The principle of surety is set forth in this chapter in the conversation between Israel and Judah. Judah promises to be surety for his brother Benjamin. Similarly, Christ is surety for the entire elect family of God.

Gen. 43:2 “And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food. 3 And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. 4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food: 5 But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. 6 And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother? 7 And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down? 8 And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones. 9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:”

Jacob had a great love for his son, Benjamin, and did not want harm to come to him or for him to be lost to his fellowship. With Judah’s promise to be surety for Benjamin he was saying to his father that he would stand in the place of Benjamin judicially or financially to pay any debts or serve any judicial judgments for Benjamin should the need arise and would finally present Benjamin back home to his father. To be surety for another means to stand in the place of the other to pay any debts or serve any judicial judgments for the other. Moreover, if Judah failed to present Benjamin back to his father, then he would bear the shame and blame forever. Later on we will find that a charge will be brought against Benjamin and Judah will step in and offer to serve the penalty for Benjamin so that Benjamin might return home to his father.

Jesus served as surety for the entire elect family of God: Heb. 7:22 “By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.” Jesus was/is surety based on a covenant promise made between him and the Father: Rom. 8:29, 30 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” Jesus told us in John 6:37-39: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.”

If Jesus should fail to bring home even one that the Father gave him, then according to the law of surety, Jesus would bear the shame and blame forever.

Those that the Father gave to Jesus each had great judicial debts and for Jesus to be surety for them, he had to step in and take their place to pay off the judicial debts. We read that Jesus did this on the cross of Calvary: 2 Cor. 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Moreover, based on the covenant promise, every one for whom Christ died will one day be presented to the Father in a righteous and perfect condition. Already, the elect family stands before the Father in judgment in a righteous state: Rom. 8:33 “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Because Christ is our surety and has paid the price for us, no judicial charge can be laid against us before the Father forever.

Genesis Chapter 43 Parallels between Joseph and Christ

As we have before stated, Joseph is a very strong type of Christ and there are numerous parallels between the life and events in the life of Joseph and the life and events in the life of Jesus Christ. Some of these parallels in this chapter are stated below:

1. Joseph’s brethren had to go to Joseph to get food. The only source of corn for themselves and their families was in the storehouse of Joseph. Likewise, spiritual food is available only in Christ: Eph. 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”

2. To receive the food for themselves and their families, they were required to follow the commandment of Joseph: 43:3 “And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.” Likewise, if we are to receive the spiritual food in the kingdom of God we must follow the commandment of Jesus to: Heb. 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

3. Joseph sent his servant to bring his brethren home: 43:16 “And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon. 17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.” Likewise, Jesus sends his servants to bring his children to the feast: Luke 14:16 “Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So that servant came, and showed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.”

4. Joseph returned the brethren’s money to them: 43:20 “And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food: 21 And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand. 22 And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks. 23 And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.” Likewise, our service to Jesus is fully rewarded way beyond the efforts we make: Matt. 19:29 “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”

5. Joseph’s brethren ate in Joseph’s house: 43:32 “And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. 33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another. 34 And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.” Likewise, the brethren of Christ eat spiritual food in the house of God as the house of God is the church of God: 1 Tim. 3:15 “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

6. One brother of Joseph was blessed more than the other brethren of Joseph: 43:34 “And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.” Similarly, some in the kingdom of God receive more talents or gifts than others: Matt. 25:15 “And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.”

7. Joseph gave his brethren water to wash their feet: 43:24 “And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet…”

Jesus did more than Joseph as he washed his disciples feet: John 13:3 “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; 4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. 5 After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.”

8. Joseph wept: 43:30 “And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.” Jesus wept: John 11:35 “Jesus wept.”

9. Joseph in his providence blessed his brethren: 43:23 “And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them. 24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.” Not only did Joseph return the money of his brethren to them, but he also gave them water to wash their feet and gave food for their animals to eat. Every child of God who has felt the presence of God in their lives knows of the exceedingly many providential blessings that come to him just because he is the brother of Jesus Christ.

10. God sent peace to the troubled souls of the brethren of Joseph: 43:18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses. 19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house, 20 And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food: 21 And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand. 22 And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks. 23 And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.”

God sends peace to the troubled souls of the brethren of Christ: John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

11. The brethren of Joseph bowed down to him a second time: 43:26 “And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.” Christ’s children frequently bow themselves down to him as they go to God in prayer.