PMW 2023-086 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.
A biblical “type” is an Old Testament person, event, or institution that serves as an anticipation of a greater New Testament person, event, or thing, which is known as an “anti-type.” The Old Testament type is a God-ordained matter that is intentionally designed as a pointer to its future, greater “fulfillment.” Thus, Scripture often engages in a recurring pattern of divinely-ordained relationships between the Testaments.
True “types” are not just accidental similarities which we may develop by our own interpretive ingenuity. They are God-ordained similarities that are purposely embedded in Scripture and serve a significant theological purpose. The type may not be understood initially by the saints in the Old Testament, but they are finally demonstrated as such in the New Testament, usually through specific confirmation.
The idea of a type is expressly stated in the case of Adam and Christ (Rom. 5:14). Paul especially focuses on the Adam/Christ typology in his writings (Rom. 5:12–14; 1 Cor. 15:20–22). Some prominent type/anti-type characters pointing to Christ: Adam (Rom. 5:14), Melchizedek (Heb. 5:6, 10), Moses (Acts 3:22), and David (Acts 2:29–36). Other types clearly established by New Testament confirmation include Noah’s ark as a pointer to baptism (1 Pet. 3:21), the tabernacle as a type of heaven (Acts 7:44; Heb. 8:5), and Israel’s wilderness experience as a type of the New Testament church (1 Cor. 10:6, 11).
The Beast of Revelation
by Ken Gentry
A popularly written antidote to dispensational sensationalism and newspaper exegesis. Convincing biblical and historical evidence showing that the Beast was the Roman Emperor Nero Caesar, the first civil persecutor of the Church. The second half of the book shows Revelation’s date of writing, proving its composition as prior to the Fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. A thought-provoking treatment of a fascinating and confusing topic.
For more study materials, go to: KennethGentry.com
Typological interpretation is not equivalent to allegorical interpretation. Allegorical interpretation looks for additional meanings in a text in addition to the actual historical meaning. But biblical typology affirms (even requires!) the historical meaning and reality of the Old Testament person, event, or institution involved. So, in typology the meaning of an original Old Testament text takes on a greater significance in the unfolding plan of God as redemptive history comes to a climax in the New Testament.
Biblical typology is an interesting feature of Scripture. However, types can be abused: we need always to be careful to engage the proper elements of types before we assert a type. When I was studying at Grace Theological Seminary in 1974, Dr. Charles Smith once confessed to hanging a sign on a Dallas Seminary Professor’s office door which stated: “Come to typing class and see how many types you can word per minute.” He was frustrated with the overuse of typology by some of the students.
Charismatic Gift of Prophecy
(by Kenneth Gentry)
A rebuttal to charismatic arguments for the gift of prophecy continuing in the church today. Demonstrates that all revelatory gifts have ceased as of the conclusion of the Apostolic era.
See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com
Postmillennial Worldview 
Greetings, I am 88 and not very efficient with computers. I am also in a group of “end time” posts” and the Dispys are driving me mad with their mis quotes You have somewhere in your records a list of definitions on what each prophetic term means. Can you give me the site so that I can quote the other readers to go to it to find out what the words mean. You will be horrified what they say about the Postmil viewpoint without any proof
Blessings
Ray Levick
I have been on your mailing list for some years
Thanks for reading. And writing to me! Look at the first three articles in this link:
https://postmillennialworldview.com/?s=glossary&submit=Search
So, you don’t consider Melchizedek to be a theophany?
No. Rather a type.
Great article explaining types and non-types in scripture. Doesn’t allegory often involve a fanciful spiritualization in interpretation of scripture that employs exaggerated eisogesis?
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Often, yes. But not invariably.
One of the new types which came to my mind recently is Jesus being the Second Joshua. As Joshua led the Israelites through the Jordan River to conquer the Canaanites of the promised land, Jesus is the Second Joshua leading the eschatological Israelites (the church) through the Jordan River (baptism) to conquer the eschatological Canaanites (unbelievers around the world) of the promised land (the entire earth). Instead of through the shedding of blood as under the first Joshua, the church conquers through the preaching of the gospel in the Great Commission under the Second Joshua. Whereas the former Israelites failed to complete the task, through Christ we will definitely conquer and inherit this whole earth. The Canaanites will eventually be uprooted as Jesus’ parable of the wheat and tares teaches.
Just as the article warns, I always definitely keep in mind and inform others of the risk of eisegesis in typology, but I feel pretty confident in this one.
I also think the temple of Ezekiel 40-48 is a type of the eschatological church with its Great Commission. Ephesians teaches Christ is in the Holy of Holies, and we are seated with Christ in the Holy of Holies, and John 14 teaches the Holy of Holies is in our hearts when Jesus and the Father came to make their room/dwelling/mansion (μονή) within us. Unlike the high priest who could only enter the Holy of Holies on the day of Atonement, thanks to Christ, we have the privilege of dwelling forever in the Holy of Holies. I think the temple in Ezekiel’s vision is the church, and the river of life flowing from the Holy of Holies represents the Holy Spirit (living water welling up within us) and gives us the power to go out into the world and preach the gospel. We plant seeds which bear fruit, and the leaves are for the healing of the nations. The water gets deeper and deeper because the kingdom of God is growing as taught in Jesus’ parables of the kingdom. I think Eze 47 and Rev 22 are related.
This leads to my position that Revelation 21-22 will not be consummated until the second coming of Christ, but I believe these two chapters were inaugurated at Pentecost in AD 30. Rev 21-22 is already/not yet. Looking forward to your Revelation commentary. I will purchase as soon as it is up for sale. I am sure we will have different conclusions on certain things, and I am really excited for the experience and challenge. And thanks to your blogs and a chapter in a book on infant baptism, after a 5-year hiatus, I returned to church the first weekend of 2023. As of Feb. 11, 2024, I became a member of a Reformed Presbyterian church, a part of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) denomination. I changed from Baptist to Presbyterian. God used you, in part, to bring me to this church. I am about 30 years younger than you, and I plan on building upon your works as I testify to postmillennial preterism (as I understand it) to those around me.
Grace and peace, and thanks be to God for the typologies of scripture to bring us to a deeper understanding of the depths and riches of God’s glory. Amen.
You probably know this, but the name “Jesus” is the Greek form of the name “Joshua.”