Question on Typology of Noah’s Ark

Is there a resource that gives information on how Noah’s Ark is a type of the church? I’ve seen sermons on the ark being a type of the church, but I’ve also seen sermons on how the ark is a type of Christ. When and why did these comparisons begin and is there really any Scriptural basis for it?

What’s the best book on types and antitypes that would cover this and other stories in the Bible?

Thanks!

DAL

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MJ. Smith

typology Bibliography

Goppelt, Leonhard. Typos: The Typological Interpretation of the Old Testament in the New. Translated by Donald H. Madvig. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1982.

Fairbairn, Patrick. The Typology of Scripture: Viewed in Connection with the Whole Series of the Divine Dispensations. Vol. I & II. New York; London: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1900.

Jukes, Andrew. The Types of Genesis: Briefly Considered. London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1875.

Anderson, Robert. The Hebrews Epistle: In the Light of the Types. Second Edition. London: James Nisbet & Co., 1914.

Maas, A. J. Christ in Type and Prophecy. Vol. 2. New York; Cincinnati; Chicago: Benziger Brothers, 1896.

Maas, A. J. Christ in Type and Prophecy. Vol. 1. New York; Cincinnati; Chicago: Benziger Brothers, 1893.

Johnson, O. L. Bible Typology. James L. Fleming, 2005.

Chase, Mitchell L. 40 Questions about Typology and Allegory. Edited by Benjamin L. Merkle. 40 Questions Series. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2020.

Exported from Verbum, 10:23 PM January 4, 2022.

Kiyah

The book Fulfilled in Christ: The Sacraments. A Guide to Symbols and Types in the Bible and Tradition, written from a Roman Catholic perspective, is a good resource for typology in scripture as well as church tradition. It organizes the typology according to the various sacraments (baptism, Lord's supper, etc.) and includes scripture verse for support, as well as references for Catholic documents and writings of church fathers.

Although though I'm not Catholic I have found this organization to be helpful as a quick reference for finding scriptures and writings of church fathers on a particular type or symbol. For your question, I would look at the Flood and Dove (i.e. the dove Noah released from the ark) types in the Baptism chapter, and Sea Captain in the Holy Orders chapter.

The Catholic Topical Index is also helpful for these types of questions. It's similarly organized, listing scripture references, church documents, and church fathers for each topic, although it's more general and not limited to typology. Check out the article on the Flood.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church has a discussion on the church being the ark of salvation. See articles 845-848. The footnotes provide scripture references as well as church documents and writings of church fathers. Also, check out the index in the back (U.S. edition only) for more articles on related topics in the catechism.

Again, I find these resources helpful even as a non-Catholic simply because of how they organize all of these references (scripture, church fathers) by topic. The church fathers will quote scripture in their writings, so you can see how they read scripture and used it to explain their typology. These resources will provide links to the church fathers you have in your library. Verbum Fundamentals and Verbum Starter both have the Catechism (international edition) and the Catholic Topical Index. Fulfilled in Christ can be purchased separately or in Verbum Academic Standard.

DMB

When and why did these comparisons begin and is there really any Scriptural basis for it?

Ok, not quite answering your question. But these 'types' are like a free-for-all. Indeed, the church fathers went to town with them, and for good reason ... earlier 2nd Temple writers (eg Philo) were convinced that was the only way for higher-order readers to interpret the text (types/allegories).

But technically (!), the flood was the biggie in the background of jewish apocalyptic, when John settled down on the Jordan River. Interestingly, Jonah sort of replaced Noah (3 days promise).

Kiyah

I also came across this book, available for pre-order.

https://www.logos.com/product/206262/typology-understanding-the-bibles-promise-shaped-patterns-how-old-testament-expectations-are-fulfilled-in-christ

Ronald Quick

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1191779#Comment_1191779

Goppelt, Leonhard. Typos: The Typological Interpretation of the Old Testament in the New. Translated by Donald H. Madvig. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1982.

This resource is on my list of books to read this year.

DAL

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1191817#Comment_1191817

Thank you all for the suggestions! Luckily I have all the books except for the one on prepub and Maas’s volume 2.

Thanks DMB, my thoughts exactly! I read a few paragraphs last night from each of the books and a couple of google articles and you can virtually make the ark fit both the church and Jesus. O.L. Johnson makes Noah a type of Christ and the ark a type of the church. Adrian Rogers makes the ark a type of Jesus. In google I read yet another article where more details were given like the wood of the ark typified the cross, etc.

I put a sermon together with some graphics of a replica of the ark outside and inside found in google from the Ark of Noah’s Park in Kentucky.

Hopefully people will learn something 👍😁👌

Thanks again, for everyone’s recommendations!

DAL

Kiyah

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1191841#Comment_1191841

In google I read yet another article where more details were given like the wood of the ark typified the cross, etc.

Ambrose of Milan agrees with google:

"(10) Accept another testimony. All flesh was corrupted by its iniquities. ‘My Spirit,’ says God, ‘shall not remain in men, for they are flesh.’ By this, God shows that spiritual grace is turned aside by carnal impurity and by the stain of more serious sin. Therefore, God in His desire to repair what He had given caused the flood, and ordered Noe the just man to embark on the ark. When, as the flood subsided, he first sent forth a raven which did not return; he afterwards sent forth a dove, which is said to have returned with an olive twig. You see the water; you see the wood; you perceive the dove—and do you doubt the mystery?
(11) The water is that in which the flesh is immersed, that all carnal sin may be washed away. All disgrace is buried there. The wood is that on which the Lord Jesus was fastened, when He suffered for us. The dove is that in whose form the Holy Spirit descended, as you have learned in the New Testament, who inspires peace of soul and tranquility of mind in us. The raven is the figure of sin, which goes out and does not return, if in you also the custody and form of justice be preserved."

From his On the Mysteries 3.10-11.

DAL

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1191844#Comment_1191844

Thanks Kiyah! I’ve read it last night along with Maximus of Turin in Ancient Christian Commentary Series:

“The Ark Prefigures Deliverance Through the Church. Maximus of Turin: For as Noah’s ark preserved alive everyone whom it had taken in when the world was going under, so also Peter’s church will bring back unhurt everyone whom it embraces when the world goes up in flames.”

I change “Peter’s church” to “Christ’s church” to make my own emphasis.

DAL

Kiyah

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1191849#Comment_1191849

Do you post your sermons on Faithlife or anywhere else? I'd love to see/hear the end result of your research if you don't mind.

DAL

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1191852#Comment_1191852

Do you post your sermons on Faithlife or anywhere else? I'd love to see/hear the end result of your research if you don't mind.

It’s in Spanish, that’s the only thing. I can always translate it into English. I will let you know when it’s ready 👍😁👌

And no, I don’t post my sermons on FL. There’s a couple I posted years ago, but I haven’t checked if they’re still there.

Thanks!

DAL

Kiyah

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1191853#Comment_1191853

Do you post your sermons on Faithlife or anywhere else? I'd love to see/hear the end result of your research if you don't mind.

It’s in Spanish, that’s the only thing. I can always translate it into English. I will let you know when it’s ready 👍😁👌

Thanks!

DAL

Awesome. Thanks.

mab

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1191854#Comment_1191854

The Hebrew used for floating on the water is actually "walk". The mystery of Christ walking on the water in the gospel record was typologically prefigured by the Ark. I think it's actually no particular discredit to Peter to expect people to do what only Messiah can do.

DAL

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1191861#Comment_1191861

The Hebrew used for floating on the water is actually "walk". The mystery of Christ walking on the water in the gospel record was typologically prefigured by the Ark. I think it's actually no particular discredit to Peter to expect people to do what only Messiah can do.

The Hebrew word translated “window” is not the actual Hebrew word for window 🪟 Hence, the all around gap between the roof and the top of the ark. Plenty of light came in through that.

DAL

Olli-Pekka Ylisuutari

Is there a resource that gives information on how Noah’s Ark is a type of the church?... I’ve also seen sermons on how the ark is a type of Christ.

DAL

The Church, Christ – and holy baptism.

I would suggest a search: ark WITHIN 20 WORDS baptism

The Catholic Topical Index is also helpful for these types of questions. It's similarly organized, listing scripture references, church documents, and church fathers for each topic, although it's more general and not limited to typology. Check out the article on the Flood.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church has a discussion on the church being the ark of salvation. See articles 845-848. The footnotes provide scripture references as well as church documents and writings of church fathers. Also, check out the index in the back (U.S. edition only) for more articles on related topics in the catechism.

Indeed! The CCC says: The Church has seen in Noah’s ark a prefiguring of salvation by Baptism. This is in the part “Prefigurations of Baptism in the Old Covenant.”

It is interesting that the Lutheran Baptismal Epiclesis that I read in almost every baptism – and also on Easter Service – says: “Almighty, gracious God, in the beginning you created heaven and earth, and your life-giving spirit swept over the waters. Water is your gift to nourish and sustain creation. In the great flood you drowned sin but saved Noah and his family, and so you gave us a foretaste of baptism. You brought your people across the Red Sea and freed them from their slavery under the pharaoh.”

Not trying to start an argument - just pointing out other typological venues, as well.

Kiyah

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1191974#Comment_1191974

Not trying to start an argument - just pointing out other typological venues, as well.

From what I read just following the bread crumbs, the flood and the ark relate baptism and the Church. The logic seems to be that if the flood prefigures baptism, and baptism brings you into the church, then the ark itself prefigures the Church as the water itself prefigures baptism. So you're being "saved through water" into the Church, and since the Church administers baptism, the Catholics would say salvation is coming through the Church and its sacraments, in this case, baptism.

So I say all that to say, these symbols and prefigurings are all related.

Olli-Pekka Ylisuutari

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1191992#Comment_1191992

So I say all that to say, these symbols and prefigurings are all related.

My thoughts exactly! [Y]