One of the most beautiful things about the Christian faith is the amazing connection between the two testaments. This is not only done through theology and prophesy but typology as well. I recently completed the Lectio Mary Bible study online lectures by Brant Pitre. This lecture and many others are available on formed.org.
The last lecture is the question and answer period. Pitre had given many Biblical proofs for Marian doctrine so a man in the audience asked a good question. Basically it was, since Protestants try to be Biblical, why don’t they believe in these Marian doctrines? He gave a long answer and stressed that Old Testament typology is ignored.
I’ve reflected on this a lot. I’ve concluded that Protestants pretty much ignore all OT typology save for that of Christ. They’ll talk about how Christ is related to the passover lamb and similar things. However, when it comes to Mary, the Church, the priesthood, sacraments, and things where Protestants differ, the typology is vehemently opposed.
For example, a lot of Protestants like to take aim at the typology of Mary in Luke 1 and the Ark of the Covenant in 2 Samuel 6 where there are multiple obvious parallels. I remember James White, trying to throw a wrench into this parallel by trying to show that not every nook and cranny is in agreement. He asked where the equivalent of Uzzah was? I remember laughing to myself when I saw this.
Here is the article if anyone wants to read it:
Of course, if James White were defending the typology of Christ, then he would probably point out that not everything has to have a direct analogy. For example, Jesus Christ is a type of King David but obviously he didn’t commit murder and adultery. That’s pretty much common sense. Typology doesn’t have to have a 100% parallel in the OT and the typologies of Christ are a testament to that. You can find Jewish scholars, liberal Protestants and Catholics trying to dismantle the obvious connection.
This isn’t done for Mary only. It’s done for everything that Protestants disagree with. There is typology for the priesthood, sacraments, and other Catholic doctrines all over the OT. The only difference is, when Protestants like White encounter them, they’ll be dismissed as the ramblings of some medieval Romanist monk who has spent too much time inside his cell dreaming up doctrines. His deluded thoughts found their way to the local bishop who brought it to Rome and Tridentine Catholicism was born! Voila! Types of Christ in the OT? All there according to Protestants like White. Types of Mary or the priesthood? Pure absurdity! How can you make such a feeble connection! Eisegesis!
The Protestant might argue that Matthew 8:16,17 says, “… that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.'” This and MANY other examples from the Gospels show a prophetic Old Testament passage being applied directly to Jesus. There is no guess work as to what the passage means; God has divinely inspired the author to tell us what it means.
The Roman Catholic might make a similar argument. They might say Matthew 1:22,23 says, “…that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.'” This example from the Gospels show a prophetic Old Testament passage being directly applied to Mary. There is no guess work as to what the passage means; God has divinely inspired the author to tell us what it means.
So, are we at a standstill?
I don’t think so.
Jesus gives us extra information that I think is quite valuable when it comes to finding Him (prophetically or in types) in the Old Testament. In Luke
24:25-27, 44-48, Jesus says, “…And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” According to these verses, we should expect to find Jesus prophesied throughout the Old Testament.
Furthermore, Jesus said something similar to the Pharisees. In John 5:39,40, Jesus says, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” According to Jesus, He is what the Old Testament scriptures are all pointing towards.
Can we find types for Mary in the Old Testament? Absolutely.
Can we be certain that those types are about Mary? No.
I’d say that Protestant ignore typology only when it doesn’t fit their theology. But for the most part they exclude it from his interpretative methods because of their lack of Magisterium and authority. Typology in their hands would certainly create chaos, just as Sola Scriptura does.
Hi Hugo.
It is nice to meet you. I pray to our amazing triune God (believed on and worshiped by Orthodox, Roman Catholics, Coptics, Assyrian Church of the East, and Protestants) that you and your family are well especially during these times of Covid and political/social unrest (especially if you live in the USA).
I would love it if you would respond to the points that I made in my initial post.
Thank you.
Kevin
Sola scriptura creates chaos? Please explain what you mean? Thanks. The