How does an understanding of typology help in appreciating the Old Testament roots of Catholic theology and liturgy?
Nash: Typology is not a Catholic imposition on Scripture. It’s a legitimate, exegetical exercise, i.e., an authentic, biblically based way to draw out the full meaning of Scripture, of God’s salvific plan for us. Typology helps illustrate the unity of salvation history, showing how what began in the Garden of Eden culminated in Christ’s Sacrifice of Calvary. Typology shows how various Old Testament sacrifices prefigured and are fulfilled by Christ’s Sacrifice, including Abel’s, Abraham’s, Melchizedek’s, the Passover and the Day of Atonement offerings. In other words, typology serves as a biblical thread to help us better understand and explain Scripture. The dominant type or image regarding the biblical roots or story of the Mass is the lamb, thus the title of my book: Worthy is the Lamb. The lamb is not simply a paradigm of biblical sacrifice, but also a paradigm of Christian discipleship. IgnatiusInsight.com: Many Catholics, in this country at least, do not study scripture. Is it pos
