Biblical Typology
What is Typology?
Typ-ology or type-study is the study of types! Simple, right?
You: "So, Biblical Typology is the study of types in the Bible?"
Us: "Yes, you are correct!"
You: "Type... so, if I said an apple is a type of fruit..."
Us: "Not quite, but you're on the right track! Let us explain..."
While an apple can be used to represent fruit, that is an example of symbolism but not the more specific study of typology. Biblical Typology is a branch of symbolism that mostly looks at types (people, things, events) in history that foreshadow something that was to come (or is still yet to come). In fact, typology can be referred to as "prophetic symbolism".
Who Cares?
For starters, both Paul and Jesus used typology! Not only that, Jesus directed people to look for Him in the Old Testament (Luke 24:44). Turns out, most of the typology in Scripture is found in the Old Testament and points to Jesus as the Messiah!
In Romans 5:12, Paul acknowledged that Adam was a type of Christ.
In John 6:33, Jesus references the Manna given to the Israelites as being a type of Himself as the "Bread of God".
Typology helps us confirm that the Bible is God's Word by showing us the countless details that were written down long before they happened... a task humans cannot do on their own!
Internal vs External
We will be archiving many examples of Typology to bring awareness to them. However, it is important to know that there 2 different types of Typology.
Internal
The first type is Internal Typology. This simply means that the particular type is mentioned within Scripture as with the above examples from Paul and Jesus.
External
The second type is External Typology. This means that the type was found by studiers of Scripture who follow Jesus' instruction to look for Him in the Old Testament. These can be debated for accuracy, but they can be a lot of fun to seek out!
Bonus Content
Word of Caution
Typology is NOT to be used to try and predict future events where the Scripture is not already clear on the subject. We also need to be careful not to draw quick conclusions based on small similarities between two subjects (more evidence = more likely to be true). Typology is best used to affirm what Scripture has already stated and fill in some additional details. Just remember, if Scripture isn't clear, we're just guessing! That said, don't be afraid to do all you can to learn more about God and His workmanship! He wants us to get to know Him, even if we're just trying to know more about Him!
Tip
Whenever you make any observation about Scripture, it's good to remember to tell others that you "think" or "believe" that what you found is true. It's a good practice that will also help you remember what is said in Scripture (from God) versus what is inferred (from you/others). Have fun!
