| Joseph in Genesis | Jesus |
|---|---|
| Joseph was a shepherd (Gen 37:2) | Jesus is the good shepherd (John 10:11) |
| Joseph was the beloved of his father (Gen 37:3) | Jesus is the beloved of the Father (Matthew 3:17) |
| Lived with his father in honor before going down to Egypt (Gen 37:2-4) | Lived with God before coming to earth (John 1:2) |
| Joseph was hated by his brothers (Gen 37:4, 5, 8) because of: 1) Jacob’s special love for him 2) his words | Jesus was hated by His brothers (John 15:25; Luke 19:14) because: 1) Jesus claimed God His Father (John 5:18); 2) His Words (John 7:7; 8:40) |
| Joseph was sent by his father to his brothers for their welfare (Gen 37:13-14) | Jesus was sent to the ‘lost sheep of Israel,’ by His Father (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38-40; 12:48-50; 17:21) and to save the world (John 3:16-17) |
| Joseph’s brothers plotted to kill Joseph (Gen 37:18-20) | The Jews also plotted to kill Christ. (Matthew 12:14; 26:4) |
| Joseph was sold into Egypt at the proposal of Judah (Gen 37:26–27) | Jesus was betrayed and handed over to the Jews by Judas (Matthew 27:3) |
| Joseph was taken out of the pit, alive in his body (Gen 37:28) | Jesus resurrected from the tomb (1 Corinthians 15:4) |
| Joseph was sold for the price of redemption (Gen 37:28) | Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver (the price of a slave) (Matthew 26:15) |
| Joseph’s blood sprinkled coat (goat blood) was presented to his father (Gen 37:31) | Jesus is our scapegoat and His blood was presented to the Father as a sin offering (Hebrews 13:12; Leviticus 16:8-10) |
| Joseph’s master was well pleased with him (Gen 39:4) | Heavenly Father was well pleased with what Jesus did (John 8:29) |
| Joseph was sorely tempted by Potiphar’s wife and did not sin (Gen 39:7-12) | Jesus was tempted and did not sin (Matthew 4:1-11; Heb. 2:18; 4:15) |
| Joseph was falsely accused (Gen 39:16-18) and attempted no defense (Gen 39:19). | Jesus was falsely accused (Matt 26:59-61) and gave no defense at His trials (Isaiah 53:7) |
| Joseph was cast into prison, though he was innocent (Gen 39:20) | Jesus is sentenced to death though Pilate found no fault in Him (John 19:4, 6) |
| Joseph was numbered with transgressors. The cupbearer and the baker of the King were with him in prison (Gen 40:1-3) | It was prophesied about Jesus (Isaiah 53:12). Jesus was also crucified and with Him, two thieves (Mark 15:28) |
| Joseph was the means of blessing to one (the cupbearer) (Gen 40:13), but the pronouncer of judgment on the other (the baker) (Gen 40: 19) | Jesus was a blessing to one of the thieves He was crucified between (Luke 23:43) |
| Joseph was delivered from prison by the hand of God (Gen 41:14; 45:7-9) | God raised Jesus from the tomb (Acts 2:32; 10:40) |
| Joseph’s authority and glory – All will pay homage and every knee will bow (Gen 41:43) | Peter publicly declared the Lordship of Jesus Christ on Pentecost (Acts 2:36); Every knee will bow (Philippians 2:10) |
| Joseph was unknown and unrecognized by his brethren (Gen 42:6, 8) | Jesus’ deity is not recognized or acknowledged by most Jews (John 1:10-11; 14:9; Luke 24:16) |
| Joseph was revealed to his brothers at their second coming (Gen 45:1-5) | Jesus is to be revealed to Israel at His second coming (Zechariah 12:10; Matthew 24:30-31; Revelation 1:7) |
| Joseph forgave and became a Saviour to his brothers (Gen 45:4-5) | Jesus forgave and saved all sinners (Luke 23:34; Matthew 1:21; Acts 5:31) |
| Joseph suffered according to predetermined plan of God (Gen 45:5-7; 50:20) | Jesus suffered according to the plan of God (Acts 2:23; 3:12-18; Ephesians 3:11) |
| Joseph saved his brothers and the tribe (Gen 47:25) | Jesus saved Israel (Acts 13:23) |
| Joseph’s sons (Manasseh and Ephraim) came through his gentile wife and were given full tribe status (Gen 48:5,9) | Through Jesus, gentiles who believe are considered full members of God’s people (Isaiah 8:18; Acts 28:28) |
| Joseph comforted those who betrayed him (Gen 50:21) | Jesus comforted those disciples who abandoned him at the cross (John 20:19) |