Genesis 37:18-36
The long road followed by Joseph to seek his brothers, is a picture of the road taken by the Son of God to seek and to save those who were lost. It was firstly the road of His down-stooping: being God, He was made man. Then it was the road of His humbling Himself, to death, yes, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:7-8).
Then there is the crime of which the details speak to us of the cross of Christ; they make dastardly plots to kill the one who had come to serve them (Psalms 109:5; Jeremiah 11:19 and John 11:53). "They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood" (Psalms 94:21). They strip him of his garment (Psalms 22:18), and throw him into the pit, a picture of death. The Saviour suffered all these things in full reality.
Finally they sell Joseph for twenty pieces of silver as a slave to foreigners. One who is even greater than he, was sold for thirty pieces, a "goodly price" in their estimation (Zechariah 11:13), then delivered by the Jews to Pilate. What great distress Joseph must have felt! And how much greater the anguish of the One of whom Joseph is only a feeble reflection, when He passed through all these sufferings and through death itself because He loved you and me.