Gage on Typology

Warren Gage of Knox Seminary in Ft Lauderdale is a treasure. In a very rich and as-yet unpublished paper on the typology of Samson, Gage points out a number of very striking typologies. He suggests, for instance, that Absalom is a Christ figure, dying on a tree, being struck in the side by an enemy soldier (Joab), and being buried under a large stone. (To extend the typology, Absalom’s death brings an end to David’s exile; the death of a Davidic son on a tree means the restoration of the true king.) Another striking line of reflection is about Ruth: A Moabite, Ruth comes from a people who enticed Israel to whoredom (Nu 25), and thus her inclusion in Israel is the redemption of the harlot (parallel to Rahab). Ruth is explicitly compared to Tamar, who dressed as a harlot but was vindicated over against Jacob. One central thrust of Gage’s paper is to emphasize how often Christ-types in the OT have dealings with prostitutes, sometimes rescuing them and sometimes not, but always pointing to the Christ who came to redeem the harlot.