Typology: Part 1 An Introduction

How did the early Christians read the Old Testament? One practice they used was typology. Typology is a literary method which looks for similarities to help unpack the meaning of Scripture.

Romans 5 v 14

Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

Here we see Paul connect Adam and Jesus. The Greek word translated type relates to a coin being struck from metal. A pattern created from a template.

The coin is not the original image, but a facsimile. It has value, but is not the original. By this verse, Paul is effective saying, Jesus is the template and we see part of His pattern in Adam’s story.

In Hebrews, the writer uses a similar approach with Melchizedek,

Hebrews 7 v 1-3

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

Types and Antitypes

A type is fulfilled in the antitype. In the verses from Romans above, we see Adam is the type, but Christ is the antitype. He is the fulfilment of the story of Adam.

Christ is the fulfilment of Melchizedek.

Christ is the fulfilment of Jonah. Jesus alludes to this in the Gospel according to Luke.

Luke 11 v 29

As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.

What Can Be Types?

Types aren’t just limited to people. Sacraments, objects and locations can be types too.

St Peter connects baptism with Noah’s Ark in the Flood through symbolism in his first epistle.

1 Peter 3 v 21

and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.

In tradition, Mary is a type of the Ark of the Covenant and the Burning Bush. The Tree of Life is a type of The Cross. And Judas is a type of The Devil.

Types Referring Types

We see types referring to each other in Scripture too. Job is a type of Noah and vice versa. This gives us a deeper insight into both stories. We can now imagine that Noah may have had similar thoughts as Job, while inside the Ark. And Job may have felt like he was going through a metaphorical flood, but a new life was waiting for him, just round the corner.

Though, both of these characters find their fulfilment in the story of Jesus, their antetype.

On the Road to Emmaus

I wonder if the reason the Early Church used typology, was because Jesus used it on the Road to Emmaus.

Luke 24 v 27

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.

In this series, we will unpack typology in the Scripture, how it can help us to understand the more difficult and weird Bible stories and learn about the limits of typology.