James Hamilton’s new book on the subject of typology is incredible. Many fear typology to be merely a subjective method where one grasps at straws to force texts to point to Jesus, making it seem “extra Christian.” But Hamilton shows that typology, when done rightly, follows the contours of the Bible and makes sense of the broader canonical text.
Hamilton’s mission in this book is, as the subtitle says, to understand the Bible’s promise-shaped patterns. What does that mean? Hamilton writes about “what happens when God makes a promise that results in those who know him interpreting the world in terms of those categories either communicated in the promise or assumed by it” (4). As Hamilton argues, rightly, I believe, “God’s promises shaped the way the biblical authors perceived, understood, and wrote” (4). The biblical authors know about a particular promise (say, that God would give land to Abraham’s future offspring), and they study Scripture and see how Moses repeats these promises in different contexts.
In Hamilton’s introductory chapter, he explores this relationship along with “microlevel indicators for determining authorial intent” (3). We can be certain that the authors intended these patterns through their use of:
- quoting lines;
- reusing key terms;
- repeating sequences of events;
- making clear the similarities in covenant and salvation-historical connections.
While the OT prophets did not understand how God’s promises would be fulfilled, they intended to draw our attention to these repeated sequences that occurred throughout history. Typology is not a willy-nilly free-for-all, nor is it as though the biblical authors made a series of literary connections of events that didn’t really happen. Hamilton is careful throughout his book to show that when done correctly, we can evaluate and establish through interpretive controls (historical correspondence and escalation of events) that the biblical authors wrote and intended us to see typological connections of events that happen within history. Hamilton offers a reading of Genesis 3:15 and the surrounding narrative, showing how a close reading of the text (especially in the original languages) helps us understand the unfolding plot of both Genesis and of the Bible.
The final chapter shows macrolevel indicators (Hamilton also calls these “wide-angle literary structures”), seen through the (possible) chiasms of Genesis, for which Hamilton makes a strong case. Hamilton understands Genesis to consist of a five-part chiasm, with each part being its own chiasm. He elicits the structure through a font-coded scheme. Had this book been printed in color, I believe a color-coded scheme would have been much clearer. However, this book was printed in black-and-white, so there ya go. We got a font-coded scheme. This ought to cause you to slow down and really pay attention to the chiasm Hamilton provides, although those who have studied Genesis more in-depth than I will have to evaluate this chiasm.
How does the rest of the book look? It’s incredible. While you may not agree with every connection Hamilton makes, he believes that the number of exegetical threads between characters, events, and institutions helps show that there are real typological connections intended by the biblical authors. Hamilton shows the typological connections that occur between:
- Persons—Adam, priests, prophets, kings, the righteous Sufferer (Part 1);
- Events—creation, the exodus (Part 2); and
- Institutions—Leviticult, marriage (Part 3).
How does this play out? I have previously read folks who believe that Isaac was a prophet. Really? What prophecy did he make? I thought it was just pulling hairs. But as Hamilton points out, if Isaac isn’t a prophet, why does the psalmist refer to both him and Abraham as prophets in Psalm 105:9–15?
“Touch not my anointed ones,
do my prophets no harm!”
Hamilton offers numerous connections and similarities between Isaac and his father Abraham and expounds on Isaac’s remarkable birth and his “resurrection” on Mt. Moriah. Through textual links and the repetition of sequences and events, we see that Isaac was a prophet like Adam, Noah, and Abraham were before him, and Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Elijah and Elisha, and Jesus after him (Jacob and Joseph too, but they aren’t expounded upon).
In this chapter Hamilton also makes a brief argument (144–46) against prosopological exegesis [PE]. According to Hamilton, the rationale of PE “disregards the meaning of the Old Testament texts in their context. Such a proposal entails the author of Hebrews engaging in a power play, whereby the quotation of an authoritative text can be used as an appeal to authority, even though the text in its original context does not mean what the author claims” (145). While I haven’t yet read Matthew Bates’ book on the subject, what I have read on the topic hasn’t convinced me of how PE handles texts.
In Chapter 6 on the righteous sufferer, Hamilton argues against Bates again by denying that “David in his prophetic capacity has ‘stepped into an alternative theodramatic character as he delivered his speech'” in Psalm 69. He also argues against Richard Hays who believed “that Jesus himself is the speaker of Psalm 69:9” (196-97). Instead, he allows the book of Psalms to speak for itself, showing how it teaches that “in the end times the promised king from David’s line would accomplish salvation” (197). Hamilton doesn’t blindly insert Jesus into a text in the Psalms to show how he fulfilled it. Rather he shows from the inner workings of the psalms themselves how they pointed to the coming Messiah King. In this chapter Hamilton shows the tightly-knit connections between Genesis 22 and Isaiah 53, which then points us to Jesus.
I could go on. This book is jam-packed with insights. Even though I’ve read books on the temple in creation, on the old and new exodus, on Leviticus, and on marriage and its Israel/church-God connection, Hamilton brings out even more treasures from Scripture.
Recommended?
Again, this volume is packed with insights and textual connections. Hamilton does just as he says, and he doesn’t disappoint. You likely won’t agree with every point, but the cumulative effect of Hamilton’s argument should still persuade you to see the typological connection between these people, events, and institutions and their fulfillment, Jesus. Pastors, professors, and teachers will benefit greatly from this volume.
Buy it on Amazon or from Zondervan Academic!
Other Reviews and Interviews with Hamilton
Lagniappe
- Author: James M. Hamilton, Jr.
- Hardcover: 432 pages
- Publisher: Zondervan Academic (February 22, 2022)
Review Disclosure: I received this book free from Zondervan Academic. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html.
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