創世記42章
約瑟是聖經里的重要人物之一。也許以下的問題會讓您更深地認識他。
一. 我想約瑟內心一定有許多疑問，並且他還面對一個挑戰：他心裡想知道他的兄弟們改變了沒有？他們懊悔了沒有？他們學好了功課沒有？約瑟想要知道他眾兄弟中有沒有一個能夠當領導人？是否有好兄弟可以負責管理父親的產業？約瑟又想得知當年他的兄弟們回家後，是如何向父親解釋他的“失蹤”的。多年來，約瑟想知道父親是否真的以為他死了。（他早就猜想到兄弟們騙父親，說他死了。也許他懷疑父親是否完全相信他們。）約瑟需要知道，這幾年來，兄弟們是如何對待老父親的？約瑟也想得知弟弟（便雅憫）長成什麼樣子了？我想約瑟心裡還有更多的問題。現在兄弟們來了！約瑟要怎麼樣對待他們呢？
二. 如果您帶領聖經學習班，我建議您讓幾個人將創世記第42章作為劇本表演一下。最好，用新的普通話譯本，使得人聽得更明白。（請把所有“他說”等拿掉不說；讓它自然化。）請幾位把“劇本”念熟，然後在班上演出。這樣做會幫助各位理解約瑟和哥哥們彼此之間的關係。
三. 約瑟要做選擇——他可以用什麼方法找到以上問題的答案？譬如：他可以…
1. 約瑟可以進來馬上介紹自己，比方說：“諸位兄弟，你好？！你們看看我是誰！你們看看誰在這裡！你們記不記得以前我做的夢？”
2. 約瑟可以一直不介紹自己。只是把糧食賣給他們，一言不發地送他們回家。
3. 約瑟可以處死他們；他擁有此權柄。處死他們之後，叫他父親和弟弟便雅憫來埃及過日子。
4. 約瑟也可以考驗他的兄弟們，以便得知他們是否改好了。同時他也會有機會看清神的旨意 。如果他選擇如此做，他會面對其他的一些決定，如下：
1) 約瑟可以先介紹自己的身份，之後再跟兄弟們談談，問他們許多問題。
2) 約瑟可以把多數的人送去監獄；把少數人送回家。
3) 約瑟可以先問兄弟們很多問題，考驗他們之後再介紹自己的身份。（這是他決定做的。）
4) 您認為約瑟還可以做什麼呢？
四. 約瑟的智慧：創世記42章讓我們看見約瑟的智慧。請多談談以下的幾個事實和問題：
1. 約瑟的目的是什麼？約瑟想做什麼？他要試驗、考驗他的兄弟么？
2. 約瑟不着急。如果約瑟沒有耐心，他可以很快的“報仇”。但是他慢慢地考驗他們，同時他理解了神的旨意。
3. 約瑟要考驗兄弟們。約瑟想要得知他的兄弟們是否對以前所做的事感到後悔。他需要知道他們有沒有改過自新？
4. 約瑟懂得什麼叫做 ”tough love” （對人很嚴格的愛）。我的意思是”真愛”對對方嚴格些。比方，一）如果孩子偷懶不讀功課，你是否對他說：“因為我愛你，所以我讓你隨己意而行”。或者對他說：“因為我愛你，所以我要逼你做功課”。二）別人考駕駛執照時，你希望考試嚴不嚴呢？如果不嚴，車禍就多了！三）你的大夫考醫學執照時，你認為考試要嚴格一點還是簡單一點？你要不要讓沒通過嚴格醫學考試的人為你動手術呢？同樣的道理，約瑟在考驗他的兄弟——考他們“做人”時，他很嚴格。
5. 約瑟的策略（考試）沒有惡意只有善意。他不傷害他們，但要他們現出本性。約瑟讓他們表現出賣兄弟幾年之後是否有後悔之處。
五. 我們像不像約瑟用智慧和愛考驗別人？請把約瑟用的這種“真愛”（嚴格的愛）應用在日常生活上，譬如：
1. 用在孩子的身上：什麼時候要對孩子嚴格一點？父母要不要用”tough love”嚴格的愛？請舉例。
2. 用在妻子和丈夫的身上：什麼時候要對配偶用嚴格地愛？妻子或丈夫要不要用”tough love” 嚴格的愛？請舉例。
3. 用在父母親的身上：孩子什麼時候要對父母使用嚴格的愛？請舉例。
4. 用在教會弟兄姐妹的身上：什麼時候要對教會弟兄姐妹用嚴格的愛？長老什麼時候要用”tough love” 嚴格的愛對待弟兄姐妹？請舉例。
5. 用在僱員的身上：公司和老闆什麼時候要對僱員用嚴格的愛？請舉例。
6. 請把此道理用在其他的情況下。請舉例。
讀者：歡迎您把這篇短文下載，複印，用在您的聖經班裡。
Joseph (3)
Genesis 42
1. Joseph faced the problem and challenge of determining whether his brothers had changed or not, repented or not, learned any lessons or not. Had a brother turned into a leader, one able to take responsibility for their father’s inheritance? Joseph wondered what his father had been told regarding his “death.” What did his father think had become of him? How did the brothers treat their father? What was his little brother like? No doubt, many questions were on Joseph’s mind.
2. Have several people read Genesis 42 as a drama from a modern speech translation of the Bible. If the people who read will take it seriously, this can be a very exciting and helpful experience.
3. How could Joseph ascertain the answers he sought? For example…
1) Joseph could come in and say: “Hey brothers! Lookie! Here I am! Remember those dreams I had a few years ago?!”
2) Joseph could never reveal his identity. Sell his brothers the food and send them on their way without saying anything!
3) Joseph could kill them. He had the authority. Then later bring his father and Benjamin to Egypt.
4) Joseph could test them to find out whether they had changed. At the same time he would have opportunity to look for God’s will in all this; e.g.:
a) Joseph could reveal his identity first and then talk to them and ask all his questions afterward.
b) Joseph could put more of his brothers in prison and send fewer home.
c) Joseph could first ask his brothers questions and reveal his identity later–which is exactly what he did.
d) What else could Joseph have done to test his brothers?
4. Joseph’s wisdom: In Genesis 42 we see several examples of how wise Joseph was.
1) What was Joseph’s purpose? What did he want to do?
2) Joseph was not in a hurry
3) Joseph wanted to test his brothers
4) Joseph understood the meaning of “tough love” (“Real gold fears no fire” love). (By this I mean that true love is tough love. 1–If your child is lazy and will not study, do you say, “Because I love you I will let you do however you want”? Or do you say, “Because I love you I insist that you study”? 2–When others take a driving test, do you think their exam should be harder or easier? 3–When your doctor takes his medical license exam, do you want his test to be easy or hard? Do you want as your surgeon someone who could not pass a difficult medical exam? In the same way, when Joseph gave his brothers an exam on “life,” he made it a difficult exam.)
5) Everything in Joseph’s cunning test was with good intentions; there was no evil in his plan.
5. Do we use wisdom and love to test others like Joseph did? Give examples of using this kind of love:
1) With children: When should one be strict and use “tough love” with their children? Give examples.
2) Husband and wife: When should one be strict and use “tough love” with their spouse? Give examples.
3) Parents: When should one be strict and use “tough love” with their parents? Give examples.
4) Church members: When should the elders be strict and use “tough love” with church members? Give examples.
5) Employees: When should a company or the boss be strict and use “tough love” with employees? Give examples.
6) Give other examples of this kind of love.
聖經問答：約瑟（3）
創世記42
Bible Study Questions: Joseph (3)
Genesis 42
作者：謝德華 ©By Edward Short
本文所問的問題使用漢子聖經。
歡迎您把此文下載用在聖經班或私人學習。
A series of Bible lessons, written in Chinese
and based largely on the text of the Chinese Bible.
You may download and print copies of this lesson
for use in your Bible class.
World Christian Broadcasting
Franklin, TN 37067 USA
Rev. 2016.9.12.