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Ver. 9. Behold, a vine was before me.] God, of his infinite grace and wisdom, gives men such signs as excellently answer and agree to the thing thereby signified; those two sacraments of the New Testament, for instance; which the Greek fathers (in the apostle’s sense, Hebrews 9:24) call αντιτυπα, signs and symbols of better things, signified and sealed up thereby to the believer. The Lord, saith venerable Beza, knowing well the vanity of our natures, prone to idolatry, hath appointed us two sacraments only; and those consisting also of most simple signs and rites. For signs, he gave us water, bread, and wine. The rites are no more than to sprinkle, eat, drink (things of most common use); and a very little of these too, that men may not too much doat on the elements, or external acts in the sacrament, but be wholly raised up to the mystery, and by faith mount up to Christ thereby set forth and exhibited—fetching him down, as it were, that we may feed on him. Hence the outward sign is no further used than may serve to mind us of the inward grace. The minister also stirs up the people to look higher than to what they see, with Sursum corda; Lift up your hearts. A thing in use among the primitive Christians. Nempe ne miseri mortales in istorum mysteriorum usu in rebus terrestribus haereant, et obstupescant. -Bez. Confess. Sacerdos parat fratrum mentes, dicendo, Sursum corda. -Cyprian.
Ver. 10. It was as though it budded.] As though; for dreams are but the empty bubbles of the mind, children and tales of fancy, &c.
Ver. 11. And pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup.] That he might have his wine fresh and new. “Dulcius ex ipso fonte bibuntur aquae.”
Ver. 12. The three branches are three days.] That is, They signify three days. So Genesis 41:26. “The seven kine are seven years.” So, “this is my body”: that is, This signifieth my body, saith Zuinglius, after Augustine and Ambrose. Or, This is the sign and figure of my body, saith Calvin, after Augustine and Tertullian; whatsoever Bellarmine and Hunnius prate to the contrary. It is an ordinary metonymy, whereby the name of a thing signified is given to the sign, for the analogy that is between them, and for the certainty of signification. Homer and Virgil have the like. As for those Christians that eat their God, let my soul be with the philosophers, rather than with them, saith Averroes, the learned Arabian. When it was objected to Nicolas Shetterden, martyr, by Archdeacon Harpsfield, that the words of Christ, when he said, Hoc est corpus meum, did change the substance, without any other interpretation, or spiritual meaning, he answered: Then like when Christ said, “This cup is my blood,” the substance of the cup was changed into his blood, without any other meaning; and so the cup was changed, and not the wine. Harpsfield hereupon was forced to confess that Christ’s testament was broken, and his institution changed from that he left it; but he said, they had power so to do. Hun., De Sacram., cap. 14. Hom. (Iliad, iii. 280) victimas quibus faedera sanciebantur ορκια, i.e., faedera vocat. -Virgil, “fallere dextram” dixit, i.e., fidem et iusiurandum, quod datis dextris concipitur. Act. and Mon., fol 1515.
Ver. 13. Yet within three days.] Joseph foresaw the time of the butler’s deliverance; he knew not the time of his own. In good hope he was, that now he should have been delivered, upon the restoration of the butler, and his intercession for him; but he was fain to stay two years longer; “till the time that God’s word came: the word of the Lord tried him”; (Psalms 105:19) by trying, as in a fire, his faith and patience in afflictions.
Ver. 14. But think on me, &c.] Liberty is sweet, and should be sought by all lawful means. (1 Corinthians 7:21) The Jews censure Joseph for requesting this favour of the butler; and say, he was therefore two years longer imprisoned. But this is a hard saying. Possible it is, that Joseph might trust too much to this man, and be too hasty to set God this time, and no other; and so might be justly crossed of his expectation. It is hard and happy so to use the means as not to trust to them; and so to wait God’s good leisure, as not to “limit the Holy One of Israel.” We trust a skilful workman to go his own way to work, and to take his own time. Shall we not do as much for God! He oft goes a way by himself, and gives a blessing to those times and means whereof we despair.
Ver. 15. For indeed I was stolen away.] Joseph inveighs not against his brethren that he may clear himself; but hideth their infamy with the mantle of charity, which is large enough to cover a multitude of sins. It is a fault to speak of other men’s faults, unless it be in an ordinance. Infamy soon spreads. Out of the land of the Hebrews.] So he by faith calls the land of Canaan; which yet was detained from them, till the sins of the Amorites were become full. But God’s promises are good freehold. Jacob disposeth of this land on his deathbed; though not the least master of it. And here also have I done nothing, &c.] We may not betray our innocency by a base silence, but make seasonable apology; as did Daniel, (Daniel 6:12) Paul, (Acts 24:12,13) Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and other the primitive apologists. Francis, king of France, to excuse his cruelty exercised upon his Protestant subjects to the German princes, whose friendship he sought after, set forth a declaration to this purpose: that he punished only Anabaptists, that preferred their private revelations before the Word of God, and set at nought all civil government. Which brand set upon the true religion, and all the professors thereof, Calvin not enduring, though he were then a young divine, twenty-five years old, yet he compiled and set forth that admirable work of his, called, “The Institution of Christian Religion.” In commendation whereof, one writes boldly— “ Praeter Apostolicas post Christi tempora chartas Huic peperere libro saecula nulla parem.” Βλαβαι ποδωκεις.— -Sophocl. Scult., Annal., p. 454. Paul. Melissus.
Ver. 16. When the chief baker saw.] So when hypocrites hear good to be spoken, in the word, to God’s children, they also listen, and fasten upon the comforts, as pertaining to them: they “receive the word with joy”: (Matthew 13:20) they laugh, as men use to do in some merry dream; they catch at the deserts as children, and conclude with Haman, that they are the men whom the king means to honour. But when they must practise duty, or bear the cross, they depart “sad”; (Mark 10:22) and Christ may keep his heaven to himself, if it be had on no other conditions.
Ver. 17. And the birds did eat them.] He seeth not that he did anything, but suffereth only. He heareth therefore an unpleasing interpretation, saith Pareus.
Ver. 18. And Joseph answered, &c.] It is probable he used some preface to this sad destiny he reads him; as Philo brings him in saying, I would thou hadst not dreamed such a dream: or as Daniel prefaced to Nebuchadnezzar; “My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation to thine enemies.” (Daniel 4:19) If ministers, God’s interpreters, must be mannerly in the form, yet in the matter of their message they must be resolute. Not only toothless, but bitter truths must be told, however they be taken. “If I yet please men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10) Utinam tale somnium non vidisses.
Ver. 19. And shall hang thee on a tree, &c.] This was cold comfort to the baker: so shall the last judgment be to the ungodly; when the saints, as the butler, shall lift up their heads with joy. But what a sweet providence of God was this, that the butler should first relate his dream, and receive his interpretation, as good as he could wish! Had the baker begun, the butler would have been disheartened, and hindered, perhaps, from declaring his dream. And then, where had Joseph’s hopes been of deliverance by the butler? How could he have had that opportunity of setting forth his innocency, and requesting the butler’s favour, and good word to Pharaoh for his freedom? See how all things work together for good to them that love God. The birds shall eat thy flesh.] Those that were hanged among the Jews were taken down. (Deuteronomy 21:23) Not so among the Gentiles. A sore judgment of God threatened, in a special manner, against those that despise parents (Proverbs 30:17) and fulfilled in Absalom. Abslon Marte furens, pensilis arbore obit. Gretser, the Jesuit, to show his wit, calls that tree, a cross; and makes it a manifest figure of the cross of Christ. Sed o mirum et delirum figurativae crueis fabrum! Our Lord indeed died upon the cross, and that with a curse. But that Absalom should, in that behalf, be a type of him, is a new Jesuitical invention. Some say, that in honour of Christ crucified, Constantine the Great abolished that kind of death throughout the empire. Piscator. Effossos oculos voret atro gutture corvus. -Catull., De Cruce., lib. i. cap. 6.
Ver. 20. Which was Pharaoh’s birthday.] An ancient and commendable custom, to keep banquets on birthdays; in honour of God, our Sospitator, for his mercy in our creation, education, preservation, &c.
Ver. 22. But he hanged the chief baker.] God’s menaces, as well as promises, will have their accomplishment. Vengeance is “in readiness” for the rebellious. (2 Corinthians 10:6) Every whit as ready in God’s hand, as in the minister’s mouth.
Ver. 23. Yet did not the chief butler.] Too many such butlers, that forget poor Joseph! What cares Nabal though David die at his door, so he may eat the fat and drink the sweet, &c.? The heathens’ picture of their graces, young and fresh, two looking towards you, and one from you, bids check to all ungrateful persons.