Joseph:
most perfect type of Christ in the Old Testament
If the 430
years (Ex 12:40) covers the total time of the Egyptian sojourn, then the
descent into Egypt would have coincided with the Hyksos
invasion and the Exodus occurred during the reign of Rameses
II, about 1290 BCE. Joseph probably
entered
1. Hated and ridiculed without a cause, Gen. 37:4, 8, 19; John 15:25; John
15:18-19, they will hate you, also (Mt. 5:11-12)
Jesus’ miracles were so distinctive that
their import was unmistakable
The Jewish nation should have
honestly confessed, “No one could perform the miraculous signs You are doing if God were not with Him” (3:2)
But the nation as a whole rejected
both Jesus and the Father because in their sins they loved darkness rather than
light (3:19)
Sin is basically irrational. Their
hatred of Jesus was without any rational cause which also fits the pattern of
hatred for righteous people, as seen in those who hated David (Ps. 35:19; 69:4;
109:3)
In the face of the opposition and hatred of the world
a believer might be tempted to try to escape from the world or to be silent in
it. Monasticism, extreme separation, and lack of witnessing have been too
common in the church’s history.
The apostles were to bear witness
to the facts that they came to know: You also must testify. As the apostles
witnessed, the Holy Spirit persuaded, and people were saved. The same
combination of human obedience to the divine command (Acts 1:8) coupled with
the witness of the Spirit is needed in every generation. 16:1-2.
The disciples may have wondered
why Jesus was telling them about the world’s hatred and persecution. Jesus,
anticipating this question, indicated that expecting trouble beforehand would
help them remain in the path of God’s will. The disciples would face
excommunication and even death. Remembering that Jesus was ostracized and
martyred and that He had predicted the same for His apostles would help fortify
them. The earliest Christians were Jews, but quite soon after the church began
to grow and spread, it was quickly thrust outside the synagogue. Persecution unto death occurred in the case
of Stephen (Acts 7:59), James (Acts 12:2), and others (Acts 9:1-4).
Jesus gave this warning to His
disciples about coming persecution in order to strengthen their faith. By
recognizing His knowledge of the future they would grow in their confidence in
Him.
2. Plotted against, Gen.
37:20; John 11:53
Gen.
37:18-24. The brothers devised a plot to kill that dreamer in order
to prevent his dreams from being fulfilled.
Just as
Joseph came into the world (
Jn. 11:47-53. As the high priest, Caiphas pointed to the last sacrificial Lamb in a prophecy he did not even know he made. Caiphas meant Jesus had to be killed, but God intended the priest’s words as a reference to His substitutionary atonement. Jesus’ death would abolish the old system in God’s eyes by fulfilling all its types and shadows. His death was not only for Jews but also for the world. (1 Cor. 18-21, and 25)
1 Cor. 2:7-8
and Gen. 45:4-8 and 50:20; they meant harm, but God meant it for good (Rom.
8:28)
3. Stripped of his
robe, Gen. 37:23; John 19:23–24; Sold for silver, Gen. 37:28 ; Matt. 26:14–16
4. Lied about, Gen. 39:
14; Matt. 26:61
The purpose
of Jesus’ trials was to find some legal basis on which to condemn Him to death.
Witnesses were sought against Jesus, a highly unusual court procedure,
attempting to find anything that would make Him worthy of death. While many
false witnesses volunteered, none of them could agree on anything against Jesus
(Matt. 26:60).
Finally two witnesses agreed that Jesus had once said, I am able to destroy the
The people had only two choices.
One was to acknowledge that Jesus spoke the truth, and fall down and worship
Him as Messiah. The other was to reject Him as a blasphemer and put Him to
death. They chose the latter, thus sealing their rejection of the One who came
as their Messiah-King.
He is today, to you, either a
liar, a lunatic, or He is what He says He is.
Flee (Gen.
39:10-12)
2
Tim. 2:22, youthful lusts; Prov. 5:3-21, 6:20-35, 7:6-23, and 9:13-18; President
Clinton
1
Tim. 6:8-11, riches
1
Cor. 10:14, idolatry
1
Cor. 6:18, fornication
5. Placed in
captivity with two guilty men, Gen. 40:1–3; Luke 23:32–33
Joseph was
content, Gen. 41:14 and 38
Content
Philippians
4:11, Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state
I am, to be content:
1
Timothy 6:6, Now godliness with contentment is great
gain.
1 Timothy 6:8, And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
6. Unrecognized by
his own, Gen. 42:8; John 1:11
Jn.
1:11. In rejecting Him, they refused to
accept Him as the Revelation sent by the Father and refused to obey His
commands. Isaiah long before had prophesied of this Jewish national unbelief:
“Who has believed our message?” (Isa. 53:1)
1:12. That
unbelief, however, was not universal. Some received Jesus’ universal
invitation. To all who accepted Jesus as the Revealer of the Father’s will and
as the Sacrifice for sin, He gave the right to become children of God. The word
“right” (exousian) and “children” (tekna). People are not naturally children of God but
can become so by receiving the gift of the new birth.
1:13. The new birth does not come
by natural descent (lit., “of bloods”), nor is it the result of a human
decision (lit., “the will of the flesh,” i.e., the natural human desire for
children), nor is it the result of a husband’s will. The birth of a child of
God is not a natural birth; it is a supernatural work of God in regeneration. A
person welcomes Jesus and responds in faith and obedience to Him, but the
mysterious work of the Holy Spirit is “the cause” of regeneration (3:5-8).
A model for us today. Recognize Him, and receive eternal life.