Joseph - A Type of Christ

Let me ask you a question?

Do you own a MacArthur study Bible? You should. I was given one years ago, and I can't think of a more memorable gift (well besides the two left basketball shoes my brother-in-law gave for a birthday present! True story!)

But I digress. Why am I talking about the MacArthur study Bible (at least until October)? Because each year I love it more and more! I keep finding things in it!

This week I came across this list of parallels of the life of Joseph to Christ.

Joseph—A Type of Christ
(Read the life of Joseph in Genesis in the verse on the left, then see how it parallels that of our Lord in the New Testament passage)

• 37:2 A shepherd of his father’s sheep.John 10:11,27–29
• 37:3 His father loved him dearly.Matt. 3:17
• 37:4 Hated by his brothers.John 7:4, 5
• 37:13,14 Sent by father to brothers.Hebrews 2:11
• 37:20 Others plotted to harm them.John 11:53
• 37:23 Robes taken from them.John 19:23,24
• 37:36 Taken to Egypt.Matt. 2:14, 15
• 37:28 Sold for the price of a slave.Matt. 26:15
• 39:7 Tempted.Matt. 4:1
• 39:16–18 Falsely accused.Matt. 26:59,60
• 39:20 Bound in chains.Matt. 27:2
• 40:2,3 Placed with two other prisoners, one who was saved and the other lost.Luke 23:32
• 41:41 Exalted after suffering.Phil. 2:9–11
• 41:46 Both 30 years old at the beginning of public recognition.Luke 3:23
• 42:24; 45:2,14,15; 46:29 Both wept.John 10:35
• 45:1–15 Forgave those who wronged them.Luke 23:34
• 45:7 Saved their nation.Matt. 1:21
• 50:20 What men did to hurt them, God turned to good.1 Cor. 2:7,8
  

Our Pastor has been preaching through the life of Joseph (Genesis 37-50) for nearly a year now. He loves this character so much he did his doctoral dissertation on his life. This last week was sadly the last installment. It is easy to see why he loves to study Joseph so much! With all the similarities to Christ, the book of Genesis shows us how Joseph closely parallels the life of the most compelling and desirable Person ever to walk the earth, Jesus of Nazareth!

*MacArthur, J. J. 1997, c1997. The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) . Word Pub.: Nashville*