Typology

Principles from Inspired Examples

Hebrews 10:1 “For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.”

Hebrews 1:3 “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

Principle #1: The Type and the Anti-type are not the same thing.

There is a difference between an “exact image” of a referent and a “type.”

“Shadow” vs “image.”

If an type and anti-type were exactly the same, there would not need to be the anti-type.

“Points to...” “Makes me think about...”

Hebrews 9:11–14 “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”

Hebrews 9:22–24 “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.”

Principle #2: Types teach us about Christ and “Gospel Things.”

Typology is not a fit hermeneutical tool to use for absolutely any theological idea.

All explicit Biblical examples of typology are gospel-related.

Edwards: When Christ, the light, came, he shown backwards and illuminated all the “gospel things” in the old covenant.

Hebrews 7:1–4 “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. See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils!”

Hebrews 9:1–5 “Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.”

Principle #3: There are many more types in the OT than the NT interprets.

Even the omission of Melchizedek's parentage can be used as a type to point to Christ’s eternality.

There are typological aspects of the tabernacle and temple that the preacher of Hebrews didn’t take the time to illuminate, leaving to our imagination and wondering what he saw there.

Principle #4: As a corollary of Principle 3, Types can be understood without explicit NT interpretation.

We can know that a type exists and pursue to understand it even if no NT author points to it directly.

We are not without warrant looking for connections and types in an adventurous way.

The preacher of Hebrews invites us to consider the meaning of other aspects of the tabernacle which he told us are typological but for which he did not provide the interpretation.

Hebrews 8:4–5 “Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.””

Hebrews 5:11–12 “About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,”

Principle #5: Types should only be interpreted with proper warrant.

Typology functions like a parable, illustrating ideas to some and concealing them from others (Matt 13:15).

Interpreting a type should be done in view of the clear revelation of God elsewhere in scripture.

A type should never be used to create new doctrine or correct the understanding of a more didactic teaching passage.

Proper typological interpretation should fit with, not add tension to, what we already know.