John Calvin Commentary Genesis 40

And it came to pass after these things. We have already seen that when Joseph was in bonds, God cared for him. For how did the relief afforded him arise, but from the divine favor? Therefore, God, before he opened the door for his servant’s deliverance, entered into the very prison to sustain him with his strength.

But a far more illustrious benefit follows; for he is not only liberated from prison but exalted to the highest degree of honor. In the meantime, the providence of God led the holy man through wonderful and most intricate paths. The butler and baker of the king are cast into the prison; Joseph expounds to them their dreams.

Restoration to his office having been promised to the butler, some light of hope beamed upon the holy captive; for the butler agreed that, after he returned to his post, he would become the advocate for Joseph’s pardon. But, again, that hope was speedily cut off when the butler failed to speak a word to the king on behalf of the miserable captive.

Joseph, therefore, seemed to himself to be buried in perpetual oblivion, until the Lord again suddenly rekindled the light which had been smothered and almost extinguished. Thus, although he could have delivered the holy man directly from prison, he chose to lead him around by circuitous paths, the better to prove his patience, and to manifest, by the mode of his deliverance, that he has wonderful methods of working, hidden from our view.

He does this so that we may learn not to measure, by our own sense, the salvation which he has promised us; but that we may instead allow ourselves to be turned this way or that way by his hand, until he has performed his work. By the butler and the baker, we are not to understand any common person of each rank, but those who presided over the rest; for, soon afterwards, they are called eunuchs or nobles.

Ridiculous is the fiction of the trifler Gerundensis, who, according to his manner, asserts that they were made eunuchs as a mark of infamy, because Pharaoh had been enraged against them. They were, in short, two of the chief men of the court. Moses now more clearly declares that the prison was under the authority of Potiphar.

From this we learn what I have said before: that his anger had been mitigated, since without his consent, the jailer could not have acted with such clemency towards Joseph. Even Moses ascribes such a measure of humanity to Potiphar that he committed the butler and baker to the charge of Joseph.

Unless, perhaps, a new successor had then been appointed in Potiphar’s place; which, however, is easily refuted from the context, because a little afterwards Moses says that the master of Joseph was the captain of the guard (Genesis 40:3). When Moses says they were kept in prison a season, some understand by the word, a whole year; but in my judgment, they are mistaken. It rather denotes a long but uncertain time, as appears from other places.

And they dreamed a dream. What I have previously alluded to regarding dreams must be recalled to memory: namely, that many frivolous things are presented to us, which pass away and are forgotten; some, however, have the force and significance of prophecy. These two dreams were of this kind, by which God made known the hidden result of a future matter.

For unless the mark of a heavenly oracle had been engraved upon them, the butler and the baker would not have been in such consternation of mind. I acknowledge, indeed, that people are sometimes vehemently agitated by vain and rashly conceived dreams, yet their terror and anxiety gradually subside; but God had fixed an arrow in the minds of the butler and the baker, which would not allow them to rest; and by this means, each was made more attentive to the interpretation of his dream. Moses, therefore, expressly declares that it was a presage of something certain.

And Joseph came in to them, in the morning. As I have recently said, we should here behold, with the eyes of faith, the wonderful providence of God. For, although the butler and baker are certainly informed of their own fate, yet this was not done so much for their sake as in Joseph's favor, whom God intended, by this method, to make known to the king.

Therefore, by a secret instinct, God had made them sad and astonished, as if He would lead them by the hand to His servant Joseph. It should be noted, however, that by a new inspiration of the Spirit, the gift of prophecy, which he had not previously possessed, was imparted to him in the prison.

When he himself had previously dreamed, he remained, for a while, in suspense and doubt regarding the divine revelation; but now he is a reliable interpreter for others. And though, when he was inquiring into the cause of their sadness, he perhaps did not think of dreams, yet from the next verse it appears that he was conscious of having received the gift of the Spirit. In this confidence, he urges them to relate the dreams, of which he was about to be the interpreter.

Do not interpretations belong to God? he says. Certainly, he does not arrogantly transfer to himself what he acknowledges to be unique to God; but according to the means which his calling provided, he offers them his service. This must be noted, so that no one may inadvertently usurp more for himself than he knows God has granted him.

For this reason, Paul so diligently teaches that the gifts of the Spirit are variously distributed (1 Corinthians 12:4), and that God has assigned to each a specific role, so that no one may act ambitiously or intrude into another's office; but rather that each should keep within the bounds of his own calling.

Unless this degree of moderation prevails, all things will necessarily be thrown into confusion, because the truth of God will be distorted by the foolish rashness of many; peace and harmony will be disturbed, and, in short, no good order will be maintained. Let us learn, therefore, that Joseph confidently promised an interpretation of the dreams because he knew that he was furnished and adorned with this gift by God.

The same remark applies to his inquiry regarding the dreams. For he does not attempt to proceed beyond what his own power authorized him to do: he does not, therefore, discern what they had dreamed, but confesses that it was hidden from him. The method pursued by Daniel was different, for he was enabled, by a direct revelation, to state and interpret the dream which had entirely escaped the memory of the king of Babylon (Daniel 2:28).

He, therefore, relying upon a larger measure of the Spirit, does not hesitate to profess that he can both discern and interpret dreams. But Joseph, to whom only half of these gifts was imparted, keeps within legitimate bounds. Besides, he not only guards himself against presumption, but by declaring that whatever he has received is from God, he ingenuously testifies that he has nothing from himself.

He does not, therefore, boast of his own quickness or clear-sightedness, but wishes only to be known as the servant of God. Let those who excel follow this rule, lest by ascribing too much to themselves (which commonly happens), they obscure the grace of God. Moreover, this vanity is to be restrained, not only that God alone may be glorified and not be robbed of His right, but also that prophets, teachers, and all others who are endowed with heavenly grace may humbly submit to the direction of the Spirit.

What Moses says should also be noted: that Joseph was concerned about the sadness of those who were with him in prison. For in this way, people become softened by their own afflictions, so that they do not despise others who are in misery; and, in this way, common sufferings generate sympathy.

Therefore, it is not surprising that God should test us with various sorrows, since nothing is more fitting than compassion towards our fellow human beings, who, being weighed down with trials, suffer contempt. This compassion, however, must be learned by experience, because our innate ferocity is more and more inflated by prosperity.

The three branches are three days. Joseph does not here offer what he thought to be probable, like some ambiguous speculator; but asserts, by the revelation of the Spirit, the meaning of the dream. For why does he say that by the three branches, three days rather than years are signified, unless because the Spirit of God had suggested it?

Joseph, therefore, proceeds, by a special impulse beyond nature, to expound the dream; and by immediately commending himself to the butler, as if he were already restored, shows how certain and unquestionable the truth of his interpretation was: as if he had said, “Be convinced that what you have heard from me has come from God.” Here he also shows how honorably he regards the oracles of God, since he declares the future effect with as much confidence as if it had already taken place.

But it may be considered absurd that Joseph asks for a reward for his prophecy. I answer, that he did not speak as one who would put the gift of God up for sale; but it came into his mind that a method of deliverance was now set before him by God, which it was not permissible for him to reject.

Indeed, I do not doubt that a hope of better fortune had been divinely imparted to him. For God, who, even from his childhood, had twice promised him dominion, did not leave him, amidst so many hardships, entirely without any consolation. Now this opportunity of seeking deliverance was offered to him by God alone. Therefore, it is not surprising that Joseph would make use of it in this way.

With respect to the expression, Lift up thine head; it signifies raising someone from a low and contemptible condition to one of some reputation. Therefore, “Pharaoh will lift up thine head,” means he will bring you out from the darkness of the prisons, or he will raise you who have fallen, and restore you to your former rank. For I take the word to mean simply place or rank, and not basis.

Show kindness I pray thee unto me. Although the expression "show kindness" is used among the Hebrews to describe the common exercise of humanity, there is yet no doubt that Joseph spoke simply as his own sad and afflicted condition suggested, to secure help for him.

He insists, however, chiefly on this: that he had been thrust into prison for no crime, so that the butler might not refuse his assistance to an innocent man.

For although those who are most wicked find patrons; yet commendation elicited by persistent pleading, which rescues a wicked man from deserved punishment, is itself an odious and infamous thing. It is, however, probable that Joseph explained his entire case, so that he fully convinced the butler of his innocence.