A Question of Motive
I can’t tell you how often I have assumed the reasons why someone has done something or another, and I have been totally wrong. As a young child, I often thought another kid was acting kindly to me only to discover a totally different, much more nefarious reason was behind the supposed “kindness.” And, more often than I would like to admit, I have frequently assumed evil or negative motives when in fact someone was acting only positively. Of course, we all know the errors of making assumptions—we are just asking to get it wrong, and sometimes with disastrous results.
How we understand the actions of a minor character in a sideline affair in our drama this week all boils down to motive. If we assume the best, you can find yourself almost sympathetic to Reuben; on the other hand, nothing but pure selfishness might be driving him. While assessing Reuben’s reasoning is not essential to the overall storyline we’ll be looking at, his part in the story can teach us about reading the Bible and the importance of how we approach the Scripture to begin with.
Reuben is Jacob’s oldest son. He would be the natural leader—the one expected to guide his brothers and the one to act most faithfully in his father’s absence. Indeed, by all standards of the day, Reuben should have been the son to whom the mantel of “family patriarch” would fall. But, like his brothers, it is clear that Reuben’s resentment over his father’s favoritism toward Joseph, his much younger brother, led to the terrible events recorded in Genesis 37. But, was there more to Reuben’s feelings and/or actions toward Joseph?
When the brothers first conspire to murder Joseph, it is Reuben who backs them down. Scripture describes Reuben’s actions as “rescuing” Joseph—it certainly seems like Reuben is on the positive track here. But later we are told that Reuben did so, “so that he might restore Joseph to his father.” And, here’s where the question of motive comes in: Did Reuben save Joseph and seek to restore him to Jacob because Reuben knew it was the right thing to do? Was he acting out of the goodness of his heart? Or… or, was this nothing more than a self-serving act on his part? Think of it, here Reuben is, cast aside from his role in the family by “daddy’s favorite;” and, suddenly, Reuben has the chance to be the hero! He has a chance to save Jacob’s pet son; perhaps to prove to Jacob that he, Reuben, is the true leader that even his father denies.
Was Reuben acting to save his brother for Joseph’s sake? Or, for his own?
Of course, what we assume about Reuben here totally changes the way we read this portion of the narrative. This is made more difficult for us precisely because the biblical author does not tell us the reasoning for Reuben’s actions—is he an unsuccessful hero? Or, a self-serving failure?
We come to the Scripture to hear God’s Word—to listen to, to understand, and then to faithfully follow what He desires for us. It is always, always a temptation to want the Bible to say what I already believe—I want God to support what I think! It is so very easy to assume what I want the Bible to show. This temptation must be resisted always and forever. We come to learn from our Lord, not to justify our own thinking. Reuben’s story is an easy way to demonstrate the dangers of making assumptions in our interpretation of Scripture. We need to hear from the Lord and come to the Bible with our hearts open to Him.
As you come to worship this week, read Genesis 37:12-36.
1. Why do you think the author recounts the wanderings of Joseph as he tries to find his brothers? Why might this be important to the story?
2. Refresh your memories again (or read the opening verses of chapter 37) to see why the brothers would want to kill Joseph. How does his sarcastic title, “the dreamer,” play into this?
3. Speculate on the reasons why Reuben acted as he does in this story. Read, especially, verses 21-22 and 29-30.
4. The first part of verse 25 is stunning. How does this describe the descent into sin in our hearts?
5. How best should we understand Jacob’s response to the news of Joseph’s “death” in verse 36?
6. Given Jacob’s reaction, do you think the brothers are satisfied with their plan? Did things work out as they would have hoped?
7. Joseph’s robe marked him as Jacob’s favorite—why do you think the brothers specifically used the robe to “prove” Joseph’s fate to his father?
