Biblical Typology: Basic Principles of Interpretation

1
Biblical Typology Basic Principles of
Interpretation

• Richard M. Davidson, Ph.D.

2
Common reactions to typology

• 1. Oh no! -- Skepticism
• 2. Give me more! Enthusiasm
• 3. Whats that? -- Uncertainty

3
Importance of biblical typology

• Leonard Goppelt typology is the central and
  distinctive NT way of understanding the Gospel. .
  .it is the decisive interpretation of Jesus, the
  Gospel, and the Church. . . . According to its NT
  core typology is theologically constitutive for
  an understanding of the Gospel. (TDNT 8255).

4
Importance of biblical typology

• Robert M. Grant (church historian) the New
  Testament method of interpreting the OT is
  generally that of typology.
• E. Earle Ellis typological interpretation
  expresses most clearly the basic attitude of
  primitive Christianity toward the OT.

5
Nature of biblical typology

• Mark W. Karlberg resolution of lingering
  differences of interpretation among evangelicals
  depends, to a large extent, on a proper
  assessment of the nature and function of Old
  Testament typology.

6
Nature of biblical typology

• Traditional Understanding Typology is the
  study of persons, events, or institutions which
  God has divinely designed to prefigure (point
  forward to) the eschatological (end time)
  fulfillment in Christ or the Gospel realities
  brought about by Christ.

7
Nature of biblical typology

• Post-critical Understanding Typology is the
  retrospective recognition of parallel situations
  between OT and NT, based upon common human way of
  analogical thinking or the consistent activity of
  God in history, with little or no predictive
  element
• E.g. Napoleons Battle of Waterloo

8
Nature of biblical typology

• How does one determine which view is correct?
• Without imposing ones definition upon the
  Biblical text
• Allowing the definition to emerge from the text
• Personal experience

9
Nature of biblical typology

• Key term typos English term type
• Typos appears 20 times in the NT
• Typos used in five NT passages where the NT
  writer is interpreting the OT, and labels his
  interpretation as typos (or antitypos)
• Here we can be sure typology exists, because the
  NT writer identifies it as such

10
Nature of biblical typology

• 5 passages about typos!
• 1. Romans 514
• Typos The typos of Christ was Adam.

11
Nature of biblical typology

• 5 passages about typos!
• 2. 1 Cor. 106, 11
• Typoi Exodus events are types of the church.

12
Nature of biblical typology

• 5 passages about typos!
• 3. 1 Pet. 321
• Antitypos antitype (anti in Greek can also mean
  corresponding to Therefore it is
  corresponding to the type.) Baptism is
  corresponding to the flood.

13
Nature of biblical typology

• 5 passages about typos!
• 4. Heb. 85
• Typos referring to the earthly/heavenly
  sanctuary relationship.

14
Nature of biblical typology

• 5 passages about typos!
• 5. Heb. 924
• Antitypos - referring to the earthly/heavenly
  sanctuary relationship.
• The antitype is the fulfillment of the type.

15
Characteristics of Biblical Typology

• 1. Historical element
• Historical realities persons (Adam), events
  (Flood, Exodus), institutions (sanctuary)
• Historical correspondence of basic contours
  between type and antitype
• Intensification between type and antitype

16
Characteristics of Biblical Typology

• 2. Prophetic Element
• Advance presentation or prefiguration
• Divine design
• Must-needs-be aspect (Greek dei and anagke)

17
Characteristics of Biblical Typology

• 3. Christological/soteriological element
• Not just bare historical realities, but salvific
  realities
• Fulfilled in Christ or salvation realities
  brought about by Christ
• Christ is the ultimate orientation point of types
  and their antitypical fulfillment

18
Characteristics of Biblical Typology

• 4. Ecclesiological element
• Individual worshipers
• Corporate community
• Sacraments (Lords Supper or Baptism)

19
Characteristics of Biblical Typology

• 5. Eschatological element
• Inaugurated (Christs First Advent)
• Appropriated (era of the Church)
• Consummated (not yet--Apocalyptic end time)

20
The Basic Elements of Biblical Typology
Illustrated by Mr. Typos

1. Typos and antitypos are historical realities.
   
2. The typos (hollow mold) isnt the original, but
   based upon a previous design. Divine design.
3. The function of the typos is to be a mold that
   shapes the end product. Predictive element.
4. The basic contours of the typos and antitypos
   correspond. Can argue from type to antitype.
5. The antitypos (end product) transcends and is
   always greater than the typos. Intensification.

21
Definition of Biblical Typology

• Typology is the study of salvation historical
  realities (persons, events, or institutions)
  which God has divinely designed to prefigure
  (point forward to) the eschatological (end
  product) fulfillment in Christ or the Gospel
  realities brought about by Christ.

22
Hermeneutical Controls for Biblical Typology--1

• Identifying the types the prophetic control
• If the type is truly predictive (points forward)
  then one should recognize before the fulfillment
  that this is a type.
• E.g. Moses Deut. 1818 God says I will
  raise up a Prophet like you Moses.

23
Case Study Sanctuary Typology
24
The Heavenly Sanctuary Before Sin

• Jeremiah 1712 from the beginning
• Ezekiel 2814 covering cherub on the holy
  mountain of God
• Isaiah 1413 mount of the assembly

25
The linkage between the earthly and the heavenly
sanctuary

• Exodus 259 "According to all that I show you,
  that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the
  pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall
  make it.

26
The linkage between the earthly and the heavenly
sanctuary

• tynIb.T tabnit the pattern
• God says that He will show Moses on the mountain
  the tabnit for the sanctuary.

27
The linkage between the earthly and the heavenly
sanctuary

• And see to it that you make them according to
  the pattern (tabnit ) which was shown you on the
  mountain. Exodus 2540
• The LXX translates tabnit here as typos which
  means type in our language.

28
The linkage between the earthly and the heavenly
sanctuary

• tynIb.t tabnit the pattern
• It is a copy of the original that serves as a
  model for another copy.

29
The linkage between the earthly and the heavenly
sanctuary

• Illustration 2 Kings 1610-11, the story of
  Ahaz.
• Now King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet
  Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar
  that was at Damascus and King Ahaz sent to
  Urijah the priest the design of the altar and its
  pattern tabnit, according to all its
  workmanship. Then Urijah the priest built an
  altar according to all that King Ahaz had sent
  from Damascus.

30
The linkage between the earthly and the heavenly
sanctuary

• This tabnit was a miniature model. It was used
  to make a copy of it in Jerusalem. This is the
  word that is used in Exodus 259, 40. Moses was
  told to make everything according to the tabnit.
• He saw on the mountain a miniature model of the
  heavenly sanctuary!

31
The linkage between the earthly and the heavenly
sanctuary

• God presented Moses with a miniature model.
• He presented before Moses a miniature model of
  the heavenly sanctuary, and commanded him to make
  all things according to the pattern showed him in
  the mount. Moses wrote all the directions in a
  book, and read them to the most influential of
  the people. (Spiritual Gifts Volume 4, page 5 )

32
The linkage between the earthly and the heavenly
sanctuary

• Moses also saw the original heavenly sanctuary
• PP 343 God presented before Moses in the mount
  a view of the heavenly sanctuary.

33
The linkage between the earthly and the heavenly
sanctuary

• Exodus 2410
• and they Moses and the 70 elders saw the God
  of Israel. And there was under His feet as it
  were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was
  like the very heavens in its clarity.
• Moses saw as much of the vastness and glory of
  the heavenly sanctuary as it was possible for him
  to grasp

34
The linkage between the earthly and the heavenly
sanctuary

• Ezekiel 126 and 101 indicates that Gods throne
  was made out of sapphire.
• Ezekiel 2814 refers to the stones of fire in
  the heavenly sanctuary, one of which was no doubt
  sapphire (see v. 13).
• Maybe Moses on the mountain (Exod 2410) is
  seeing one of the pavement stones in the heavenly
  temple.

35
Hermeneutical Controls for Biblical Typology--2

• Extent of typological correspondence
• Focus on the basic contours, not every minute
  detail of the type.
• How does one apply this to the sanctuary typology?

36
The basic contours of Sanctuary Typology

• Those features that are consistent with the
  different earthly sanctuaries are the basic
  contours that parallel the heavenly sanctuary

37
Basic Contours of Sanctuary typology

• Four main earthly OT sanctuaries/temples
• 1. Mosaic tabernacle
• 2. Temple of Solomon
• 3. Second temple (built by Zerubbabel)
• 4. Ezekiels temple (described in Eze 40-48 but
  never built)

38
The basic contours of sanctuary typology

• All OT sanctuaries had
• 1. Three spheres of holy space courtyard, holy
  place, most holy place

39
The basic contours of sanctuary typology

• 2. Same proportions (not dimensions), with
  cube-shaped Most Holy Place.

40
The basic contours of sanctuary typology

• 3. Same kinds (not number) of articles of
  furniture

41
The basic contours of sanctuary typology

• 4. Same order of priests.

42
The basic contours of sanctuary typology

• 5. Same
• kinds of sacrifices

43
The basic contours of sanctuary typology

• Hebrews 92-4 2 For a tabernacle was prepared
  the first part, in which was the lampstand, the
  table, and the showbread, which is called the
  Holy Place 3 and behind the second veil, the
  part of the tabernacle which is called the
  Holiest of All, 4 which had the altar of incense
  and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides
  with gold, in which were the golden pot that had
  the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the
  tablets of the covenant
• Heb 81-5 priests and sacrifices

44
Hermeneutical Controls for Biblical Typology--3

• The three-phase NT fulfillment of the OT
  types
• The basic ground-plan of NT eschatology
• 1) Hebrews 11, 2 says that the last days
  started (the eschatological fulfillment began) at
  Jesus first advent. He was the already, the
  inaugurated eschatology.
• This is D-Day.

45
The three-phase NT fulfillment of the OT types

• The basic ground-plan of NT eschatology
• The Second Advent is the not yet, the
  consummated eschatology, the end (1 Pet 47 1
  Cor 1524)
• This is V-E Day.

46
The three-phase NT fulfillment of the OT types

• The basic groundwork of NT eschatology
• 3) The time of tension between the already
  and the not yet. It is the time of
  appropriated eschatology in which we appropriate
  to ourselves what He has worked out by Him.
• This is the time of the church, where we live
  today.

47
The three-phase NT fulfillment of the OT types

• Sanctuary Typology
• Inauguration Jesus is the antitypical temple
  (Matt 126 John 221).
• Appropriation--the church is the temple of God (1
  Cor 316, 17 2 Cor 616).
• Consummationthe heavenly temple/tabernacle is
  with men (Rev 213)

48
The three-phase NT fulfillment of the OT types

• All sanctuary typology has its basic fulfillment
  in Christ. Our evangelical scholars usually stop
  at this foundational point. But it is also true
  that what happened in Jesus is to be fulfilled
  spiritually in us. We are the body of Christ,
  our bodies are the temples of God, we are to be
  His priests, we are to be the light of the world,
  etc.

49
The three-phase NT fulfillment of the OT types

• Some non-SDA Christians understand appropriated
  sanctuary typology but almost all fail to take
  the third stepconsummated sanctuary typology.
• . In Heaven there is a real heavenly sanctuary,
  which overarches all sanctuary typology.
  Sanctuary typology has a vertical dimension that
  has been there all along.

50
The three-phase NT fulfillment of the OT types

• At the end of time, there will be the
  apocalyptic fulfillment of the sanctuary
  typology.
• The tension between earth and heaven, between
  the already and the not yet, will be
  resolved.
• We will enter Gods temple forever!

51
The three-phase NT fulfillment of the OT types

• The modality of these phases of NT fulfillment,
  based on the presence of Jesus
• Inaugurated literal and local
• Appropriated spiritual and universal
• Consummated glorious, final, universal, literal
  

52
Conclusion

• SDAs have the privilege to preach with joy the
  full orb of sanctuary typology. It is not only
  dealing with the already but it focuses on the
  appropriated (the time of the church now) and the
  not yet (Gods people united with Jesus in the
  heavenly sanctuary at the Second Advent and
  beyond).

53
(No Transcript)