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Types in the Old Testament Often Overlooked or Misunderstood

The Old Testament contains numerous types, which are patterns or foreshadowings of later theological realities, particularly those related to Christ and the New Covenant. While some types are explicitly recognized, others are often overlooked or misunderstood without careful study. Understanding these types requires discerning how earlier events, persons, or institutions prefigure later divine actions and revelations.

One significant area of typology involves the concept of the "testament" or "covenant." The term "testament" appears twelve times in the New Testament, primarily in Hebrews 9:15, as a rendering of the Greek word diatheke. This same Greek word is translated as "covenant" twenty times in the Authorized Version and consistently in the Revised Version. The Vulgate's translation of diatheke as testamentum led to the familiar designations "Old Testament" and "New Testament" for the two main sections of the Bible [2]. This linguistic detail highlights that the Old Testament, in its essence, is a record of God's covenant relationship with humanity, which finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Covenant established through Christ. The Old Covenant, with its laws and rituals, serves as a type pointing to the New.

The Old Testament also presents numerous examples of judgment that serve as types for future divine actions. For instance, 2 Peter 2:4-10 uses three Old Testament examples of judgment to demonstrate God's commitment to vindicating the faithful and condemning those who deny Him, including false teachers. One such example is the judgment of angels who sinned, which aligns with a widespread Jewish tradition interpreting "the sons of God" in Genesis 6:1-5 as angels who had intercourse with women and were subsequently judged [6]. This narrative functions as a type, illustrating God's consistent character in judging sin and upholding righteousness.

Prophetic utterances within the Old Testament frequently function as types, foreshadowing the Messiah's life, suffering, and ultimate triumph. The Old Testament Scriptures, "by the mouths of all his prophets," showed "that Christ should suffer" [7]. These prophecies, some pointing to specific details and others to broader circumstances, collectively form a typological framework for understanding the person and work of Jesus. For example, the suffering servant passages in Isaiah are often understood as typological prophecies of Christ's atoning work.

Beyond explicit prophecies and judgments, various elements of daily life and natural phenomena in the Old Testament can carry typological significance. For instance, dry straw is a common image in the Old Testament for things that are easily blown away or burned, symbolizing weakness or insignificance (e.g., Psalm 83:13, Isaiah 40:24, Jeremiah 13:24) [8]. This imagery can be understood typologically as representing the transient nature of human efforts or the fate of the wicked in contrast to the enduring strength of God. Similarly, the ant is mentioned twice in the Old Testament (Proverbs 6:6; 30:25) as an example of diligence and wisdom [4]. While not a direct type of Christ, the ant's characteristics can be seen as typifying virtues that God desires in His people, reflecting a broader principle of divine order and wisdom.

The concept of "forgetting" in the Old Testament also carries a deeper typological meaning than mere memory loss. In the Old Testament, "to forget means more than not to remember; it is failure to obey" [10]. This understanding transforms instances of Israel "forgetting" God into a typological representation of spiritual disobedience and covenant unfaithfulness (e.g., Jeremiah 2:32) [5]. This "forgetting" implies a deliberate turning away from God's established ways, often leading to stumbling and embracing "new paths" that deviate from the "ancient paths" trodden by their pious ancestors (Jeremiah 6:16) [5].

Even seemingly mundane objects or practices can hold typological weight. Leather, for example, though mentioned infrequently in the Authorized Version (2 Kings 1:8; Matthew 3:4), was extensively used by the Jews for shoes, bottles, thongs, and garments [3]. While not explicitly stated as a type, the use of animal skins for covering (e.g., Genesis 3:21) can be seen as a proto-type of atonement, where an innocent life is sacrificed to cover sin, foreshadowing Christ's sacrifice.

The Old Testament also contains parables, which, while distinct from types, share a similar function of conveying deeper truths through narrative. Examples include the parable of the trees choosing a king in Judges 9:8-15, and Nathan's parable to David in 2 Samuel 12:1-4 [1]. These Old Testament parables, like their New Testament counterparts (e.g., the sower, the mustard seed, the leaven [1]), use earthly stories to illustrate heavenly principles, often pointing to aspects of God's kingdom or human responsibility.

The "old garment" and "new cloth" parable in Mark 2:20, while a New Testament teaching, draws on an Old Testament context. John Gill interprets the "old garment" as representing the moral and ceremonial righteousness of the Jews under the law, and the "new cloth" as the traditions of the elders [11]. This illustrates how New Testament teachings often engage with and reinterpret Old Testament concepts, revealing their typological fulfillment or inadequacy. The idea is that new teachings (like Christ's) cannot simply be patched onto old, inadequate systems without causing further damage [11].

The experiences of individuals in the Old Testament can also serve as types. The psalmist's observation, "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken" (Psalm 37:25), while a statement of personal experience, typifies God's enduring faithfulness to His people [12]. This consistent care, even in times of affliction, foreshadows the ultimate vindication and preservation of the righteous through Christ.

Finally, God's testing of Israel in the wilderness, as described in Deuteronomy 8:2, serves a typological purpose. God led them for forty years "to prove your character (literally to know what is in your heart)" [9]. This testing was not because God was ignorant of their hearts (Psalm 51:6; 139:1, 4, 23), but to reveal their character through their actions [9]. This typifies God's ongoing process of refining His people, allowing circumstances to expose their true spiritual condition and draw them into deeper dependence on Him. This anthropomorphic language, describing God in human terms, helps human minds grasp His ways, even though God is not limited by human characteristics [9].

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Parables — Remarkable Parables of the Old Testament -- Jdj 9:8-15; 2Sa 12:1-4; 14:5-7. Parables of christ Wise and foolish builders. -- Mt 7:24-27. Children of the bride chamber. -- Mt 9:15. New cloth and old garment. -- Mt 9:16. New wine and old bottles. -- Mt 9:17. Unclean spirit. -- Mt 12:43. Sower. -- Mt 13:3-23; Lu 8:5-15. Tares. -- Mt 13:24-30,36-43. Mustard-seed. -- Mt 13:31,32; Lu 13:19. Leaven. -- Mt 13:33. Treasure hid in a field. -- Mt 13:44. Pearl of great price. -- Mt 13:45,46. Net cast into the sea. -- Mt 13:47-50. Meats defiling not. -- Mt 15:10-15. Un”
  2. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Testament — Occurs twelve times in the New Testament (Heb. 9:15, etc.) as the rendering of the Gr. diatheke, which is twenty times rendered "covenant" in the Authorized Version, and always so in the Revised Version. The Vulgate translates incorrectly by testamentum, whence the names "Old" and "New Testament," by which we now designate the two sections into which the Bible is divided. (See [629]BIBLE.)”
  3. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Leather — The notices of leather in the Bible are singularly few; indeed the word occurs but twice in the Authorized Version, and in each instance in reference to the same object, a girdle. (2 Kings 1:8; Matthew 3:4) There are, however, other instances in which the word "leather" might with propriety be substituted for "skin." (Leviticus 11:32; 13:48; Numbers 31:20) Though the material itself is seldom noticed, yet we cannot doubt that it was extensively used by the Jews; shoes, bottles, thongs, garments, ropes and other articles were made of it. The art of tanning, h”
  4. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Ant — (Heb. nemalah). This insect is mentioned twice in the Old Testament: in (Proverbs 6:6; 30:25) In the former of these passages the diligence of this insect is instanced by the wise man as an example worthy of imitation; in the second passage the ant's wisdom is especially alluded to; for these insects "though they be little on the earth, are exceeding wise." (For a long time European commentators and naturalists denied that ants stored up grain for future use, as was asserted in Proverbs but while this is true of most of the 104 European species, two of those spe”
  5. Jeremiah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Jeremiah 18:15: Because--rather, "And yet"; in defiance of the natural order of things. forgotten me-- (Jer 2:32). This implies a previous knowledge of God, whereas He was unknown to the Gentiles; the Jews' forgetting of God, therefore, arose from determined perversity. they have caused . . . to stumble--namely the false prophets and idolatrous priests have. ancient paths-- (Jer 6:16): the paths which their pious ancestors trod. Not antiquity indiscriminately, but the example of the fathers who trod the right way, is here commended. them--the Jews. not ca”
  6. 2 Peter (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Peter 2:4: 2:4-10 Three Old Testament examples of judgment show that God will vindicate those who remain faithful to him and will condemn those who deny him, including the false teachers (see 2:3). 2:4 The first example of judgment is the angels who sinned: The widespread Jewish tradition was that “the sons of God” in Gen 6:1-5 (understood as angels) had intercourse with women and were therefore judged by God at that time (see 1 Enoch 6–10; cp. 1 Pet 3:19-20; Jude 1:6). • in gloomy pits of darkness: This description of the underworld was popular in the ancient world and is p”
  7. Acts (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Acts 3:18: But those things which God before had showed,.... In the Scriptures of the Old Testament, concerning the betraying of the Messiah, and his sufferings and death, with the various causes, concomitants, and circumstances of them: by the mouths of all his prophets; which were since the world began; some pointing out one thing or circumstance, and some another: that Christ should suffer. The Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read, "that his Christ should suffer"; but then they leave out the word "his" in the preceding clause, which they put into this; and this entire cla”
  8. Job (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Job 13:25: 13:25 In the Old Testament, dry straw is a common image for what can be blown away (“chaff,” Ps 83:13; Isa 40:24; Jer 13:24) or burned (Exod 15:7; Isa 47:14; Mal 4:1; see also “dry grass,” Isa 5:24; 33:11), or for what is weak (Job 41:20-21) and trifling (Isa 41:2).”
  9. Deuteronomy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Deuteronomy 8:2: 8:2 to prove your character (literally to know what is in your heart): God already knew the Israelites’ innermost thoughts (Pss 51:6; 139:1, 4, 23); he wanted their character to come out in their actions. • to find out whether: The Old Testament often describes God in human terms, even in ways that appear to limit God. Anthropomorphism (assigning human characteristics to God) and anthropopathism (assigning human feelings or emotions to God) are ways of representing God on a human level so the human mind can better grasp his ways, but God is not limited in his ”
  10. Proverbs (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Proverbs 4:5: 4:5 In the Old Testament, to forget means more than not to remember; it is failure to obey.”
  11. Mark (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Mark 2:20: No man also seweth a piece of new cloth, The traditions of the elders are meant, particularly concerning eating and drinking, and fasting, things before spoken of; and which occasioned this parable, and which were new things in comparison of the commands of God: some of them were of very short standing, devised in, that age; and most, if not all of them, were since the times of Ezra. On an old garment; the moral and ceremonial righteousness of the Jews, in obedience to the law of God; signifying, that the former were not to be joined with these, to make up a justifyin”
  12. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 37:24: I have been young, and now am old,.... The psalmist makes mention of his age, which takes in the whole compass of his life, to command attention to what he was about to say; which was founded upon a long experience and observation of things, and was as follows; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken; though afflicted of God, and persecuted by men, yet not forsaken; though poor and needy, and often in necessitous circumstances, yet God in his providence appeared for them in one way or another; and so as Apollinarius paraphrases it, "I never knew a just man ent”
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