>In my previous post, “The Use of Typology in Biblical Interpretation,” I wrote about Pauline Viviano’s criticism of typology as a valid exegetical tool in biblical interpretation. Her criticism came in her review of Peter Leithart’s commentary on 1 & 2 Kings, Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2006).

Peter J. Leithart has written a blog in response to Pauline Viviano’s criticism of his use of typology in his commentary on 1 & Kings. In his comments, Leithart addresses some of the issues Viviano raised in her review of the book.

The following is an excerpt of Leithart’s comments:

No doubt Hellenism had its influence on early church hermeneutics, but can after the last hundred years of study of patristic and medieval exegesis can anyone still accept this as an accurate summary of what the church fathers were after? Can anyone doubt that Paul read the Old Testament (at least, portions of it) “typologically”? As Viviano says, I have to answer with a resounding “NO!” Paul even uses the word “type” to describe what he finds in the Old Testament narrative (1 Corinthians 10). Can de Lubac’s work have had so little effect, on Catholic biblical scholars?

Of my suggestion that Jehu is a type of Christ, she writes, “Among the most puzzling is Jehu as a type of Christ. You remember Jehu, don’t you? He was the general of Israel’s army who led a coup in which he butchered the previous dynasty and burned to death the worshippers of Baal whom he had locked in their temple. If you couldn’t find the similarity to Christ here, you are not alone; I couldn’t find it either.”

She’s writing for a blog, so we don’t expect an argument; but, for anyone who didn’t notice, it’s worth pointing out that this isn’t one – an argument, that is. She takes what she believes to be the most un-Christlike actions of Jehu and then throws up her hands. But isn’t she even a wee bit intrigued by the fact that Jehu’s men lay their garments on the ground as they proclaim him king? Mightn’t this just possibly be a foreshadowing of some other king before whom a crowd of followers laid down their garments?

Leithart’s conclusion is that “Viviano’s objection is not really to my hermeneutics; it’s to my theology.”

Read Leithart’s blog by clicking here.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Eisegesis, Exegesis, Hermeneutics, Interpretation, Pauline Viviano, Peter Leithart,
Typology