“His brothers said to him, ‘Do you intend to reign over us?  Will you actually rule us?’  And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.”

Genesis 37:8

In my Bible study group, we have been looking at the life of Joseph in Genesis 37-48.  It is nearly impossible to examine his life and not see the similarities of the events in the life of Christ.  There are other types and shadows in the Old Testament that prefigure Jesus Christ, but Bible scholars believe the life of Joseph is the clearest picture of Christ in many ways.  For the ladies in my group, I went online to see what I could find on the subject to help them in their understanding of Joseph as a type of Christ.  Here are a few I found:

  • Both are first-born – (Joseph of Rachel, Gen. 30:22-24) (Jesus of Mary, Matthew 1:25)
  • Both are shepherds – (Joseph, Genesis 37:2) (Jesus Matthew 2:26, 26:31, John 10:11)
  • Both are the most loved of their fathers – (Joseph, Genesis 37:5-11), (Jesus, “this is my beloved Son,” Matt 3:17)
  • Both Joseph and Jesus’ brothers were jealous and did not believe in them – (Joseph, Genesis 37:4-5, 11) (Jesus, the Jews did not believe in Him and hated Him, John 7:5, 15:24)
  • Joseph was sent by his father to his brothers, Jesus was set by His Father to Israel – (Joseph, 37:13, 18-20) (Jesus, Matt.21:37-38, Mark 12:6-7, Luke 20:13-15, John 5:23)
  • Both were stripped of their coat – (Joseph, 37:23) (Jesus 19:23)
  • The coat was dipped in blood – (Joseph 37:31) (Jesus, “He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.” Revelation 19:13)
  • Both were sold by one of the 12 named Judah, Judas is Greek for Judah – (Joseph, Gen. 37:26-27) (Jesus, Matthew 26:15, 27:9)
  • Reuben wanted to rescue Joseph. Pilate wanted to rescue Jesus – Joseph, Gen. 37:21-22) (Jesus, Matt.27:24)
  • Joseph’s own brothers did not recognize him – Genesis 42:6-7 – the Jews did not recognize their Messiah.
  • Joseph was tempted, but did not sin, Jesus was tempted in all things yet was without sin – (Joseph, Genesis 39:9) (Jesus, Hebrews 4:15)
  • Joseph was bound, Jesus was bound and brought before Pilate – (Joseph, Genesis 39:30) (Jesus, Matthew 27:2)
  • God’s Spirit indwelt them both – Joseph, Gen. 41:38) (Jesus, Luke 4:1, Acts 10:38)
  • Joseph was given a gentile bride who shared his glory (Genesis 41:45). Believers in Christ are “joint heirs” with Him in his glory (Romans 8:17)
  • Joseph’s brothers later repented for what they did to him (Genesis 42:7)– Jesus, “And they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn….as for a firstborn son. (Zechariah 12:10)

I hope you have enjoyed this little study.  I’m sure there are many more similarities you might come up with, this is just a start!  It is so wonderful how the prophecies of scripture come to pass in such amazing ways!  “Therefore, every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”  Matthew 13:52.

 Your friend, Jean