Introduction
The story of how Joseph, one of the twelve sons of Israel (Jacob), was a saviour for all the earth has important parallels with how Jesus, the son of YHVH, is the ultimate saviour. The faithful behaviour of Joseph, and the resultant blessings from YHVH led to the saving of the known earth from a severe famine (Genesis 41:57). In addition the position that Joseph was elevated to, second only to Pharaoh, reminds us of the position of Jesus, second only to YHVH among all creation.
To many the story of Joseph will be a familiar bible story. I will recount the story mainly for those who may not know it or need reminding of the salient details. The whole story is found in Genesis 37-50. If you feel that you are sufficiently familiar with Joseph’s story, and do not need reminding can go straight to the “Parallels with Jesus” section below.
Joseph’s Story
The favoured son
Joseph was one of the twelve sons of Jacob who was renamed Israel by YHVH. Of the twelve Joseph was his father’s favourite, and his father was unwise enough to make his preference for Joseph clear to his brothers. The teenage Joseph ( seventeen years old) did not help matters by being a snitch; telling tales on his brothers when they did anything wrong. The result was that Joseph was disliked and resented by his brothers. Matters were not helped when Joseph had a dream which seemed to predict that he would rule over his brothers. Being the sort of person he was, rather than keeping the dream to himself he told it to his brothers. Naturally this was not conducive to family harmony and increased his brothers antipathy towards him. Even his doting father had stern words for him when he recounted another dream which predicted that not only his brothers but his mother and father would bow down to him.
One day, when Joseph was sent to report on his brothers who were away grazing the family’s flocks, things came to a head. Seeing their brother coming from a distance and being far from the eyes of their father, Joseph’s ten elder brothers planned to kill him. The idea was that they would say that he had been killed by a wild beast. Perhaps the plan began as a sort of dark joke. The eldest brother, Reuben no doubt understanding his siblings’ mood, convinced them to throw him into a pit and leave him there and not actually shedding his blood. His plan was to come back later and rescue him. This is what they eventually did, and Reuben, happy that he could come later to save his brother, went about his business. However, while he was away, his other brothers retrieved him from the pit and sold him into slavery to a passing caravan of Ishmaelite traders. They took Joseph’s coat, a special one that his father had given him, covered it with blood and on their return home told their father that was all that they had found of their brother. His father on hearing the news was inconsolable.
The blessed slave
The Ishmaelites took Joseph to Egypt where he was sold to Potiphar one of Pharaoh’s leading officers. Though he was a slave, YHVH cared for and helped Joseph in all that he did. His master, Potiphar saw that Joseph and all that he did was blessed and learned to have such trust in him that he allowed Joseph complete control of his household and property. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before Potiphar’s wife noticed how handsome Joseph was and tried to seduce him. Joseph resisted her recognising that to succumb to her would be a vile act of evil against the trust given to him by his master, and moreover a sin against YHVH. Finding herself scorned over and over again she eventually tried to rape Joseph who escaped. Potiphar’s wife then accused Joseph of trying to rape her and Joseph was thrown into prison.
YHVH was still with Joseph while he was a prisoner, and it wasn’t long before the prison warden put the running of the prison into Joseph’s hands. YHVH had led the warden to look favourably upon Joseph, and he had also seen that everything prospered in Joseph’s hands.
Dreams of deliverance
While Joseph was managing the prison two high-ranking palace officials became inmates, Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker had fallen out of favour and been put into prison. While there both of them had troubling dreams, and Joseph, seeing that they were upset, asked if there was anything that he could do for them. They told him about their dreams and Joseph assured them that YHVH could give interpretations. The cupbearer’s dream interpretation through Joseph was a favourable one, that in three days he would be reinstated to his former position. Joseph requested that, when this happened, he put in a good word to Pharaoh for him. The baker was not so fortunate and he was to be executed in three days.
It took two years for the cupbearer to make good on his promise to speak to Pharaoh on Joseph’s behalf. It was on the occasion of Pharaoh having had two disturbing dreams that none of his wise men could interpret. The cupbearer remembered Joseph’s help and spoke to Pharaoh about him, telling him that Joseph had interpreted the dreams of himself and his fellow inmate, and that both dreams had come true. Pharaoh sent for Joseph who, having made himself presentable, appeared before Pharaoh. Pharaoh explained his predicament and Joseph assured Pharaoh that not he but YHVH through him would give interpretations of Pharaoh’s dreams.
Joseph explained that the interpretation of both of Pharaoh’s dreams were the same, and that YHVH was telling Pharaoh what was to happen over the next fourteen years: There was to be seven prosperous years followed by seven years of famine.
The Blessed Leader
Joseph went on to suggest a plan that would secure the future despite the oncoming years of famine. He proposed the Pharaoh should appoint somebody to prepare for the years of famine by strictly storing food during the prosperous years. Pharaoh, seeing that YHVH’s spirit was in Joseph blessing him, decided that he should be that man. Pharoah set Joseph as his primary agent, the second in the land, subject only to Pharaoh. Once again Joseph’s faithfulness had elevated him. First he was set over Potiphar’s household, then over the prison, and now he led all Egypt. Pharaoh said that all his people were to look to Joseph because he was given total authority, and only the throne signified that Pharaoh was greater. Pharaoh confirmed his intent by taking his ring of his hand and putting it on Joseph’s, saying that, even though he was king, no one would lift his hand or his foot in all of Egypt without Joseph’s permission. Joseph was dressed in regal clothes with a golden necklace as befitted his authority, and given Pharaoh’s second-best chariot.
Joseph put his plan into action, and when the years of famine came to all lands (Genesis 41:54) Egypt still had the vast stores of food that had been saved. Egypt had so much food, that they were able to sell it to those from other lands too. In due course the need for food brought Joseph’s family to Egypt and the dreams where his family would be subject to him came true.
Parallels with Jesus
How can Jesus be compared to Joseph? Can there really be parallels between these two people? How can the son of YHVH be compared to an ordinary man like Joseph? The answer to these questions is that there are aspects of their circumstances that are very similar.
First and foremost both Jesus and Joseph were given the responsibility of being primary agents or stewards to a higher authority. In Jesus’ case he was given all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18) by YHVH. This status makes Jesus higher than the angels and any earthly power, as he is second only to YHVH. This is not an innate condition that belongs to Jesus, nor is it a birthright because Jesus was not born with that authority; it was only given to him after his resurrection (Matthew 28:18). Only his father, YHVH has all authority on heaven and earth, and only He could confer that power to anybody else.
One might ask why authority needed to be given to a subordinate in the first place? In Pharaoh’s case he gave his authority over Egypt to Joseph because he did not have a plan for the salvation of his people, but he saw that YHVH had blessed Joseph with such a plan. As a king Pharaoh was used to delegating responsibilities to those under his power whom he trusted. Joseph had already shown that he could be trusted in positions of power, and that he was faithful in not trying to usurp his superior. This is just a shadow of the case for YHVH, where the salvation plan concerns not only Egypt at one particular time, but all of humanity. The result of the entry of sin into the world was death, and the law required that a sinless delegate must suffer death for the consequences to be repealed. This means that YHVH could never take on the responsibility himself as he cannot die. However, what YHVH did do was the next best thing, He sent His son: Jesus is YHVH’s delegate and our champion (John 3:16).
A trusted delegate must have integrity of character and needs to be eminently aware of their responsibility to their superior. It would have been easy for Joseph to attempt to wrest power from Pharaoh. The people eventually looked upon him as their saviour, especially during the years of famine when he was their visible provider, and his influence was massive. He could have induced followers to kill Pharaoh and all his family, then he could take over as the next Pharaoh and remain their provider. We have very many examples of such succession to power throughout the Bible and human history. Pharoah, an astute King, was probably aware of the possibility of the power going to Joseph’s head. He would no doubt be on the lookout for signs, such as Joseph exercising his authority as if it stemmed from him, never acknowledging the source of his power. A trusted delegate’s conduct must always exhibit the knowledge that they serve a higher power. Joseph had shown through his past behaviour that he knew where his power came from, and he did so as Pharaoh’s representative. We have a documented example of this: When the people, desperate for grain sold their lands and Joseph bought them on Pharaoh’s behalf (Genesis 47:20), and said to them that a fifth of the grain that they subsequently reaped would belong to Pharaoh (Genesis 47:23-24). In this Joseph was ensuring that they were aware to whom they were indebted: not to him, not to an abstract power such as “Egypt” but to the king, Pharaoh.
Jesus showed unfailing obedience and respect to his superior, just as Joseph did. (He was faithful to YHVH all the way to his death.) Jesus was careful to attribute everything to YHVH: his power (Matthew 26:64; John 8:29), his teachings (John 5:30, 7:16, 8:28, 8:40, 12:50, 14:24, 15:15), his mission (Luke 4:17-19, Luke 9:48; Luke 10:21; John 3:16; John 4:34, 5:19, 5:30, 6:27, 6:29, 6:32, 6:38, 7:28, 8:42, 9:14, 13:20, 16:5, 17:3, 20:21), his deliverance from death (Luke 23:46) even his new kingdom’s seating arrangements (Matthew 20:23; Mark 10:40, 14:62). When the time had come for Jesus to reveal himself to the Jewish authorities, after they had directly asked him if he was the Messiah, he replied:
… I AM! And you will see the Son of man sitting off the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of the heaven. (Mark 12:36) [sic.]
Jesus here explicitly states that he was not the ultimate power, but that he was second to that power. He is in fact mirroring the words that King David spoke in prophecy, again presenting Jesus status with regard to YHVH:
A Psalm of David. A statement of Jehovah to my Lord: Sit at My right hand, until I place Your enemies as Your footstool. (Psalms 110:1).
This verse holds the title as the most quoted Old Testament verse in the New Testament, and it tells us that Jesus, “My Lord,” is told by YHVH that he is to sit at the honoured position of a second in command, until YHVH’s power subdues his enemies. Jesus himself refers to this verse more than once (Matthew 26:64; Mark 12:36, 14:62; Luke 20:42). Jesus was always careful to acknowledge that he represented One greater than himself, thus avoiding falling as did Lucifer (the devil) and many others (e.g. Daniel 4:30)
Joseph’s journey to his victory included suffering and testing. He had been sold into slavery and put into prison. Though Joseph’s slavery might be considered a result of his alienating his brothers, his prison sentence was due to his obedience to what he knew was right in YHVH’s eyes. He would not commit adultery with his master’s wife, and as such his imprisonment was due to false charges. He was in prison as an innocent man. Naturally we cannot consider that his suffering was as extreme as that experienced by Jesus on his journey to victory. Moreover, Joseph suffered his misfortunes as they came whereas Jesus knew exactly what was going to happen to him and had to overcome his fear (Mark 14:34-36).
Finally, we must look at the authority wielded by a delegate. Joseph was given Pharaoh’s power. Anybody who questioned that authority, anybody who refused to follow Joseph’s commands, would not be dis-respecting only Joseph himself, but the one who gave him the power. Pharaoh had already decreed that nothing should be done without Joseph’s say-so (Genesis 41:44), which meant that disobeying Joseph meant disobeying Pharaoh. In a similar but much more significant fashion Jesus’ authority comes directly from YHVH, the ultimate ruler of the universe; there is no higher authority. Jesus is not following YHVH’s plan for a lower authority as did Joseph on Pharaoh’s behalf but takes direct instruction from Him for Him (John 5:30, 8:38, 12:49-50). It should be noted that Jesus gave a severe warning that, though he might be questioned, his authority was not to be mocked because of its source (Matthew 12:32).
We can therefore conclude that there a several aspects that are similar between Joseph and Jesus. Both exercise the power of a higher authority, the second in command with nothing between them and the source of their power. They were given authority to carry through a commission that was unique to their abilities. Both operatives act with integrity and are faithful; always acknowledging their dependence on their superiors. Both Joseph and Jesus were always careful to admit that their authority and power were not theirs, and we do them a singular disservice if we fail to do the same. They both suffered in the course of their missions, though it is fair to say that there is a big difference between going from one crisis to the next, and having the foreknowledge of each trial as it approaches.
It is important to note, in closing, that both these delegates deserve great honour and respect because of the source of their power. Anybody who treated Joseph with less than due respect was doing so not just to Joseph but also to Pharaoh. In the same way, those who treated or treat Jesus without due respect show contempt to YHVH. The consequence of slighting the source of authority is clear, as Jesus tells us through the story of the landlord who sent his son as his delegate who was killed (Luke 20:9-16).