“he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures”
The Magisterium is “The Church’s teaching authority, vested in the bishops, as successors of the Apostles, under the Roman Pontiff, as successor of St. Peter.” [1] This teaching authority comes from Christ, but it is important that not only the authority that comes from Christ, but also the method of teaching. The Church teaches as Christ taught and because Christ taught.
Jesus sets a pattern of catechesis on the road to Emmaus that the Apostles, Church Fathers and the Church continue to use today. Jesus interpreted for the two disciples all the Scriptures that referred to him. Since the Old Testament writings were the only scriptures that existed at the time, Jesus spoke in their light and showed how everything from the old referred to him. Saint Augustine said, “The New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New.” We read the Bible with a sense of poetry and Mystery, and always -- always -- with the mind of the Church!
“It is on this harmony of the two Testaments that the Paschal catechesis of the Lord is built, and then, that of the Apostles and the Fathers of the Church. This catechesis unveils what lay hidden under the letter of the Old Testament: the mystery of Christ. It is called “typological” because it reveals the newness of Christ on the basis of the ‘figures’ (types), which announce him in the deeds, words, and symbols of the first covenant. By this re-reading in the Spirit of Truth, starting from Christ, the figures are unveiled. Thus the flood and Noah’s ark prefigured salvation by Baptism, as did the cloud and the crossing of the Red Seas. Water from the rock was the figure of the spiritual gifts of Christ, and manna in the desert prefigured the Eucharist, ‘the true bread from heaven.’” [2] This typology is seen in the Easter Proclamation, when three “types” and throughout the Easter Vigil when the Church “re-reads and re-lives the great events of salvation history in the ‘today’ of her liturgy.” [3]
Typology is seen in literature. The literary term is called foreshadowing. Give an example of foreshadowing is in a story, movies, books, etc. Typology is like foreshadowing; it gives us an idea, a hint, of what is to come.
ACTIVITY – New and Old Testament Matching
On nametag badges create as many matching pairs as needed to fit your group. Mary and Eve would be one pair; Flood of Noah and Baptism would be another. You may want to double up, for example, give 4 people “Mary” and 4 people “Eve” and so on for the other pairs. Place the nametags on the back of each person so that they cannot see their badge, but others can. Tell them that on their back they have either an Old Testament or New Testament person or event. Have them first find their match but asking yes or no questions. Once they find their pair, have them all sit down in a group. Then ask the following questions to begin the discussion on typology. Can you make the connection, why you were placed in this group together? What is the Old what is the New? How does the Old foreshadow the New? How does the New perfect or complete the Old? Name as many similarities between the two as possible? A short catechesis and discussion can take place using the short descriptions below.
Mary and Eve. Mary is the new Eve. Mary’s “yes” is a reversal of Eve’s “no”. Through Eve’s disobedience sin entered in, through Mary’s obedience salvation entered in. A cool note is that EVA; Eve’s name in Latin spelled backwards is AVE. Ave is the phrase the angel Gabriel used to greet Mary. AVE MARIA or Hail Mary.
Flood of Noah and Baptism. Why did the flood happen, what was its purpose? This was to cleanse the world of sin and to begin anew. Baptism cleanses us of our sin and we are born again. Are we born again? Yes, we are born again by the waters of Baptism, just as Noah and his family were given a new start by the cleansing waters of the Flood. The Ark foreshadows something in the New and in our lives. What is the Ark today? The connection is that the Church has often been called the new Ark. Noah’s ark protected Noah and his family when destruction was all around; The Church is our boat that protects us from the destruction that is around us. If we don’t want to be swept away in the current of sin that is so often a part of our society, we must stay in the boat.
Manna and Eucharist. The Eucharist has been called the “food for the journey”. When the Israelites where journeying in the desert toward the Promised Land, God fed the people each day with manna (bread from heaven). We are on our journey to the new Promised Land, heaven and the Eucharist is our food for that journey. Jesus said, “I am the bread that has come down from heaven” a reference to the manna (bread that came down from heaven). The manna was given daily. We say in the Our Father, give us this day our “daily” bread. Mass is offered Daily in the Catholic Church so literally, God is giving us daily the bread that we need for our journey to heaven.
Ark of the Covenant and Mary (Theotokos). The Ark of the Covenant held the most sacred items of the Jewish faith. What did the Ark of the Covenant hold? It held some manna from the desert, the tablets of the 10 Commandment (the Law) and Aaron’s staff (Aaron was from the priestly tribe, so this was the staff of the priest, a shepherd for the people). Mary is called the Ark of the Covenant. Theotokos is the name that the Eastern Churches call Mary and it means “God-Bearer”. She holds God within her; she is the Ark of the New Covenant. The Old Ark held the manna, the New Ark holds the Bread of Life. The Old Ark held the Law, the new Ark holds the fulfillment of the Law, the one who would give the golden rule and the beatitudes. The Old Ark held the priestly staff, the New Ark holds the high priest, the Good Shepherd who pastors all souls. No one was allowed to touch the Ark of the Covenant., The ark was pure (untouched). Mary the new Ark is pure, untouched. The Church teaches that she is ever-virgin, a vessel of purity.
The sacrifice of Isaac and the Sacrifice of Christ. Isaac was Abraham’s one and only son (from his true wife Sarah). Jesus is the one and only Son of God. Isaac carried the wood for his own sacrifice. Jesus carried the Cross. Abraham took Isaac to Mount Moriah. Christ was crucified on Calvary or Golgotha, which is in the region, very close to Mount Moriah. The two sacrifices are over 2000 years apart but occurred within walking distance from each other.
What are other examples of Typology? Why does God use foreshadowing?
The Old Testament points ahead to Christ. The early Church, countless Saints and we, the faithful, are called to point back to Christ. Christ is the center of history, those in the Old Testament act as preparation for Christ, those who came after Christ act as reminders of Christ. For example Saint Francis was said to be a perfect example of Christ, in a way Saint Francis was a “type” of Christ, but a “type” that did not foreshadow but rather acted as a reminder. Who are some people in our life that remind us of Christ? How do those people remind us of Christ? How can we be a “type” of Christ?
A “type” (typos in Greek) is a shadow, parable, allegory or figure in scripture of a person, thing or action that precedes something greater. A few more examples of types in the Old Testament that are fulfilled in the New Testament are:
Adam – Christ
Melchisedech the priest and King – Christ, the high priest and King of Kings
Pharaoh’s slaying of the Israelites' male children - The Massacre of the Holy Innocents
Moses (10 Commandments) – Christ (8 Beatitudes)
The Queen of Saba (Sheba) - The Magi
Joseph was taken from the well – Christ is rises from the grave
Moses lifts the serpent on the staff and all who see our healed – Christ is lifted on the Cross
Jonah came forth from the whale’s belly after three days – Christ came forth from the grave
“If anyone, therefore, reads the Scriptures with attention, he will find in them an account of Christ and a foreshadowing of the new calling (vocations). For Christ is the treasure which was hid in the field, that is, in this world (for ‘the field is the world’); but the treasure hid in the Scriptures is Christ, since He was pointed out by means of types and parables. Hence His human nature could not be understood, prior to the consummation of those things which had been predicted, that is, the advent of Christ. And therefore it was said to Daniel the prophet: ‘Shut up the words, and seal the book even to the time of consummation, until many learn, and knowledge be completed. For at that time, when the dispersion shall be accomplished, they shall know all these things.’ But Jeremiah also says, ‘In the last days they shall understand these things.’ For every prophecy, before its fulfillment, is to men full of enigmas and ambiguities. But when the time has arrived, and the prediction has come to pass, then the prophecies have a clear and certain exposition. And for this reason, indeed, when at this present time the law is read to the Jews, it is like a fable; for they do not possess the explanation of all things pertaining to the advent of the Son of God, which took place in human nature; but when it is read by the Christians, it is a treasure, hid indeed in a field, but brought to light by the Cross of Christ, and explained, both enriching the understanding of men, and showing forth the wisdom of God and declaring His dispensations with regard to man, and forming the kingdom of Christ beforehand, and preaching by anticipation the inheritance of the holy Jerusalem, and proclaiming beforehand that the man who loves God shall arrive at such excellency as even to see God, and hear His word, and from the hearing of His discourse be glorified to such an extent, that others cannot behold the glory of his countenance, as was said by Daniel: ‘Those who do understand, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and many of the righteous as the stars for ever and ever.’ Thus, then, I have shown it to be, if any one read the Scriptures. For thus it was that the Lord discoursed with, the disciples after His resurrection from the dead, proving to them from the Scriptures themselves ‘that Christ must suffer, and enter into His glory, and that remission of sins should be preached in His name throughout all the world.’ And the disciple will be perfected, and rendered like the householder, ‘who bringeth forth from his treasure things new and old.’” [4]
[1] Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J., Modern Catholic Dictionary, pg. 329
[2] Catechism of the Catholic Church; 1094
[3] Catechism of the Catholic Church; 1095
[4] Saint Irenaeus (b. ca. 115) describes typology well in his Adversus haereses (Against the Heresies), Book IV, Chapter 26