Did Jesus Say “I am the Law of Moses”?
In the third season of The Chosen, a Pharisee demands Jesus follow the law of Moses. Jesus replies, “I am the law of Moses.“
Did Dallas Jenkins and The Chosen team get it right?
To understand the basis for the claim that Jesus is the Law of Moses let’s look at what John and Paul say (the two writers, not the two Beatles :). In John 1:14 we read:
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among mankind.”
One way to understand this claim of “the Word made flesh” is to believe that through the spoken word of God, all things come into existence. John makes such a claim in John 1:3.
“Through him (the Word) all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made.”
From John’s perspective, the Word of God and the Son of God are the same: one spoken aloud and written for our benefit, the other in the flesh as a living example of the Word.
Paul and Jesus on the Law and Sin
In Romans 7:7 Paul says:
“I would not have known what sin was if not for the law.”
Jesus says of himself:
“If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now that I have come, they have no excuse for their sin.” (John 15:22)
For Paul, the law reveals sin in our lives. For Jesus, his words reveal sin in our lives.
The Word that Brings Life and Death
Our words matter. The tongue has the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21). What we say to others can build up or tear down. With words of encouragement, we can inspire. With criticism, we can deflate. This is especially true if we have the Spirit of Jesus within us.
In Revelation 19:13 we learn that one name for Jesus is the Word of God (Revelation 19:13). Two verses later we see a sharp sword coming from the mouth of Jesus which is to strike down the nations (Revelation 19:15). In the Word of God there is life and death.
If we have the Spirit of Jesus within us — the Spirit of the Word made flesh — his Spirit will affirm his words and the words of the Father. If we do not have the Spirit of Jesus within us, we will struggle to grasp the full revelation of God’s word and understand its meanings and implications for our lives.
“I am the Law of Moses”
The Spirit of Jesus, the One who is the Word, is the author of the Word. He wrote the book and is the book. When we read the Bible, it’s as though Jesus is sitting next to us pointing out words and phrases and whispering to us, “Yes, that passage right there, this promise is for you.”
But for those who do not have the Spirit of Jesus, the living Word of God is a dead document to be scrutinized, analyzed, and criticized. Because Jesus warned, “Whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me,” those who are offended by Jesus will be offended by his words until his Spirit quickens them and makes them alive (Ephesians 2:5).
We who love reading our Bible have no reason to boast. The only reason we love the Word of God is because the Spirit of Jesus lives in us and gives us his love for the Word.
Is Jesus the Law of Moses? Absolutely. He is the Law and Prophets and all Wisdom teaching and the Gospels and the Epistles his final Revelation. He is the Word made flesh and should anyone try to write down all the Word the world could not contain the books (John 21:25).
We do not worship the Bible: we worship Jesus. And Jesus is fully revealed in the Bible.
