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Jealously plays a major role in the life of Jesus. No doubt, the religious elite were jealous of him, showing a hostility and suspicion typical of jealousy. Likewise, they incited the people to a like unreasonable rage. When jealousy controls, reason goes out of the door.
We see this jealousy aimed at the Christ figure Joseph. Likely, no Old Testament figure so typifies Christlikeness as Joseph, both in how he was treated and the manner of his response to hostility.
Jacob favored this youngest of many sons. This lead to ill feelings toward the son: "When his brothers saw that their father loved him best of all his sons, they hated him so much that they would not even greet him." Now, there you have jealousy in show lights - "would not even greet him." Such is the passive side of jealousy.
Now, to the active side of jealousy. What did the brothers do? Ironically, after stripping Joseph of the garb his dad had given him and throwing their brother into a well, they sit down to eat - See the extent to which they have closed down their heart to their brother. A trait of jealousy: closing of the heart to natural feelings of kindness and compassion. What an irony: Joseph in the dry, dark well, his brothers feasting at table.
Reuben is the sole brother who shows natural compassion, he tries to save his brother, and does from death. Yet, his plans to save him from the well fail: "They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver."
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