Chapter IX.
As hunger grows, the sons of Jacob return to Egypt, bringing Benjamin with them and presenting gifts. Joseph kindly speaks to his brothers, who are invited to a feast but suspect a plot against them. They are reassured by the master of the house. All these things are explained regarding the calling and preaching of Paul, as well as the unbelief of the Jews.
However, Benjamin, the youngest, was still held captive by his paternal affection. He was bound by the chains of the law, the paternal custom. Hunger grew stronger because it came late. Two intervene for him, Reuben and Judah (Gen., XLIII, 1 et seq.), that is, humility and confession. The father uses these sureties, he entrusts himself to them, one of which is the primitive, the other the resurrected. The law of the primitive, the Gospel of the resurrected. Benjamin, the youngest, is brought forward with these, and he arrives accompanied by sweet aromas, carrying with him the resin with which marble stones are connected; because by his preaching, like spiritual resin, he also connects living stones themselves: carrying also honey, by which harmful internal wounds are healed without any bitterness of cutting. For such is the preaching of Paul, that he might eliminate the rotten affection, and evacuate the corrupted humor of his discussion with the sting of his preaching, desiring to burn the sick entrails of the mind rather than cutting them. He taught that the incense of prayer, and cinnamon, and the drop of burial are symbols of the prophets David, saying: Myrrh and cinnamon and the drop of burial are from your clothes (Ps. 44:9). For Paul came to preach the cross of the Lord, always green like the holly oak, and the nuts, which have a harder shell and a tender fruit, and rightly so, for the priestly rod of Aaron was a nut tree, and the staff of Jeremiah was of the same kind. Who would doubt that silver is also a dual-purpose, not idle gift; when both the life of the Patriarchs and the discourse of the Apostles always flourish in the hearts of individuals; and the speech of the saints, like silver tested by fire, shines with the bright light of salutary instruction? And not without reason do they refer to dual-purpose silver in which the coming of Paul was prefigured, who bestowed double honor on the laboring elders in word and doctrine.
But Joseph saw them, and Benjamin his brother from the same mother (Gen. XLIII, 29). Now the Hebrews seem to see, and they seem to be seen by Christ who is the true Joseph, when they come with Paul as a type: and He speaks to them gently and meekly, so that they may take food together. However, because they came without Benjamin, He recognized them for sure: but He turned away from them, as it is written: And He spoke harshly to them (Gen. XLII, 7), because they did not recognize Him, by whom they were recognized. Therefore, Paul rightly made progress, whom the Lord Jesus loved more than the other brothers as a younger brother born from the same mother. Let the Jews take note of the Lord whom they denied, who even though crucified, still loves them as if born from the same parent, if they come to know the author of their salvation even late. But being conscious of their own sins, they do not believe that the mercy of Christ is so great as to forgive sin and pardon injury. And so they were prefigured in the patriarchs what they would be in the future. They were invited to grace, they were called to the banquet of the saving table; and they suspected that calumny was being prepared against them, that plots were being made against them.
48. And they began to argue with the man who was above the house in the doorway of the house, wanting to present their case. They still hesitate to enter and prefer to justify themselves by their works, who want to build their case rather than accept grace; and therefore they are reproved at the gates. But he who expects the fruit of the virgin's womb and the inheritance of the Lord, trades the sons of his business for merchandise, will not be ashamed at the gate; but at the end of this life he repels the enemy, lest he hinder the one hastening to higher things, being conscious of a more serious fault.
49. Then the steward responded to them mystically. And know who he is, when you read that Moses was faithful in all his house. For the stewards, Moses, Peter, Paul, and the other saints are; but Christ alone is the Lord. It is written: Moses was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken (Hebrews III, 5); but Christ as a son in his own house, which house we are, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of hope (Ibid., 6).
50. Therefore, the master of the house responded to them: May God be propitious to you, do not be afraid; for your God, and the God of your fathers, has given you treasures in your bags: but I have received your genuine silver. (Gen. XLIII, 23). For they had said: We found each one's silver in our bags, we have brought back our silver by weight. (Ibid., 21). Oh great mysteries, and clearly expressed! This is to say: Why are you inflamed? Do you have your money in your wallets often? For what do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? Now you are satisfied, you have become rich, because you believe you have money. But God of your fathers has given you that money. He is your God, the God of your fathers, whom you denied. But He forgives, He indulges, He receives if you return. He is the one who does not seek your money, he gives his own. He himself gave you money in your purses. Now your purses have money, who used to have clay; and therefore he is yours who says: You have cut off my sackcloth, and have clothed me with joy (Ps. XXIX, 12). Christ is the gift of joy, he is your money, he is your price. The Lord Jesus does not demand the price of his grain from you, he does not seek the weight of your silver. Your silver is bad, the silver of the purse is not good.
I acknowledge your good silver, which you have given with faithful devotion, like the sons of Jacob (Gen. 43:23). This is not your material silver, but your spiritual silver, that is, good silver, which is given without loss and without any expense. By such a price, the detriment of death is excluded, and the gain of life is acquired.