Genesis 40

Genesis 40:1

Jerome: (Chapter 40, Verse 1) After these words, the chief of the king of Egypt’s wine cellar sinned. Where we have placed ‘chief of the wine cellar’ in Hebrew it is written ‘Masec’, that word which we have recently read in the name of Abraham’s servant, whom we can call the cupbearer according to the custom of the common people. Nor should this office be considered lowly, since it is of the utmost dignity even among barbarian kings to offer a cup to the king: Indeed, poets have written about Ganymede and Jove, that he entrusted his beloved to this very duty. — Hebrew Questions on Genesis

Genesis 40:4

Ambrose of Milan: But what shall I say about these eunuchs? who should be an example to the other eunuchs, because their status is fragile and delicate, and all their hope lies in the king’s will, for whom a slight offense would be a great danger: but their secondary matters are lowly service. One boasted that he was in charge of the wine, the other that he was in charge of the bakers. Both offended, and were sent to prison, and were entrusted to the holy Joseph by the keeper of the prison. — On Joseph the Patriarch

Genesis 40:7

John Chrysostom: This remarkable man, however, concerned for their comfort, noticed that they were dismayed by the experience of the dreams and confused in mind; so he asked, “Why so downcast today?” The dejection on their faces, you see, betrayed the apprehension within them. Hence a sage too has said, “When the heart is free from care, the face beams, but when it is in mourning the face falls.” So, when he saw them lost in dejection from the experience of their dreams, he questioned them to discover the cause. See how, even when he found himself in prison, he gave evidence of his characteristic virtue and was concerned to relieve the sadness of others. — HOMILIES ON Genesis 63.4

Genesis 40:10

Jerome: (Verse 10) And behold, a vine was before me, and in it there were three branches, and it was sprouting three shoots. The words in Hebrew, which are called Sarigim, signify three scourges and three branches or shoots. — Hebrew Questions on Genesis

Genesis 40:13

Ambrose of Milan: I do not wish to speak of someone else’s dream. You certainly remember my words, that even then I refused to interpret it because I fear its outcome, the death that I dread. Let us first speak of the man who, when he was in charge of wine, seemed to be happy and believed that this was the pinnacle of power because he gave the cup to the king. This was his glory, this was his magnificence in this world, and he grieved being deprived of it; he rejoiced when it was restored to him. But this is a dream, and all worldly power is a dream, not truth. Finally, through the dream, he saw his authority restored to him. And Isaiah says that such are the people who delight in the things of this world, just as one who eats and drinks in dreams seems to himself to be filled with food or drink, while he sleeps; but when he wakes up, he begins to hunger even more; and then he understands how empty that food and drink of the dreamer were: so does one who sleeps in this world, not opening his eyes to the divine mysteries, as long as he is burdened by the sleep of the body, think that this worldly power is of some importance, as if he sees it in dreams; but when he wakes up, he realizes how empty this worldly pleasure is.

Consider now that true Hebrew, not of a dream but of truth and splendid vision, interpreter, who has come from the fullness of divinity, from the freedom of heavenly grace into this earthly prison, whom the allurements of this world could not change, no worldly corruption could overthrow, who, though tempted, did not fall, did not desire forbidden things, finally seized by the deceitful hand of the Synagogue in a deceptive garment of the body, shed the flesh, ascended free from death. The prostitute has been falsely accused. She was unable to hold the man whom prison did not frighten, whom even the underworld did not hold. Moreover, where he had descended as if to be punished, from there he freed others. Where the chains of death were binding them, there he himself loosened the chains of the dead. — On Joseph the Patriarch

Genesis 40:14

Ambrose of Milan: Therefore, consider that Hebrew saying to the eunuch, who had incurred the wrath of the king, whom he had restored to his position: Remember yourself, when you are doing well, and show mercy towards me, and remember me. He repeated it a second time, because he knew that he would not recall what had happened once he regained his power. He reminded him a second time, because he had saved him a second time; so that if he did not remember the first favor, or if he betrayed the second favor, he would not despise the one who saved him, and violate his trust with treacherous disobedience. But what is worse, the quickly creeping forgetfulness of a favor comes with good fortunes. He who has returned to his own duty has not become mindful of the interpreter, but has forgotten him. But although he was forgetting, Christ was not forgetting: but he was speaking to him, and he was speaking through a servant saying to him: Remember through yourself, that is, remember what you have heard through the contemplation of your duty. But even if you have now forgotten, you will remember me; so that you may escape danger, you who have forgotten the favor. However, elevated in power, he did not remember. And what power it was, when it came to the service of wine! Behold, from where all the boasting; for he was in charge of the eunuchs, who served wine in the royal goblets. — On Joseph the Patriarch

John Chrysostom: When you hear this, dearly beloved, far from despising the good man’s pusillanimity, be amazed rather at the fact that despite the onset of such awful difficulties, he put up with his internment there nobly and thankfully. I mean, even though he had often been given authority by the chief jailer, still he found it harsh to be locked up and live with squalid and filthy people. Notice, in fact, his philosophical attitude even from his bearing it in courageous fashion and giving evidence of great humility in every circumstance. “Have compassion on me, remind Pharaoh of me, and get me out of this dungeon.” Consider in this, I ask you, how Joseph says nothing against that disgusting adulteress, does not blame his master or recount his brothers’ inhumanity to him. Instead, he suppresses all that in saying, “Remember me, and have me taken out of this dungeon, for I was really abducted from the land of the Hebrews and have done nothing here and yet have been cast into this prison.”Instead of passing this idly by, let us consider his philosophical frame of mind in finding such a suitable opportunity and in not maligning the Egyptian woman (I make the same point, note) or drawing attention to his master or his brothers, aware as he was that the chief cupbearer was in the ideal position to acquaint the king of his situation once he had come into his own. Joseph assigned no blame for his being sentenced to a term in prison and was in no hurry to demonstrate the injustice committed against him. Rather, his one concern was not for them to be roundly condemned but only for someone to speak on his behalf. On the one hand, he obscured the role of his brothers when he said, “I was abducted from the land of the Hebrews,” and, on the other hand, he drew attention neither to the doings of the wanton Egyptian woman nor to his master’s unjust rage against him. Instead, what did he say? “I have done nothing here, and yet have been cast into this prison.” Hearing this let us learn, when we fall foul of such people, not to be bent on railing against them and sharpening our tongue in accusing them. [Instead, let us] … demonstrate our innocence meekly and mildly and imitate this remarkable man in that, though being in difficulties, he did not bring himself to parade the Egyptian woman’s incontinence even by word of mouth. You are aware, of course, that often enough many people who are liable to accusation have recourse to vile abuse in endeavoring to fix their own crimes on others. This man, on the contrary, though in fact more spotless than the sun and in a position to tell the complete truth in exposing her frenzy and putting himself in the clear, did not draw attention to them. You see, far from hankering for the esteem of mortals, Joseph was content with favor from on high and wanted for an admirer of his conduct only that unsleeping eye. Hence, as he kept silence and endeavored to conceal everything, the loving Lord brought him to wonderful prominence when he saw with approbation the athlete under pressure. — HOMILIES ON Genesis 63.7-9

Genesis 40:16

Jerome: (Verse 16.) And it seemed to me that I was carrying three baskets of wheat on my head. For the three baskets of wheat, he has three measures of flour in Hebrew. — Hebrew Questions on Genesis

Genesis 40:23

John Chrysostom: See once again the good man, as though competing in some gymnasium or wrestling ring, giving a demonstration of his characteristic virtue by not showing signs of alarm, panic or disappointment. I mean, had it been somebody else, any one of a thousand, he might have said, What’s this? The chief cupbearer was all too ready to regain his former prosperity by my interpreting what he saw in his dream but now has no thought for me despite my predicting it. He is enjoying great relief, whereas I, who committed no crime, am locked up here with murderers, grave robbers, thieves and perpetrators of countless crimes. Joseph said nothing of the sort; he entertained no such thoughts. He realized that the race was longer for him, so that by striving consistently he might win a glorious crown.…Joseph, you see, had to await the right moment for release from there to come his way along with renown. After all, if before Pharaoh’s dreams the chief cupbearer had by his own intervention freed him from prison, perhaps his virtue would not have become known to many people. As it was, however, the wise and creative Lord, who like a fine craftsman knew how long the gold should be kept in the fire and when it ought be taken out, allowed forgetfulness to affect the chief cupbearer for a period of two years so that the moment of Pharaoh’s dreams should arrive and that by force of circumstances the good man should become known to the whole of Pharaoh’s kingdom. — HOMILIES ON Genesis 63.11-12