Joel M Bradshaw

46For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”–John 5

Jesus was speaking to people who struggled with believing Him, but did in fact believe everything from Moses. Jesus’ bigger point here is basically this: if you believe what Moses wrote, believe me…if you believe me, believe what Moses wrote.

But there is a specific verse that comes to mind that most believe speaks of Jesus.

“The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ And the LORD said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:15-19)

People in Jesus’ day were looking for this Prophet like Moses. Other prophets would be raised up by God and have God’s words in their mouth, but would they be THE Prophet prophesied by Moses? Each new king in David’s line was technically anointed or ‘messiah-ed’, but would that king be THE King or Messiah? Moses’ prophecy is full of expectation and hope. One of the offices that Jesus fulfills is that of prophet.

So two questions are begged from this:

1. If a follower of Jesus, how do you consider the words of Moses?
2. If a follower of Moses, how do you consider the words of Jesus?–JMB