October 24, 2004

THE ONE OF WHOM MOSES WROTE

"For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me" (John 5:46, NKJV).

In a confrontation with the religious leaders of His day, Christ established His pre-existence by appealing to the writings of Moses. He referred to Himself as the One of whom Moses wrote.

The reference of Jesus to the writings of Moses is "a general allusion to the elements of the Pentateuch that pointed to Christ; particularly to the sanctuary service and to the prophecies of Jacob (Genesis 49:10) and to Balaam (Numbers 24:17)."--SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5. p. 956. In His self-designation as the One of whom Moses wrote, Jesus informed His critics that if they had properly understood the writings of Moses they would have seen Him as the Messiah and Saviour of the world. Jesus also reminded His hearers that they searched the Scriptures because they expected that by so doing they would obtain eternal life, but sadly they failed to recognize that the Scriptures bore witness of Him as the source of life (see John 5:39). Had they searched the Torah with eyes of faith, they could have recognized Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah.

In the post-resurrection appearance of Christ to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, He began "at Moses and all the Prophets" and "expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself" (Luke 24:27, NKJV). Jesus is the focal point of the Old Testament--highlighted, magnified, and exalted in the writing of the New Testament. Speaking of the message of the Old Testament, Ellen G. White observes, "it is the light which shines in the fresh unfolding of truth that glorifies the Old. He who rejects or neglects the New does not really possess the Old. For him it loses its vital power and becomes but a lifeless form."--Christ's Object Lessons, p. 128.

My Prayer Today: Lord, I rejoice that Jesus Christ is the focus of the Scriptures. Amen.