The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology - Saint Mary ...

there can, a fortiori, be no symbol. When we say: "The lamb is the
symbol of Christ," it implies, first, that the lamb is a metaphorical predicate
of all gentle human beings; second, that because of the preeminent
gentleness of Christ, God has authoritatively, in his word, fixed the
predicate as descriptive of his Son. Hence, when the artist paints the lamb
in sacred symbolism, we at once know he means Christ; he represents the
lamb bleeding, it is Christ the Sufferer he means; the lamb bears the
banner, it is Christ triumphant.
15. A TYPE is a person or thing divinely foreappointed as the
symbol of a person or thing not yet revealed. It involves a divine metaphor
with the subject reserved for a future statement. The type is related to the
antitype as the predicate to the subject. The lamb is a symbol of Christ.
The paschal lamb is a type of Christ. For the same reason, as in the
explanation of the parable and dream, the predicate, in the resolution of the
type, is often placed first. We can say "Christ is our paschal lamb," or
"Our paschal lamb is Christ," but in either case Christ is the subject.
16. The descriptive terms we add to a metaphorical noun to make its
nature apparent must be such as to imply that it is metaphorical, not such
as would apply to it as literal. Instead of saying, "His wit is a dagger," we
may enlarge by saying, "His wit is the dagger of an assassin; he plunges
into the heart of every man who offends him;" but we cannot say; "His wit
is a dagger purchased at Smith's hardware store." We do not say: "The law
of God is a lamp of brass with a cotton wick;" "our life is the flowing river
Schuylkill', which runs into the Delaware;" "he was clothed with the
mantle of humility, made of blue cloth." But to the words body and blood
are: added just such terms as suit the literal body and blood alone. It was
the literal body which was given--the literal blood which was shed for us
and for many for the remission of sins. Contrast the words which in 1 Cor.
xi. speak of Christ's literal body with those which in chap. xii. speak of His
metaphorical body, His Church. Take the words: This is my body which
is for you--guilty of the body and blood of the Lord--not discerning the
Lord's body--which are found