10 Parallels Betweeen Joseph in Genesis and Jesus

1. Both are the most loved of their fathers (Joseph, Genesis 37:5-11, Jesus, Matthew 3:17)
2. Both Joseph and Jesus’ brothers were jealous and did not believe in them (Joseph, Genesis 37:4-5, 11, Jesus, the Jews did not believe in him and hated him, John 7:5, 15:24)
3. Joseph was sent by his father to his brothers, Jesus was sent by his Father to his brother Israelites (Joseph, Genesis 37:13, 18-20, Jesus, Matt.21:37-3, Mark 12:6-7, Luke 20:13-15, John 5:23)
4. Both foretold their future sovereignty (Joseph Genesis 37:7-12, Jesus Matthew 26:64; John 18:37)
5. Both were stripped of their clothes (Joseph, Genesis 37:23, Jesus John 19:23)
6. Both were sold by one of the 12 named Judah or Judas (Joseph, Genesis 37:26-27, Jesus, Matthew 26:15, 27:9)
7. Joseph was tempted but did not sin, Jesus was tempted in all things yet was without sin (Joseph, Genesis 39:9, Jesus, Hebrews 4:15)
8. Joseph was bound, Jesus was bound and brought before Pilate – (Joseph, Genesis 39:30, Jesus, Matthew 27:2)
9. Joseph’s brothers later repented for what they did to him (Joseph, Genesis 42:7, Jesus, Zechariah 12:10)
10. Joseph is exalted, and set over all Egypt (41:39-40, 1 Peter 3:22; Philippians 2:9-11)

Pastors' Academy Conference 2019 Sons of Jacob Day 1

We had a very good first day of conference at the seminary today with Academy leader Garry Williams giving us two sessions and US based Mark Garcia, president of Greystones Theological Institute. About 40 of us were present. Garry spoke on the subject of typology, giving a brief and interesting history and urging a cautious but willing use of typology. His focus was on the story of Joseph. He sought to lay down parameters for the employment of this tool. We had a good couple of discussions on the subject with several taking part.

Mark Garcia spoke at the end of the day on Genesis 38. He began with these observations

1. We should be happy to admit that its placing is jarring and unexpected at first sight
2. Tamar reminds us of Eve and her desire to be blessed with children and to see Messiah
3. There is also the link forward to David and his family, including a namesake Tamar
4. Tamar is the first woman mentioned in the New Testament
5. At the very end of the canon we meet the final king Christ on his throne, the lion of the tribe of Judah who has a glorious bride, which takes us back not just to Eve but to Tamar.

The story is a smaller type scene of the larger Joseph type scene. Dr Garcia focussed on the moment where Tamar asks Judah to recognise whose beongings she had. This echoes the request of Jacob's sons to him to recognise Joseph's coat.

At the end of Ruth Tamar is remembered in reference to fruitfulness

Here in Genesis 38 is a type scene 

Expectation is followed by deception and counter-deception, admission of guilt and final denoument. There are many examples of this in Scripture.

Judah deceives Tamar just as his son has. It is Judah who in the wider Joseph narrative is the spokesman for the deception toward Jacob. Again in th wider narrative we have Joseph remaining unknown to his brothers adn so on, leading to a similar revealing and resolution moment.

When preaching we might want to back further and point out how the story refects the history of the world. Thecross is the final resolution.

Very stimulating stuff, and a good discussion again to follow.

Lord's Day December 23 2012

So it was Christmas themes again yesterday and another 10 carols (that's twenty we've sung so far). In the morning we considered Joseph and lessons from his life, especially leading up to the birth of Jesus as described in Matthew 1 and in the evening we focused just on Matthew 1:21 and the naming of Jesus by Joseph. We had decent congregations morning and evening but no newcomers.

Unfair slur 01

I am currently reading a book by Tim Keller. In a remark that has nothing to do with his main thesis Keller says he has often preached on Joseph. He calls him "an arrogant young man who was hated by his brothers". I know this is a common view (the majority view?) but I have also preached on Joseph and I beg to differ. Naive, yes; arrogant, no. Certainly Moses never says that Joseph was arrogant and we should be slow to assume he was.

A quick look reveals that certainly R T Kendall and Achille Blaize don't take this view. Blaize says "We have no evidence to show that Joseph was either cocky, proud or too sure of himself". Kendall: "It was not that he was arrogant or cocky; it was simply that he knew something of the ways of God and had no fear whatsoever of being contradicted". Also see on my side J G Vos, the NET Bible (in a footnote on page 86) and A W Pink.