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NASB | Genesis 39:9 "There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?" |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Genesis 39:9 "He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God [and your husband]?" |
Bible Question:
Notice Joseph's response to Potiphar's wife: Genesis 39:9 "There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?" My question is on the last phrase "...sin against God?" By what reasoning or knowledge did Joseph consider adultery with Potiphar's wife to be sin against God? Notice that this was before the law of Moses was given. Pastor Glenn |
Bible Answer: Before the law sin was in the world (Rom 5:13) but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Joseph might have decided that God had not said explicitly that adultery was wrong and he could have taken that as an excuse, but he chose not to. Before the law, and outside of the law, man still has his conscience. When people like Joseph who lived before the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: They show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another (Romans 2:14,15). When the law came, sin by the commandment became exceeding sinful (Romans 7:13). Man was then violating not only his conscience but also the written word. But now there was no excuse. God has concluded that all are sinners and made mercy available to all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! By what reasoning or knowledge did Joseph consider adultery with Potiphar's wife to be sin against God? By his conscience, I think. In his heart he knew that “as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law”. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference. I wanted to say that Joseph’s life was in every way such a picture of the life of Christ, it would have been a shame if he had committed that sin. But God was with him and he wanted to please him. He did not look for loopholes but followed the dictates of his conscience. He set an example for us that we live not by the letter of the law but by the Spirit. The Lord has said to his great-grand-father, “Walk before me, and be thou perfect”, and we also have a knowledge of his will, with wisdom and spiritual understanding; that we might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing. Along with the word, it helps to have a tender conscience. |
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Questions and/or Subjects for Gen 39:9 | Author | ||
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Pastor Glenn | ||
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compudex | ||
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Shelly | ||
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Aixen7z4 |