As modern readers we  know that the past is never completely the past. When we gather at holidays times, we fall into old, established patterns. Joseph and his brothers did not have good relations when Joseph was young, and his brothers were heartless when they threw Joseph into a pit and then sold him into slavery. Joseph does not immediately trust his brothers. Could we do any better when confronted with someone who had transgressed against us in such a way?

The text of this podcast is available on our blog.
If you like this podcast, you might enjoy the book Biblical Origins: The Political Intent of the Bible's Writers, by renowned Bible scholar Dr. S. David Sperling.