Dear Cup Bearer,
I am writing to you, another biblical character who has an
occupation but not a name. You are as so many others identified by your place
in the class structure of the time.
My first question is what did you and the chief baker do
which displeased Pharaoh? Was there some kind of food poisoning which he traced
back to you two or was it you were somehow seen to not be following protocol
enough?
What was your understanding of the significance of dreams? I
know they are seen as really important by some people. Personally I have not
had the type of dream which would need interpreting. It seems a key part of
your culture though to have had dreams interpreted and for them to have meaning.
I am interested by the role Joseph played in prison. In the
modern prison system we have people who act as listeners to other prisoners.
That seems the nearest parallel we have to what Joseph was doing there. He was
clearly sensitive to how other people were feeling around him which shows a
sensitivity.
When he offered to interpret the dreams and gave you a
positive interpretation how did you feel. Did you believe him or not? Then when
the baker was given a negative interpretation what did you think? I do wonder
what those three days were like where you were waiting to find out whether the
interpretations were correct. I think that it must have been quite tense.
When you got out you forgot Joseph. I wonder if that was
because you were suffering some king of PTSD and so blocked out that experience
of the prison you had gone through or was it you were initially looking for an
opportunity but that opportunity never came. That is something I think a lot of
us suffer, including when we want to talk about Jesus and share him with
others. It can be that we want to but never quite feel it is the right time.
Was it you felt others would be embarrassed if you talked about that negative
time in your life which others had responsibility for?
It seems when there was an emergency in the palace you
remembered, but with some shame for not having mentioned Joseph earlier.
Were you given a slightly higher status in the court for
having recommended Joseph or was there some kind of gift to you in recognition?
I could have asked so much more of you but I think that is
enough, others can answer the other questions I have.
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