Don't Read the Bible Like a Detective
There’s no doubt about it—the Bible is complex. Yet, with contributions from around 40 different authors across 66 books, the Bible still holds a singular unity. As Jesus told the disciples on the Road to Emmaus, it all points to him (Luke 24).
As we approach the close of our sermon series in Genesis, I want to unpack that concept for us–specifically by introducing a concept called typology.
Seeing Christ in All the Right Places
The instinct to look for Christ in unexpected places in Scripture is good and right. For example, in Genesis 49:8-12 we are meant to see shades of Christ as Jacob prophesies over the tribe of Judah. In particular, the text associates Judah with a lion and speaks of the scepter, which will never depart from him, among other things. These two images alone find connection points later in Scripture.
In Revelation 5:5, John sees a vision of the “Lion of Judah” as the one who can open the scroll of life. This figure is confirmed to be Jesus.
Likewise, Hebrews 1:8 (in quoting Psalm 45) attributes to Jesus the title of the righteous ruler who wields the scepter and whose kingdom reign will be forever and ever.
These later connections confirm that Jesus is the true fulfillment of the prophecy provided in Genesis 49. Therefore, as Christian readers, we can approach the Judah prophecy with Jesus in mind in all subsequent readings. We can’t unsee it.
Welcome to Typology
Scholars often categorize the connection of terms or phrases across the Bible as typology. To explain typology, Jim Hamilton cites the example of the Hebrew word for “ark” and how its only two uses in the Old Testament are undeniably linked. The first use of ark occurs in Genesis 6-9 in describing Noah’s ark. The second occurs in describing the woven basket into which Moses’ mother placed the baby boy to save his life from Pharoah’s decree. The connection of words is meant to connect theological truths. Specifically, the reader is pointed to seeing Moses as a new Noah. I agree with Hamilton—the shared use of this term is no accident. (Note: the term used with the “ark of the covenant” differs in Hebrew and, therefore, is unrelated to this examination.)
Connections like this are all over the Bible. To be sure, most of these serve to anticipate Christ and his salvific work in the Old Testament.
And while we should train our eyes to see more typologically, we must also guard against the temptation toward fanciful interpretation in which we manufacture conclusions from connections that likely don’t exist. We can so easily be tempted to approach the Bible like a detective seeking the adrenaline rush of discovery.
Take, for example, this excerpt on Genesis 48-49 from Hippolytus, a 2nd-century theologian:
“Through Zebulun (Gen 49:13), he has metaphorically foretold the pagan nations, who live now in the world along the coast and are tormented by the storm of temptations as if they were in the sea. Therefore they move and look for refuge in harbors, that is, in churches.”
Similarly, others have suggested how Benjamin, as a “ravenous wolf” (Genesis 49:27), is supposed to prefigure his descendent Paul who, before his conversion, ravenously hunted Christians. Alternatively, with the inclusion of Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48), the number of Israelite tribes jumps from twelve to thirteen. Some interpreters take this as a shadow of Paul, who becomes the thirteenth apostle.
While interesting to consider, I would argue these proposed connections are, at best, far-fetched. I’m a big fan of the early church theologians that wrestled with these challenging concepts hundreds of years before us, but sometimes their interpretative creativity strayed too far.
But given the Bible’s complexity, how can we know we are seeing the right connections? To provide a helpful guide rail, here are a few principles to keep in mind:
1. Focus more on biblical words and less on biblically-narrated events.
As a rule of thumb, it’s helpful to remember that when the Bible describes an event in history, it’s the artistically crafted commentary on the event that stands as divine revelation, not the “behind-the-scenes” details of the event about which we can only speculate.
2. Zoom out to consider the broader context of the passage at hand.
Most errors of interpretation occur when we fail to recognize and account for literary context. If you find a passage within a section of the Bible in which several chapters have been driving home the importance of justification by faith, then your passage is likely not about the life cycle of angels.
3. Consider the implications of the connection.
Sometimes the easiest way to test a connection theory is to ask, “So what?” Does your proposed connection make a difference? Does it impact your understanding of the passage in a good way, or does it add confusion? Does it contradict the prevailing momentum of the rest of Scripture?
4. Avoid connections that move beyond the bounds of the canon.
One of the biggest dangers in interpreting the Bible is to make everything about us. Similarly, if we read the Bible like a cipher code for the events of our present day, we almost certainly force meaning onto the text. As a safeguard, trust that connections, if present, will find their links within the pages of Scripture.
5. Don’t aim for hot takes.
It is usually never a good sign if you are the first to happen upon a novel interpretation of a given passage. Time-tested and trusted commentaries and study notes from well-versed brothers and sisters who have studied before us are a resource we must treasure, not forego. Prayerful and humble study will always seek understanding alongside the community of faith.
*The Hippolytus quote above was provided from the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture edited by Mark Sheridan.
*To read more about typology, check out Typology: Understanding the Bible's Promise-Shaped Patterns: How Old Testament Expectations are Fulfilled in Christ by Jim Hamilton.