1. Joseph was the most virtuous and faithful of the brothers.
2. His life foreshadowed the Messiah more than that of any other patriarch.
3. Joseph was the firstborn of Rachel, the wife Jacob originally intended to marry and loved most deeply.
4. Joseph saved the nation and the world from famine. This was God’s blessing on Joseph’s wisdom and obedience.
While all 4 observations contain some truth, the best answer is likely number 3.
The most natural explanation is that Joseph was Rachel’s firstborn son, for whom Jacob labored fourteen years and whom he intended to marry from the beginning. Jacob’s special affection for Rachel is reflected in his treatment of her firstborn, Joseph, and in his granting him “one portion more” than his brothers (Genesis 48:22). Through the adoption of Ephraim and Manasseh, Joseph effectively received the double portion of the firstborn.
At the same time, Joseph’s exemplary faithfulness and remarkable life make him one of Scripture’s clearest portraits of the Messiah. Rejected by his brothers, he later became their savior and provider, foreshadowing Yeshua in many striking ways.
It is therefore fitting that the Spirit of God gives Joseph such prominence in Genesis. Genesis 37:2 begins, “These are the records of the generations of Jacob. Joseph…” From that point to the end of the book, Joseph’s life dominates the narrative, making him the representative figure through whom God preserves the family of Israel.