Musing – What did both Joseph and Yeshua have in common?

 Hebraic Musing – What did both Joseph and Yeshua have in common?

The hatred of those closest to both Joseph and Yeshua caused them to want to kill both Joseph and Yeshua!  We read in the Old Testament about the jealousy and hatred that Joseph’s brothers had for him.  “Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him.” Genesis 37:18 NKJV   And Luke writes about Yeshua.  As Passover approached “…the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him.” Luke 22:1-2

In Genesis 37:26-28, Judah saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming and suggested to his brothers “Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.” And his brothers listened.  Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver.” Genesis 37:27-28   Joseph was sold as a slave for 20 pieces of silver.  And according to Matthew 26:15, Judas was given 30 pieces of silver to betray Yeshua.

Remember Joseph’s “coat of many colors”?  The brothers dipped Joseph’s beautiful coat in goat’s blood to convince their father that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal.  After being falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, Joseph ended up in prison.  Similarly, Yeshua was constantly contending with the Pharisees who falsely accused him.

Joseph was able to interpret the dreams of the baker and the butler, one was hanged, the other restored.  When Yeshua was on the cross heard he had “the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.”  One man said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to that man, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:42-43   One left, the other saved.

After Joseph was wrongly accused and thrown in prison, he was raised to become 2nd in command of all of Egypt.  Both Joseph and Yeshua became rulers, as it says in Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder.”  Joseph was ruler over all the land of Egypt and kept everyone fed during the famine.  Joseph got all the trappings of authority and power, with linen, and gold, and riding in the second chariot. Both Yeshua and Joseph became rulers. 

Joseph was exalted to positions of authority four times in his life: 
  1. When he was given the long garment of many colors, of the first born.
  2. He was placed in authority over Potiphar’s house. 
  3. He was in charge of all the prisoners. 
  4. As Governor and Prime Minister over all Egypt. 
After Yeshua’s resurrection He said “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth..” Matthew 28:18

BTW, Joseph’s name in Hebrew means “May he add” or “God will increase”!

Points to Ponder

Was the NT being taught, even in the OT?

Both Jesus and Joseph are seen as saviors,
Joseph saved his family from famine. Jesus saves humanity from sin.

Joseph is one of the few Biblical men in the Bible who is never said to have sinned, similar to Jesus!

♫   What a day that will be, When my Jesus I shall see.  When I look upon His face, The One who saved me by His grace.  When He takes me by the hand,  And leads me to the Promised Land. What a day, glorious day that will be.  ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          May 6, 2025            
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Note – Inspired by & copied from “Joseph and Yeshua” by Johanna Hocker April 15, 2025