Jesus the New Moses

Jesus is divine and human, Jesus is also our Lord and Saviour and todays scripture reading helps us understand and testify to Jesus’s Lordship.

The Old Testament needed atleast two witnesses or testimonies to prove a claim or make judgement against someone. Jesus gives more that two in todays scripture text.

1. The first one is of The testimony of John the Baptist.
   “You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth..”
   Jesus reminds the Pharisees of their own action of going to John to ask him of his messianic role, and John testified to Jesus, the one who follows comes after his ministry as the Messiah.
2. Second, The testimony of Jesus’ works.
   “..the very works that I do; bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.”
   The numerous miracles and healings that Jesus did, spoke of his divine origins, from where He had come. And the fruit of His miracles and healings were good. All sorts of people were coming back to God, having a genuine metanoia, a 180 degree about turn from their wicked ways.
3. Third, The testimony of his Father.
   “And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me..”
   The voice heard at His Baptism, said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.“
4. Fourth the Law.
   The prophets spoke of the Messiah, and His works and the fruits of his works.
   E.g. – Isaiah spoke of the lion and the child playing together. Figuratively speaking enemity  would cease, and peace would abound. And this was the mission Jesus claimed was His, when he read from the scriptures in Luke 4:18, 19 – an acceptable year of the Lord, meaning peace to all men by virtue of God’s presence in their midst.
5. Fifth Moses.
   The people revered Moses and read and studied his works diligently. Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15-19 spoke of another prophet like him, who would surpass him in status and works. Who would help the people to remedy the Covenant of Sinai, which was put aside and the Law of Moses given in its place. A prophet who would lead them to God’s very presence (the condition of the actual Covenant of Sinai). In a way of speaking, Moses gave the Israelites physical and religious freedom under Yahweh’s guidance. But the Future Prophet would lead the people into a new exodus from spiritual poverty (the lacking of God’s presence in their lives because of the fall of Adam and Eve), to spiritual fullness (God residing and walking in their midst).

Come Holy Spirit, convict us of Jesus’ truth as our Lord and Saviour, and help us to fullness in Him.