Genesis 42:16-17 (ESV Strong's)
Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.”
And he put them all together in custody for three days.
Subject: Forgiveness
Perhaps the title of these verses ought to be: Forgive, but verify! Joseph is in an odd place. He is in the place of power after being in places of humility and distress. He was sold into slavery by these brothers; accused of rape; place in prison; forgotten about by those he helped. He was now in the place of power and could do whatever he wanted. Only Pharaoh was greater than Joseph. The above verses, perhaps, show they struggle in Joseph's heart over forgiving his brothers. He puts in them custody for three days. Perhaps he was thinking of leaving them there. Perhaps he was wanting to pay them back for all the harm they caused him. Yet, it seems more likely he was testing them. He had already forgiven them in his heart, but he needed to see where their heart was in order to know who their interaction would be from this point forward. Would they sell out one of their other brothers to save their own skin? Would they make a deal so they could get home? He, perhaps, put them in custody to watch the agony that was about to happen. They knew this was because of what they had done to Joseph, yet, they didn't know Joseph was standing right there. In the art of forgiveness, you sometimes have to see the heart of the person you have forgiven. Forgiveness is not a choice. We are commanded to do so. But our forgiveness does not always change the heart of the person(s) we are forgiving. Joseph forgave them (judicially) but had to verify their actions from this point forward (practically). Our heart is to be the same for both the judicial act and the practical act. The heart of the one you are forgiving might never change, however. That just changes the practical, not the judicial.
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