Digital Logos Edition
A survey of two literary devices that are indispensable for understanding salvation history.
A biblical type is a person, place, or thing in salvation history that corresponds to a later person, place, or thing in the scriptural text. An allegory is a passage that says one thing in order to say something else. Both are common literary devices in the Bible that are vital for understanding truths about Jesus Christ found nowhere else.
In 40 Questions about Typology and Allegory, Mitchell Chase provides a thorough introduction to both devices, showing where they appear throughout Scripture and the historical roles they have played in biblical interpretation. In a convenient question-and-answer format, Chase answers key questions such as:
Situating typology and allegory within salvation history, Chase shows how these devices reveal the interconnectedness of Scripture and commonly overlooked aspects of Christ's person and work. Scholars, Bible teachers, and preachers will find this an essential resource for interpreting Scripture more comprehensively.
“We need an understanding of biblical typology that derives from the biblical text itself. This means we need a definition that is full enough to embrace how the biblical authors apply the language of types, shadows, and copies. Here is the definition I will draw upon throughout the rest of this book: a biblical type is a person, office, place, institution, event, or thing in salvation history that anticipates, shares correspondences with, escalates toward, and resolves in its antitype.” (Page 38)
“A biblical type has correspondences with and escalates toward its antitype. And a type can be a person, office, place, institution, event, or thing in salvation history. Sometimes the biblical authors speak of types, shadows, or copies of future or heavenly realities, but the practice of typology may occur without such explicit terms present.” (Page 39)
“Fifth, biblical typology rests upon the authoritative claims of Jesus about how the Old Testament relates to him.” (Page 44)
“Second, typology requires the unity of Holy Scripture.” (Page 42)
“Typology is exegesis across the canon of Scripture.” (Page 73)