Gary Millar: Liveblog #7

Moving farewell of Moses in 34.

God's moving and gracious allowing of Moses to see the land.

Moses talked up as greatest Israelite who ever lived.

Never one like Moses has come again.

But one like Moses will come.

Dying outside the land, though. So we need one better than Moses.

Moses brings a close to the pentateuch.

Is the 'in Christ' language of the NT a recapitulation of the 'land' image of the OT? Is it possible that the locus of God's presence and blessing is now in Christ as opposed to in the land?

What did a faithful Israelite believe?

My favourite 2-hour period of the week is the 2 hours on a Tuesday when I translate a chapter or so of John's gospel. Not least because it means I feel good about my ability to translate when it's really because John is the easiest thing in the world to translate!

Now, on to another cool discovery.

John 5:46(ESV)
For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.

However, the word 'believe' is both times in the imperfect tense. (ἐπιστεύετε) This means it is talking about a continuous action that happened in the past. The following translation would bring this out more:

For if you were believing Moses, then you were believing in me.

I reckon this is a fascinating little saying of Jesus. Is he essentially saying here that a faithful Israelite who was trusting in the testimony of the OT that pointed to Christ was in effect trusting in Him?

Very cool.