IN studying the Bible we find many interesting statements regarding the interpretation of life's lessons as wrought out by some of the noted characters of sacred history. In the case of Joseph, and of Daniel as well, their understanding of the Mind that governs the universe and man, enabled them to interpret the night dreams as well as the day dreams of their fellow beings in such a way as to lift thought above the sordid conditions of mortal experience and to bring to the perplexed, whether monarch or serf, a glimpse of man's divinely bestowed possibilities for good. Mrs. Eddy declares that "the divine Principle of the universe must interpret the universe" (Science and Health, p. 272), and this may recall Joseph's words to Pharaoh's servants, "Do not interpretations belong to God?" Again, when he was called before the king to interpret his dream, Joseph said, "It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace."
We do not always remember that everything which presents itself to our consciousness must be interpreted in some way, and if we are wise we shall wait on God to show us the truth respecting each experience, that we may win our way to harmony. The musician sets himself to interpret the work of the composer, who in turn has essayed to interpret nature as expressed in earth's panorama of beauty and sublimity, or it may be in the aspirations, emotions, and passions of the human mind. In so far as each is able thus to present a lofty ideal, he is doing true service to humanity. In the book of Job we are told of an interpreter, "one among a thousand, to show unto man his uprightness;" or, as we would express it in Christian Science, to show to those who are in darkness, man's likeness to his creator.
In coming back to the story of Joseph, we discover that his power of interpretation did not stop with merely telling Pharaoh the oncoming sequence of events on the material plane. The wonder of the experience was, that because Joseph had lived so close to divine Truth, he reflected the light of intelligence. Although his career had apparently been hopelessly narrowed by what seemed a malignant fate, he was ready, when Truth called, to prove the powerlessness of all save God. Even the king could recognize the reflected power of a man governed by God, and so the affairs of the nation were placed in his hands, to be worked out with super human wisdom. All this typifies the work of the Christian Scientist, who is privileged to interpret the riddle of mortal experience in whatever phase it is presented to him, but who cannot of himself do this aright. He must accept without reservation the Master's "meek interpretation of life" and "follow his example," lifting his own thought and that of the one who seeks his aid, far above "the belief and dream of material living" (Science and Health, pp. 54, 14). The one who does this, speaks with authority, as did the Master, as did also Joseph and Daniel and the others who listened for the voice of Truth and obeyed when they heard it.
