blood and arranged them in it so that it might be beautiful. That vessel, the cross, was formed upon it in truth, and it was not completed until it was stained with the blood that was in it. In this lower image, the form was lacking, and when it fell into it, it was completed in all its beauty. Behold, how many mysteries Joseph concealed in his beauty, even in his stature, his vessel, and his deeds. For if these beauties had not been prepared in him, he would not have triumphed in all this greatness. His testimony does not place in Joseph from here.

In all the forms, a witness was placed that it would be for the son.

Nor was the boy's garment stained among his brothers' tunics, and the tunic, which was not ordinary, was honored. He too put on his garment, the mysteries of the true things, that in everything Joseph would become a type of the Son. The brothers of Joseph cast the tunic over the bird, and they stained it with blood, and the great type was fulfilled in it. They hung the crucified one, the Son of God, high on the wood, and with his holy blood, the crucified one of grace was sprinkled. With wine on his garment and with the blood of the grapes, he dyed his covering. His type in Joseph, that his tunic was stained with blood, that tunic was stained as in a mystery. And they sent it to Jacob, that the old man might see the murder of his son. This the old man found, he recognized that it was of your son. A great reproach in the fullness of the murder, a loss came upon the chosen company that Jacob begot. And he disrupted the order of the true things that were there. He sought from him murder and reproach and deceit, which are like a root that has bitter branches. When a free man is chosen for a work of slaves, it does not grieve him. And again, when he is deceived, he is made good, and it does not weary him. The report came, which contains murder, to the old man, and he did not spare himself when he was agitated over his beloved. These orders of the beautiful ones, a loss took hold, that the brothers might help the father and the brother and God. They sacrificed the brother and led the father astray and mocked God.

They made Joseph a slave in Jacob, they saw and were amazed in the Lord, they were foolish. Upon the freeborn son who was a slave, they did not have compassion. The old man who was troubled with mourning, they did not pity him. In the Lord who saw their deeds, they were not troubled. In all of them they cast from the yoke and from the burden. Joseph is enslaved, Jacob mourns, and the Lord is angry. And because of the envy, the brothers were filled, in all of them they raged. Little by little, evil enters into their thoughts, And it takes hold, stands in the whole soul, and is swallowed up in it. A small place seeks to enter upon freedom.

And when the small place had taken her, it subdued the land. The brothers of Joseph, out of envy, were alone in their jealousy of him. And when envy grew in his land, it made desolate places. It increased his trees until it brought forth fruits of death. And it subjected many evil garments to the furnace. How could they see the old man who was troubled with mourning, as if over a dead man, and it was not revealed to them that Joseph was alive? How could they bear to sell their brother, who was a free man? And all the doors of his compassion were closed to all the chosen ones. How could they sin against God thus, when they knew him? And now all this iniquity was wrought as they had wrought. Envy grew, and the evil of their minds increased, until it also increased that the soul itself might be hidden by it. Behold, the tunic was recognized, that it was his. And Jacob saw and cried out, his grief spread in great sorrow. The old man was shaken and took up a lament over his beloved. "Is this the tunic of Joseph? Is it that he is dead, my son? The beast of evil has broken him in the desolate place. Is Joseph dead, my beloved son? What shall I do for him? Is it true that the evil beast has overcome him? The anger of the envious brothers was like that of a lion. The beast that thirsts for blood and slaughter raged against the youth. The evil one, like a serpent in its bitterness, envy attacked him, whom a lion's prey was nothing. And he blessed over him in the desolate place, and he lived, not being saved.

True was the word of Jacob concerning his beloved, that evil life had struck him. His brothers' envy struck him; he saw the corpse of his son in the tunic that was given to him, and he fell upon it as he raged as over a dead one. He embraced it and lamented, crying out in great pain, and he pressed the blood upon it as if it were Joseph's. When he was in mourning, he showed his grief over my son in the house of the destined ones. The death of the youth was great, his sorrow from the wellspring. And why was this mystery hidden? And the Lord did not reveal to his friend Jacob concerning Joseph. A man who was strong and bound angels with his staff, and in the revelations of the house of God he was rich. Come, hear from him as he cried out and showed his sons what would happen in the end to all of them from God. He brought out one from the twelve, and divided the tribes into two and scattered them. Before, he saw in his chosen tribe the fourth, and revealed to his sons that from him a great deliverer would shine. For each of his sons he decreed what would happen to him. And like this, this mystery was hidden from him. Concerning the futures that would be like this, he spoke, and that which was destined to be a wonder, that which was like this, he did not know. He revealed over the illness that whitened his garment with wine, and concerning the blood of the goat he did not know that it was not that of his son. From distant things as from near he perceived, and near things were hidden from him and he did not know.

Those who knew from revelation were served, And those who did not know because of the mystery were hidden. Even in Isaac, likewise, this is seen by me, That there was a place where he was deprived of knowledge. Your heart was with Jacob, and it blessed him as if over Esau. And when he knew that the events of his life were not known, The dispensation concealed from him its plans, Because of the mystery of the future things that were to be done. For this reason, little Jacob was filled with the firstborn's portion, And because of this, the Lord did not reveal to Jacob what would be. And here the Lord sent Joseph to set out on the road, And if it had been revealed to Jacob his father, he would have prevented him, Where, when pressed by revelations, they were thrust away, And when not pressed by thought, they were hidden. The mystery of the matter was a treasurer for all the sorrowful, And wisely he would distribute their revelations. He took Joseph from Jacob, who was holding him, For if he had perceived, he would not have let him go to travel his road, Until he had traveled the road of the descent of his reasons. He did not reveal to his father, lest they hinder him from his journey. And along with this, another mystery was accomplished, That when he allowed that Joseph was killed, his father grieved. He formed an image for his great mourning of the only one, And the face of the door he sketched in its spreading, when it was fitting for him. In the killing of his son, for the face of the door, his father formed it.

And it happened to the old man Jacob that this was done: he saw the likeness of the cross in blood and the form of his sons, for the great image of crucifixion had moved him. He struck the sackcloth of the young man, and darkness also spread, which the father spread over the creatures at the killing of his son. He bore pain because of the killing of the son of his old age, in the form of the image and in that sackcloth he was hidden, in the fatherhood of the father, my lord, who was like him, so that when he did not feel in person, mourning was needed. At the face of the gate of holiness, he formed an image over his beloved, and over the limbs he spread darkness and darkened the eye, in the mourning that he made to show the compassion of fatherhood, and he conquered the killing of his only one in the whole world. A great death took Jacob when he felt, so that that pain of his son he conquered mysteriously. That likeness of the cross in blood was spread, and the crucifixion stood, with pains wandering before the righteous one. It was extended with its ransoms in the blood that was upon it, and crucifixion was seen in it clearly. Also that Jacob approached the thresholds that were fitting for him: the spreading of the image and the sackcloth that he struck as in pain. A skull was in the house of Jacob as in a mystery, when that likeness of the cross in blood entered to him. The old man was in mourning and wore sackcloth over his beloved, and he formed darkness that covered the earth at the killing of his son. The spreading was just in that likeness that was spoken.

Also Israel was a holy house of divinity. A great mourning was in the house of Jacob because of Joseph, as in the world the mourning for the death of the Son of God. The whole world put on black because of the Lord, and in the darkness that covered the earth, everything was in turmoil. The spread of holiness was fitting for him, as he was agitated, so that the great death of the Only-Begotten would not be despised. Jacob lamented for his entire household because of Joseph; with his sons and his daughters they were weeping for him and did not cease. The father stirred up the whole world over the death of his son, so that by the trembling of the creatures he confirmed that it was the Only-Begotten. This likeness of death chose the mystery from the righteous one, so that he did not perceive that Joseph was there when he was sold. He wept over the suffering of his son without realizing; if he had realized, he would not have suffered and would not have wept over him. It is fitting to know the suffering of the precious one, the suffering of his son. Blessed is he who, through his suffering, revealed the hidden things of the mysteries that were concealed.