COMPARISONS JOSEPH - JESUS

Parallels Between the Lives of Joseph and Jesus

HERES A COMPARISON FOR THE ISRAELIS TO PONDER JOSEPH AND JESUS

Jesus and Joseph were both born through miracles.

Joseph through Rachel's barren womb which was opened by God.

Genesis 30:22-24
22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:
24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.

Jesus through the virgin birth.

Matthew 1:18-23
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Joseph's father loved him more than his brothers.

Genesis 37:3
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors.

Jesus is the beloved son and begotten one of the Father.

Matthew 3:17
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

John 1:1,14
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Both were a shepherd of his father's sheep.

Genesis 37:2
2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.

John 10:11-14
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

Joseph and Jesus both went to Egypt in their youth.

Genesis 37:28
28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

Both became a servant.

Genesis 39:4
4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

Phillipians 2:7
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.

Both began their ministry at the age of thirty years old.

Genesis 41:46
46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

Luke 3:23
23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli.

Both were filled with the Spirit of God.

Genesis 41:38
38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?

Luke 4:1
1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.

Both returned good for evil.

Genesis 50:20
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Matthew 5:44
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.

Both were humble and unspoiled by wealth.

Gen. 45:7-8
7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt

John 13:12
12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

Both were taught by God.

Genesis 41:16
46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

John 5:19
19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Both loved people freely.

Genesis 45:15
15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.

John 13:34
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Both gained the confidence of others quickly.

Genesis 39:3
3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

Matthew 8:8
8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

Both gave bread to hungry people who came to him.

Genesis 41:57
57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

Mark 6:41
41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.

Both resisted the most difficult temptations.

Genesis 39:8-9
8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;
9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

Hebrews 4:15
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Both were given visions of the future.

Genesis 37:6
6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:

Matthew 24:3
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Both tested people to reveal their true nature.

Genesis 42:25
25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.

Mark 11:30
30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.

Both were hated for their teachings.

Genesis 37:8
8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

John 7:7
7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.

Both were sold for the price of a slave.

Genesis 37:28
28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

Matt. 26:15
15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

Both were falsely accused.

Genesis 39:14
14 That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice.

Mark 14:56
56 For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.

Both were silent before their accusers.

Genesis 39:20
20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.

Mark 15:4-5
4 And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee.
5 But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.

Both were condemned between two prisoners.

Genesis 40:2-3
2 And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.
3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.

Luke 23:32
32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.

Both arose into a new life.

Genesis 41:41
41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.

Mark 16:6
6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

Both were not recognized by their own brethren.

Genesis 42.8
8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

Luke 24:37-40
36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

Both returned to their father.

Genesis 46:29
29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

Mark 16:19
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

Both became royalty.

Genesis 45:8
8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Rev. 19:16
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

The course of the lives of Joseph and Jesus were dramatically changed by the power of dreams. Joseph became an interpreter of his own dreams and the dreams of others which he used to save everyone's life including his own. It was also a dream which led Jesus' earthly father, Joseph, to flee Israel for their lives to Egypt. In the same way, it was a dream of Joseph while acting as prince of Egypt which led his family out of Israel and into Egypt. After the danger was over, God called both Joseph's family and Jesus' family out of Egypt and back to Israel as an act of salvation.

Hosea 11:1
1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

Matthew 2:15
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

Two other prisoners were with Joseph suffering the same punishment. Two other prisoners were with Jesus suffering the same punishment.

Genesis 40:4-5
4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.
5 And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.

Matthew 27:38
38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.