The Typical Principle

A type is a divinely appointed illustration of some scriptural truth.
Col. 2:17 “Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”
In the Old Testament you have the shadow preceding Christ, and in the New Testament you meet with the body which cast the shadow.
Types are pictures or object lessons by which God teaches His people.
a. The English word “type” is derived from the Greek word, “tupos,” which occurs sixteen times in the New Testament. It is translated “example” seven times, (I Cor. 10:6,11; Phil. 3:17; 1 Thess. 1:7; 2 Thess. 3:9; 1 Tim. 4:12; 1 Pet. 5:3). Plus print, figure, fashion, form, pattern
The original significance of the Greek word is the effect of a blow, an impression or stamp, mark, pattern, form, or mould.

A type can be found in:

1. A person, One whose life illustrates some principle or truth.
   Rom. 5:14—Adam.
   Heb. 5:6—Melchizedek.
   Heb. 7:11—Aaron.
   Gal. 4:28—Isaac.
   There are many others such as Sarah, Jonah, Joseph, etc.
2. An event—
   I Cor. 10:11—experiences of Israel.
   Deliverance from Egyptian bondage.
   The wilderness journey.
   The conquest of Canaan.
3. A thing.
   Veil of the tabernacle—Heb. 10:20.
   Brazen serpent—Num. 21.
4. Ritual types.
   This includes the offerings, the priesthood, the tabernacle and its furniture, and the passover.
   a. interpretation of types.
   A true type, to be such in reality, must be:
5. A true picture of the person or thing it represents or prefigures.
6. Of divine appointment.
7. A picture which prefigures something future.
   A type must never be used to teach a doctrine, but only to illustrate a doctrine elsewhere explicitly taught – John 3:14; I Cor. 5:7.
   e. How to use types in Bible study.
8. The Passover Lamb-I Cor. 5:7.
   This is typical of Christ and it is divinely authorized. This takes us back to Ex. 12. It is a most remark.
   meat, drink, holyday, the new moon, the sabbath days: