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Suffering for Doing Good
-- T O R A H P O R T I O N --
Last week, Judah left his brothers to visit a friend. From there, he saw a Canaanite woman, and he married her and they had three sons. He took a wife for his firstborn, Er, and her name was Tamar. Er died because of wickedness, so Judah told his second son, Onan, to raise up an heir for his brother. But Onan didn’t follow the instruction of his father, so Adonai YHVH killed him.
Then Judah told Tamar that he would partner her with his third son, Shelah, once he was grown. But Judah didn’t keep his word, so Tamar made a move. She veiled herself and went to an open place where Judah saw her, thought she was a harlot, and went in to her. Tamar bore twins, Perez and Zerah, and from Perez, the Promised Seed would come.
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Our Torah portion is back to the story of Joseph. Now he had been taken down to Egypt by the Ishmaelites, and Potiphar, Pharaoh’s officer, bought him. This time, he was far from home and his family—a sojourner—not knowing his fate. But in times of this adversity, Adonai was with Joseph, and the result was:
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He was successful (vv. 2–3) – In spite of being away from his family, Joseph had Adonai YHVH, and that’s the reason why he succeeded. Adonai placed Joseph inside the house of a very influential man, Potiphar. He also observed the success of Joseph due to the company of Adonai. Successful suffering, like what Joseph experienced, is when you go through a time of suffering and the final result shows that you have obtained something as well. Joseph, in spite of losing his family for a while, became the governor of Egypt and saved his family from the tremendous famine. His amazing interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams led to his promotion as Pharaoh’s right hand.
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He found favor in the eyes of Potiphar (vv. 4–5) – Even though Joseph was a slave, he became the most trusted man in the house of Potiphar. He gave Joseph authority and made him the overseer. Because of this, Adonai blessed the house of Potiphar and even his field for the sake of Joseph. Verses 5–6 say that Potiphar “left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.” Potiphar was very blessed to have Joseph.
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He overcame temptation (vv. 7–18) – Now here, in spite of Joseph’s suffering because of being away from his family, he managed to do the right thing. Joseph was attractive because of his good looks and form, and this caused the wife of Potiphar to seduce him. The question is: How did Joseph overcome the temptation of his master’s wife?
First, he refused. James 4:7 says, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” The Greek word for resist is anthistēmi, which means “to stand against, that is, oppose.” Let us always remember that it is usual for temptation to return. In verse 10, the wife of Potiphar keeps on tempting Joseph day by day, but Joseph keeps on resisting as well.
Second, Joseph fled and ran. Sometimes, temptation comes when you are alone. Like Joseph, when he went into the house of his master to do his work, the wife of Potiphar caught him by his garment and forced him to lie with her. To flee and run away from temptation means we recognize it as the plan of the devil, so we go the other way. Joseph fled and ran not inside the house of his master, but outside of it to overcome temptation. Joseph did the right thing and yet he was falsely accused and was put into prison.
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He found favor inside the prison (vv. 20–23) – Again, the company of Adonai was with Joseph. Like what Potiphar did to Joseph when he was still in his house, the warden of the prison trusted him and committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners inside. Whatever they did there, it was his doing. Whatever Joseph did, Adonai made it prosper. So let’s follow Joseph’s steps to flee and run from temptation whenever it comes our way.
Does it feel like your sufferings will last forever? Don't give up. Are you struggling with doubt? Keep the faith. Our Torah portion is a reminder that even if we are doing good things, we are not exempt from facing suffering. But God knows our suffering and pains. He sees how we suffer and cry. He was with Joseph and can be with us as well.
-- H A F T A R A H P O R T I O N --
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Our Haftarah portion is part of the four Servant Songs that start in chapter 42:1–4. The second is from 49:1–6, the third is from 50:4–9, and the fourth is from 52:13–53:12. The views of Bible scholars regarding the Suffering Servant are divided. Some say the Servant is Israel, while others say it’s Yeshua. Between these two views, I agree with the latter.
In Mark 10:45 it says, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” How could He give Himself as a ransom? He must suffer! In chapter 53 of our Haftarah portion, we can see His sufferings:
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He was despised and rejected by men (v. 3) – Yeshua felt and experienced the rejection of His fellow Jews in Matthew 13:57. But He said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.”
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He was wounded and bruised (v. 5) – 1 Peter 2:24: “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.”
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He was oppressed, afflicted, and led as a lamb to the slaughter (v. 7) – 1 Peter 2:21–22: “For to this you were called, because Yeshua also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps, who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth.”
Beyond doubt, only Messiah Yeshua fits this.
He bore the weight of our iniquity, that by His wounds we might be healed and made whole.
If you were called to walk the path of rejection and pain for the sake of others, would you still say yes, as Yeshua did?
-- APOSTOLIC P O R T I O N --
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In the Apostolic portion, there was a slave girl that Paul and Silas met. She was possessed by an evil spirit, with masters who were involved in fortune-telling. This possessed girl kept on following Paul and his company and publicly announcing their ministry. It came to a point that, in the name of Yeshua, Paul rebuked the possessed girl, and she was freed from the evil spirit.
Because of what happened, Paul and Silas were imprisoned. In spite of doing their task as followers of Yeshua, they were treated wrongly. Instead of losing hope and faith, they did two positive things:
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They worshipped Adonai YHVH (v. 25) – Paul and Silas didn’t take their situation as negative. They saw the positive side of it. They knew that Adonai allowed it to happen so they could proclaim the way of salvation.Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
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They didn’t escape the prison after the earthquake (vv. 26–29) – Paul and Silas knew that the reason for the earthquake was not for their freedom, but for the freedom of the warden and prisoners to be freed from their sins. They shared Yeshua as the only way of salvation.Romans 10:9: “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Yeshua and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
The connection of our Parasha is about suffering for doing the right thing. In the Torah, Joseph, being faithful to his master, refused to lie with the wife of Potiphar but was sent to prison. In the Haftarah, Yeshua the Suffering Servant was despised, rejected, wounded, and bruised for our transgressions and iniquities. In the Apostolic portion, Paul and Silas were imprisoned after rebuking the possessed girl.
Returning to my introduction… when we do what is right and suffer without complaining or blaming God, this finds favor with Him. And if ever we experience suffering for doing what is right, let us remember that Yeshua also suffered for each of us to redeem us from our sins.
When obedience to God leads not to ease but to hardship, will you still choose the narrow path, and trust that He is working all things for your good and His glory?
1 Peter 3:14–17 NLT
“But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong.”
According to Tim Hegg, one key lesson from these Scripture portions is that even though the righteous may suffer in this world, they can take comfort knowing that God is always with them to accomplish His purpose. As Yeshua promised, He will be with us until the end of the age (Matt. 28:20).
Those who walk in righteousness may pass through fire, but the presence of God will be their refuge, their strength, and their reward.
Shabbat Shalom,
Topher
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