This clearly shows [that Jacob makes Ephraim and Manasseh his own]. Since Jacob had twelve sons, to whom the twelve tribes owed their existence, he distributed the two sons of Joseph into two tribes; and so the tribes became thirteen as the tribe of Joseph was divided between his two sons. And therefore Paul himself, the apostle, was related to these events. After being chosen among the tribes, he was counted the thirteenth after the apostles, and so he was sent to the Gentiles as apostle.

Joseph hurried to receive a blessing.^[1] Indeed, he presented his sons Manasseh and Ephraim, and Jacob blessed them.^[2] Because Jacob had twelve sons, and Paul, as one chosen later, was going to be the thirteenth apostle, a thirteenth tribe would thus be sanctified from the descendants of Manasseh and Ephraim, and divided between them both. Thus Paul would not appear outside the enumeration of the tribes of the fathers; as an outstanding preacher of the Old and the New Testaments, he would readily confirm that the inheritance of a father’s blessing was of help to himself as well.

And we the last became the first through faith,^[1] and the nation of the Gentiles inherited the glory of the firstborn. They obtained that honor through obedience and faith. And Christ himself testified about them by saying, A people whom I did not know served me, with their ear’s hearing they obeyed me.^[2] Even though we were born from a mother of different kinds, since the church was called among different nations, Christ is sufficient for us as a mediator, who unites us to God the Father, and ascribes some to the lot of the saints, and gives them the right glory and declares us to be a holy generation. But see how through Jacob’s love for Joseph he placed the sons of Joseph among his own sons. And so we are also beloved in Christ, and after we were born again through him in a spiritual generation, we are received by the Father, as I have already said, and added to the saints who preceded us. In fact, if we have been called children of God the Father, we also must be under the power and control of the one who led us and united us to him, that is, Christ. See how the holy Jacob received Ephraim and Manasseh among his own sons: As for the offspring born to you after them, they will be yours. You understand now that even though we are called children of God, nonetheless we will be children of Christ. And this is, I believe, what he says to the Father in another passage: Those whom you gave me from the world were yours, and you gave them to me, and I have been glorified in them.^[3]

See how he also taught his sons from the very beginning to show due respect for the old man. Joseph brought them along according to seniority, the text says, and presented Manasseh and then Ephraim. At this point notice, I ask you, how the good man’s bodily eyes were by this time weak through old age (His eyes had faded with age, remember, and he could not see),^[1] but the eyes of his mind were strengthened, and by faith Jacob already saw what was going to happen. I mean, instead of heeding Joseph, Jacob crossed his hands over in blessing them and gave precedence to the younger, putting Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

Here too the cross is clearly symbolized to depict that mystery with which Israel the firstborn departed, just as Manasseh the firstborn, and the peoples increase in the manner of Ephraim the younger.

What extraordinary mysteries there are in this! Joseph took his sons, who were born to him in Egypt, and brought them before his father. He placed Ephraim at his right, but at the left of his father Israel, and Manasseh at his left, but at Israel’s right. But Israel, stretching out his right hand, put it on Ephraim’s head, although he was the younger son and stood at his grandfather’s left. And he put his left hand on Manasseh, who was at his right, and with his hands crossed so, he blessed them.^[1] In this Joseph observed the order of nature, to grant more to the elder son. Likewise Isaac also desired to give his blessing to Esau, the first son, but Jacob believed the younger son was to be preferred as a symbol of the younger people, just as he himself had been preferred by his mother.^[2] Indeed, in our tongue, Manasseh signifies out of forgetfulness,^[3] because the people of the Jews forgot their God, who made them,^[4] and whoever from out of that people believes is called back, as it were, from forgetfulness. Moreover, Ephraim promises fruitfulness in faith by the meaning of his name, who made his father to grow, just as Joseph himself says, because God has made me to grow in the land of my humiliation.^[5] This refers especially to the younger people, which are the body of Christ, making its Father to grow and not forsaking its own God.

Words of a grateful heart, of a God-fearing spirit keeping fresh in his mind God’s kindnesses. He to whom my forebears were pleasing, he is saying, who reared me from youth to the present, who from the beginning snatched me from every trouble, who showed such care for me, he will bless these children; my name will be invoked in them, as also the name of my forebears Abraham and Isaac, and they will grow into a teeming multitude on the earth. Do you see Jacob’s insight and, at the same time, his humility? His insight, on the one hand, in foreseeing with the eyes of faith, and so giving precedence to Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. And on the other his humility, in making no mention at all of his own virtue but instead invoking a blessing on them on the basis of the satisfaction given by his forebears and the kindnesses done to him.

Indeed, the old man Jacob stated that this mystery referred in a spiritual sense to the peoples. For since his son Joseph thought that he had made a mistake from a defect in his vision, which was a bit dim, he wanted to change the position of his hands, saying, ‘Not so, father, for this is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.’ But he refused and said, ‘I know, son, I know. He too shall become a people, he too shall be exalted, but his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed will be a multitude of nations.’ ^[1] Yes, by the order also in which he gave his blessing, Jacob prophesied that Ephraim was to be preferred to the elder brother, for he said, In you Israel will be blessed, and it will be said, ‘May God do to you as to Ephraim and Manasseh.’ And so, although they were grandsons, they were adopted into the place of sons, so that they would not be deprived of their grandfather’s blessing.

Do you see how God’s grace foretold this to him and how, moved by a prophetic spirit, he blessed Joseph’s sons in this way, foreseeing as already present and visible to the brothers what would happen so long afterward? This is what prophecy is like, after all. Just as the eyes of the body can form an image of nothing beyond visible things, so the eyes of faith do not see visible things but form an image of things that are due to happen many generations later. You will gain a more precise notion of this from the blessings he bestows on his own sons.

Let us therefore not be anxious to amass money and bequeath it to our children; rather, let us teach them virtue and call down blessing from God on them. This, you see, this is the greatest wealth; this wealth is beyond counting, proof against consumption, leading to greater wealth as each day passes. Nothing in fact is equal to virtue; nothing more potent than it. Even if you were to mention kingship itself and the wearer of the crown, he would be worse off than any pauper clad in rags if he lacked virtue. What good, after all, could the crown or royal purple be to the man betrayed by his own indifference? I mean, surely the Lord has no respect for distinctions based on externals? Surely he is not moved by the fame of prominent people? One thing is to be sought after with him, to be able to find the door opened to confidence with him on the basis of the operation of virtue. The person who enjoys no such confidence will be among the least respected and least entitled to speak. HOMILIES

After he blessed the sons and promoted the younger ahead of the elder by way of forecasting the future, he wanted to convince Joseph that it was not idly or to no purpose that he had done this but to foretell what was due to happen. So he predicted his own death and the fact that they would return from foreign parts to Canaan, the land of their ancestors, and raised sound hope in them so as to cheer them up with the expectation. The hope of good things to come, after all, always mitigates the troubles of the present life.