Typology II

Posted by Pastor Beatty (user1) on Oct 24 2007 at 2:37 AM

In an earlier post I had mentioned that some within the Reformed tradition assert that unless the NT explicitly cites an OT type as such that we are not permitted to make the connection to Christ.  Rather than seeing the NT's typological hermeneutic as providing a precedent for typology in general, advocates of this position warn against the potential abuses of seeing types of Christ in the OT that are not intended. 

In my opinion, this is simply a way of saying that "abuse nullifies use."  Of course typology can be twisted and perverted, but no more than a straight-forward "grammatical-historical" method of interpretation.  As with any hermeneutic, the system of doctrine contained in the Scripture serves as a check to our speculations concerning types of Christ.  Moreover, the Bible contains its own literary structure, just as it does its own system of types.  All these things cooperate with one another to assist us in our reading of the text.

To explain, if the Bible makes an explicit comparison between Jesus and a Lion, may we not then consider whether there is an implicit allusion to Christ when we read of a lion in another context?  Of course, the flow and purpose of the narrative, the context of what is being said, etc. will help us determine this.  As it turns out, it may not be the case that a connection is being made.  After all, Satan is also compared to a lion.  The point simple is that the Bible sets forth a number of explicit types from which we can assume other implict types.  By setting forth the explicit types we may assume that what is being established is not a prescribed boundary, but rather a hermeneutic by which we are expected to make other connections.  This interpretive grid is then checked by the Bible's own system of doctrine and system of types.

To illustrate in another way with regard to a non-typological reading of the text.  Consider, for example, Pau's use of the OT when he cites obscure OT laws which we might now consider to be irrelelvant, because they have found their fulfillment in Christ, or have expired with the dissolution of ancient Israel.  To be specific, In I Timothy 5:18 Paul quotes from Deuteronomy 25:4 which concerns regulations regarding the treatment of an ox while it "treads out the grain."  Paul then makes a present day application of the law with regard to the payment of elders.  His point is that if an ox was to be paid for his labors then surely one who labors well in the church, either by ruling or laboring in word and doctrine, ought to be paid as well.  My point about this passage is simply to note that few would assume that we may only apply OT laws (like this one) which are explicitly quoted in the NT.  Rather, I would think that most would agree that Paul is setting forth a hermeneutic for us with regard to the entire OT.  In fact, this is why, in his second letter to Timothy, Paul can say that "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, . . ." and therefore all of it is "profitable" in order to make us " . . . complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."  In short, what Paul did with Deuteronomy 25:4 sets a precedent for us in our usage of the principles of OT law to modern applications.

With all this as background, I can't say how thankful I am that the Session of Coral Ridge PCA has gone on record in support of Dr. Warren Gage (who in my opinion has done some fine work in typology) and the more traditional Refomed understanding of the natural and necessary need for typological interpretation.  Not only that, as a bit of an aside, I'm also glad to see a court of the church actually function properly by upholding the orthodoxy of a teaching elder without denying him due process.  While I certainly don't know much about the case involved, I do know that assertions of heterodoxy or heresy are made too frequently in our time regarding men who have not had that decision rendered by a church court.  Good for the Session of Coral Ridge on both points!                   

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