The story of Joseph in Genesis 37 is one of the most beautiful pictures of Jesus Christ found in the Old Testament. It’s not just a tale of betrayal, hardship, and eventual triumph—it’s a prophetic picture of the Savior who would come to redeem mankind. When we look closely, we see dozens of parallels between Joseph’s life and the life of Jesus. It’s no coincidence that God allowed Joseph’s story to unfold the way it did.
Let’s start with the story. Joseph, the beloved son of Jacob, was hated by his brothers. His father loved him more than the others and gave him a coat of many colors. This coat set Joseph apart and became a constant reminder to his brothers of their father’s favoritism. But what really stirred their hatred was Joseph’s dreams. In these dreams, God showed Joseph that one day his family would bow to him. This enraged his brothers to the point of plotting his death.
Now think about Jesus. He, too, was the beloved Son of His Father. In Matthew 3:17, at Jesus’ baptism, God declared, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Like Joseph, Jesus was hated by His own people, even though He came to save them. John 1:11 says, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” Just as Joseph’s dreams foretold his future role, Jesus declared that He was the Son of God, and this caused the religious leaders to hate Him even more.
Joseph’s brothers plotted to kill him, but instead of taking his life, they sold him for twenty pieces of silver to a group of Ishmaelites. Sound familiar? Jesus was betrayed by Judas, one of His own disciples, for thirty pieces of silver. The parallels don’t stop there. Joseph’s brothers dipped his coat in the blood of a goat and brought it to their father to deceive him. In the same way, Jesus’ robe was stained with blood as He bore the sins of the world.
When Joseph was sold into slavery, he ended up in Egypt, where he faced many trials. He was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and thrown into prison, even though he had done nothing wrong. Jesus, too, was falsely accused. At His trial, the religious leaders brought false witnesses against Him, but Jesus remained silent, just as Joseph endured his suffering without complaint.
Joseph’s time in prison wasn’t the end of his story. God had a plan to exalt him at the right time. While in prison, Joseph interpreted dreams for Pharaoh’s servants, and eventually, he was brought before Pharaoh himself to interpret a troubling dream. Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph’s wisdom that he elevated him to the second-highest position in Egypt.
Here again, we see Christ. Jesus was humiliated and crucified, but Philippians 2:9 tells us, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.” Just as Joseph was exalted after his suffering, Jesus rose from the grave and was given all authority in heaven and earth.
There’s another comparison in how Joseph saved his family and the world around him. During the famine, people from every nation came to Egypt for food, and Joseph was the one who provided for them. In the same way, Jesus is the Bread of Life. He came to satisfy the hunger of every soul that seeks Him. When Joseph’s brothers came to him, they didn’t recognize him at first. This reminds us of how the Jewish people didn’t recognize Jesus as their Messiah when He first came. But just as Joseph revealed himself to his brothers and forgave them, Jesus will one day be revealed to Israel, and they will recognize Him as their Savior.
There are so many more connections we could make between Joseph and Jesus. Joseph was stripped of his coat, just as Jesus was stripped of His robe before the crucifixion. Joseph was thrown into a pit and left for dead, just as Jesus was placed in a tomb. But in both cases, God had a greater plan.
When we read Genesis 37, it’s clear that Joseph’s story is more than just a historical account. It’s a shadow of the greater story of redemption found in Christ. The life of Joseph points us to Jesus in ways that are hard to miss when we look for them.
God orchestrated every detail of Joseph’s life to show us the gospel. He was betrayed, sold, falsely accused, and yet exalted so that he could save his family and the world. In the same way, Jesus endured betrayal, rejection, and suffering so that He could bring salvation to all who believe.
