Typology

Typology is a method of biblical interpretation that has had a complicated history. Though seen as a promising approach to understanding the relationship between the Old and New Testament, typology has suffered largely because of the widespread disagreement over its definition and the extent of its appropriateness when applied to particular passages. In the past typology when it is applied at all seemed little different from allegorization. More recently, however, a kind of concensus among scholars around David Baker's definition that "a type is a biblical event, person or institution which serves as an example or pattern for other events, persons or institution." The basic assumption of typology is the belief that God acts in similar ways in both Testaments; we should, therefore, expect real correspondences between the two. (Most scholars are agreed that, whereas typology looks for correspondence between the type and the antitype, allegory looks behind the claimed type for similarities with the perceived antitype.) Typology, however, remains a problem when we come to its specific application (for more on this, we suggest reading Douglas Moo's chapter—see link below—esp. pp. 195-8).

Further Reading & Resources:

☰ Francis Foulkes, The Acts of God. A Study of the Basis of Typology in the Old Testament. London: The Tyndale Press, 1955. Pbk. pp.40. pdf

☰ Douglas J. Moo, "Chapter Five. The Problem of Sensus Plenior," Hermeneutics, Authority, Canon, ed. by D.A. Carson and J.D. Woodbridge (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986). pdf