I recently studied the life of Joseph and was amazed at how many similarities there are between him and Christ. He clearly serves as a type/shadow of Jesus Christ who would come roughly 2,000 years later.
Joseph = Type for Jesus
Joseph |
Jesus |
| Birth takes away reproach (Gen. 30:22-24) | Birth takes away sin (Matt. 1) |
| Gen. 37 – brothers don’t believe / receive him as master | John 1 |
| Joseph is the favored son of his father (Gen. 37:3) | Jesus is the favored Son of His Father (Matt. 3; Luke 3) |
| If multi-coloration speaks of covenant (Gen. 9:13), Joseph is clothed under his father’s covenant (Gen. 37:3) | |
| Joseph’s brothers hated him because his father favored him (Gen. 37:4) | John 8 |
| Brothers jealous of his future glory (Gen. 37:11) | Mark 15:10 |
| Sent by his father to visit and help brothers (Gen. 37:14) | Matt. 15:24 |
| Brothers conspire to kill him when he was sent by the father (Gen. 37:18) | Mark 15:10 |
| Robe was taken before impending death (37:23) | John 19:23-24 |
| Put into the earth (Gen. 37:24) | Matt. 12:40 |
| Sold for silver (Gen. 37:28) | Matt. 26:15 |
| “Died” (Gen. 37:31-34) | 1 Cor. 15:3 |
| The father grieved over his “death” (Gen. 37:35) | |
| God gave favor to Joseph; successful in all he did (Gen. 39:2-3) | Luke 2:52 |
| Unjustly sentenced (Gen. 39:11-20) | Mark 14:56 |
| Pronounces life/death over individuals (Gen. 40) | John 11 (especially 11:25) |
| sentenced with 2 others (Gen. 40:1-4) — 1 promoted, 1 demoted (hung on tree) | Luke 23:32-55 |
| Joseph alone had understanding of Pharoah (his dreams–Gen. 41) | Matt. 11:25-29 |
| Joseph is lifted up out of the pit and transformed-shaven and clothes changed (Gen. 41:14) | 1 Cor. 15 |
| Spirit of God is in him (Gen. 41:38) | Acts 10:38 |
| Joseph put second in command (Gen. 41:40-43) | 1 Cor. 15:27-28 |
| Joseph’s commands = Pharaoh’s commands (Gen. 41:44) | Matt. 28:18-20 |
| people called to submit to his orders (Gen. 41:40, 55) | John 5:22-23 |
| Pharaoh gave bride to Joseph (Gen. 41:45) | Rev. 21:2 |
| Had to come to Joseph to receive (bread) from Pharoah (41:57) | Matt. 11; John 6 |
| Joseph began his service at 30 years old (41:46) | Luke 3 |
| Joseph made provisions for future (instead of extra comfort in the present, i.e. the 7 years of plenty) (41) | Luke 16 |
| All the earth came to Joseph (41:57) | Phil. 2:10-11 |
| The place of judgment (Egypt) became the place of salvation (41-42) | Heb. 2:14-15 |
| Brothers don’t recognize him in glorified position (42:8) | 2 Cor. 3-4 |
| Joseph is a lord who makes demands they must follow (42-43) | Matt. 28:18-20 |
| Their salvation could not be purchased with money (43:23) | 1 Pet. 1:18-19 |
| Joseph is revealed after they are willing to serve him (as opposed to serving him under compulsion) (44:30- Ch. 45) | John 7:17 |
| Privately reveals himself (45:1) | 1 Cor. 15 |
| Israel who formerly rejected now accepts salvation through Joseph | Rom. 11 |
| Joseph’s rejection/death by his brothers brought provision of salvation for all (45:5) | Rom. 11 |
| Israel’s rejection preserved a remnant – 45:7 | Rom. 9 |
| 45:8 – God killed/exalted Joseph | Isaiah 53; Acts 2:36; Phil. 2 |
| 45:8 – promoted as ruler over all the land | Acts 2:36 |
| 45:16 – Pharoah celebrates when Joseph’s brethren are restored to Joseph | Luke 15; Rom. 9 |
| 45:16-20 – gifts sent by the king, through Joseph, to bring people back to Joseph | Like Holy Spirit sent down (Acts 2) |
| 45:22 – gave the brethren new clothes | Rom. 13:14; Gal. 3:27 |
| 45:24 – tells brethren to be unified while bringing back others to him | See John 17 |
| 45:27-28 – Joseph’s words and gifts testify of his being alive | Heb. 2:3-4 – Jesus’ words and the Holy Spirit gifts testify of Him being alive |
| 46:34 – the brethren/shepherds are rejected by Egypt | John 15:18-27 |
| 50:2 – Joseph oversees healthcare | Mark 16:17-18 |
| 50:5 – submissive to king | 1 Cor. 15:27-28 |
| 50:19 – doesn’t come to judge | John 3:17 |
| 50:20 – God took him through death and resurrection to save the Gentiles and Jews. Gentiles received it first because of Israel’s rejection. | See above |
| 50:21 – forgives unbelieving brothers/Jews | Luke 23:34 |
| 50:21 – Jews repent after “time of Gentiles” | Rom. 11:25 |
| 50:26 – died outside the gates | Heb. 13:12 |
| 50:25 – his indwelling life (bones) are present with Israel when God delivered them from bondage | Jesus gives Holy Spirit (indwelling life) when God delivers people from death to life (see Rom. 8, for instance) |
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