This was entirely deliberate on the part of Joseph. He would not allow them to pay for the bread. He wanted to give it to them for free. In the same way, we cannot buy or earn the saving bread of Jesus. His grace is entirely free. No good deeds or no observance of the law can save us. We are not saved by our own righteousness. There is nothing that we can give to God to earn or receive His salvation. It is entirely ‘by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.’ (Ephesians 2:8-9)
