Joseph and Jesus: Biblical Typology in the Old Testament

In the grand narrative of Scripture, few stories illuminate the person and work of Christ more brilliantly than that of Joseph, son of Jacob. Like a master artist laying down preliminary sketches before revealing their masterpiece, God embedded in Joseph’s life a remarkable prefiguration of His Son’s redemptive mission. The parallels emerge with striking clarity: both were beloved sons marked for divine purpose, both suffered betrayal by their own people, both endured unjust condemnation, and both were raised to positions of sovereign authority through which they became the source of salvation for many.

These correspondences between Joseph and Jesus are not mere literary coincidences but divine watermarks impressed upon the pages of Scripture. They reveal how God’s redemptive purposes unfold across the sweep of biblical history, with each story adding depth and detail to the portrait of the coming Messiah. As Irenaeus understood, Christ is indeed the treasure hidden in Scripture’s field, and Joseph’s narrative serves as one of its richest veins—a story that, when mined with attention, yields precious insights into the character and mission of Jesus. Through exploring these typological connections, we discover how God used Joseph’s life not only to preserve His people in their hour of need but also to prophetically sketch the contours of a greater salvation to come through Christ.

I. Divine Election and Foreknowledge

Beloved Son

• Joseph: Chosen and dearly loved by his father Jacob (Genesis 37:3).
• Christ: Declared by God as His beloved Son (Matthew 3:17).

Divine Dreams and Prophetic Vision

• Joseph: Receives dreams that forecast his destiny and future exaltation (Genesis 37:5–10).
• Christ: Fulfils Old Testament prophecies and reveals divine truth (Luke 24:44; Isaiah 53).

Divine Orchestration

• Joseph: His life’s twists and turns—even betrayal and suffering—serve God’s redemptive plan (“You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” [Genesis 50:20]).
• Christ: His path to the cross and resurrection, though marked by suffering and betrayal, brings salvation to all (cf. Philippians 2:8–11).

II. Betrayal, Rejection, and Hidden Identity

Rejection by Family and Own People

• Joseph: Rejected and betrayed by his brothers (Genesis 37:28).
• Christ: Rejected by His own nation and religious leaders (John 1:11).

Betrayed for Money

• Joseph: Sold into slavery for 20 shekels of silver but later rises to the right hand of the King (Pharaoh)(Genesis 37:28).
• Christ: Betrayed by Judas for 30 pieces of silver (Rises to th right hand of the Father) (Matthew 26:14–15).

Concealed Identity

• Joseph: Initially hides his true identity when interacting with his brothers and later in Egypt (Genesis 42:7–8).
• Christ: Keeps His divine identity somewhat veiled during His earthly ministry until the proper time for revelation (Mark 1:34; John 7:6).

III. Temptation, Righteousness, and Suffering

Temptation and Sinlessness

• Joseph: Resists the seduction of Potiphar’s wife, remaining steadfast and pure (Genesis 39:7–12).
• Christ: Overcomes Satan’s temptations in the wilderness without sin (Matthew 4:1–11).

Falsely Accused and Unjust Suffering

• Joseph: Falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and unjustly imprisoned (Genesis 39:14–20).
• Christ: Faces false accusations and unjust condemnation before His crucifixion (Mark 14:56; Matthew 27).

Suffering for a Greater Purpose

• Joseph: Endures hardship so that ultimately, “all that you intended for evil, God intended for good” (Genesis 50:20).
• Christ: Endures suffering and death to bring redemption and reconciliation to humanity (Isaiah 53:5; Luke 22:42).

Descent into Adversity and Subsequent Exaltation

• Joseph: Thrown into a pit and later elevated to governorship in Egypt (Genesis 37:24; 41:41–44).
• Christ: Descends into the realm of the dead (or Sheol) and is raised and exalted through His resurrection and ascension (Ephesians 4:9–10; Philippians 2:9–11).

Mediator of Divine Wisdom

• Joseph: Interprets dreams and communicates God’s will to Pharaoh, mediating divine revelation in a time of crisis (Genesis 41).
• Christ: Acts as the mediator of the New Covenant, revealing the mysteries of God’s Kingdom (1 Timothy 2:5).

IV. Divine Provision, Salvation, and Universal Authority

The Beginning of Their Public Missions

• Joseph: Was 30 years old when he began his service under Pharaoh (Gen 41:46).
• Christ: Began His public ministry at the age of 30 (Luke 3:23).

Provision in Times of Need

• Joseph: Manages Egypt’s resources, providing grain during a severe famine and thereby saving many lives (Genesis 41:56–57).
• Christ: Offers Himself as the “Bread of Life,” satisfying spiritual hunger (John 6:35).

Universal Salvation and Reversal of Fortunes

• Joseph: His rise to power turns personal misfortune into a means of national salvation (Genesis 41:41–44).
• Christ: Transforms the apparent defeat of the cross into the universal triumph of salvation (Matthew 28:18; Colossians 1:16).

Exercising Universal Authority

• Joseph: Given authority over all of Egypt to administer and preserve life (Genesis 41:41–44).
• Christ: Granted universal authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).

Dominion over Sin

• Joseph: Origen saw Joseph’s dominion over Egypt as an allegorical symbol of sin, meaning “to tread on lust, to flee luxury, and to suppress and curb all the pleasures of the body.” (Genesis Homily XV & Gen 45:26)
• Christ: likewise, has dominion over sin and death (Rom 6:9-14).

V. Reconciliation, Forgiveness, and Revelation

Forgiveness and Reconciliation

• Joseph: Forgives his brothers, recognising God’s sovereign plan behind their betrayal (Genesis 45:1–5).
• Christ: Offers forgiveness to His persecutors, even praying for those who crucify Him (Luke 23:34).

Recognition and Revelation Through a Shared Meal

• Joseph: Reveals his identity to his brothers during a meal, a moment of dramatic recognition and reconciliation (Genesis 45:1–3; 43:31–34).
• Christ: Breaks bread with His disciples after His resurrection, leading to their recognition of Him (Luke 24:30–31).

The Exaltation of Joseph and Christ

• Joseph: Origen noted in Genesis Homily XV that Joseph’s brothers “went up” to tell Jacob the news, while Jacob “went down” to Egypt.
• Christ: This aligns with Christ’s descent to earth (Phil 2:6-8), His descent into death, and His subsequent ascension into glory (Phil 2:9-11).

VI. Symbolic Typologies and Church Imagery

Resurrection Symbolism

• Joseph: Although not a literal resurrection, his emergence from the pit and the later carrying of his bones out of Egypt (Genesis 50:25) serve as symbols of life triumphing over death.
• Christ: His resurrection is the pivotal event of the Christian faith, demonstrating victory over death (Matthew 28:6).

Two Prisoners: Salvation and Judgment; Cupbearer and Baker

• Joseph: Interprets the dreams of Pharaoh’s cupbearer (who is restored to his position) and the baker (who is executed), typifying the outcomes of divine judgment (Genesis 40:20–22).
• Christ: Is crucified alongside two criminals, one of whom receives the promise of salvation while the other faces judgment (Luke 23:39–43).
• At the same time, the Cupbearer and the Baker are also both representative of Christ. The baker is cursed to hang on a tree while the cupbearer in raised once again to the right hand of the king. Both are also promised to be fulfilled in three days.
• Before the cupbearer is raised back to life Joseph asks of him to remember him in the presence of the king like the thief on the cross did and as we wait for the cupbearer who drank the cup of suffering for the atonement of our sins.
• the Cupbearer can also be seen as the Eucharistic elements of wine and bread – in a Pauline sense as spirit and body; where we can live by the spirit to eternal life or die in both body and spirit if we live only by the flesh. It’s the call Paul exhorts to crucify the flesh (bodily desires) and live by faith.

Bride and the Inclusion of the Gentiles

• Joseph: Marries Asenath, an Egyptian, symbolising the inclusion of the Gentiles into God’s redemptive plan (Genesis 41:45).
• Christ: Establishes the Church as His bride—a union that transcends ethnic and cultural boundaries (Ephesians 5:25–33).

Shepherd Imagery

• Joseph: Begins his life as a shepherd tending his father’s flocks (Genesis 37:2), evoking themes of care and guidance.
• Christ: Identifies Himself as the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep (John 10:11).

Hidden Wisdom and Revelation of the Kingdom

• Joseph: Through his dream interpretations, unveils hidden divine plans in a seemingly chaotic world.
• Christ: Through parables and teachings, reveals the mysteries of God’s Kingdom, often in ways that require revelation to be fully understood.

VII. Additional Themes

Reversal of Fortunes as a Divine Motif

• Both narratives demonstrate that what appears as misfortune is, in God’s economy, a means to a greater end. Joseph’s life is a powerful example of reversal—betrayal and imprisonment lead to national salvation—just as Christ’s suffering leads to universal redemption.

Suffering as a Path to Glory

• In both cases, suffering is not an end in itself but a necessary pathway to manifesting God’s glory and achieving the fulfilment of divine purposes.