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Review of the Joseph story itself
◦ The story stands on its own on the one hand, BUT:
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Discussion of the significance of the story
throughout the rest of the Bible
◦ Specifically as Joseph serves as a “type” of Christ
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Joseph introduced in Genesis 37
◦ Dreams his parents/siblings will bow down to him
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Sold into slavery by his brothers
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Clear violation of the (later) Mosaic Law
Sold to the Ishmaelites (cf. Ishmael previously)
Idea came from Judah (the predominant tribe)
Told Jacob he had been devoured by wild beasts
Eventually sold to an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh
Joseph rises to prominence in master’s house
◦ Remains faithful to God at all times
◦ Betrayed by master’s wife; imprisoned
◦ Joseph is presented as an anti-Adam
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Joseph rises to prominence in prison
◦ Became known for his ability to interpret dreams
◦ Interpreted Pharaoh’s dream
◦ Realized there would be famine in all the land
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Joseph rises to prominence in all Egypt
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Becomes Pharaoh’s “chief of staff”
Effectively becomes chief governor of Egypt
Appointment occurred when he was 30 years old
Married (only one wife, contrary to kings of time)
Two sons: Manasseh and Ephraim
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Famine Joseph foretold actually occurs
◦ People from all over the area come to Egypt for
grain, including Joseph’s brothers
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After a series of events, Joseph becomes
known to his brothers
◦ Joseph embraces them and forgives them
◦ Jacob and the brothers relocate to Egypt
◦ Joseph testifies to his faith that it was God’s will for
him to be sold into slavery so that he might save
the Israelite people
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Joseph as a central figure in the Bible
◦ Arguably THE central (human) figure in the Old
Testament
◦ His bones were placed in the Ark of the Covenant
 Connects him to the Exodus, which is itself the story
shaping the rest of the Bible
 Connects him to the Torah, God’s teaching
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Joseph stands outside of—i.e. above—Israel
◦ No tribe bears his name
◦ Similar to Isaac in this respect
◦ Manasseh and Ephraim replace him as ½ tribes
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Joseph rises to prominence in a foreign land
◦ Emphasis on faithfulness vs. geographic location
 Similarities in stories of Daniel and Job
◦ Joseph (like Abraham) has no toledot mentioned
 Stresses we do not obtain the kingdom via birthright
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Joseph references all glory back to God
◦ When Pharaoh approached him for an answer
 Gen. 41:16: “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an
answer of peace.”
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Israel saved DESPITE their disobedience
◦ Certainly not because of their own faithfulness!
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All things are under God’s control/providence
◦ Joseph attributes his slavery to God’s omniscience
 Genesis 45:5-8: “But now, do not therefore be grieved or
angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God
sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the
famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in
which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God
sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the
earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it
was not you who sent me here, but God.”
 Theme continues in Bible, most notably with the destruction
of the Temple by God through the Babylonians
 Genesis 50:19-21: “Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid,
for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil
against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it
about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now
therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your
little ones.”
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Joseph as savior
◦ The one sold into slavery redeems Israel, who had
been living in freedom
◦ Not only does Joseph save Israel, but also their
enemy and the Gentiles, Egypt
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What is a Type? What is Typology?
◦ Early form of biblical exegesis
◦ Emphasizes the predictive relationship of the Old
and New Testaments
◦ Type (in OT) predicts Antitype (in NT)
◦ Leads to a deeper appreciation for the
interconnectedness of the entire Bible
◦ Is, perhaps, easiest to see “in the rearview mirror”
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What are some of the ways in which Joseph
functions as a “type” of Christ?
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Sold into slavery
◦ Joseph betrayed by his brothers
 Jesus betrayed by His disciples, to whom He referred
as brothers; they all forsook Him and fled
◦ Joseph sold for 20 pieces of silver
 Jesus sold for 30 pieces of silver
◦ Judah was the “master planner” to sell Joseph
 Judas, which is the exact same name in Greek as
Judah, is the one who betrayed Jesus
 Luke 6:16 refers to Judas as the “son of James,” which
in Greek is actually the same as Jacob (Iakavos)
 Judah in Genesis is, of course, also the son of Jacob
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Trust in God
◦ Joseph accepts his fate as God’s will; tells his
brothers it is not his place to judge them
 Jesus accepts His fate as God’s will; refuses to call
upon the angels to save Him; asks God to forgive His
betrayers/crucifiers, “for they know not what they do”
◦ Joseph does not give in to the temptation of his
master’s wife, even when threatened
 Jesus refuses to give in to Satan’s temptations
◦ Joseph references all glory/miracles back to God
the Father
 Jesus explicitly teaches “My Father is greater than I”
(John 14:28)
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Accepted by the “outsiders,” the Gentiles
◦ Joseph becomes the ruler of Egypt
 Jesus becomes the Lord/ruler of the Gentiles
◦ Joseph is seated at “the right hand” of Pharaoh
 Jesus is seated at “the right hand” of God
◦ Joseph physically saves both his own people AND the
Gentiles from the famine
 Jesus spiritually saves both His own people and the Gentiles
◦ Joseph begins his public service at the age of 30
 Jesus begins His public ministry a
◦ Joseph marries an Egyptian, thus bringing her into the
Abrahamic lineage/covenant
 Christ “marries” the Church, which includes Gentiles who are
brought into God’s covenant community thru the promise
made to Abraham
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Begins with Abraham (not Adam)
◦ To him was made God’s promise
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Continues through Isaac, Jacob, and then
Judah
◦ We know the story/troubles of Judah
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Through Zerubabel, all biblical names
◦ Remaining names are from an unknown source(s)
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After Matthan (gift/grace of God), the lineage
returns to Jacob
Instead of continuing through Judah, we have
a continuation through Joseph to Jesus
◦ The way to God is through the path of
Joseph/Jesus, not the road of Judah
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Importance is not to live in the “Promised
Land” itself, but to be obedient to God
wherever you find yourself
◦ Joseph serves as a model for putting trust in God
◦ Those who trust in God will ultimately be redeemed
by God in God’s time
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Joseph as a central figure in the Bible
◦ Ark of the Covenant
◦ Connection with Torah/Exodus
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Joseph as a “type” of Christ
◦ Through being betrayed becomes the savior of all
 We read Joseph’s story during 6th week of Great Lent