Moses and the prophets are best interpreted by Jesus because they bear witness to Jesus.
The Greek word for “interpreted” (hermēneuō) in the above verse is the word from which we get the English word hermeneutics.
Hermeneutics is the study of the various theories and approaches for interpretation.
Hermeneutics is the study of the various theories and approaches for interpretation.
“No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” [2]
The Greek word for “declared” (εξηγησατο) in the above verse is the word from which we get the English word exegesis which means to explain. Jesus has been with the Father and is one with the Father so there is no one better to explain the Father to us than Jesus. In fact, Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” [3]
We look to Jesus to exegete a Biblical text. Exegesis means “drawing out” the meaning of a text by carefully considering the author’s original context and intended meaning, while eisegesis means “reading into” a text, essentially imposing your own interpretations and ideas onto the material, rather than letting the text speak for itself; in simpler terms, exegesis is trying to understand what the text actually says, while eisegesis is making the text say what you want it to say.
Understanding the Trinity helps us to understand the following passages from Exodus better.
“Behold, I send an Angel (messenger) before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My Name is in Him. But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.” [4]
The translators capitalized the word “Angel” to indicate that it refers to God. Dr. Martin Luther learned that Scripture interprets Scripture, so, to understand one verse we look at other verses that relate to it. This is what the New Testament writers did. They often interpreted things that Jesus said or did by connecting it to an Old Testament passage. This Old Testament passage relates to what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit. “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.” [5]
The Holy Spirit is God’s messenger. He is the One who leads God’s people. To blaspheme Him is to commit an unforgiveable sin. The Lord tells us to neither grieve nor quench the Holy Spirit. “There are three that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are One.” We need to heed God’s leading to accurately represent Him. [6]
“Now He said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you, and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and 70 of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar.” “After these things the Lord appointed 70 others also and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.” [7] We see in Moses a similar approach to ministry as Jesus.
“So Moses came and told the people all the Words of the Lord and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, ‘All the Words which the Lord has said we will do.’” “Then they said to Him, ‘What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.’” [8] We followers of Moses and the followers of Jesus respond in a similar way to their leadership. They speak of wanting to do God’s will, but in both cases, fail to do so.
“Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.’” “Then He [Jesus] took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, ‘Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’ And He took bread, gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.’” [9] We have both Moses and Jesus speaking God’s Word to their listeners and speaking of a blood covenant existing between God and them.
“Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and 70 of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand. So, they saw God, and they ate and drank.” [10] The disciples of Jesus see God in Him and eat and drink with Him.
“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them.” Jesus gave a new commandment to His disciples. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another.” [11]
“Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the mountain of God.” “So Moses went into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights.” “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” “Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, ‘Sit here while I go and pray over there.’” [12] Both Moses and Jesus go before God after giving God’s commandments and making blood covenants with their followers.
Moses spoke of the coming Messiah with the following words, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear.” Thus, Jesus, “Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” [13] Jesus Christ is the Prophet Moses spoke of.
It is vital to remember that Jesus is called the Word of God. To explain the Scripture accurately, we need to be in a relationship with Jesus and we need to depend on Jesus to help us.
The Lord told Moses, “You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you. And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.” John used the term hilastērion, the Greek word for mercy seat, writing, “He [Christ] is the mercy-seat for all our sins and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” [14] It is from the forgiveness of our sins in Christ that the communications line between God and people is opened. It was after Christ paid the price for the sins of the world that the Holy Spirit was sent to fill the lives of God’s witnesses.
Our goal as witnesses for Christ is to provide for people dependable teaching, preaching and discussion about God. The Lord warns the brotherhood of believers, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.” We should not approach representing God lightly. As Paul said to Timothy, “Study to shew yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” [15] We need to make sure our words line up with Scripture and that they glorify Jesus Christ as Lord.
[1] Luke 24:27
[2] John 1:18
[3] John 14:9
[4] Exodus 23:20-22
[5] Matthew 12:31–32
[6] Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22; 1 John 5:7
[7] Exodus 24:1; Luke 10:1
[8] Exodus 24:3; John 6:28-29
[9] Exodus 24:6-8; Luke 22:17-22
[10] Exodus 24:9-11
[11] Exodus 24:12; John 13:34-35
[12] Exodus 24:13, 18; Matthew 26:30, 36
[13] Deuteronomy 18:15; Luke 24:27
[14] Exodus 25:21-22; 1 John 2:2
[15] James 3:1; 2 Timothy 2:15
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