Genesis 37:2-11 Introduction

Tomorrow (3/3/24) at Kosmosdale Baptist Church, my Sunday school class will begin a study of Genesis 37:2-50:26. A few students have expressed their love for this section of Scripture. Below are a couple of paragraphs from my introductory notes. 

The last part of Genesis, “the generations of Jacob” (Gen 37:2), focuses on Joseph with some attention given to his brothers as well. This section begins on an unhappy note, as the covenant family lacks peace, with Joseph’s brothers seriously mistreating him and dishonoring their father. By the end of Genesis, Joseph and his brothers’ relationship becomes healed through Joseph’s forgiveness of his brothers, and Jacob’s family is kept safe even in Egypt.

God uses Joseph, who is godly, but who is rejected by his brothers, to save the covenant family and to heal broken relationships (Gen 45:5-8; 50:24). The Christian church has traditionally viewed Joseph as a type of Christ. (That is, many Christians have seen Joseph as one who, through God’s ability to foresee the future and to order the events of life, had a life that was–in many ways–a picture of what God would later do in saving the world through Christ.) Godly Joseph, beloved by his father (Gen 37:3; Mark 1:11), was sent to his brothers, but was then sold for twenty pieces of silver (Gen 37:38; Matt 26:15). After suffering and temptation (Gen 37:18-36; 39:17-20; Matt 4:1-11), righteous Joseph was exalted as a lord over his brothers.