There are hundreds of Old Testament prophesies about Christ. Again and
again, God has us look at the lives of the Old Testament fathers and the words
of the prophets to learn about the coming of Christ.
Luther sparkles in *volume eight of his Genesis
Commentary when he writes about the following verses in Genesis 45:1-8:
"Genesis 45:1 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them
that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And
there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his
brethren.
2 And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.
3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live?
And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his
presence.
4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they
came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me
hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are
five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and
to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a
father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the
land of Egypt."
We only present here a few of Luther's observations on the 45 pages he
writes about this text.
Luther says when we look at the life of the saints like Joseph, we see
what all Christians must endure.
"Therefore we [Christians] must be troubled and humbled, if not by
bloodshed and imprisonment, as the saintly martyrs suffered, at least through
spiritual trials, sorrow, grief, and anguish of heart. Otherwise we shall
perish in our sins. For the flesh is corrupt, filled with poison, leprous, and
has need of a physician to counteract that rottenness by means of cross,
martyrdom, sadness, confusion, and disgrace. These, you see, are the medicines
with which God purges away sin.
Holy Scripture is full of such examples. They show that the saints must
endure. For when they are not subjected to trials, they forget their spiritual
exercises. Then they pray, believe, and praise rather lazily. On the other
hand, they cry out, groan, and complain when misfortunes come, and thus they
are disciplined and instructed in the Word, as Isaiah says (Is. 28:19):
'Vexation gives understanding.'" (Page 7)
Luther compares Joseph to Jesus saying, "I am Joseph, I am your
Savior."
"Accordingly, I give this warning in order that we may not look at
this manifestation of Joseph only in passing but may consider the great
affection of the heart by which both Joseph and his brothers were benumbed. I
would not know how I should have reacted when he said: 'I am Joseph.' Nor do
they know. What will happen, then, when our Lord and Savior JESUS Christ
comes, who also disciplines us in various ways in this life and allows us to
be troubled, scourged, killed, etc.? What great joy there will be after that
sudden and unexpected change, since we previously felt that He was a very
harsh tyrant who wanted to destroy everyone in a trice! Then He will say:
"I am Joseph; I am your Savior." I cannot explain this revelation of
Joseph worthily; but it must be read and pondered often, . . ." (Page 15)
From Luther's comparison of Joseph with Jesus we come to the following
conclusions. As you read the list if you have more to add, please send
them in a reply.
- Joseph's brothers were bewildered by his visions of his great authority
while Christ's disciples never understood the prophecies of His death and
resurrection.
- Joseph and Jesus were both betrayed and sold; Joseph for 20 pieces of
silver and Christ for 30 pieces of silver.
- Joseph's coat was dipped in goat's blood; Christ's robe was covered with
his own blood.
- Joseph was thrown into a pit while Christ was placed in a tomb.
- Joseph's father was told Joseph was dead while was Christ killed by the
will of both man and God.
- While in room by themselves Joseph's eleven brothers discover he is
alive. While in a room by themselves Christ's eleven disciples discover
has risen from the dead.
- Joseph saves his brothers from starvation while Christ saves all His
brothers and sisters from sin.
- Joseph brings his brothers to repentance while Christ removes sin from
us.
- Joseph absolves his brothers while Christ pays for our sin.
- Joseph has bread for everyone who comes Egypt while Christ is the bread
of life for the whole world.
- Joseph leads all Egypt to be owned by Pharaoh while Christ has purchased
the entire world and places it under God the Father.
- God sends Joseph to preserve life while Christ gives us eternal life.
- Joseph saves the church in Egypt while Christ saves the Church in
heaven.
- Joseph announces that God used Him for great deliverance while Christ
has delivered us from sin, death, and hell and given us eternal life.
- God used Joseph's evil brothers to make Joseph the ruler of Egypt as He
used the evil Chief Priests, Scribes, and Pharisees to make Jesus Lord of
Lords and King of Kings.
Luther makes some remarkable comments about the church while discussing
this account.
"Thus today the emperor, the pope, and the Mohammedans live and remain
in this world for no other reason than for the sake of the church, the Word,
and the sacraments. When these have been removed, they will perish at once, as
Daniel 12:7 testifies: 'When the shattering of the power of the holy people
comes to an end, all these things would be accomplished.' But in the meantime
states [governments] and the procreation and education of children remain,
because the number of the elect has not yet been completed. Many of these have
not yet been born. But when the number is completed, then let the pope and the
Turk see what will become of them!
The church alone, however, preserves all things and is a nursery in the
world by which the Word and the sacraments are propagated and retained.
Proselytes are added to it every day. They hear and embrace the heavenly
doctrine. In the meantime the pope, the emperor, and the Turk also rage
against us and fight against the pillars that support and preserve them."
(Page 42)
Luther writes about verse 17 when Pharaoh invited Jacob to Egypt:
"Therefore Pharaoh did not receive a private individual, a man whose only
concern was domestic or political. No, he received the church of God itself,
which he cherishes, nourishes, and defends. This is an outstanding honor and
regal dignity. Because of this he was deservedly called a most saintly and
godly man, a man honored by God; for he was raised up by God for such an
important function in order that he might preserve the church and give it a
place, time, and protection, so that it could be gathered, multiplied, and
built." (Page 61)
"Would that today, too, we had more princes like him! For this was an
excellent and incomparable virtue in King Pharaoh-a virtue which deserves to
be praised by all. And that he was filled with faith and the Holy Spirit is
apparent from the fact that he supports the church with such great kindness
and without recompense or any greed. For at the present time you could find
many who profess the doctrine of the Gospel until they have plundered the
parishes, the associations, and the monasteries. There are very few who
befriend the teachers and pastors of the churches out of zeal for godliness
and from the heart. But if there are such men, they do the right thing by
following the example of Pharaoh; but it surely was scrupulous, saintly, and
Christian to the highest degree. For Pharaoh has no regard for his private
advantage and in supporting the church has no other consideration than piety
and reverence for God. He himself seizes nothing. Indeed, he rather offers all
his own property and lavishes it on the protection and support of the house of
Jacob." (Page 62)
* Lectures on Genesis: Chapters 45 - 50, Luther,
Martin; "Luther's Works", Vol. 8; Concordia Publishing House, St.
Louis, 1966