The Septuagint
In one of the most remarkable military conquests in the history of the world, Alexander "The Great" swept across large swathes of land from Greece eastward to India and southward to Egypt and conquered them all in a decade or so.
Since he had been educated by the famous thinker Aristotle, he not only spread Greek language he also spread Greek philosophy wherever he went.
It was inevitable, then that the Old Testament would have to be translated from Hebrew into Greek, because everyone in "the world" was now speaking Greek.
That Hebrew-to Greek translation is called the Septuagint or shorthand LXX ("seventy") because of a mythical tale about the translators.
In this Greek Old Testament translation, when the story of Joseph's brothers is told, and we are informed that Joseph's brothers were jealous of him, guess what word for jealous is used? This is my point.
Exactly the same word that our English Bibles translate "envy" in 1 Corinthians 13:4, when Paul says that "Love... does not envy."
In the story of Joseph, in other words, we have a teaching example of jealousy (or envy) which is no part of love.
Jealousy and/or Envy mean something like this, "You have something I don't have which I want......"
We've arrived at this ugly word in the 1 Corinthians 13 sonnet of love.
Them Envious Brothers
Why were Joseph's brothers envious of him?
We must lay part of the blame at the door of dad Jacob. If you want a divided home, parents, favour one child. It is scarcely possible to think of a more disastrous parental mistake to make than favouritism. It generates pride in the favoured and hatred in the rest.
Secondly, Joseph was a very gifted fellow. He did not rise in Potiphar's house, nor Pharaoh's court without very considerable personal gifts. The brothers wished they were as gifted as their younger brother.
Third, Joseph made a silly mistake: he revealed the substance of some true dreams to his brothers. These dreams indicated that he would one day be great. I am sure he would have "kept his mouth shut" had he been a little older and just a trifle wiser.
Together these factors made Joseph's brothers seethe with "I wish I was Dad's favourite, I wish I had my brother's gifts, I wish I had David's greatness..."
The outcome of jealousy? Hatred. "That Dreamer" they would call him, and no doubt a lot worse.
The outcome of hatred? Murder - at least attempted.
Love is Not Envious
Now it is as plain as day why "love does not envy..." Here it is: it is impossible to envy someone and not have bad feelings towards them.
In the church at Corinth we are told that gift-envy was brewing. Some believers wanted the showy gifts that had been given by God to their fellow brothers and sisters. They did not want those hidden, ordinary, practical behind the scenes, no-one notices gifts, they wanted the Look At Me variety!
So they envied people who had public, or speaking, or Everyone Can See gifts.
And since envy leads to hatred and hatred leads to..... there was a lot of bad blood hanging around them Corinthian house churches!
Summing it All Up
Is there someone you envy? Perhaps their good looks, their knowledge, their wealth, their position, their success, their gifts? There is no way you can love them until you slay that envy. While you envy them you will be angry at them.
The key to slaying envy?
Recognise that God sovereignly distributes his gifts. Concentrate on the gift he has given to you. Thank him for them, whether they are big or small. Don't desire the gifts God has given to your brother or sister.
Ask God for a humble heart and repent of selfish ambition!
A SONG FOR THE DAY
As I write this blog, "All to Jesus, I surrender", comes to mind. If we give to the Lord Jesus our ambitions we will never envy one another, for our ambitions will line up with the gifts he has given to us, not the ones he has given to someone else.
All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.
I surrender all, I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.
A PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Our all-loving Father in heaven,
We worship you, the sovereign God who distributes all gifts according to his sovereign purposes and the good of Christ's Kingdom.
We thank you for the gifts you have given to us, material, natural and spiritual. Help us not to envy that which you have not given to us.
Teach us to be content.
Forgive us for the times we have failed to love someone - because we have been envious or jealous of them.
Purify our hearts so that we might love you and our fellow man more dearly and nearly,
For we ask these things in Jesus' Name
Amen
Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Unsplash
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