Further Thought: Ellen G. White, “Joseph and His Brothers,” pp.
233–240, in Patriarchs and Prophets.
“The life of Joseph illustrates the life of Christ. It was envy that
moved the brothers of Joseph to sell him as a slave; they hoped to
prevent him from becoming greater than themselves. And when he was
carried to Egypt, they flattered themselves that they were to be no more
troubled with his dreams, that they had removed all possibility of their
fulfillment. But their own course was overruled by God to bring about
the very event that they designed to hinder. So the Jewish priests and
elders were jealous of Christ, fearing that He would attract the attention
of the people from them. They put Him to death, to prevent Him from
becoming king, but they were thus bringing about this very result.
“Joseph, through his bondage in Egypt, became a savior to his
father’s family; yet this fact did not lessen the guilt of his brothers. So
the crucifixion of Christ by His enemies made Him the Redeemer of
mankind, the Savior of the fallen race, and Ruler over the whole world;
but the crime of His murderers was just as heinous as though God’s
providential hand had not controlled events for His own glory and the
good of man.
“As Joseph was sold to the heathen by his own brothers, so Christ
was sold to His bitterest enemies by one of His disciples. Joseph was
falsely accused and thrust into prison because of his virtue; so Christ
was despised and rejected because His righteous, self-denying life was
a rebuke to sin; and though guilty of no wrong, He was condemned
upon the testimony of false witnesses. And Joseph’s patience and
meekness under injustice and oppression, his ready forgiveness and
noble benevolence toward his unnatural brothers, represent the Savior’s
uncomplaining endurance of the malice and abuse of wicked men, and
His forgiveness, not only of His murderers, but of all who have come
to Him confessing their sins and seeking pardon.”—Ellen G. White,
Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 239, 240.
Discussion Questions:
Once Jacob died, Joseph’s brothers feared that now Joseph
would get revenge. What does this teach about the guilt that they
still harbored? What does Joseph’s reaction teach us about for-
giveness for the guilty?
What other parallels can you find between the lives of Joseph
and Jesus?
Dwell on the fact that although God intimately knows the
future, we are still free in the choices we make. How do we recon-
cile these two ideas?
