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Joseph
Genesis 39
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Jesus
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Comparison
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39:1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
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Matthew 2:14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt ,
Luke 23:47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man."
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Both were taken to Egypt to escape. Both were accepted by Gentile soldiers who were leaders, after being rejected by their brothers.
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2 The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.
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Luke 2:52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature , and in favor with God and men.
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Both grew in favor with God and men.
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3 When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did,
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Luke 1:66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him.
Isaiah 53:10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand .
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God caused Christ's ministry to prosper, he grew into the position of our great savior.
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4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.
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Luke 2:52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature , and in favor with God and men.
Matthew 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, " All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
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Both grew in favor of the one in authority, therefore given all authority. This will later also happen with Pharaoh.
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5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field.
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Romans 10:12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord (Jesus Christ) will be saved."
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God blesses those who accepted Joseph and those who accepted Christ. The world is blessed because of Christ's life and the nations were fed through Joseph's life as well.
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6 So he left in Joseph's care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,
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Isaiah 53:2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
2Timothy 1:12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
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God (as above) put everything under Christ's authority, fully trusted.
The appearance of Christ is likely quite different from that described about Joseph. His glorified form will undoubtedly be awesome, though.
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7 and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!"
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Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.
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Both were tempted with strong temptations that would fell the majority of us.
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8 But he refused. "With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care.
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Matthew 4:6 "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "`He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'"
2Timothy 1:12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
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Both Pother's wife and Satan recognize the power handed to both men by the respective rulers.
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9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?"
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Matthew 4:7 Jesus answered him, "It is also written: `Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"
Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.
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Both temptations were recognized by the men as a sin against Almighty God.
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10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.
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Matthew 4:1-11
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Both men were tempted multiple times with increasing enticement and both held firm.
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11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside.
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Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
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Both were tempted alone. Only the tempted and the tempter were present, making the temptation that much greater (could have chosen a hidden sin).
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12 She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.
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1Corinthians 6:18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.
Matthew 4:10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: `Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
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Both did not give any opportunity to be caught up in sin. Joseph did exactly as we are taught to do by fleeing sin. Jesus had forcefully used the power given by God to send Satan away.
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13 When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house,
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Matthew 4:2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."
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Here we see that both tempters take advantage of those being tempted when they are in a weaker position to defend themselves.
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14 she called her household servants. "Look," she said to them, "this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed.
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Matthew 26:59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death.
Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
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The accusers made false accusations. Lied.
In addition, both of the tempters lied to both of them. Satan promised what he could not give Jesus.
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15 When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house."
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Matthew 26:60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward 61 and declared, "This fellow said, `I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.'"
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Again, false accusations against the innocent.
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16 She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him this story: "That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. 18 But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house."
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Matthew 26:61 and declared, "This fellow said, `I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.'"
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Both false accusers had evidence that pointed toward an offense that did not happen. The fact of a cloak does not prove one tried to rape. The fact that Christ would destroy the temple and rebuild it does not mean physical destruction, just prophetically showing His atonement for sin and resurrection. It is interesting that both Joseph and Jesus' false accusations set them up for a form of death (imprisonment) and subsequent resurrection (release).
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19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, "This is how your slave treated me," he burned with anger.
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Luke 23:8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. 9 He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate.
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The chief priests and teachers of the law were the accusers, as was Potphar's wife. Potiphar is similar to Herod here. Herod had been looking forward to seeing Jesus and really had nothing against Him at this point. Then, after being wrongly accused, Herod's anger is displayed as they mocked Christ. Potiphar once really appreciated Joseph, only to turn with anger too.
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20 Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison,
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Matthew 27:2 They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.
Mark 15:46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb .
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It is interesting that Christ was placed in a tomb (similar to Joseph's prison) for a time. Joseph's prison was not just a prison for common criminals, this was the better prison. Christ was buried in a tomb owned by a rich man, Joseph of Arimethea. Both were imprisoned as such in a place for wealthy prisoners. Potiphar was the chief executioner. He could have killed Joseph but he let him off easier. Potiphar may have known his wife was wrong but whatever the reason, God's will was done.
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21 the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.
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Mark 15:5 As they entered the tomb , they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6 "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.
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Christ was possibly in the presence of angels at least some of the time in the tomb. This is not certain but at least he was viewed in favor by Almighty God and granted freedom from the grave.
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22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there.
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Luke 23:40 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence ? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." 42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
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Again, Joseph is placed above all others by the one in authority over him, similar to Christ.
All of us are under the same sentence of death, only Christ can save us from this eternity in Hell. Christ has all authority regarding who may and may not enter into Heaven, even when He was being crucified He had this power.
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23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
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Philippians 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth ,
Revelation 5:13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" 14 The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.
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Christ succeeded when He said "It is finished." He will further succeed when everyone will worship Him in the future, whether they are saved from Hell or not. Every knee shall bow. Not just the elect. All. That sounds successful, especially knowing that some of us will be saved, Christ's purpose for living and dying.
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