Five Types Of Biblical Typology

Biblical typology can be defined as the study of Scripture “types“, or speaking more broadly as search for links between historical events, persons, or things within salvation history (Virkler, 2007, 182). The concept typology derives from the Greek word typos, to which the word type is closely related, the synonyms of this concept are the concepts of likeness, resemblance and similarity (Virkler, 2007, 181). The word type stands for the terms: prototype, model, image, example (sample). The main idea which lies behind biblical typology is the assumption that while carefully examining salvation history one can find clear patterns in God's work, or put in more simplicified way – God prefigured His redemptive work in the Old Testament (this

While discussing characteristics of types we put focus into five characteristics. First, type and antitype have to be related. Relation does not exclude differences, it may refer to differences as well as to the similarities because both emphasize presence of relation. Second, it must be evident that the type was appointed by God to represent the things typified. Third, type must prefigure something in the future, but unlike prophecy type doesn't prefigure future persons, events, institutions verbally, but silently. Forth, type indicates future, contrary symbols aren't limited by time, and they represent the truth regardless of it. Furthermore, symbols are signs of something they represent without necessarily being similar in any respect, and types resemble in, at least one way, the things they prefigure. Finally, fifth- typology is rooted in the history, it has a focus on objective understanding of historical narrative, it talks about real historical characteristics of persons, institutions (…),. like allegorism. Allegorism represents search for hidden (subjective) meaning behind the primary and obvious meaning of a historical

a) Typical persons- are persons who, due to their personal characteristics or relation serve in the redemptive history as types. (Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come- Romans 5:14). Here we have Adam as the type of Christ. Adam and Eva have, as we already know, brought sin and death to the human species, whereas Jesus brought redemption to human species (For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous-Romans