Sunday School: Gospel Doctrine
Lesson 11: ‘How Can I Do This Great Wickedness?’

“Lesson 11: ‘How Can I Do This Great Wickedness?’” Old Testament Class Member Study Guide (2001), 8

“Lesson 11,” Old Testament Class Member Study Guide, 8

Lesson 11

“How Can I Do This Great Wickedness?”

Genesis 34; 37–39

Study the following scriptures:

  1. Genesis 37. Joseph, eleventh son of Jacob, is hated by his brothers and sold into slavery.

  2. Genesis 39. Joseph prospers as a slave but is accused of immorality and sent to prison (39:1–20). The keeper of the prison gives Joseph responsibility over the other prisoners (39:21–23).

  3. Genesis 34:1–12; 35:22; 38:1–30. The sin of immorality has negative consequences on Jacob’s family (34:1–12; 35:22; 38:1–30).

Jacob’s wives bore him twelve sons, who became the beginnings of the twelve tribes of Israel (the Lord changed Jacob’s name to Israel; see Genesis 32:28). Jacob’s eleventh son was Joseph; as the eldest son of Jacob and Rachel, Joseph received the birthright when Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah, lost it through unrighteousness (1 Chronicles 5:1–2).

  • What did Joseph do when Potiphar’s wife tried to tempt him to sin? (See Genesis 39:11–12.) How can we follow Joseph’s example when we are tempted?

  • What can we learn from Joseph about turning bad experiences and circumstances into good ones? (See Genesis 39:20–23; see also Romans 8:28.)

Additional reading: Genesis 34:13–31.