Typology is a form of symbolism that is prophetic. In Old Testament typology, there are people and objects that pre-figure, foreshadow, “whisper” of, or “point” to something that is yet to happen or someone (most often Jesus) who is yet to come. Joseph is clearly seen as a type of Jesus throughout his life.
From comparative miracles at birth:
- Joseph was born when His father was 90 and his mother had been barren.
- Jesus was the Son of the Ancient of Days and His mother was a virgin.
— to similar promises made at the times of their deaths:
- Joseph told his people that God would give them the Promised Land (Gen 50:24).
- Jesus promised all the riches of glory would be given to those who are His (John 17).
— the parallels in the lives of Joseph and Jesus illustrate how Joseph served as a type of Jesus to prefigure, foreshadow, point to, and whisper of, the One who would come to save the world.
Gleanings in Genesis by AW Pink
In his expositional teaching on the Book of Genesis, AW Pink (1886-1952) wrote about the patriarch Joseph as a type of Christ. Providing 60 specifics, Pink’s teaching helps us to “see” Jesus, prior to His incarnation, by revealing His Person and works through types. Types serve as a prophetic message because they always point to someone, something, someplace, or some event that is yet to be. Read AW Pink’s list of parallels between the patriarch Joseph and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ:
Chapters 37 and 38
1. Joseph was a shepherd (Gen. 37:2); Jesus is the Great Shepherd (John 10).
2. Joseph was opposed to and exposed evil (Gen. 37:2); Jesus did the same.
3. Joseph was loved by his father (Gen. 37:3-4); Jesus was beloved by the Father (Mat. 3:17; 17:5; John 10:17; Philippians 2:9).
4. Joseph was hated by his brothers (Gen. 37:4); Jesus was hated by His brothers (John 1:11; Luke 19:14).
5. Joseph was hated for his words (Gen. 37:8); Jesus was hated for His words (John 7:7; 3:32).
6. Joseph was promised a remarkable future (Gen. 37:7-12); Jesus looked past the cross to the joy set before Him (Isaiah 9:6, 7; Luke 1:31-33; Hebrews 12:2).
7. Joseph foretold of his future sovereignty (Gen. 37:7-12); Jesus did the same (Mat. 26:64).
8. Joseph was envied by his brothers (Gen. 37:11); Jesus was envied by His brethren (Mat. 27:17-18).
9. Joseph was sent by his father to his brothers (Gen. 37:13); Jesus was sent by His father to the ‘lost sheep of Israel’ (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38-40; 12:48-50; 17:21).
10. Joseph sought his brothers (Gen. 37:14-17); Jesus sought His brethren (Luke 19:10).
11. Joseph sought the welfare of his brothers (Gen. 37:14); Jesus came not to condemn but that the world might be saved through Him (John 3:17).
12. Joseph’s father sent him to seek his brothers and find them (Gen 37:14-17); Jesus’ Father sent Him to seek and find us (Lk 19:10).
13. Joseph was conspired against (Gen. 37:18); Jesus was also conspired against (Mat. 12:14).
14. Joseph’s brothers did not believe his dreams (Gen. 37:19, 29); Jesus’ brethren did not believe His words (Mat. 27:39-43; John 3:18, 36).
15. Joseph was stripped of his coat (Gen. 37:23); Jesus was stripped of His coat (Mat. 27:27, 28; John 19:23).
16. Joseph was cast into a pit (Gen. 37:24); Jesus was put in a tomb (Mat. 27:59-60).
17. Joseph was taken out of the pit, alive in his body (Gen. 37:28); Jesus was bodily resurrected from the tomb (1 Cor 15:4).
18. Joseph’s brothers mingled hypocrisy with their hatred (Gen. 37:27); the Jews did the same with Jesus (Mat. 27:35, 36; John 18:28, 31).
19. Joseph was sold for the price of a slave (Gen. 37:38); Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave (Mat 26:15).
20. Judah suggested the idea of selling his brother (Gen. 37:26-28); the Greek name for Judah is Judas (Mat. 1:2-3).
21. 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 (Leviticus 16:8-10).
Chapter 39
22. Joseph became a servant (Gen. 39:1); Jesus became a servant (Philippians 2:6, 7).
23. Joseph was a prosperous servant (Gen. 39:2, 3); Jesus was a prosperous Servant (Isaiah 52:13; 53:10).
24. Joseph’s master was well pleased with him (Gen. 39:4); the Father was always pleased with Jesus (Mat. 3:17, John 8:29).
25. Joseph, the servant, was made a blessing to others (Gen. 39:5); Jesus was a blessing to the world (John 1:9).
26. Joseph was a goodly person (Gen. 39:6); Jesus came as a servant into the world and yet lived a goodly (perfect, sinless) life (Heb 4:15).
27. Joseph was sorely tempted and did not sin (Gen. 39:7-12); Jesus was tempted and did not sin (Mat. 4:1-11; Heb. 2:18; 4:15).
28. Joseph was falsely accused (Gen. 39:16-18); Jesus was falsely accused (Mat. 16:59, 60).
29. Joseph attempted no defense (Gen. 39:19); Jesus gave no defense at His trials (Isaiah 53:7).
30. Joseph was cast into prison, though he was innocent (Gen. 39:20); Jesus was sentenced to death though Pilate found no fault in Him (John 19:4, 6).
31. Joseph thus suffered at the hands of the Gentiles (first by his brethren, then by the Gentiles); Jesus was sold by His brethren then suffered at the hands of the Gentiles (Romans).
32. Joseph, the innocent one, suffered severely (Psalm 105:17, 18); Jesus, the innocent one, suffered by crucifixion.
33. Joseph won the respect of his jailor (Gen. 39:21); Jesus won the respect of a Roman centurion standing at the cross (Luke 23:47).
Chapter 40
34. Joseph was numbered with transgressors (Gen. 40:1-3); as it was prophesied about Jesus (Isaiah 53:12), and as it was (Mark 15:28).
35. Joseph was the means of blessing to one, but the pronouncer of judgment on the other (Gen. 40:16, 17, 19); Jesus was a blessing to one of the thieves crucified with Him and a judgment on the other (Luke 23:43).
36. Joseph evidenced his knowledge of the future and gave credit to God alone (Gen. 40:8); Jesus did the same on earth (John 12:49).
37. Joseph desired to be remembered by the butler (Gen. 40:14); Jesus said to His disciples, “This do in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19)
Chapter 41
38. Joseph was put in prison but God did not allow him to remain there because God’s purpose for Joseph had not been fulfilled; Jesus was put in a tomb, but God did not allow Him to remain there (Acts 2:24). Joseph changed his prison clothes for clothes of glory as did Jesus Christ (John 20:6, 7).
39. Joseph was delivered from prison by the hand of God (God sent a dream to Pharaoh (Gen. 41:15, 41) and Joseph’s testimony (45:7-9); God raised Jesus from the tomb (Acts 2:32; 10:40).
40. Joseph was seen as the Revealer of secrets; compare Gen. 41:16 with the words of Jesus in John 17:8; 8:28; and 12:49. Compare Gen. 41:25 with God revealing what He would do through Jesus Christ in Revelation 1:1.
41. Joseph warned of a coming danger, and urged his hearers to make suitable provisions to meet it (Gen. 41:33-36); Christ warned His hearers that death did not end all but there was a life beyond the grave that one should prepare and be ready for now.
42. Joseph was portrayed as a wonderful counselor, giving wisdom to Pharaoh (Gen. 41:33-36); Christ is known as the One “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3).
43. Joseph’s counsel commended itself to Pharaoh and his officers (Gen. 41:37-39); as did Jesus’ teaching while He walked on earth (Mat. 7:28-29; 13:54; compare John 7:46 with Gen 41:38).
44. Joseph was exalted, and set over all Egypt (Gen. 41:39-40); God highly exalted Jesus (1 Peter 3:22; Phil. 2:5-11).
45. Joseph was seated on the throne of another; Jesus sits on the throne of the Father.
46. Joseph was exalted to the throne because of his personal worth; Jesus was highly exalted for His personal worth (Phil. 2:6-9).
47. Joseph was invested with such insignia as became his new position (Gen. 41:42); as was our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 5:31; Heb. 2:9; Rev. 1:13).
48. Joseph’s authority and glory were publicly owned (Gen. 41:43); Peter publicly declared the Lordship of Jesus Christ on Pentecost (Acts 2:36; Phil. 2:10).
49. Joseph received from Pharaoh a new name (Gen. 41:45); God gave Jesus Christ a new name (Phil 2:9, 10; Mat. 1:21; Acts 5:31). Jesus was the name given to Him at His birth. Jesus means Savior, but Jesus could not save His people from their sins until after His death, burial, and resurrection. Joseph did not become his people’s savior until after his “death,” “burial,” and “resurrection.”
50. Joseph was thirty years old when he began his ministry (Gen. 41:46); Jesus was thirty when He began His public ministry (Luke 3:23).
51. Joseph’s exaltation was followed by a season of plenty (Gen. 41:47-49); there is a season of harvest now after Jesus’ exaltation as LORD. This time period is known as “the time of the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:25; John 12:24).
52. Joseph’s exaltation was also followed by a period of famine (Gen. 41:53-54); “the time of Gentiles” will come to an end and “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7) will begin (Dan. 12:7; Mark 13:19-20; it will a very grievous time as in Genesis 41:31. It will be a time when the whole earth, a picture of all of Egypt, will be tried. Rev. 3:10). See Amos 8:11-12 for the kind of famine coming (or may already be here) – a famine of the Word of God.
53. Joseph, alone, was seen as dispersing bread to a perishing world (Gen. 41:55); Jesus is the One who alone disperses the Bread of Life (Acts 4:12; Mat. 17:5 “. . . hear Him”).
54. Joseph became a Saviour to all people (Gen. 41:57; 54); Jesus is the Saviour to all people (John 3:16; Revelation 5:9).
55. Joseph had unlimited resources to meet the needs of all the people (Gen. 41:49); we read about the riches of Christ’s grace in Eph. 1:7; 2:7; 2:4; 1 Pet. 1:3; Eph. 3:8; Col. 2:9; Romans 10:12.
Chapter 42
56. Joseph’s family was driven out of their own land (Gen. 42:1-3, 5), in fulfillment of God’s prophecy in Genesis 15:13. A few years after Joseph’s brothers rejected him they are forced out of their country. The Jews, a few years after rejecting Christ, were scattered into the world by the Romans.
57. Joseph was unknown and unrecognized by his brethren (Gen. 42:6, 8); Jesus today is not recognized by the Jews.
58. Joseph saw and knew his brethren (Gen. 42:7); Jesus’ eye is on the Jews even today (Jeremiah 16:17; Hosea 5:3).
59. Joseph punished his brethren (Gen. 42:7, 17); God (Jesus) is dealing harshly with the Jews today (Hosea 9:17; Mat. 23:35-36, 38-39).
60. Joseph made provision for his brethren while they were in a strange land (Gen. 42:25); God (Jesus) promised to provide for the Jews while they were scattered (Jer. 30:11; Eze. 11:16).
From Gleanings in Genesis by A. W. Pink.
<*}}}><
*******
We Need Your Help
If Reasons for Hope* Jesus has blessed you,
please consider supporting our ministry.
Jesus is the Reason this Ministry Exists
But YOU make it possible!
As an online biblical resource ministry, your goodwill and generosity keep us going in our mission to equip, encourage, and empower the body of Christ and reach the lost with the gospel of saving grace.
Your help is truly needed and greatly appreciated.
Did you know..it's easy to set up monthly giving?
And it helps us meet our budget!
Reasons for Hope*Jesus is a 501c3 Ministry
Use a Credit Card or PayPal for safe, secure giving.
If you are unable to donate but appreciate our ministry outreach, please encourage us by clicking here.
*******
*******
***A Hidden Message in Psalm 23?***
Hidden in the six verses of Psalm 23 are 11 names for Jesus. When you subscribe to our newsletter, we’ll send you The Names of God in Psalm 23 PDF that reveals all 11 names and Scripture verses of comfort and hope (link will be sent in your confirmation email).
A Room with a View of Eternity—The Last Will & Testament of Jesus Christ Take a seat at the Master's table. Learn about the riches He gives to all who are His. This book will bless and encourage you, give you hope, and help you live in the joy of your salvation and the riches of Christ that are yours.
The Top Ten Got Questions? in 2023
- The Meaning of NUMBERS in the Bible?
- Was Jesus CRUCIFIED on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday?
- How was Jesus Like a Worm? What’s the CRIMSON (OR SCARLET) WORM in Psalm 22?
- How are the Shepherd’s ROD and STAFF Different?
- How long did JOB SUFFER?
- What is the Significance of the Wise Men's THREE GIFTS? And were they kings?
- Did The Wise Men Arrive 12 DAYS AFTER JESUS’ BIRTH? Or Was It Much Later?
- Jesus’ Last Days TIMELINE: the Cross and the Resurrection
- The Meaning of COLORS in the Bible?
- Did Jesus Fight Satan to Take Back the KEYS of Death and Hell?
There is much to be learned from those who have gone before us in the faith. Check out our Cloud of Witnesses category that features the words of departed saints who are now with the Lord in glory. Their words equip and encourage us even to this day. Take a few minutes to hear...
- ONLY ONE LIFE, Twill Soon Be Past – by C.T. Studd (1860 – 1931)
- “The Love of God is Greater Far” by Frederick M. Lehman (1917)
- Prayers from Billy Graham
- Who Was Robert Robinson? What’s the Story Behind “Come Thou Fount”
- “Immanuel” — A Poem by Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892)
- Who Am I? A Poem by Deitrich Bonhoeffer (1905-1945)
- Understanding the Everlasting Arms of God, by J.R. Miller (1840–1912)
- 24 Reasons Why I Love America, by John Wayne (1907-1979)
- Give Me Perpetual Broken-heartedness (from The Valley of Vision)
- Abide with Me, by James Smith, 1859
This remains one of our most popular pages viewed.
TOP TEN Videos from Reasons for Hope* Jesus
- Memorial Day BAGPIPES TRIBUTE: Amazing Grace
- RISE AND SHINE and Give God the Glory, Glory!
- WERE YOU THERE When They Crucified My Lord?
- PAUL HARVEY: THE BIRDCAGE
- PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN: A SOLDIER'S PLEDGE
- Hark! the Herald Angels Sing -- CHARLIE BROWN Christmas
- JOHN WAYNE ~ WHY I LOVE AMERICA
- Jimmy Stewart - Nativity Scene Prayer: Mr. Krueger's Christmas
- THE LEGEND OF THE CANDY CANE - A Christmas Story to Share
- Not by Might, Not by Power, But BY MY SPIRIT says the Lord (Zechariah 4:6)
*****************