Why is accepting Moses' writings crucial for understanding Jesus' teachings in John 5:47? The Setting in John 5:47 John 5:45-47: “Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, in whom you have placed your hope. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?” Why Moses’ Writings Matter • They form the opening revelation of Scripture—Genesis through Deuteronomy—laying down God’s covenant, His promises, and His moral law. • Jesus treats those books as historically true and divinely authored (Matthew 19:4-5; Mark 12:26). • Moses’ words establish the categories—sin, sacrifice, priesthood, Messiah—without which Jesus’ mission cannot be understood. • Accepting Moses’ testimony sets the heart in a posture of faith toward God’s Word, priming it to recognize the incarnate Word (John 1:14). Moses as a Witness to Christ • Genesis 3:15—first promise of the Redeemer who will crush the serpent. • Genesis 12:3; 22:18—through Abraham’s Seed all nations are blessed, a promise Paul ties directly to Christ (Galatians 3:16). • Exodus 12—Passover lamb foreshadows “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). • Leviticus 17:11—“the life of the flesh is in the blood,” anticipating Christ’s atoning blood (Hebrews 9:22). • Numbers 21:8-9—bronze serpent lifted up, a type Jesus claims for Himself (John 3:14-15). • Deuteronomy 18:15-19—Moses foretells a Prophet like himself; Peter confirms this refers to Jesus (Acts 3:22-23). One Unified Testimony • Luke 24:27, 44—Jesus begins “with Moses” to explain “all the Scriptures” concerning Himself. • John 1:17—“The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” —distinct roles, one continuous storyline. • Hebrews 3:1-6—Moses is faithful as a servant; Christ is faithful as Son over the same household. Rejecting Moses, Missing Jesus • Disbelief in Moses’ writings signals a deeper refusal of God’s authority, making acceptance of Christ’s words impossible (John 5:47). • Spiritual insight is cumulative: rejecting earlier light darkens the path to later light (Proverbs 4:18; John 12:35). • Moses’ law exposes sin (Romans 3:20); without that conviction, Jesus’ offer of forgiveness seems unnecessary. Living This Truth • Read the Pentateuch with Christ in view; watch how each theme, symbol, and promise converges on Him. • Let the moral law drive you to the Savior who fulfills it (Matthew 5:17). • Embrace Scripture’s unity—Old and New Testaments breathe the same divine life (2 Timothy 3:16). • Trust that believing the earliest pages of God’s Word equips you to grasp the fullness of Jesus’ message and mission. |
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