Any regular attendee at School concerts will have heard countless renditions of ‘Any dream will do’! Andrew Lloyd–Webber and Tim Rices’ musical ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’ has certainly brought awareness of Joseph’s name to contemporary society – but has it contributed to our understanding of the historical Joseph, and his role in the Bible’s big picture? Any glance at the first book of the Bible will show that, in terms of sheer space, the story of Joseph is of some considerable importance. Although no tribe is named after him, and the Messiah is not descended from him, Joseph nonetheless occupies a crucial role in the Bible’s drama of redemption. Ultimately Joseph’s story is about God’s intention to save, not just Joseph’s family, but bringing through Judah a saviour for the world. Jesus taught us that the key to unlocking the whole Bible is to see it as a book about himself. Every story whispers his name.
