Slander

View daily reading plan: Genesis 39.13-20

Joseph’s predicament now developed into a crisis. Once more he had to go “into the house” and again the Scriptures guard his integrity; it was “to do his business” that he was there and not with any ulterior motive (Gen 39.11). On this occasion “she caught him by his garment” (v.12), and he made no attempt to reason with her as in verse 8, but instantly fled. He stands as the prime example of Paul’s command to Timothy, “Flee also youthful lusts” (2 Tim 2.22), or his exhortation to the Corinthians, “Flee fornication” (1 Cor 6.18).
 
This woman’s infatuation with Joseph changed to white-hot rage and the craving for revenge simmered in her heart. Her calls for help brought the “men of her house” and in describing Joseph to them as “an Hebrew” she was no doubt implying that the foreigner had been promoted over the heads of these Egyptian men. She was doing all in her power to influence them against him.
 
The moment Potiphar stepped over the threshold, the carefully guarded garment was produced as “evidence” of the alleged assault. And so, Joseph was slandered and without inquisition or trial he was imprisoned. Mephibosheth lost all his possession because of slander (2 Sam 16.1-4). It is a loathsome crime and so Paul urged Titus to tell the aged women that they must not be “false accusers” (Tit 2.3), and the Greek word that he used is translated “devil” over thirty times in the New Testament. Never be guilty of doing the devil’s work for him.
 

Saturday, 10 February, 2024