G.K. Beale: New Studies In the Old & New Testaments

If you want to learn about biblical theology of the OT and NT in depth, then biblical scholar G.K. Beale is the guy you want to read. I have two of his largest works (both books in the picture on the left). Contained inside these two recent volumes are biblical theology and exegesis in its finest form. It is remarkable how much this man knows about the Bible, and the connections he has discovered through relentless research. He has definitely advanced the future discussions and academic interests regarding the usage of the OT in the NT. All Christians are in debt to him for his work to establish the correct theological interpretations of the redemptive-historical narrative of the Bible, and how that needs to be taught in churches because it is the gospel.

I have learned that it is that meta-narrative (i.e. redemptive-historical storyline) that the Apostles' preached, the Reformers proclaimed, and the Revivalists programmed into their church ministries. In the recent resurgence of biblical theology, Mark Dever has mentioned teaching biblical theology as the second mark of a health church in his book "Nine Marks of a Healthy Church." Hence, I personally agree with Dever that a healthy Christ-centered church will teach biblical theology undiminished  I believe biblical theology is too important to ignore and must be taught in order to properly understand how the Bible unfolds and interconnects with diversity and unity throughout the canonical books from Genesis to Revelation.

Below is a link to a remarkable lecture hosted at my seminary, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. This lecture emphasizes the challenges in biblical theology that are confronting the integrity and inspiration of the Scriptures. Some scholars are doing injustice to biblical theology and emphasizing only the thematic elements of the Bible, not the authoritative verbal-plenary inspiration of Scripture. The lecture is very informative, and if you have not heard an academic lecture on Christian theology before, this exposure will be riveting and exciting because of the biblical connections that are identified in biblical theology that are not necessarily emphasized on the pulpit. Click on the link below to watch and listen an this lecture regarding new studies in the OT and NT biblical theology.

http://www.sbts.edu/resources/lectures/gheens/recent-developments-in-old-testament-in-new-testament-studies-that-challenges-the-organic-integrity-of-the-testaments/

The "I am" of the Old Testament In the New Testament

Since the day I became a Christian, the perplexing "I am" statements of Jesus in John’s gospel have always interested me. I always had a hard time trying to understand what Jesus meant by his unique references, but I knew without a shadow of a doubt he was referencing he was in some way he was “God in the flesh” (cf. John 1:18). 

As I grew stronger in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, I began to understand the theological significance of the claims of Christ. I understood the “I am” statements to reference Jesus as the all satisfying providential caregiver for all who believe in him, and only through faith in his gospel can anyone be saved.

Once I started Bible teaching on a regular basis at my church and later went to school to be educated in the Scriptures, I began studying the topic of the "I am" statements from an exegetical and canonical approach. As a result, I was exposed to the massive context of references in the OT. It became apparent that Jesus used the OT references and applied them to himself because he is God in the flesh, the self-revelation of God the Father. 

The "I am" of the Old Testament In the New Testament
All of the “I am” statements fundamentally teach us what Jesus does for those who believe in him. Yet, the purpose of the “I am” statements is to teach us who Jesus is in the gospel of John.

In John’s gospel, there are multiple “I am” sayings. For sake of clarity, distinguishing them into two categories helps constructive interpretation and minimizes confusion. For that reason, John’s gospel reveals there are primary “I am” statements, and secondary “I am” sayings. Categorizing does not in any way minimize the importance of the sayings because all of them are equal in significance, meaning, and purpose. The statements are theological and exegetical referents to OT themes (i.e. bread/light/door/shepherd/vine). The sayings are biblical referents to OT titles of God (i.e. Pentateuch/Isaiah passages). There are seven primary "I am" statements, and seven secondary "I am" sayings in John. Nevertheless, both the “I am” statements and “I am” sayings directly reference OT theological titles and themes in the Pentateuch, and servant-oriented messianic functions in Isaiah to showcase a glorious literary rendering of the promises of God fulfilled in the Messiah Jesus.

The "I am" Revealed In the Pentateuch
Genesis is where the "I am" is revealed as the creator of the heavens and the earth, and the covenant maker with Abraham for all nations. Beginning with the John 8:58 "I am" reference in John's gospel, the theological titles in Pentateuch begin with God speaking to Abraham as his “I am.” Thus, God is the “I am” to Abraham and his sons in throughout the patriarchal narrative in Genesis:

Genesis 15:1, "I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

Genesis 15:7, “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess."

Genesis 17:1-2, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.”

After the “I am God Almighty” reference, the Pentateuch uses this as a referent to remember the “I am” as the God of Abraham (just as Jesus alluded to in John 8:58):

Genesis 26:24, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham's sake.” 

Genesis 35:11, “I am God Almighty:1 be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body.”

Genesis 46:3, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation.”

Exodus reveals God himself as the “I am who I am.” Thus, God revealed himself as the "I am" of Israel:

Exodus 3:6, “And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Exodus 3:14, “God said to Moses, “I am who I am.”1 And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

Exodus 6:2, “God spoke to Moses and said to him, ‘I am the Lord’” (cf. 6:6, 7, 8, 12, 29; 7:5, 17; 10:2; 12:12; 14:4, 18; 15:26).

Exodus 16:12, “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread.’ Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.”

Exodus 20:2, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”

Exodus 29:34, “And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.”

Leviticus speaks in covenantal language and references the nature, work, and commandments of the “I am” during the exodus/wilderness period. The references do not allude to the “I am” sayings in John, but rather echo the “I am” sayings in the Pentateuch as a whole, and teach God’s people must be holy as he is holy (cf. Lev. 11:44; 18:2, 5, 6, 21, 30; 19:3, 4, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 25, 28, 30, 31, 32, 34, 36, 37; 20:7, 8, 24; 21:12, 15, 23; 22:2, 3, 8, 9, 16, 30, 31, 32, 33; 23:22, 43; 24:22; 25:17, 38, 55; 26:1, 2, 13, 44, 45).

Numbers does the same thing as it refers back to the work and commandments of God during the exodus/wilderness period to remind Israel why they are in judgment and what lays before them if they keep the covenant with the “I am” (cf. Num. 3:13, 41, 45; 10:10; 15:41).

Deuteronomy recounts the history of the exodus/wilderness period and how the “I am” was faithful to his covenant. There are only a few references that are explicit:

Deuteronomy 5:6, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”

Deuteronomy 29:5-6, “I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn off your feet. You have not eaten bread, and you have not drunk wine or strong drink, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.”

The Pentateuch ends with the words of the “I am” which definitely translate to the words of Jesus in the secondary “I am” sayings in John:

Deuteronomy 32:39, “See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.”


Isaiah is deeply rooted in the Pentateuch’s revelation of God as the "I am." The nature, works, and commandments of the “I am” are revisited yet reinterpreted for Israel to experience a new exodus by a promised Messiah who is of the "I am." The major passages are in the servant songs of Isaiah 40-66.

Isaiah 41:1-20 revisits the “I am” in the Pentateuch: “Listen to me in silence, O coastlands; let the peoples renew their strength; let them approach, then let them speak; let us together draw near for judgment. Who stirred up one from the east whom victory meets at every step? He gives up nations before him, so that he tramples kings underfoot; he makes them like dust with his sword, like driven stubble with his bow. He pursues them and passes on safely, by paths his feet have not trod. Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he. The coastlands have seen and are afraid; the ends of the earth tremble; they have drawn near and come. Everyone helps his neighbor and says to his brother, “Be strong!” The craftsman strengthens the goldsmith, and he who smooths with the hammer him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, “It is good”; and they strengthen it with nails so that it cannot be moved. But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all. For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not,I am the one who helps you.’ Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the LORD; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I make of you a threshing sledge, new, sharp, and having teeth; you shall thresh the mountains and crush them, and you shall make the hills like chaff; you shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the tempest shall scatter them. And you shall rejoice in the LORD; in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the LORD will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive. I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together, that they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.”

The "I am" Revisited In the Book of Isaiah.
This text clearly indicates God as the “I am” of the Pentateuch and will restore Israel by a new exodus (cf. Isa. 45:8, 18, 19, 22). In Isaiah, however, there is a more direct antecedent that are grounded monotheism reserved only for God. These Isaiah passages go back to Deuteronomy 32:29 where describes God saying, “I am he.” Isaiah writes in this fashion and emphasizes that the phrase serves as a divine title:
Isaiah 43:10, “‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.’”

Isaiah 43:13, “Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?”

Isaiah 43:25, “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.”

Isaiah 46:3-4, “Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.”

Isaiah 48:12, “Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last.
Isaiah 51:12, “I, I am he who comforts you.”

Isaiah 52:6, “Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here I am.”

The biblical data in the Pentateuch and Isaiah passages suggest John's message is to declare Jesus as the "I am" of the OT in the NT. The fulfillment of God's saving promises in the NT have come through the Messiah, who personifies divine equality and eternality of the "I am" in the OT.

The "I am" Statements In John's Gospel Point to the Messiah Jesus
Using all of the hermeneutical and biblical data, the "I am" statements and sayings of Jesus have a greater theological significance and meaning. The primary and secondary "I am" allusions all point to Jesus as God in the flesh. In John's gospel, the primary "I am" statements are pronouncements by Jesus to claim equal authority of God from the OT, when the "I am" sayings are pronouncements by Jesus to claim divine authority as the Messiah. This chart helps map out the connections Jesus makes to claim he is the “I am” of Scripture:

Old Testament Allusions To the seven “I am” Statements In John’s Gospel

I am the bread of life (John 6:35)	Manna From Heaven (Exod. 16:1-36)
I am the light of the world (John 8:12)	Light of nations (Ps. 27:1; Isa. 9:2-7; 49:6; 60:19)
I am the door [gate] (John 10:9)	Gate of salvation (Ps. 118:19-24)
I am the good shepherd (John 10:11)	The true shepherd (Ps. 23; Isa. 40:11; Ezk. 34:1-25)
I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25)	Valley of dry bones (Ezk. 37:1-14)
I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6)	Salvation references (Ps. 139:24; Isa. 40:3, 65:16; Gen. 2:7, Job. 33:4; Ps. 56:13)
I am the vine (John 15:5)	Vineyard song (Isa. 5:1-10/Ps. 80:1-19)

Note: Also notice the OT canonical motif among the sayings (i.e. bread/manna; light/pillar of fire; shepherd/Moses-Joshua; Vine/David). I will post another blog entry on the new exodus/wilderness motif among the literary structure of John and the placement of the "I am" statements to declare Jesus equal to YHWH, and point to the new exodus he has come to fulfill.

It is interesting to note the secondary “I am” sayings are pronouncements by Jesus to claim divine authority as the Messiah as self declarations of Jesus' identity in John's gospel. There are implicit and explicit, primary and secondary ways John uses the "I am" statements and sayings. The secondary "I am" sayings are directly referencing his messiahship in conjunction to his authoritative teaching and miracles, pointing to his true identity (John 4:26, 6:20, 8:24, 8:28, 8:58, [9:9?], 13:19, 18:5). These sayings of Jesus are reminiscent of the Isaiah passages where God says “I am he” because Jesus declares the same identity for himself as the Messiah.

The Promise-Plan of God

During Cyber Monday, I was looking for good deals online for some books that I have been wanting to get as resources. Since I am trying to save some money, I looked for used books on Amazon and found some good copies that were in "just-like-new" condition! One of those books was by Walter Kasier Jr. called, The Promised-Plan of God: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments. The book is a very easy to read biblical theology of every book in the Bible. It breaks up the OT and NT and lists them in the canonical order to showcase the "unity of Scripture." I love this book, and the more I read it, I end up loving it more and more because of its academic approach and simple explanations so all readers can understand the content. The thesis of the book reveals how Scripture needs to be hermeneutically interpreted and read with an overarching and unifying promise-plan of God. The book argues for a textually derived "center" of Scripture that simultaneously parallels the case for the "unity of the Bible" (i.e. all 66  books), and how this case was the rubric of studying the Bible during the Reformation era, but was disengaged during the Enlightenment era. Therefore, this book aims at restoring the study of biblical theology as it once was in the Reformation, yet at the same time reveal how their is a promise-plan of God that needs to be taught in our world today.

At the beginning of the book, Kaiser defines the promise-plan of God:

"The promise-plan is God's word of declaration, beginning with Eve and continuing on through history, especially in the patriarchs and the Davidic line, that God would continually be in his person and do in his deeds and works (in and through Israel, and later the church) his redemptive plan as his means of keeping that promised word alive for Israel, and thereby for all the nations so that all the families of the earth might come to faith and to new life in the Messiah" (p.19).

I believe Kaiser correctly identifies the harmonious "scarlet thread" of the gospel throughout the OT and NT. However, he further and more accurately explains how to interpret and read the Bible through God's covenant to Abraham originating in Genesis and eschatologically fulfilled by Jesus Christ. His main point is to interpret and read the Bible with "this covenant" in mind because it all stems from it: "God gave a promise to Abraham, and through him to mankind; a promise eternally fulfilled and fulfilling in the history of Israel; and chiefly fulfilled in Jesus Christ, he being that which is principal in the history of Israel."

Kaiser presents scriptural generalizations to defend his purpose of the book. I think they are pretty simple and healthy generalizations, knowing there are some really confusing and unhealthy generalizations about the Bible. Here are ten characteristics of the Promise-Plan of God Kaiser wants reads to consider:

1. The doctrine of the Promised Messiah is found throughout all the Scriptures and not just in isolated or selected passages as understood by the Promise-Fulfillment Scheme (cf. Luke 24:44).

2. The Old Testament Messianic teaching was regarded as the development of a single promise (Greek word, "epangelia"), repeated and unfolded through the centuries with numerous specifications and in multiple forms but always with the same essential core. (cf. Acts 26:6-7)

3. The New Testament writers equate this single, definite promise as the one made to Abraham when god called him from Ur of the Chaldeans. (cf. Rom. 4:13-14, 20; Heb. 6:13-14, 17; 11:9, 39-40; Gen. 22:17)

4. While the New Testament writers occasionally speak of promises, using the plural form of the word, the manner in which they do so does not weaken the case for a single definite promise in the Scriptures. (cf. Rom. 9:4, 15:8-9).

5. The New Testament writers regard this single, definite promise, composed of many specifications, to be the theme of both the Old and New Testaments. (cf. Acts. 7:2-3, 17)

6. The promise made to Abraham is represented as both being partially fulfilled in the events of the exodus and yet still to be fully fulfilled in the distant future. (cf. Acts 13:22-23; Luke 1:69, 73)

7. The New Testament writers not only declare that the promise-plan of God is seen through the whole Old Testament, but they adopt the Old Testament phraseology as part of their own way of expressing God's revelation to them. (cf. Gal. 3:29; Eph. 2:12)

8. The New Testament writers teach that the promise of God is operating eternally and is irrevocable. (cf. Rom. 11:29; Gal. 3:15-18; Heb. 6:13, 17-18)

9. The New Testament writers make a strong connection between the promise and a number of other doctrines. (cf. Gal. 3:6-8, 14; Eph. 1:13, 3:6; Heb. 9:15; 2 Pet. 3:10)

10. The culmination of all the specifications (i.e., the individual predicted doctrines that support the one unifying promise-plan) are wrapped up in the one promise doctrine, or promise-plan, which focuses on Jesus Christ. (cf. Matt. 5:17; Rom. 1:1-6)

With all of these scriptural generalizations, I think it proper to suggest the NT use and reference of the OT "promise" is undeniable. I appreciate Kaiser's his approach to show how all of the Bible works together to theologically disclose Christ as the Messiah (as he goes genre-by genre and book-by-book to show how it unfolds). I wrote on this because I am always interested how the NT uses the OT in order to point to Jesus as God and Savior of all nations, and at the same time point to the Word of God as truth. What a perfect topic to reflect upon during Christmas!

Christ In Deuteronomy - Daniel Block

This post is from a recent Gospel Coalition article on hermeneutics. Daniel Block is considered an expert on the book of the Deuteronomy. He answers many questions in this article, but further explains how to properly and hermeneutically interpret the book of Deuteronomy and the person of Moses, in comparison with John's Gospel and person of Christ. Block correctly explains Christological typology in Deuteronomy is grounded in discovering and understanding the original meaning of the text, and through a methodological process of seeking the covenantal relationship and commitment  to God, you can properly draw ethical and theological principles and make connections to the ethics and theology of the NT.

Gospel Coalition: Slow Down! A Different Perspective On Christ In the Old Testament

Are we at The Gospel Coalition a little too excited---misguided, even---about Christ in the Old Testament? Do we tend to champion typological readings at the cost of exegetical care? Daniel Block, a respected evangelical Old Testament scholar whose new commentary on Deuteronomy will be a valuable addition to any believer's shelf, wonders if some evangelicals today have fumbled the ball when it comes to handling the Old Testament. He certainly raises an important question. How should followers of the risen Christ read the Old Testament Scriptures in a properly anticipatory (cf. Luke 24:27, 44) yet hermeneutically responsible manner? I corresponded with Block, professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College outside Chicago, about why he thinks Deuteronomy may be more like John than Romans, whether Jesus is a new Moses, whether TGC's Preaching Christ in the Old Testament section is beneficial, and more. 

What do you perceive to be the most significant misunderstanding about Deuteronomy in evangelical circles today?  

People too often believe Moses' role in the book is primarily one of a lawgiver, and so the book is classified generically as "law" rather than pastoral preaching. The translators of the Septuagint set the history of interpretation on a wrong course when they named the book deutero-nomos, meaning "second law," and consistently translated the wordtorah in the book as "law." This word means "teaching, instruction." As used in the book, it has exactly the same semantic range as Greek'sdidaskalia or didachē. I wonder what our disposition toward the book would be had the translators called it by one of these names or simply translated the Hebrew title, ­'ēlleh hadděbārîm ("These Are the Words"). 

It's widely recognized that Deuteronomy is a series of sermons delivered to the Israelite congregation on the Plains of Moab. Why is Moses' uniquely pastoral role in this book significant? 

If the book is so widely recognized as Mosaic preaching, why do we continue to refer to its contents as "law"? Both Moses and the narrator of his death use only one professional title for Moses: "prophet" (Deut. 18:18; 34:10). Indeed, the principle verbs used to characterize his verbal activity in the book are "to speak" ('āmar, 1:5; 5:1) and "to teach" (limmēd, 4:1, 5, etc.). Moses is in no position to legislate; only YHWH, the divine king, has that authority. 

This pastor-teacher role is reinforced by the historical context of the addresses. Moses, the congregation's shepherd/pastor (Num. 27:17), is about to die. What we have are the sermons Moses delivered at the time, a closing hymn [national anthem] he taught the people (Deut. 32), and his final benediction (Deut. 33). Unless we rediscover Deuteronomy's pastoral dimension, we'll misconstrue Moses' function within the document, obscure the nature of its contents, and muffle its repeated declarations of the gospel (once Israel was a slave to Pharaoh, but through YHWH's gracious acts she's been rescued and declared by covenant to be his "son" [14:1-2]). 

Why doesn't it surprise you that Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy more often than from any other biblical book? 

There are probably three reasons. The first two relate to two of the fundamental convictions of the New Testament (NT) regarding Jesus. First, the NT is emphatic that Jesus is the Davidic Messiah. Jesus views himself as the fulfillment and the embodiment of the covenant righteousness called for in Deuteronomy (cf. Matt. 5:17). He's the ultimate king, chosen by YHWH from among his people Israel, whose heart and mind are filled with the Torah, who doesn't depart from it to the right or to the left, whose head isn't lifted above his countrymen, and who, because of his faithfulness, is granted eternal kingship (Deut. 17:14-20). In short, he's the fulfillment of Israel's royal messianic hope.Second, Jesus is YHWH (John 1:23; Rom. 10:13, etc.). Therefore, he's not merely a Moses figure, but the one in whose name Moses spoke throughout Deuteronomy and who inspired all his utterances (cf. "as YHWH commanded him," 1:4; "as YHWH commanded me," 4:5, 14; 6:1). Should we be surprised Jesus is so familiar with Deuteronomy?Third, Jesus seeks to recapture and recover the spirit of Deuteronomy. Both Jesus and Paul were opposed by representatives of forms of Judaism that had lost the heart of the gospel as promulgated by Moses on the Plains of Moab. By reducing the commandments to a single statement ("You shall demonstrate love for YHWH your God totally and for your neighbor as you do for yourself"), Jesus captured the essence of covenantal relationship---the opposite of what he saw among the self-serving Pharisees. By accusing them of keeping the minutest tithing regulations but neglecting the "weightier matters of Torah" (Matt. 23:23), he called his followers back to the spirit of the Torah and the covenant as espoused in Deuteronomy. 

"More than any other book in the Old Testament (if not the Bible as a whole)," you contend, "Deuteronomy concretizes the life of faith in real life." How should "real life" under the old covenant law influence believers on a daily basis today?Chris Wright helpfully speaks of Israel's constitutional texts (my expression for what most call law codes) as presenting a picture of righteous living that's "paradigmatic" for God's people in all contexts for all time. Let me concretize the issue with a specific example: InDeuteronomy 22:8 Moses says, "When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring the guilt of blood upon your house, if anyone should fall from it." When people ask me whether Christians need to keep this command, I explain this is the wrong question. The question for me as a Christian is not, "Do I have to keep this law?" but rather, "How does God, my Redeemer and covenant Lord, expect me to keep this law?" 

When we realize this isn't a mandate for a certain style of architecture but an opportunity to display covenant righteousness, the answer is obvious. This command assumes the head of a household is responsible for the welfare of everyone who enters his house, that he'll take all steps necessary to protect their well-being. In Chicago this means I "fulfill righteousness" if I shovel the sidewalk in front of my house after a snow so that all who pass by are safe. Not all commands are this straightforward, but the question, "How does God expect me to fulfill this command" is generally more helpful than, "Do I have to keep this law? 

Admittedly, the regulations of Deuteronomy are culturally conditioned, but we must accept as normative God's revelation communicated through these contextualized regulations. After peeling away the cultural husks of the laws in Deuteronomy, modern Christian interpreters must accept as normative the ethical and theological principles they communicate. In cases where the work of Christ has brought an end to a given practice (e.g., food regulations), the theological principles underlying those regulations remain relevant. 

Deuteronomy's theological placement in the OT has been compared to that of Romans in the New, but you suggest the more appropriate comparison may be with John---even wondering if the Pentateuchal location of Deuteronomy influenced the canonical location of John. What's the nature of the parallel you have in mind? 

I'm not against comparing Deuteronomy to Romans, though I'd prefer we do the reverse---interpret Romans as a NT counterpart to Deuteronomy. This epistle offers the most systematic presentation of the theology arising out of YHWH's/Jesus Christ's saving acts. The impulse to compare Deuteronomy with John's Gospel, however, arises from four observations. 

First, unlike Romans but like John, Deuteronomy narrates significant events in the story of redemption. Second, more than the synoptics and like John, Deuteronomy casts those events in profoundly theological forms. Moses doesn't merely narrate events; he declares their theological significance (e.g., 4:32-40). 

Third, just as John focuses on the love (covenant commitment) of God for humanity demonstrated in redemption (John 3:16) and calls for our response of love (covenant commitment) demonstrated in obedience to Jesus (John 14:15, 21-24; 15:10-11), so Deuteronomy focuses on the love (covenant commitment) of God for Israel demonstrated in redemption (4:32-40) and calls for their response of love (covenant commitment) demonstrated in obedience to his will (Deut. 6:5; 10:12-11:1). Indeed the parable of the vine and the branches in John 15 functions as the equivalent of Moses' declaration of the blessings and curses in Deuteronomy 28. 

Fourth, there's simply the curious chronological observation that, just as John arises out of decades of reflection on the incarnation and passion of Christ, so Deuteronomy arises from 40 years of reflection on the significance of YHWH's great acts of redemption and covenant. 

You remark, "We need to abandon the low Christology that sees Moses as a type of Christ, or Christ as a second Moses in the Gospels." But isn't Jesus cast as a new Moses throughout Matthew (e.g., infancy narratives, mountain appearances, etc.) and elsewhere (e.g., Acts 3:17-26; Heb. 3:1-6)?My thoughts on the role of Moses in the Sermon on the Mount were triggered by a conversation several of us had with a group of rabbis. At the end of one rabbi's 10-minute Jewish interpretation of the Sermon, he asked a disturbing question: "Who does the one speaking think he is?" His own answer to the question was, "It's not Moses. As he spoke, Jesus posed as God, and that's why we reject him. This is blasphemy." I don't deny Jesus performed some "Mosaic" actions (verbal or nonverbal); he also performed Abrahamic and Davidic and Solomonic and Isaianic action. 

However, to see Jesus as a second Moses is demeaning. He isn't Moses, he's YHWH! Moses wasn't Israel's Redeemer; YHWH was. With respect to Acts 3:17-26, I know my interpretation isn't widely accepted---the standard line has deep and ancient roots---but as I've written elsewhere, in my view Peter isn't presenting Jesus as a prophet like Moses but as "the Servant" God raised up. Jesus is the one of whom Moses and the prophets after him spoke. Through Christ, the blessing they promised is realized. 

As for Hebrews 3:1-6, the author is emphatic Jesus is greater than Moses. To be sure, the faithfulness of Jesus is compared with the faithfulness of Moses, but his status and roles are fundamentally different. As the Son of the builder of the house, he's identified with God rather than Moses. 

"While many Christian interpreters see in Jesus a second Moses . . . the New Testament presents Jesus as Yahweh incarnate," you write. "If there is a second Moses in the New Testament, that person is Paul." Might this be a false dichotomy, though, since Jesus is both Yahweh incarnate and the one to whom the entire Old Testament ultimately and deliberately points? 

It seems to me that by trying to establish typological connections, we may actually undermine the weightier message of OT texts. The Book of Joshua isn't about Joshua as a type of Christ, but about YHWH (later incarnate in Christ) who, through the agency of Joshua, fulfills the ancient promise to deliver the land into the hands of the Israelites. I don't deny Jesus performed verbal and nonverbal actions analogous to those of Moses or Joshua, or any other human figure. However, unlike Moses but like YHWH, Jesus is indeed the principal actor in our redemption. The following diagram illustrates my view of the relationship between YHWH and Jesus vis à vis Moses and Paul: 

Identity of the Divine Redeemer	YHWH	Jesus
Interpreter of the great acts of redemption	Moses	Paul

Is TGC mistaken to devote an entire section of our website---Preaching Christ in the Old Testament---to equipping pastors and Bible teachers to more faithfully trace, in books like Deuteronomy, the growing theme of a coming Redeemer that blossoms into messianic expectation of the sort Jesus fulfills?

By no means is TGC mistaken in this, though several OT scholars I know have expressed surprise that your panel at last year's national conference devoted to "Preaching Christ from the Old Testament" didn't involve a single OT scholar. Are we really not interested in the subject or incapable of addressing such a gathering? We must indeed preach Christ from all the Scriptures, even as we recognize that a book like Deuteronomy, for example, has precious little to say about the coming Messiah. 

Perhaps we need to distinguish between "Christological preaching" and a "Christological hermeneutic," as if under the latter we expect to find Christ in every verse of the Bible. While it's not difficult to identify overtly Messianic texts (Psalm 2; 110; Isaiah 53; Micah 5:1-5; etc.), technically the OT rarely speaks of ho Christos, the anointed Messiah. Unless we overload that expression beyond what it actually bears in the OT, I don't find "the Messiah" on every page. Still, YHWH is everywhere, and when I preach YHWH, I'm preaching Jesus, Immanuel, the Redeemer of Israel incarnate in human flesh. When I readExodus 34:6-7, I see a description of the One whom John characterizes as glorious, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

Actually, we'd improve our hermeneutic if we interpreted the OT Christotelically rather than Christocentrically. While it's hermeneutically irresponsible to say all OT texts have a Christocentric meaning or point to Christ, it's true that all play a significant role in God's great redemptive plan, which leads to and climaxes in Christ. This means that as a Christian interpreter my wrestling with an OT text must begin with trying to grasp the sense the original readers/hearers should have gotten, and authoritative preaching of that text depends on having grasped that intended sense.

However, my work as a Christian interpreter doesn't end there. I must ask several additional questions:

1. Where does this event or institution fit in the grand scheme of redemption, whose goal and climax are in Christ?

2. What lexical and conceptual vocabulary does this text contribute to later interpretation of the mission and ministry of Christ?

3. What view of God that we later find embodied in Christ is presented here?

4. How was YHWH's redemption and calling of Israel analogous to our redemption and his calling of us in Christ?

The New Testament Use of the Old Testament in Matthew's Gospel

Since I have been studying NT biblical theology on my own, I wanted to balance myself to personally dig deeper one gospel, one Pauline letter, and a general epistle (i.e. Matthew, Romans, 1 John). I have been studying Matthew because of the dominant usage of the Old Testament in his gospel, and find it fascinating how much more explicit Matthew's Gospel polemically argues and reveals that Jesus is indeed the Messiah through OT references.

New Testament scholar Craig Blomberg points out in his explanation of Matthew in the outstanding book, Commentary On the New Testament Use of the Old Testament, "The Hebrew Scriptures - or Christian Old Testament - permeate Matthew's Gospel. Approximately 55 references prove close enough in wording for commentators typically to label them 'quotations,' compared to about 65 [references] for the other three canonical Gospels put together. About twenty of these texts are unique to Matthew. Twelve times Matthew speaks explicitly of a passage or theme of Scripture being 'fulfilled.' In addition to explicit quotations, numerous allusions and echoes of Scripture may be discerned in every part of this Gospel, roughly twice as often as in Mark, Luke, or John. Virtually every major theological emphasis of Matthew is reinforced with Old Testament support, often by the addition of segments of texts to the sources Matthew employed."

I love this stuff! It goes to show you that there is no mistake in Matthew's Gospel to argue and reveal the correct scriptural and soteriological identity of the Messiah. I will post some things about Romans and 1 John later because there are some really cool OT connections in those NT books to assure their audience of the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Men's Study @ Harvest - "The Beatitudes: Sermon On the Mount" (Part 2)

I have really been enjoying my opportunity to go to the men's study at Harvest. It was my goal to challenge myself in order to invest in my personal study of the gospels since I am not teaching a weekly Bible study or consistently teaching in other ministries for the moment.

This post will encompass "The Beatitudes" in the Sermon On the Mount. Jesus begins his inaugural kingdom address with "blessedness" for all who live in conformity to his new kingdom life. I hope you enjoy all of the OT references because they are fascinating and intriguing! I am looking forward to adding future posts on Matthew's gospel as I have been reading more information on how the OT is used specifically in Matthew.

Matthew 5 - OT In the Sermon On the Mount
1. 5:1, the first verse has great OT significance. Jesus "went up on a mountain" is a repetitive theme throughout Matthew's gospel (known as "Jesus on the mountain motif"), to show how Jesus is God's new prophet and lawgiver to all nations, just like Moses who was the prophet and lawgiver of  the nation of Israel (cf. Matt. 4:8, 5:1, 8:1, 14:23, 15:29, 17:1, 17:9, 21:21, 28:26). It is very possible Matthew is implying direct allusions to the giving of the law through Moses on Mount Sinai. His audience would of absolutely visualized the biblical connection since they were the "the multitude" who was "taught" instruction as Israel was in Exodus. All of these OT references establish the purpose of the sermon. The purpose is to transcend the Mosaic covenant and establish a new law Jesus came to fulfill.

A. The first allusion is when Israel gathered around Mount Sinai while Moses went up on the mountain in Exodus 19:2-6, "They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain [like the multitudes], while Moses went up to God [like Jesus went up to the mountain]. The LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel [like Jesus did]: You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom [those who do the beatitudes] of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” And more explicitly in Exodus 24:12, "The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction."

B. Second, the remembrance of the Mount Sinai account in Deuteronomy 5:4-5, "The LORD spoke with you face to face at the mountain [like Jesus did], out of the midst of the fire, while I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the LORD [like Jesus taught]..."

C. Third, the repeated theme by the prophet Isaiah who said from a mountain God will teach the multitudes his word in Isaiah 2:2-3, "It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples [like the multitudes] shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths [the purpose of the sermon].” For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the LORD [like Jesus taught] from Jerusalem."

The Beatitudes

A. 5:3, the beginning of the "blessed" statements known as the beatitudes (cf. 5:3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11). The "blessed" usage was common in Jewish literature as a way of expressing happiness. "Blessed" allusions can be established as a reminder of righteous living in the kingdom of God as noted throughout the writings of the psalms, "Blessed is the man" (cf. Ps. 1:1, 32:1-2, 33:12, 34:8, 40:4, 41:1, 65:4, 84:12, 94:12, 112:1, 127:5, 128:1, 146:5).

B. 5:4, he "poor in spirit" is most likely a condition the materially impoverished faced. They were worthlessly and hopelessly in need, trusting God for everything in spiritual and social matters. The first two beatitudes promise those who are poor in spirit will "be comforted." This is most likely a fulfillment by the Spirit-anointed servant in parts of Isaiah 61:1-2, "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor...to comfort all who mourn..." (Actually, there is a messianic structure or formula in Matthew's gospel that flows exactly with the LXX Greek usage to showcase the inaugural coming kingdom of Christ. See the chart from Michael P. Knowles in "Hearting the Old Testament In the New Testament," p.67)

Sermon On the Mount	The Year of the Lord’s Favor
Matthew 5:1-12	Isaiah 61:1-10
v.3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven...”	v.1 “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor…”
v.4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted…”	v.2 “…to comfort all who mourn…”
v.5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth…”	v.7 “…they shall inherit the earth…”
v.6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled…”	v.3 “…they shall be called generations of righteousness…”
v.7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy…”	None
v.8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God…”	v.1 “…to heal the broken in heart…”
v.12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven…”	v.10 “…let my soul be glad in the Lord…”

As Luke 4:16-30 reveals how Jesus quoted Isaiah 61 to declare the passage's fulfillment in the Messiah's coming, Matthew 5:1-12 explains how Jesus' teachings are grounded in messianic prophetic expectations and realities towards a renewal of life.

On another note, it was a common characteristic and wisdom saying of the Jewish world to be lowly and poor in spirit in order to not esteem yourself higher than others, especially God as in Proverbs 16:19, "It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud." Jesus desires the same that God desires; to be with those who do not exalt themselves in Isaiah 57:15, "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite." Yet, the term means a "pious poorness" where an individual is hopeless but God cares for them as in Psalm 34:6, "This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles." Psalm 40:17, "As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!"

C. 5:5, the "meek" are those who are humble and gentle to others. It is very possible Jesus is saying that you need to be like the law-fulfilling Moses as he later suggests you have to obtain a higher righteousness of the Pharisees. The OT states Moses exhibited meekness more than anyone else on the earth in Numbers 12:3, "Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth." However, a more plausible case is the direct allusion to Psalm 37:11, "But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace." They will not inherit physical land but a spiritual destination. Those who are meek receive the blessings of Isaiah 29:19, "The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord."

D. 5:6, those "who hunger and thirst for righteousness sake" can be compared to those who will be satisfied
when they seek the Lord in Isaiah 55:1-3, " “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David." Those who are afflicted by the ungodly hunger and thirst for righteousness in Isaiah 32:6, "For the fool speaks folly, and his heart is busy with iniquity, to practice ungodliness, to utter error concerning the LORD, to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied, and to deprive the thirsty of drink." Yet it is probably safer to associate this with the coming of the great servant who will provide for his people with substance in Isaiah 49:8, 10, "Thus says the LORD: In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you...They shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture; they shall not hunger or thirst..." This idea echoes Psalm 107:9, "For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things." The NT goes on to explain that we do not spiritually live off physical food, but spiritual food [truth] which is the "word of righteousness" (cf. Heb. 5:13).

E. 5:7, those "who are merciful [show mercy] shall receive mercy" are linked to many OT passages. The first one is on the basis of God's revelatory nature in the wilderness described in Deuteronomy 4:31, "For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them" (cf. Ex. 36:4; 2 Chron. 30:9; Neh. 9:17, 31; Ps. 18:25, 86:15, 103:8, 111:4, 112:4, 116:5, 145:8; Jer. 3:12; Joel 2:13; Joh. 4:2). Secondly, OT allusions are linked to justice in 2 Samuel 22:26, "With the merciful you show yourself merciful." Also in Isaiah 30:18, "Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him." Lastly, it is linked to avoiding judgment on the bases of demonstrating such biblical character of mercy in Zechariah 7:9-10, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart." It is clear that Jesus is commanding his followers to show mercy in his day as it was commanded from the very beginning.

F. 5:8, those "pure in heart shall see God" repeats similar theological connections to OT living. Those who are pure in heart can properly approach [come before] God as indicated in Psalms 24:3-5, "Who shall ascend to the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation." Another psalm alludes to the spiritual measure where God is favorable and good to those with pure hearts in Psalm 73:1, "Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart." To be pure in heart is to internally be holy and righteous in your motives instead of only showing purity externally through the self righteousness of religion and tradition.

G. 5:9, those "peacemakers shall be called sons of God" also repeats similar theological connections to OT living. Psalms 34:14, "Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." Since the word "sons" means "children," the beatitude initially has vibrations to the sons [children] of Israel [God]. This is wonderfully explained in Hosea 1:10, "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, “Children of the living God.” Therefore, the initiative is for those who seek peace with all men particularly your enemies as in Proverbs 16:7, "When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him." This character is completely opposite to the worldly culture that is filled with vengeance.

H. 5:10-12, those "persecuted for righteousness sake" are reminiscent of the persecuted prophets in the OT, specifically Isaiah and Jeremiah. Isaiah explains how Israel will disobey his word and persecute the "Chosen Servant" [i.e. Jesus] in Isaiah 42:20-21, "He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear. The LORD was pleased, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious." And in Jeremiah 17:18, "Let those be put to shame who persecute me..."

Men's Study @ Harvest - "Introduction: The Sermon On the Mount" (Part 1)

What a long Bible study over the last two weeks for the Men's Valor ministry at Harvest! We studied the "Sermon On the Mount" (Matthew 5-7). It is fair to say this is the greatest sermon by Jesus Christ, and by far, the greatest sermon in comparison to all others in redemptive history. During the next few entries, I am going to break up these notes into separate posts so they will be easier for me to write, and easier for you to read!

On a side note, it is fascinating to notice how people have used, borrowed, embraced, or alluded to different parts of the Sermon On the Mount throughout modern history to preach "change" in their culture and country. The principles taught by Jesus have been understood and misunderstood as well. Many of his words have been taken out of context being used, misused, or abused for tolerance and intolerance ideology. As it goes for any of Jesus' teachings, if it is not understood correctly (that is biblically), then it is fallacious and misleading. However, if Jesus' teachings are understood biblically, then it is indeed a powerful truth-centered revolutionary ideology which is measured on transforming personal hearts, minds, and souls of men and women. Therefore, I want to share with you some of those powerful truth-centered biblical insights from the Sermon On the Mount that I learned from the men's study. Thus, I will share my notes on the OT in the Sermon On the Mount to help convey the theological principles and faith-based practices of the new kingdom age of salvation in Jesus Christ.

Introduction - Matthew's Gospel as the Christian Pentateuch
I wanted to make a quick notable and debatable hermeneutic that has been important while studying the Sermon On the Mount. Within Matthew's Gospel, he focuses on five major teaching sections which are distinct discourses about the new kingdom age of salvation in Jesus Christ. They always begin and end with a narrative episode. These five teaching blocks of "sermonic material" push the narrative forward hinging on important Christological teachings and fulfillment (Here are the five major teaching sections: Matt. 5-7 [Sermon On the Mount]: Matt. 10 [Sending Out of the Apostles]; Matt. 13 [Kingdom Parables]; Matt 18 [Humility and Forgiveness]; Matt. 23-25 [Olivet Discourse]). Matthew did not make a mistake by including what we can call the "five sermons" by Jesus, and did not mistakenly place the Sermon On the Mount first in his gospel. It is possible to suggest the five discourses could be interpreted as a "Christian Pentateuch" without a specific polemical intention but allusion of fulfillment of the Jewish Pentateuch (you can read more about structure in Matthew from scholar R.T. France, "Structure of Matthew"). I put together a chart that showcases the five major teaching sections:

The New Kingdom of God in Matthew	The Five Sermons [Books] in Matthew
Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”	Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
1. The Foundation of the Kingdom	Matthew 5-7: The Sermon On the Mount
2. The Mission of the Kingdom	Matthew 10: The Sermon On Sending the Apostles
3. The Secret of the Kingdom	Matthew 13: The Sermon of Kingdom Parables
4. The People of the Kingdom	Matthew 18: The Sermon of Forgiveness and Humility
5. The Future of the Kingdom	Matthew 23-25: The Sermon of the Olivet Discourse

It is skeptical to suggest this hermeneutic was intended to be a polemic against the Jews and the Law because Jesus clearly states and affirms he came to save the Jews and fulfill the law (not destroy it). Therefore, it is possible the original audience would have read Matthew and noticed the five discourses and associated it with the five books in Pentateuch because of the multiple quotations and fulfillments from the Torah by Jesus.

Canonical Patterns, Structure, and Resemblance of the Old Testament Through Jesus’ Five Sermons in Matthew’s Gospel
The Gospel of Matthew	The Old Testament Canon
Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7)	Sinai Revelation (Exodus)
Mission of the Twelve (Matt. 10)	Preparation for Conquest (Deuteronomy)
Kingdom Parables (Matt. 13)	Wisdom of Solomon (Proverbs/Ecclesiastes)
Eschatological Judgment (Matt. 23-25)	Babylonian Exile (Jeremiah/Ezekiel)­­­­

It is not definitive, but it could be likened to it due to the fact Matthew's Gospel is more of a law-fulfilling narrative to showcase Christianity as a fulfillment of OT messianic hopes. Therefore the patterns, structure, and resemblance of the OT in Jesus' five sermons do not point to fulfilling just the Pentateuch, but rather all point to Jesus as the Messiah who has come to fulfill all Scripture pertaining to himself (cf. Luke 24:27; John 5:39).

Introduction - The Typological Structure of Matthew's Gospel
In Matthew, there are many allusions to Jesus fulfilling the OT. However, there are larger, more literary structures that have been specifically emphasized within the narrative to showcase Jesus greater than the entire Law and the Prophets, and Moses who was the greatest prophet of Israel. Throughout Matthew's Gospel, Jesus' story is contrasted with stories in the OT, and detailed episodes of Moses in many ways. Here are some of the examples:

Possible Explorations, Allusions, and Fulfillments in Matthew’s Gospel With the Five Books of the Pentateuch (Jesus as Israel: The Typological Structure of Matthew’s Gospel, by Peter Leithart)
Matt. 1:1, genealogy of Jesus	Gen. 2:4; 5:1, genealogy of Adam
Matt. 1:1-17, descendant of Abraham	Gen. 12-26
Matt. 1:18-25, Joseph has a dream	Gen. 37, Joseph (son of Jacob) has a dream
Matt. 2:1-12, Magi visit Jesus	Gen. 43-47, nations visits Joseph
Matt. 2:13-15, Herod summons to kill infants	Ex. 1-2, Pharaoh summons to kill infants
Matt. 2:14, Jesus is rescued and flees	Ex. 2, Moses is rescued and flees
Matt. 2:19-23, Jesus returns to Israel	Ex. 3-4, Moses returns to Egypt
Matt. 3:1-12, John announces judgment	Ex. 5-12, Aaron/Moses announces judgment
Matt. 3:13-17, Jesus is baptized with water	Ex. 14, Israel crosses through water
Matt. 4:1-11, Jesus travels to the wilderness and is tempted on a mountain	Ex. 17-19, Israel travels to the wildness and is tempt while on their way to a mountain
Matt. 4:18-22, Jesus calls his first disciples	Ex. 18, Moses calls his first rulers
Matthew 5:1-7:29, Jesus gives his instructions of the law on a mountain	Ex. 19-24, Moses gives his instructions of the law on a mountain

Below is a chart showing how Matthew's Gospel follows the same narrative of Moses. However, it showcases how Jesus is greater than Moses from his birth, baptism, temptation, lawgiving, authority, transfiguration, and commissioning.

The “New Moses Motif” in the Typological Structure of Matthew’s Gospel (The New Moses, by Dale Allison)
Matt. 1-2, infancy narrative of Jesus	Ex. 1:1-2:10, infancy narrative of Moses
Matt. 3:13-17, baptism of water signified Jesus as the ultimate authority of Israel	Ex. 14:10-13, crossing of water signified Moses as the ultimate authority of Israel
Matt. 4:1-11, wilderness temptation of Jesus	Ex. 16:1-17:7, wilderness temptation of Moses
Matt. 5-7, lawgiving on a mountain by Jesus	Ex. 19:1-24:18, lawgiving on a mountain by Moses
Matt. 11:25-30, promised rest by God from Jesus (reciprocal knowledge of God)	Ex. 33:1-23, promised rest by God from Moses (reciprocal knowledge of God)
Matt. 17:1-9, transfiguration of Jesus on a mountain	Ex. 34:29-35, transfiguration of Moses’ face coming down a mountain
Matt. 28:16-20, the commissioning of the disciples as successors of Jesus	Deut. 31:7-9; Josh. 1:9, the commissioning of Israel leaders as successors of Moses

Here is a picture contrasting Moses (left) and Jesus (right) teaching on a mountain. Matthew is contrasting both figure to show how Jesus is indeed the new prophet and lawgiver who has come to fulfill the law that was once given by the former prophet and lawgiver Moses.

This post is a real definition of digging deeper. It took me forever to post this, but because I created an research paper on this topic. I hope you enjoyed reading this information and engaged this wealth of information as I did. I love learning about the Word of God!