From Prisoner to Prince
What does the Old Testament story of Joseph have to do with the New Testament story of Jesus? In From Prisoner to Prince, Samuel Emadi shows the Joseph story in biblical theology.
Seeds of Promise
As the latest edition in IVP Academic’s New Studies in Biblical Theology series, this book is a masterpiece. Emadi writes with eloquence and effectiveness.
The book begins by defining biblical theology and typology. I was excited to learn the essential features of a type, including historicity, prospective/author-intended, escalation, textual, and covenantal criteria. With all of this in mind, especially considering the historical element, typological claims of Christ cannot be purely allegorical. Christ is a real solution to a historical problem. Types are historical promises, with Jesus being the fulfillment.
I was most interested to learn of the toledot structure in the Joseph story. The toledot structure is a constructed framework by the author of Genesis, who seeks to show us the development of the seed of promise through the unfolding covenants. God works in individuals, families, and nations to bless the entire world.
Children of the Promise
Emadi continues to explain the Joseph story in light of its major themes. The themes of kingship and seed are explored, and I was intrigued to see how the theme of seed conflict and sibling rivalry plays out throughout Genesis. The book of Daniel’s literary dependence on Joseph is shown, and a list of verbal correspondences between Genesis 41 and Daniel 2 is staggering.
Joseph in the New Testament is studied in Acts 7:9-16 and Hebrews 11:22. Stephen argues that Joseph is a type of Christ, and the pattern and fulfillment of promises is convincing. While Hebrews 11 is not necessarily a type, the author does show Jesus as the supreme exemplar of faith. Interestingly, you can find allusions to Joseph in the parable of the tenants. As a probable allusion to the the Joseph narrative, Jesus was aware of the patterns at play in his own life.
This is a book written at a high level of scholarship, but it will speak to your heart in revealing the glories of Christ. I was glad to see the sovereignty of God in Scripture and Biblical history. The Joseph story is a story for Israel, and a story for all who are covered by the blood of the Son of God – the children of the promise.
I received a media copy of From Prisoner to Prince and this is my honest review. Find more of my book reviews and follow Dive In, Dig Deep on Instagram - my account dedicated to Bibles and books to see the beauty of the Bible and the role of reading in the Christian life. To read all of my book reviews and to receive all of the free eBooks I find on the web, subscribe to my free newsletter.