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No.6.
The Interpretation of Types.
pp. 45 - 49
The relationship which the Old Testament sustains to the New, forms the basis for the
consideration of types. The fact that the Old Testament has a pronounced prophetic
element links it indissolubly with the New, and typological teaching is a form of
prophecy. On the Lord's own authority He is to be found in the Old Testament. To the
disciples on the road to Emmaus He expounded the Old Testament Scriptures:
"And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the
Scriptures the things concerning Himself" (Luke 24: 27).
And to the disciples He said:
". . . . . These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all
things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and
in the psalms, concerning Me" (Luke 24: 44).
In John 5: 39, the Lord Jesus said to the Jews: "Search (or ye search) the Scriptures;
for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me". There
can be therefore no doubt whatsoever that Christ is prefigured by type and shadow in the
Old Testament, and that this is a separate study in itself.
There are several Greek words used in the New Testament, which point back to the
nature of the Old. Hupodeigma means a representation, a copy, an example and occurs
six times. "Let us labour . . . . . lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief"
(Heb. 4: 11). As chapters 3: and 4: of Hebrews make clear, the journey of the
Israelites through the wilderness has a typical meaning, which this verse reinforces:
". . . . . there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: who serve unto the example
and shadow of heavenly things . . . . ." (Heb. 8: 4, 5). Here the earthly priesthood is
typical of heavenly realities.
Tupos and tupikos come from the verb tupto "to strike", and mean the impression
formed by a blow, a pattern and then a type.
"Now all these things happened unto them (Israel) for ensamples (types): and they are
written for our admonition . . . . ." (I Cor. 10: 11).
Once again the behaviour of Israel in the wilderness with their sin and rebellion is
looked upon, not just as an historical event, but something that was typical and pointed
forward to the Christian era. Skia means a shadow, sketch or outline. "For the law
having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things . . . . ."
(Heb. 10: 1 and 8: 5). "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect
of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things
to come . . . . ." (Col. 2: 16, 17). These verses show that the ceremonial law was a
shadowing forth in type of New Testament realities. Antitupos means a figure or likeness.