Genesis 37:1 Commentary and Bible Study

The subject in this chapter is the shaping of Joseph, and the history of Joseph extends from Genesis 37 to Genesis 50. It is a remarkable thing and it has been observed many, many times that, in modern terms, it is as though the Lord puts the brakes on when it comes to Genesis 37, and slows the mighty vehicle of holy Scripture down to a crawl, and begins to look deliberately and in detail at each feature of the life of Joseph. Why? Why so much detail for Joseph? After all, Joseph wasn't even in the line of Christ. It would be through Judah that the seed royal was conveyed not through Joseph, and Joseph was for much of his life in exile from his people, and yet the spotlight is going to fall on Joseph. It is increasingly obvious as we study the history of Joseph in that he is undoubtedly a type of Christ, and of the work of Christ as Deliverer. It is not very popular to say these days that Joseph is a type of Christ. If you look at the majority of modern the Study Bibles and Bible Dictionaries, anything issued in the last 20, 30 years, it is likely it will not even mention the possibility. If it does, it will do so with great reservations: ‘Some teach that …’. It is an extraordinary thing. If you read anything older than 40 or 50 years, it is the universal conclusion that Joseph is a type of Christ. Of course he isn't identified as such in the New Testament, and most of the types are identified in the New Testament, but it is so overwhelmingly obvious that it is the case and it is the reason why he is given so much attention in these chapters in the book of Genesis. ‘And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger.’ The past tense is not intended to imply that his father was dead. In the last two verses of chapter 35, the death of Isaac has been recorded, but that is not in chronological position, because when you come to chapter 37, Isaac still has 12 years to live. So Joseph has his father Jacob and his grandfather Isaac in the house. ‘And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father, Isaac, currently was a stranger’ or a sojourner. They were moving about like nomads. At the moment they are in Hebron, but they moved from time to time. All their flocks and herds and their very many servants and so on; they are almost a minor kingdom, but his presence in the land of Canaan is once again recorded.