Israel loved Joseph more than any of his sons and gave him a tunic to wear which stirred up jealousy within his brothers (37:3-4). A tunic was a special robe which labeled who the future leader of the household would be. Culturally, this was an honor given normally to the firstborn son. However, throughout Genesis we see God going against cultural rules all the time; communicating His sovereignty over mankind contrary to tradition. In both of Joseph’s dreams, it was clear that he dreamed of all his family bowing before him. This stirred more friction with his brothers. Joseph is seen in this book as a “type” or, in other words, “a foreshadowing of Christ” in the flesh. The parallels between their lives make this so. They both were shepherds of their father’s sheep (Gen. 37:2; John 10:11, 27-29). Joseph’s father loved him dearly (37:3; Matt. 3:17). He was hated by his brothers (37:4; John 7:4-5), was sent by his father to his brothers (37:13-14; Heb. 2:11), others plotted to harm him (37:20; John 11:53), they both had robes taken from them (37:23; John 19:23-24), and they were both taken to Egypt (37:26; Matt. 2:14-15). He was sold for the price of a slave (37:28; Matt. 26:15), tempted (39:7; Matt. 4:1), falsely accused (39:16-18; Matt. 26:59-60), bound in chains (39:20; Matt. 27:2), and placed with two other prisoners in which one was saved and the other was lost (40:2-3; Luke 23:32). He exalted after suffering (41:41; Philippians 2:9-11), both were 30 years old at the beginning of public recognition (41: 46; Luke 3:23), both wept (42:24; 45:2; 14, 15; John 11:35), forgave those who wronged them (45:1-15; Luke 23:34), saved their nation (45:7; Matt. 1:21), and what man did to hurt them, God turned to good (50:20; 1 Cor. 2:7-8). However, Joseph, though his life has major significance in this book, is not listed as a patriarch. The patriarchs are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. There is no mention to Joseph amongst these names when God speaks to Israel of their fathers. Nonetheless, Joseph was a prominent man in the history of Israel whom God used as an instrument to deliver His people.
Insights of Joseph/Christ parallel from chart in The Macarthur Student Bible, p.66 (2000)
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