Matthew and Moses (part 2)

Stephen Russell

The Pentateuch in Matthew • Sermon • Submitted 8 months ago • Presented 8 months ago

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Introduction

As we continue this series of studies on the book of Mathew and Moses, we turn our attention to the usage of Exodus.

A popular trend in Biblical interpretation has been to stress the need of studying ancient customs in order to have an accurate understanding of scripture.

I do think those studies can help add some degree of nuanced understanding but I don’t think it provides any fundamental shift in understanding.

But what we actually need is a greater familiarity with the Old Testament in order to fully understand and appreciate the New Testament.

The New Exodus

“The prophets frequently looked forward to a ‘repetition of the acts of God.’ The Exodus especially provided a model for prophetic predictions both of acts of deliverance within the national history of Israel, and of the more glorious eschatological work of God…”

There is some obvious overlap with the sections connected to Genesis (Matt. 2:15; cf. Hos. 11:1; Ex. 4:22).

Jesus is a new Moses (Matt. 2:20; cf. Ex. 4:19).

Baptism is explicitly connected to the Red Sea by Paul (1 Cor. 10:1-2).

Perfect Israel

This period is connected to Israel in the wilderness but can also be connected to Moses (Matt. 4:2; Ex. 34:28).

While Jesus quotes Deuteronomy, it is in reference to events from the book of Exodus.

“Man shall not live by bread alone” (Ex. 16:1-7).

“You shall not put the Lord your God to the test (Ex. 17:1-7).

“You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only” (Ex. 20:3; 32-34).

The Law on the Mountain

The introduction gives us the first connection here (Matt. 5:1; cf. Ex. 19:20; Deut. 9:9).

There are several contrasts to this comparison:

The people go up the mountain too.

Jesus goes up not to receive the law but to deliver it.

He Himself is the word. So he represents Moses (going up), God (giving the law), and even the tablets (being a living representation of the law).

We start with “ten words” (Matt. 5:2-12).

There are many connections in the teachings of Jesus that follow and the laws of Exodus (Matt. 5:23-24; Ex. 21:12-14)

These connections aren’t confined to the specific commentary on the law (Matt. 6:24; Ex. 21:5-6).

Conclusion

Jesus is not presented as merely a good man or even as God who shows up unexpectedly.

He is presented as the fulfillment of all of Israel’s history and of all of the instruction to Israel.

Both as the giver of that instruction and the keeper of it.

He steps into Israel’s history as the perfect version of every failed portion of their history.

The idea is very satisfying in the truest and deepest sense of that word.

We don’t just look at Jesus and see someone who gives us rules to follow. Rather, we see the one who is where all of those rules point our hearts, minds, and bodies.

Do you seek that kind of satisfaction?