Joseph and Solomon

Joseph is a Solomon at the end of Genesis, a picture of a glorified Adam-King, providing bread for the world. And like Solomon, Joseph married an Egyptian woman. And in so far as these daughters of Egypt were actually converted to Yahweh, and these marriages represent evangelism and the gospel going to the Gentiles, they are glorious previews and glimpses of the New Covenant.

But in so far as these marriages lead to other unfaithful intermarriages with pagan wives, they are the beginning of idolatry and syncretism in Israel. While perhaps Joseph did not personally enter into marriages with unconverted Egyptian women, it is not hard to imagine other Israelite men following his "example" foolishly. Joseph married the daughter of an Egyptian priest, why can't I?

And by the time of Moses, Israel is serving the gods of Egypt (Ez. 20:7-8).

Notice the parallels in the Solomon/Joseph narratives:

Joseph --> idolatry in Egypt --> Exodus --> worshiping a calf in the wilderness
Solomon --> idolatry in Israel -->Divided Kingdom --> worshiping calves in the northern kingdom

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Cut without Hands

In Mark 14, one of the accusations brought against Jesus is that he had promised to destroy "this temple made with hands" and within three days he would build another "made without hands."

This is an allusion to Daniel's prophecy regarding the stone in Daniel 2:34 which is cut out "without hands." But Daniel's stone is probably based upon a specific description regarding the building of the temple. In 1 Kgs 6:7, it is said while the temple was being constructed all the stones were finished at the quarry so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.

The stones of the Solomonic temple arrived pre-cut, finished according to the design. They were stones cut "without hands." This is why Jesus can allude to Daniel's prophecy and apply it directly to the temple and building a new temple. If Jesus is the stone cut out "without hands" this means that He has come to be the new cornerstone, pre-cut, already prepared for the new temple which will grow up into the mountain that will fill the whole earth.

Last, note that Paul uses similar language to describe the true circumcision that is "without hands" (Col. 2:11). Our "cutting" and shaping into stones for the this new temple is not found in circumcision. In the new temple, we are quarried and finished in the death of Jesus, and baptism applies His "cutting" to us. There is no sound of a hammer or chisel or any iron tool in the construction of this new temple. We are justified, and we arrive pre-cut through the Cornerstone who was cut "without hands."

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