 Jesus -- The Focal Point of Scripture
A study of many Old Testament characters reveals that their lives
typified the life and mission of Jesus Christ. These coincidences add
weight to Jesus' claim that he is the son of God. One of the many
examples of the life of another paralleling Jesus is provided below.
It is a comparison between the lives of Joseph and Jesus:
| Joseph | Jesus |
|---|
| His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us?" Gen 37:8 |
"We don't want this man to be our king." Luke 19:14 |
| they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Gen 37:4 |
They hated me without reason John 15:25 |
| Their father loved him more than any of them. Gen 37:4 |
This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased Matt 3:17 |
| "Here comes that dreamer!" they said to each other. Gen 37:19 |
They ... mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" Matt 27:29 |
| They saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. Gen 37:18 |
"This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours." Mark 12:7 |
| his brothers ... sold him for twenty shekels of silver Gen 37:28 |
So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over. Matt 26:15-16 |
| "Do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives
that God sent me ahead of you." Gen 45:5 |
"They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will
mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for
him as one grieves for a firstborn son." Zechariah 12:10 |
| God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives. Gen 45:7 |
Christ ... the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep ...so in Christ all will be made alive. 1 Cor 15:20-22 |
It is not coincidental or isolated that Joseph's life typified the
life of Jesus. There are many types between the Old and New Testaments.
The name "Jesus" is the Greek form of the Hebrew name
"Joshua." Both names have the same meaning -- God is salvation.
Paul notes the deliberateness of Old Testament parallels in Hebrews 10:1.
He says that "The law is only a shadow of good things that are
coming..."
The crucial question is -- Could this parallel be merely coincidental
or is it a sign that there is a powerful force controlling history as
it unfolds?
Most if not all of the other types within the Bible outline the life
and mission of Jesus. You are welcome to contact Bible Alive! for
more information on this topic.
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