What Is A Type-Scene And How Is It Used?

Biblical “Type-Scenes”

Stories in the Bible tend to focus on the most important events of a person’s life. Some life-events are shared in common by characters in different stories. There are instances when the description of an event in one story follows an almost identical form to a similar event in another person’s life.

When a definite pattern is used in a recurring event–such as birth, the prophetic call, meeting one’s spouse, etc.–it is a type-scene. For example, when a person was called to be a prophet, it usually included:

1. A God encounter, in which he commissions the prophet
2. The person raises an objection or tries to dodge the call
3. God resolves the problem
4. The person is divinely empowered and begins his or her service

The most important aspect of the type-scene, however, is not what these events share in common, but how they differ from the established pattern. This usually reveals something about the hero’s character or personal qualities.

The Hero Meets His Wife At A Well:

1. The hero’s journey takes him to a foreign land.
2. The hero encounters a girl at a well.
3. Either the hero or the girl draws water from the well.
4. The girl runs home to announce the presence of the “stranger” at the well.
5. The hero is welcomed into the home of the girl’s family where, usually, a meal is shared and a marriage is arranged.