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Typology and foreshadows

Types and foreshadows in the old testament of Jesus.
What is being suggested here is not simply that; Jesus is the promised messiah to the old testament prophets, and that each story in some way is a foreshadow of his coming. What is being suggested is that he is the fulfillment of the entire old testament Jewish faith . In other words it's not as simple as seeing the story Moses , and concluding that Moses is a type or foreshadow of Jesus. The suggestion is, that every single thing God did in the old testament was related directly to Jesus. Every feast in the old has major relevance to what Jesus came to do. From Noah's flood being a symbol of baptism, to the first Pentecost being where God scrambles their languages to cause confusion , to the new Pentecost being the untwisting of that confusion and reuniting those languages.
Each gospel writer is trying to get old testament typology across to us. Take Matthew for example. He is clearly trying to show us the similarities between Jesus and Moses. Both Jesus and Moses come into the world when a decree is put out to kill infant boys. When the time is right, Moses takes the Israelites through the Jordan as a foreshadow of baptism and into the desert to fast for 40 days. During that fast the israelites make the golden calf. When the time is right Jesus too goes to the Jordan to be baptized and into the desert for 40 days , only Jesus doesn't fail as the Israelites did. The verses Jesus uses to respond to the devil are straight from Deuteronomy. After that Moses goes to mount Sinai, and receives the 10 commandments of the old covenant. Jesus gives the sermon on the mount to give the law of the new covenant. In the old covenant, the people were rebellious, so curses were given. In the new, Jesus knows he's giving us the holy spirit, so the beautitudes are given with blessings that are promised along with the holy spirit. Moses went up with his 3 closest companions, Aaron , Joshua , and Herr. When he comes down from the mountain his face is shining brilliantly. Also known as the transfiguration. Jesus too goes up the mountain with his 3 closest companions, Peter , James, and John. Then has the transfiguration with Elijah and Moses. Moses chooses leaders for the 12 tribes, Jesus chooses 12 leaders also. Moses couldnt govern the 12 tribes with only the 12 princes, so he appoints 70 more. In Luke 12 Jesus appoints 70 more. Moses gives us the Passover. Jesus is the reason for the Passover being given to Moses. The first plague Moses brings on pharaoh is turning water into blood. Jesus's first miracle is turning water into wine. And later wine into blood. Moses builds the ark of the covenant, in it he puts the 10 commandments (the word of God) , the manna (bread from heaven) and staff of Aaron (to signify authority) Jesus is the new covenant, the incarnate word, the true bread from heaven, and has the authority of God himself. This is typology in the old testament. Everything written in the old testament was written for a reason. Augustin said that the old testament is concealed in the new, and the new is revealed in the old. The treasures in this book are too deep to comprehend.
Thank you for reading.

The apostle Paul.

One of the greatest men in Christian history is undoubtedly the apostle Paul. Paul wrote more books in the new testament than all of the other writers combined. So much of what we believe as Christians is based on Paul's writings. And yet most of the contention among Christians is also based on Paul's writings. One of the biggest things we miss in the new testament is what Peter says about Paul.

1And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, also wrote to you, 1speaking of these things as he does in all his letters. In them there are some things hard to understand that the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, just as they do the other scriptures.
-2 Peter 3:15-16 (NABRE)

Here we see that Peter considers Paul to be a beloved brother, but also his recognition of the complexity of his writings.
Most of us think of the Demascus rd. as a profound conversion experience for Paul , and it was. But it also was a calling from Christ himself. Paul wasn't a man burdened with guilt, he was a devout Jew who followed the law perfectly.

although I myself have grounds for confidence even in the flesh.If anyone else thinks he can be confident in flesh, all the more can I. Circumcised on the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrew parentage, in observance of the law a Pharisee, in zeal I persecuted the church, in righteousness based on the law I was blameless.
-Philippians 3:4-6 (NABRE)

Paul persecuted the church thinking he was doing the work of God. He saw Christianity as a blasphemous religion that worshipped 2 Gods. What happened on the Demascus rd. changed him forever. It not only changed him, but changed his entire view on who God was.

1Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. 1Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness;and found human in appearance, 1he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. 1Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
-Philippians 2:6-9 (NABRE)

What does Paul mean when he says (Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped)? Many scholars have written about this. It's a profound statement. What Paul is saying is that Christ didn't exploit the fact that he was equal with God. What he did was reveal to us the true nature of God. When Paul says "even death on a cross," it's showing that when they crucified Jesus it was as if God was endorsing the fact that the Jews were right to do so.

If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and you hang him on a tree, his corpse shall not remain on the tree overnight. You must bury it the same day; anyone who is hanged is a curse of God. You shall not defile the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you as a heritage.
-Deuteronomy 21:22-23 (NABRE)

This is the reason the Jews wanted Jesus crucified. They wanted to prove he couldn't be the messiah by having God approve of their sentence upon him. This is what revolutionized Paul's heart and mind. That Jesus didn't take equality with God as something to be exploited, but rather that equality with God means to give your life as a sacrifice for others in the most humble way imaginable. God could have redeemed us any way he wanted to, but on the cross we are shown the embodiment of divine love. Jesus didn't just die on the cross to take the place of our sin, he did it to show us our call to divine love. We receive two commandments from Jesus in the new testament.

Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.”
-Luke 22:19 (NABRE)

Jesus tells us to "do this in memory of me". The other commandment we receive is this.

I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
-John 13:34 (NABRE)

We have to think about how Jesus loves us. He gives himself as a loving sacrifice for us. When the father raises Jesus , it is not just the vindication of an innocent man. It is the Fathers endorsement of Jesus's interpretation of divine love. So often we talk about the importance of faith, and we should , but even Paul tells us what is more important.

So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
-1 Corinthians 13:13 (NABRE)

Thank you for reading.

Authority

Did Jesus leave authority with his disciples, or did he want his church to flounder in the wind , and go in any direction it pleased? Is there a need for a hierarchy? I was listening to an old broadcast from Allistair Begg today, Allistair Begg is a preacher on XM radio's Christian station. He quoted a commentator on the state of modern Christianity. She said "The mainstream of American Protestantism is in danger of losing all of its biblical foundations. It is now possible in this country, to carry on the expected work of a Protestant congregation with no reference to the bible whatsoever. The worship services of the church can be divorced from biblical models and become the celebration of the congregations life together. Art forms and aesthetic experiences can be used as substitutes for communion with God. The preachers opinions and ethical views can be made replacements for the words of biblical texts. But the amazing thing is that no one in the pews even knows".
As I heard this, I couldn't help wonder if this problem comes up in Protestant circles. If every church is saying that the bible alone is the source of authority, how is it that there are 33,000 denominations getting something different from the bible. Yesterday I posted an article of a pastor losing his church because he took a stand supporting gay marriage. I've read of other churches that support abortion. These are two issues that the bible is clear about, but when ordinary men start a church they immediately claim that they alone have the authority to interpret scripture. I hear all the time that the Holy Spirit is our guide to interpreting scripture, but if that's true all churches would believe the same thing. Either the people are misinterpreting it , or the Holy Spirit can't make up it's mind. The bible tells us that Jesus would send his spirit to guide us in all truth, but who exactly did he give that to?

But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming.
-John 16:13 (NABRE)

Where is the truth promised? Either Jesus lied to the 12 , or there is a place where truth can be found. I don't believe any Christian would call Jesus a liar, so let's look at the evidence. First off let's see what happens when we try to read scripture without the apostles.

2 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 2He replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” So he invited Philip to get in and sit with him.
-Acts 8:30-31 (NABRE)

Obviously reading scripture proved to be too difficult for a layman to understand. But the apostles are no longer with us either, so did Jesus leave a way for us to know which interpretation to accept?

Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
-Matthew 16:17-19 (NABRE)

Many people don't realize that Jesus was quoting an old testament reference here.

1I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder;what he opens, no one will shut, what he shuts, no one will open. 1I will fix him as a peg in a firm place, a seat of honor for his ancestral house; 1On him shall hang all the glory of his ancestral house:descendants and offspring, all the little dishes, from bowls to jugs.
-Isaiah 22:20-24 (NABRE)

The keys given to Peter were the keys to the kingdom of David. If we read the opening to Matthews gospel we see him giving the lineage of David up to Jesus. Jesus then hands those keys to Peter. Many argue that Peter was not the first pope. I think the scriptures reveal more than we realize.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” [Jesus] said to him, “Feed my sheep. Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”
-John 21:15-19 (NABRE)

Here Jesus is clearly singling Peter out to lead his flock. After the ascension , Peter is the first to speak.

1During those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers (there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons in the one place). He said,
-Acts 1:15 (NABRE)

1For it is written in the Book of Psalms:‘Let his encampment become desolate, and may no one dwell in it.’And:‘May another take his office.’ 1Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from us, become with us a witness to his resurrection.”
-Acts 1:20-22 (NABRE)

Here not only is Peter the first to speak, but as the first pope , he establishes the act of succession. If the office of judas had succession , wouldn't Peters' also? Notice also that Peter is first to preach a sermon, and baptize a gentile. Many argue that when Paul came and corrected Peter for not eating with the Gentiles it proves he wasn't the pope.

The apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter. 1 After much debate had taken place, Peter got up and said to them, “My brothers, you are well aware that from early days God made his choice among you that through my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.
-Acts 15:6-7 (NABRE)

What we have here is the first church council. We know from Paul's letters that he was the one to correct Peter. But even though Paul had corrected him, it was Peter who stood up and made the decree. But even if Peter was the first pope, what kind of authority does his office hold?

1 [Jesus] said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 1 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. 1 Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”
-John 20:21-23 (NABRE)

As the father has sent me , so I send you. How did the father send Jesus ?

Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
-Matthew 28:18 (NABRE)

So Jesus leaves them with the power to bind and loose things in heaven and earth. That means Jesus is telling them that he will change heaven according to what they bind on earth. This has to mean that the Holy Spirit wouldn't allow them to bind anything false.
This is the basic catholic argument for papal authority, it goes much deeper, but I don't have the time. Protestants get angry if they hear the term papal infallibility. Papal infallibility does not mean that the pope is sinless, or any different from any other human. What it does mean is that the Holy Spirit prevents him from teaching false doctrine from the chair of Peter. If you look at all of the changes we see in Christian churches today, you also will notice how little the catholic church has changed. I know there are many things that seem mysterious to outsiders, but the deposit of faith that Christ left on earth is the same.
Thank you for reading.