It is common knowledge that the Holy Bible is a conglomerate of 66 different literary works written by “holy men of God [who] spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2nd Peter 1:21, addition mine). Indeed, to know that approximately 40 writers from different time periods in history coincide with another seamlessly, serves as irrefutable evidence of the eternal presence of God found inside the sacred pages of Holy Scripture. The consistency that connects every passage from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21, silences the voice of any skeptic who strives to sow seeds of doubt in the minds of men. Furthermore, this incredible achievement becomes even more breathtaking when we learn that the Bible was written using various literary techniques, every one of them with the purpose of teaching the same Divine message. One such method is the use of types and antitypes. This literary method can be identified when an author uses a person or an object as a symbol representing another. The person or object used as the symbol is known as the type; the person or object represented by the symbol is the antitype. This form of writing is commonly used by the writer to foreshadow a future event that will take place later on in the story. The apostle Peter provides an example of this method as he writes about the events that took place during the life of Noah (1st Peter 3:18-22). As he speaks of the cataclysmic event that was the Great Flood (Genesis 6-9), he explains that “a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1st Peter 3:20b-21, emphasis added). According to Peter, this cataclysmic event is a foreshadow of the salvation that was going to be provided by God through Jesus Christ. Hence Noah is a type of Jesus, the flood waters that completely surrounded the ark and cleansed the earth are a type of baptism, and the sole ark built by Noah, which saved them, is a type of the only church that Jesus built, which will save us today. Thus, the same requirement that spared Noah and his family from death is true today to spare us from eternal death. In other words, we must be obedient and enter the church that Jesus built and remain inside until God opens the door. Because this is so, we must not be quick to conclude that Moses’ account of the deluge is simply a metaphor and reject it as an actual historical event. Peter is not saying that Moses was using a metaphor, rather Peter is allegorizing this historical event to better explain a necessary spiritual lesson. What this means is that the apostle Peter took Noah’s ark and used it as a symbol; not that he dismissed this event as being real. In fact, the Bible teaches us with lessons such as this one the value of knowing and studying the Old Testament. The inspired Hebrew scribe states that “the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect” (Hebrews 10:1, emphasis added). In this pericope, the Hebrew writer is teaching why the sacrifice of Jesus is superior to the sacrifices of animals practiced by the Levite priests. The first reason given by the Holy Spirit is because the sacrifices made by the Levite priests was foreshadowing the sacrifice that Christ would make of Himself as the High Priest, according to the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:11, 9:11-15). Since this practice was a type of Jesus, then “in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” (Hebrews 10:3-4, emphasis added). Once again, the unequivocal truth that only the blood of Jesus provides the escape from eternal condemnation is taught by means of an allegory. However, it is wise to understand that the Hebrew writer is teaching us that the entire Old Testament is a type of the New Testament, its antitype. Paul, too, agrees with this proclamation and provides an allegory of his own to explain this complex teaching. The inspired apostle writes, “Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, which things are symbolic” (Galatians 4:21-24a, emphasis added). Observe the apostle’s question at the beginning of this selected passage, “do you not hear the law?” His choice of words are curious since he takes an example from the Patriarchal age, and not from the Mosaic age. Let us bring to memory that the Law was given to Moses several centuries after Abraham. Why then does Paul link Abraham’s story with the Law of Moses? Because, like the Hebrew writer, Paul is referring to the five books of the Law written by Moses known as the Pentateuch. Therefore, he connects the two ages found on the pages of the Old Testament by revealing how one led to the other. Remember that the Jews called themselves the “children of Abraham” (John 8:33, 39). Knowing this, Paul wisely allegorizes the tale of Ishmael and Isaac to manifest the folly of desiring to continue living under the Law of Moses. Better yet, Paul focuses on how Ishmael and Isaac came to be. Holy Writ teaches that due to Sarai (Abram’s wife) being barren, she gives him her maidservant, Hagar, to bear her a child (Genesis 16). However, this was not the child that God had promised Abraham. Thus, Abraham’s and Sarah’s human impulse and lack of faith gave birth to Ishmael. For this reason, Ishmael represents the law. Paul revealed to the Galatians earlier “that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident for ‘the just shall live by faith.’ Yet the law is not of faith, but ‘ the man who does them shall live by them’” (Galatians 3:11-12, emphasis added). Abraham believed that in having Ishmael, God’s promise to him would be fulfilled since Sarah was unable to become pregnant. Therefore, Abraham allowed his sight to deviate him from God’s true purpose since “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2nd Corinthians 5:7, emphasis added). Since Ishmael was a product of lack of faith in God, it becomes clear why he represents bondage. Through Ishmael we receive validation that “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6, emphasis added). Thus, Paul reveals to his readers that Abraham’s legitimate descendants are not biological, but “as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ…and if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:27, 29, emphasis added).
