What connections exist between Deuteronomy 4:44 and Jesus' teachings on the law? The Setting in Deuteronomy 4:44 “Now this is the law that Moses set before the children of Israel.” Key Words That Echo in Jesus’ Ministry • Law (torah) – instruction, guidance. • Set before – publicly proclaimed, placed in plain view. • Children of Israel – covenant community called to obedience. Jesus uses identical vocabulary—“law,” “commandments,” “hear, O Israel”—showing deliberate continuity (Matthew 5:17-19; Mark 12:29). Jesus as the Fulfillment, Not the Abolisher Matthew 5:17: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.” • Moses presents the statutes; Jesus embodies them. • Fulfill (plēroō) means to fill up to full measure—never to discard. • Every “jot or tittle” remains authoritative until “all is accomplished” (Matthew 5:18). Continuity of Moral Instruction • Deuteronomy lists testimonies, statutes, ordinances—covering belief, behavior, and civil order. • Jesus re-affirms the same triad: – Testimony: “I am the truth” (John 14:6). – Statute: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). – Ordinance: “Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do also to them” (Matthew 7:12). • He distills but never diminishes: “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:40). Deepening the Heart-Level Application • Moses commands external obedience; Jesus presses inward motives (Matthew 5:21-48). • Deuteronomy warns, “Keep your soul diligently” (4:9); Jesus demands righteousness “exceeding that of the scribes and Pharisees” (Matthew 5:20). Authority and Public Delivery • Moses speaks from Mount Nebo; Jesus teaches from the Mount of Beatitudes—both covenant settings. • Each declares God’s word to gathered Israel (Deuteronomy 5:1; Matthew 5:1-2). • John 1:17: “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” The same divine Giver stands behind both moments. Witness of the Whole Scripture • Luke 24:44—Jesus ties “the Law of Moses” directly to His life, death, and resurrection. • John 5:45-47—“If you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.” • Thus Deuteronomy 4:44 is prophetic, pointing forward to the Messiah who would live out and consummate the very law Moses delivered. Implications for Today’s Disciples • Revere the entire canon: Moses and Messiah speak with one voice. • Obey from the heart, empowered by the Spirit (Romans 8:3-4). • Read the Law through the lens of Christ’s fulfillment—seeing its moral core, appreciating its ceremonial completion, and embracing its prophetic witness. |
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