The Vine of Joseph
Genesis 49:22-24 American Standard Version (ASV) Joseph is a fruitful bough [vine], A fruitful bough [vine] by a fountain; His branches run over the wall. The archers have sorely grieved him, And shot at him, and persecuted him: But his bow abode in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong, By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (From thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel) I am the true vine and my Father is the vine dresser. (Words of Yeshua) Jn 15:1 Two Messiah are spoken of in the rabbinic tradition: Messiah ben Joseph, who would be a descendant of Joseph; and Messiah ben David, who would be a descendant of David. Unfortunately, throughout the New Testament these two figures are conflated in the person of Yeshua. Semitic allusions to Yeshua’s identity speak far more persuasively of a connection to Joshua, Ephraim and Joseph ~ the priestly Firstborn of Jacob and Rachel ~ than to Judea’s King David. Yeshua did not incarn...