Jesus is the true and better Joseph.

Both had the approval and love from their fathers.
Both arose to power and prominence from the humblest of means.
Joseph- a slave and the 11th born son.
Jesus- born in a barn and son of a carpenter.

Both envied and hated without cause. Joseph was accused wrongly by a high ranking official’s wife… Jesus was accused by an entire people. The same people He was there to save and become an advocate for.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers while the Son of God was sold by one of his very own, as well, but to the most brutal form of punishment in the eyes of the Romans. Not temporal slavery, but death. A punishment only delivered to the worst of society’s worst.  He was sold for a deceptive delusion that seemed worth it.

Judas sold Jesus and part of himself for a selfish, temporary gain. Yet Jesus, having no blemish of wrong on his record, gave himself up for everyone else’s eternal gain.

Both stripped of their clothing only to eventually sit at the right hand of the King and be given a different kind of robe. One that displayed authority that was used to forgive and save the very ones who condemned them. They were beaten down and chose to lift others up.

Despised by those who didn’t see them as they fully were, Joseph and Jesus saw their perpetrators as they fully were yet they extended grace, love, and forgiveness.

And while Joseph’s grace, love, and forgiveness certainly changed lives, Jesus’ grace and love and forgiveness changes people’s eternities. See, death couldn’t provide or build a barrier to overpower His love. It never stood a chance.

The entire Bible is not about you or me or people like Joseph that God used despite our humanity.

It’s about JESUS. It has always been about Jesus!

The Bible is the true and better mosaic. In that, it isn’t just pictures that are all forming a bigger picture. It’s full of messy lives, tough trials, victories and defeats all pointing to a perfect life that faced far tougher trials, a seemingly worse “defeat” that resulted in an even sweeter victory. And that is the Good News!

Jesus is the true and better Joseph!

– J. Wilder

“The New Testament is concealed in the Old
and the Old Testament is revealed in the New.”
– St. Augustine

Inspired by Timothy Keller. Check it out here.