Originally published in the February 1981 issue of The Christadelphian magazine
Joseph: the Saviour
IT IS 100 years since Brother Roberts penned a chapter on Joseph in The Ways of Providence and it seems remarkable that the Christadelphian Office has never published a book on what must surely be one of the most compelling characters of the whole Bible. This little volume by Brother Harry Whittaker will go a long way towards meeting the need.
The story of Joseph is at once as moving and enthralling as any in Scripture. Its fascination lies not only in the fact that it provides the bridge of history between Abraham and his seed “as a stranger in a land that is not theirs”, but also in the undeniable evidence of Providence at work. From the first bowing down of the family sheaves, to the “preserved” Joseph finally coming to rest in the promised land we know that this is no ordinary parable, but that we are in the presence of the Saviour and the Bread-giver.
The difficulty with Old Testament types is knowing where to stop. There are those who would limit them to the fundamental elements of the theme. There are others who see a parallel in every minute coincidence, making it a “kind of Bible game” and thus debasing the coinage of allegory. Brother Whittaker acknowledges this dilemma in his opening chapter on “Joseph and Jesus”; but with endorsement by way of Stephen’s address and phrases from the Old Testament narrative uplifted by New Testament writers he convinces us that Joseph was intended by the Spirit to be an allegory of The Saviour.
Having noted these strong convictions, some may feel disappointment that the author elects to play down the parallels between Joseph and Jesus in the actual text of the book and relegates them to short lists at the end of each chapter. There are over 80 suggestions in all, but some are repetitive and some seem tentative. About one-third have supporting Scripture references, but how useful it would have been for the other 50 or so to have had similar Biblical guidance to what the author had in mind.
The writer leads us through the life of Joseph in a straightforward and earthy narrative that gives us a peep into the various characters and hints at, rather than fully explores, the lessons to be derived from them. Reuben shines a little brighter than perhaps we had suspected; we observe the weakness and the strength of Jacob; Potiphar’s wife plays her part, using charm and position in an attempt to seduce the debonair young Jew (an opportunity here, surely, to focus on problems facing young and old in our evil and adulterous generation?); while Asenath, high priest’s daughter, acts out her part as Gentile wife joining the family of Israel. And shining through the whole narrative, the unblemished character, the unshakeable faith of the godly Joseph. The book keeps very close to the Genesis story, in a literary style that is perhaps less adult than Brother Whittaker’s previous books on Abraham and Jacob, though its appeal will be to discerning readers of all ages.
Notes are added at the end of each chapter, as though the author is attempting to cater for both casual and more studious readers. There is a danger in this device of falling between two stools, and although some of the notes are excellent most could, with profit, have filled out the text, giving it added interest and depth.
Joseph: The Saviour, though perhaps not a profound study, is immensely readable. The Foreword, general text and an elegant little Epitaph are covered in 60 of the 91 pages, the other 30 being taken up with notes or blank pages (for personal study?). The book certainly whets the appetite for a close examination of some of the lessons for our own day and of our own relationship to the redemptive purpose. (One wonders why Brother Harry leads us to such gems as the beautiful Messianic prophecy concerning Joseph in Genesis 49 and then leaves us to our own devices?) There are a few ungainly phrases and some guesswork “facts” which provoke our thinking; but this is a small price to pay for the biblical stimulus which Brother Whittaker gives, and has given, us over the years. Well produced, with a glossy card cover displaying seven ears of corn, this little volume falls nicely into the series of paperback “lives” and is good value.
