The Old Testament Witness to Christ and His Kingdom, Student Workbook, SW09

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T H E O L D T E S T A M E N T W I T N E S S T O C H R I S T A N D H I S K I N G D O M

2. Focus on Christ in drawing correspondences between types in the OT and NT: Jesus’ own testimony suggests that correspondences of himself exist in the OT (e.g., Luke 24.25-27, 44-48).

3. Focus on the key links suggested by the types; don’t focus on every little detail.

4. Remember that we can only appreciate the relevance of the type in light of the antitype.

Types as Pictures of Christ in the OT

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There are many fitting pictures of Christ in the Old Testament which, properly speaking, should not be classified as types. For a type not only pictured Christ but it was a kind of implicit prediction that Christ would fulfill its function. Such were the sacrifices, the temple, the priesthood, and the feasts of the old economy. They were prefigurations that were not permanent but pointed to their perfection in Christ. But, besides these types, there are in the Old Testament many pictures which are appropriately applied to Christ. Some of these the New Testament applies to Christ and some it does not. In the former class are: 1) Jonah’s three days and nights in the whale [Matt. 12.40]; 2) Solomon and his wisdom [Matt. 12.42]; 3) the “Rock” in the wilderness [1 Cor. 10.4]; 4) the “manna” from heaven [John 6.41]; 5) the “serpent” in the wilderness [John 3.14]. It is difficult to draw a distinct line this side of religious fancy in regard to pictures of Christ in the Old Testament which are not applied to him by the New Testament. On the other hand, as with typology, it would seem too restrictive to limit “pictures” of Christ to only those things in the Old Testament which the New Testament applies to Christ. It would be better, to use the general principle involved in the above list, namely, anything which appropriately depicts some significant aspect of Christ’s Messianic mission which has some matching Messianic metaphor in the Bible [emphasis mine].

~ Norman Geisler. To Understand the Bible Look for Jesus . Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2002. p. 60-61.