In today’s Gospel Doctrine Old Testament lesson #12, “Fruitful in the Land of My Affliction”, I taught the continuation of the story of Joseph of Egypt. Joseph lived approximately 1700 BC and in many respects was a type and shadow of Jesus Christ. Below is a list of items I aggregated and modified from a variety of sources as well as my own personal musings*.
| Type | Joseph | Jesus |
| Mother became pregnant through divine intervention | Genesis 30:2 | Matthew 1:18 |
| Birth removes reproach from Israel | Genesis 30:23 | Like 2:32 |
| Firstborn son | Genesis 30:23-24 | Luke 2:7; John 19:25 |
| Birth marked the end of Israel’s exile (land vs spiritual) | Genesis 30:25 | Luke 2:29-32 |
| Precocious as youth; taught elder brothers | Genesis 37:5-36 | Luke 2:42-51 |
| Described as “beloved” by father | Genesis 37:3 | Matthew 3:17; Matthew 17:5; John 1:14 |
| Good shepherd | Genesis 37:2 | John 10:11 |
| Raised in the “promised land” | Genesis 37:2 | Matthew 2:23; Matthew 21:11; John 1:45 |
| Testified to father about the evil of his brothers | Genesis 37:2 | John 7:7 |
| Most loved by the father | Genesis 37:3 | 3 Nephi 11:7; Mark 1:11; Mark 9:7; John 3:35; John 5:20; Matthew 17:5; Luke 9:35 |
| Clothed in authority and power of their father | Genesis 37:3; Alma 46:24 | Hebrews 1:9; Psalm 45:7 |
| Hated by brothers | Genesis 37:4 | John 1:11; John 15:25 |
| Promised to have both earthly and heavenly dominions | Genesis 37:5-11 | Daniel 7:13-14, Micah 4:7; Micah 5:2; John 6:35; John 8:12 |
| A dreamer and a prophet who was despised by his brothers | Genesis 37:5-10 | 3 Nephi 20; 3 Nephi 21; Matthew 16:1; Matthew 24; John 5:18; John 7:1; John 8:6 |
| Brothers refused his rule | Genesis 37:8 | Luke 19:14 |
| Brothers envied him | Genesis 37:11 | Mark 15:10 |
| Was “sent on a mission” by father | Genesis 37:12-14 | John 5:30-36; John 6:57; John 8:18, 42; Galatians 4:4 |
| Responded to call to serve with ,”Here am I” | Genesis 37:13 | Abraham 3:27 |
| Brothers conspired to kill him | Genesis 37:18 | Matthew 27:1 |
| Brothers disbelieved in him | Genesis 37:19-29 | John 1:11; John 3:18; John 3:36 |
| Brothers stripped him and mocked him | Genesis 37:19, 23 | Matthew 27:28 |
| Cast into a pit, a symbol of the tomb | Genesis 37:24 | Zecharias 9:11; Matthew 12:40; Matthew 27:59-60; Isaiah 24:22 |
| Brothers ate a meal while he suffered in the pit | Genesis 37:25 | John 13:1 |
| One of the 12 wanted to sell him for profit (Judas is Greek for Judah) | Genesis 37:26-27 | Matthew 26:15 |
| Betrayed with utmost hypocrisy | Genesis 37:27 | John 18:31 |
| Sold for the price of a slave (20,30 shekels of silver) | Genesis 37:28 | Matthew 26:15 |
| Was raised from the pit/tomb | Genesis 37:28 | Matthew 28:6; Mark 16:16; Like 24:6; John 20:1-17 |
| Suffered before receiving glory | Genesis 37:28; Genesis 39:1 | John 13:12-17; Matthew 20:25-26; Mark 10:43; Philemon 2:6-9 |
| Was taken into Egypt to avoid being killed | Genesis 37:28 | Matthew 2:13-14 |
| Was returned from Egypt to the promised land | Joshua 24:32 | Matthew 2:19-23 |
| Clothing was covered with blood | Genesis 37:31 | Mosiah 3:7; D&C 19:16, 18 |
| Became a servant | Genesis 39:1 | Philemon 2:7 |
| Worked hard, was blessed, and prospered | Genesis 39:2 | Luke 2:40 |
| Became an overseer | Genesis 39:4 | 1 Peter 2:25; John 3:35; Matthew 29:18 |
| Resisted temptation and did not sin | Genesis 39:7-10 | Matthew 4:1-11; Hebrews 2:18; Hebrews 4:15; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 3:5 |
| Arrested and falsely accused | Genesis 39:11-20; Genesis 40:15 | Luke 23:4, 14-15; John 18:38; John 19:4; Hebrews 7:26 |
| Legal accuser believed in innocence but perverted justice to save face | Genesis 39:19-20 | Matthew 27:24 |
| Found favor with his jailor | Genesis 39:21-23 | Matthew 27:54 |
| Made no defense before the authorities | Genesis 39:19-20 | Luke 23:9; Matthew 27:14; Acts 8:32; Isaiah 53:7 |
| Blessed those with whom they labored in prison | Genesis 39:21-23 | Isaiah 61:1; D&C 138 |
| Separated from their fathers | Genesis 39:31-35 | John 20:21 |
| Punished with two other criminals; one saved, one not | Genesis 40:2-3 | Luke 23:32; Matthew 27:38; Mark 15:27; John 19:18 |
| The one that was saved, forgot his promise for a while | Genesis 40:23; Genesis 41:9-13 | Matthew 26:69-75 |
| Prophet who interpreted dreams/reveal thoughts | Genesis 40:5-41 | John 4:19, 29 |
| Filled with the Spirit of God and great wisdom | Genesis 41:38-39 | Acts 10:38; Matthew 3:16; Matthew 4:1; Luke 4:1 |
| Proved to be a great counselor | Genesis 41:39 | Isaiah:9:6 |
| Granted ruler over all | Genesis 41:40 | 1 Peter 3:22 |
| Finally vindicated and exalted over world | Genesis 41:40-42 | Matthew 26:64; Acts 7:56; 1 Peter 3:22; Ephesians 1:18-20 |
| Clothed with fine linen and gold | Genesis 41:42 | Matthew 17:1; Revelation 1:13-18; Daniel 10:5-6 |
| People bowed to him and called him their savior | Genesis 41:43 | Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11; Philemon 2:9-11 |
| Given a foreign bride | Genesis 41:45 | John 6:37; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelations 22:17 |
| Given a new name that meant “savior” (Zaphnath-paaneah vs Christ) | Genesis 41:45 | Matthew 1:21 |
| Stood as the source of divine knowledge to their generation | Genesis 41:45 | John 1:18; Matthew 13:10-13, 35; Colossians 2:3 |
| Was 30 years old when began public ministry | Genesis 41:46 | Luke 3:23 |
| Had unlimited resources to meet the needs of his people | Genesis 41:49 | Ephesians 1:7; 2:7; 2:4; 1 Peter 1:3; Ephesians 3:8; Colossians 2:9; Romans 10:12 |
| Appointed as sole source of life | Genesis 41:55-57 | Acts 4:12; 1 John 5:11-12 |
| Gave bread to preserve Israel | Genesis 41:55; Genesis 45:7-8 | John 6:35, 48-58 |
| Family was driven out of own land | Genesis 42:1-3,5; Genesis 15:13 | Daniel 9:26; Luke 19:41-45, 21:24; Fall of Jerusalem, 70 A.D. |
| Unrecognized by his people | Genesis 42:8 | D&C 45:51-53; John 1:10; Isaiah 8:14; Romans 9:33 |
| However, he recognized his people | Genesis 42:7 | Jeremiah 16:17; Hosea 5:3 |
| Tested people to reveal their true nature | Genesis 42:25 | Mark 11:30 |
| Brothers bowed to him in fulfillment of prophecy | Genesis 43:26-28 | D&C 76:110 |
| Recognized and accepted during the “second” visit | Genesis 45:3 | Acts 7:13 |
| Judah interceded on behalf of Israel’s son Benjamin before Joseph | Genesis 44:18-34 | |
| Revealed true identify after testing his brothers | Genesis 45:1-4 | Luke 13:35; Matthew 24:30-31; Revelation 1:7 |
| Revealed as Israel’s savior | Genesis 45:1-15 | Acts 13:23; 2 Timothy 1:10; Isaiah 43:11 |
| Became the savior of the whole world | Genesis 45:7 | John 4:42; 1 John 4:14 |
| Was humble and unspoiled by wealth | Genesis 45:7-8 | John 13:12 |
| Sat in judgement over brothers | Genesis 42:9-25; 44:14-17 | |
| Gave mercy and pardoned repentant brothers | Genesis 45:15 | Luke 3:34 |
| Brothers were favored in spite of their own bad actions | Genesis 45:16-20 | Ephesians 2:4-8; Philippians 4:19 |
| After passing the test, Israel is gathered | Genesis 45:22 | |
| Resurrected (was once dead but found alive) | Genesis 45:26-28 | Matthew 28:6; Mark 16:16; Like 24:6; John 20:1-17 |
| Placed Israel in a promised land | Genesis 46:28 | |
| Brought father’s blessing to gentiles | Genesis 47:7 | 1 Corinthians 15:28 |
| Bring all under the rule of the King/God | Genesis 47:19-20 | Ephesians 1:10-12 |
| Through faith and obedience, he conquered the world | Genesis 47:23 | Revelations 20:2-6; Zecharias 8:3; Isaiah 2:3; Micah 4:2 |
| Crowned with glory and honor | Genesis 41:39-45 | Hebrews 2:9; Philemon 2:6-11; Matthew 28:18 |
| Believing gentiles are adopted as Israelites and blessed | Genesis 48:1-5 | Ephesians 2:12-14 |
| Was given the blessing of the firstborn son | Genesis 49:22-26 | Hebrews 1; Colossians 1:16-18 |
| Had a habit of returning good for evil | Genesis 50:20 | Matthew 5:44 |
*Sources:
- Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri: An Egyptian Endowment by Hugh Nibley
- Joseph of Egypt by Mark E. Petersen
- Gospel Symbolism by Joseph Fielding McConkie
- Lost Language of Symbolism by Alonzo L. Gaskill
- Stories of the Prophets by Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Tha’labi
- Garment of Joseph: An Update by Brian M. Hauglid
- http://www.gracehome.com/files/Joseph_and_Jesus_Parallels.pdf
- http://biblecharts.org/oldtestament/josephatypeofchrist.pdf
- http://dtjsoft.com/joseph-a-type-of-christ
- http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Articles/Mashiach_ben_Yosef/mashiach_ben_yosef.html