A Sunday School Lesson On Joseph And His Brothers

Here is a Sunday school lesson or Bible study about Joseph and his brothers.

Love and Hate

Genesis 37:3 “Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.”

Nothing ever good comes from being a spoiled child and treating one child better than another but that’s what Jacob did with Joseph and Joseph made it even worse when “Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more” (Genesis 37:5) and his dream was “we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us” (Gen 37:6-8b) and so “So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words” (Gen 37:8b).

Is it easy to hate someone that’s treated better than most?

Is it harder to love some people than others? Why?

Did Joseph do anything wrong?

Joseph the Slave

Genesis 39:2 “The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.”

Just about everything Joseph touched was blessed by God so “From the time that [Potiphar] made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field” (Gen 39:5) because “Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had” (Gen 39:4). Even when Joseph was unfairly accused and thrown into prison, “Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison” (Genesis 39:20). Thankfully, when Joseph told the meaning of the baker and cupbearer’s dream, he would do the same for Pharaoh and amazingly, Joseph went from the prisons to Pharaoh saying, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt…Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” (Gen 41:41, 44).

Do you ever think Joseph got angry at his brothers?

Was Joseph faithful wherever he was? Why?

Why was Joseph continually being put in charge?

The Reunion

Genesis 43:30 “Then Joseph hurried out, for his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there.”

Joseph’s dream came true; his brothers did come down and bow before him (Gen 37:5-8) but just before Joseph’s brothers were about to leave Egypt with their grain, Joseph had someone place his silver cup in their grain sack and so when “They had gone only a short distance from the city. Now Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good” (Gen 44:4)? Perhaps Joseph was showing them what it felt like to be mistreated and to have the feeling that you could lose your life at any moment, but finally “Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence” (Gen 45:3). This must have been a joyful reunion for the brothers because “Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him” (Gen 43:34).

What would that celebration over the meal look like?

Have we ever falsely accused someone?

Has anyone ever falsely accused you of something?

Conclusion

I urge you in your study to look at all of the Bible verses and read them aloud in the class so that you can get the most out of this lesson on Joseph and his brothers. It is an account of taking evil things and God turning them into good (Gen 50:20) and an account of forgiveness and restoration. Joseph and his brother’s story was important enough to be the longest account of anyone in the Book of Genesis, accounting for almost 2/5ths of the book. Joseph was thrown into a pit to die, sold him to slave traders. If Joseph hadn’t been sold to slave traders, unfairly accused and thrown into prison but he wouldn’t have interpreted the two prisoner’s dreams and wouldn’t have had a chance to interpret Pharaoh’s dream and he wouldn’t have been put in second command of all Egypt and the seven-year famine that came would have caused millions to die, so when Joseph finally saw his brothers, he said, “you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Gen 50:20). Joseph didn’t deny that what they did was evil but he shows that God can even use evil for good. Just look at the cross.

Do you see evil being used for good? Where? Is it in your life?

Why was it often said “And the Lord was with Joseph?”

How has your understanding about Joseph and his brothers changed in this study?

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.