Revelations from the Word

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Jesus the prophet, like Moses

by Jean-Louis Coraboeuf

"Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us? So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honour except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house. Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them" (Mark 6:1-5).

God said to Moses, "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him… I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him…" (Deuteronomy 18:15-19). And the crowd saw Jesus as being the prophet announced by the word of Moses, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee" (Matthew 21:11) and, "Surely this is the prophet who is to come into the world" (John 6:14). The prophet is the one who God clothes with His authority so that he can communicate His will to men and instruct them. Jesus was then, the prophet like Moses was for his generation:

• they were born into a Jewish family under pagan domination (Egyptian and Roman),

• they were not raised by their own true father (Exodus 2:10 and Luke 3:23),

• they were miraculously saved from death ordered by a king (Exodus 1:22 – 2:2 and Matthew 2:13-15),

• they spent 40 days fasting (Exodus 34:28 and Matthew 4:1-2),

• they intervened to miraculously feed a multitude (manna and quails, bread and fishes),

• their faces shone in the presence of God (Exodus 34:29-30 and Matthew 17:2),

• they heard the audible voice of God (Exodus 19:19 and John 12:28),

• they performed miracles (Exodus 14:21 and Matthew 8:26),

• they were mediators of a Covenant which was sealed by blood (Exodus 24:7-8 and Matthew 26:26-28),

• they interceded for the people before God (Exodus 32:11-14 and Luke 23:33-34),

• they acted as a redeemer (Exodus 6:6-7 and Luke 1:68-69),

• they acted as God for the people (Exodus 7:1 and John 10:33),

• they appeared to a number of people after their death (Matthew 17:3 and Luke 24:36).

Like Moses, Jesus spoke all the words that God put in his mouth, "For I did not of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it" (John 12:49). And God confirmed that He had truly sent Jesus, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" (Matthew 17:5). This is why all those who know the Scriptures should listen to and take into consideration the teachings of Jesus.