The book of Deuteronomy is one of four books of the Old Testament (Genesis, Deuteronomy, Psalms, and Isaiah) that are most often quoted in the New Testament. According to biblical scholars, Deuteronomy is the book that Jesus quoted the most, especially in crucial moments of His Messianic mission. The reason for Deuteronomy’s popularity has to do with the sermon genre of the book of Deuteronomy, its pedagogical tone, and its theological teaching. Moses does not just quote the laws; he comments on them and brings out their theological content and profound intention for the sake of applying them to the lives of the Israelites. Deuteronomy contains many teachings that will constitute the theological fundamentals of Christian faith. We find in Deuteronomy the theological tension between the rigor of the law and the good news of the grace of God. It is from the book of Deuteronomy that Paul draws the idea that the law reveals sin (Rom. 7:7), that righteousness is only by faith (Rom. 1:17; 10:6, 8, 17; compare Deut. 30:12–14), and the hope that someday God’s people will join as one with the Gentiles (Rom. 15:10; compare Deut. 32:43). This is why the book of Deuteronomy has been compared to the book of Romans in the New Testament. This week’s study is devoted to the place and significance of the book of Deuteronomy in the New Testament.
Lesson Themes:
• “It is written” (Matt. 4:4). Jesus uses the Word of God.
• Live by the Word. Deep lesson on where humans find their source of life and existence
• Law and grace. How the New Testament uses Deuteronomy to explain law and grace
• “ ‘A Prophet like me’ ” (Deut. 18:15, NKJV). Jesus points back to Deuteronomy, which pointed forward to Him.
Part II: Commentary
The study of the book of Deuteronomy, from the perspective of the New Testament, provides a comprehensive and balanced theology. From it, we will learn about the vital need of the Word of God by which we shall live. We will appreciate the value of the principle “It is written” and the vital need for the Word of God. We will understand better the interaction between law and grace, and thus adjust our relationship with the God of justice and love. We will believe in the Messianic prophecies.
“It Is Written” (Matt. 4:4).
The fact that Jesus uses “It is written” (Matt. 4:4) to introduce His quotation from the book of Deuteronomy clearly indicates that for Him this book belongs to the corpus of inspired Scriptures. This is a technical expression that already had been used in the time of the Old Testament (Josh. 1:8, 1 Kings 2:3, Neh. 10:34, etc.) and later in the New Testament (Mark 9:13, Acts 1:20, 1 Cor. 1:19, etc.) to refer to the authority of the Scriptures. The passive form of the verb indicates the grammatical intention to imply the divine subject behind these writings. It is interesting that not only Jesus but also Satan refers to the inspired Scriptures, and both use the conventional “It is written” to introduce their quotations. But only Jesus, not Satan, points to God. The devil focuses only on the miracle, and God is not important in his theology. Jesus, on the other hand, focuses on God, whom alone we should worship (Matt. 4:10). For it is possible to know the Scriptures well and quote them all the time, and yet ignore or even reject the God who inspired them.
Live by the Word.
When at the end of His 40 days of fasting in the wilderness Jesus was tempted by Satan to turn stones into bread (an allusion to the miracle of the manna), He quoted a line from the book of Deuteronomy, in which Moses spoke to the Israelites at the end of their 40 years in the wilderness: “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’ ” (Matt. 4:4, NKJV; compare Deut. 8:3). This verse refers, of course, to the Word of God, as it was understood by the Greek translation (known as the Septuagint) that is quoted in the Greek New Testament. But the Hebrew text implies more than the words coming out of God’s mouth. The Hebrew text says literally, “Man shall live on all that will come out from the mouth of God” (Deut. 8:3; compare Robert Alter’s translation; compare JPS). The Hebrew verse also alludes to God’s creation of human beings (Gen. 2:7). What Moses was emphasizing was that it is from God’s mouth, not from bread, that humans receive life. It was important that the Israelites understand this lesson. Spoiled by the manna that fell regularly and surely on their ground, the Israelites got used to that natural provision and may have, indeed, forgotten that it came from God. Jesus reminds Satan that even the power of the miracle was not the point, but the person of God Himself was.
Law and Grace
As in the book of Deuteronomy, the apostle Paul upholds both law and grace, although he also warns against misunderstanding these two principles. When Paul discusses the curse of Deuteronomy against those who observe the law (Gal. 3:10; compare Deut. 27:26), he insists that it is not the law, per se, that will save believers. To the Galatians, Paul argues that they should not trust the law for salvation, for the rigor of the law will indeed make them worthy of death. Their human effort to obey the law is bound to fail. Yet, Paul pursues, “ ‘the man who does them shall live by them’ ” (Gal. 3:12, NKJV), referring to the laws of Moses (Deut. 4:1; compare Lev. 18:5). The reason for this paradox resides not only in the value of the law but also in the faith in the grace of God: “The just shall live by faith” (Gal. 3:11), a principle that is taken from Genesis 15:6. Then Paul explains and gives the key to that “contradiction”: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law” (Gal. 3:13, NKJV) that comes from disobeying it. Paul does not promote the rejection of the law; on the contrary, he reinforces the need for the law. Although we shall live by the law, it is precisely this life of faithfulness that will take us to faith in Jesus Christ, who has died for the failure of the sinner. But we are bound to suffer the curse by relying only on our works of the law, excluding the dimension of mercy (Heb. 10:28; compare Deut. 17:2–6; Deut. 19:15; Heb. 10:30; compare Deut. 32:35, 36). Thus, it will be even worse if we ignore the mercy of God, and thus dismiss, or “insult,” the Spirit of grace that has been manifested in the Cross (Heb. 10:29).
“ ‘A Prophet Like Me’ ” (Deut 18:15, NKJV)
When, under inspiration, Moses predicts the coming of a Prophet like him (Deut. 18:15–19), he is not just referring to the future coming of prophets in general. There have been prophets before Moses (Gen. 20:7, Gen. 37:5–9, Num. 11:25). Moses has in mind the future Messiah, just as later prophets predicted Him. Note that the same particular expression, “I will raise up a prophet,” was used elsewhere in the Old Testament to describe the coming of the Messiah, thus alluding to Moses’ previous prophecy (2 Sam 7:12). So, when Jesus came and performed the extraordinary miracle of the multiplication of the loaves of bread, the Jews immediately remembered the miracle of the manna and thought that the prophet like Moses had come (John 6:14). No wonder Peter and Stephen, who knew about this Messianic prophecy, used it as an argument to convince the Jews of that time who were waiting for a Prophet like Moses (Acts 3:22, 23).
Part III: Life Application
How Do You Apply the Scriptures?
Consider the following cases of knowing the Scriptures well, but without taking seriously its inspired nature:
• Hermeneutic Application. Some may question the historical, ethical, and theological truth of the text and/or interpret the Scriptures from the point of view of their cultural presuppositions (evolutionist theories, social and political pressure, etc.). What is the danger to one’s faith from this mode of thinking? What is the remedy?
• Existential Application. For some, the Scriptures do not impact their personal and professional life, as if the God of the Scriptures (Old and New Testament) were just a God of another time who has nothing to do with their daily life and the marketplace. How can the existential thinker strive to make the Scriptures and God more personal?
How Do You Observe the Biblical Laws?
• The Sabbath. What can you do to prepare for the coming of the Sabbath from the start of the week so that you may live this day as a time of joy, as a gift from God to you, and not as a chore?
• The Tithe. Do you complain when you have to set aside part of your salary for God? Why do you think that is? What can you do to reframe your attitude toward tithing?
How Do You Understand the Messianic Prophecies?
Discuss with your class the following answers
• as real predictions that have been understood, as such, by the prophet who uttered them,
• as reflections that apply only to the contemporary situation, and
• as prophecies with double applications (contemporary and future) and reinterpreted by New Testament writers.
Notes
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Key Text: Matthew 4:4
Study Focus: Matt. 4:1–11; compare Deut. 8:3; Gal. 3:1–14; compare Deut. 27:22–26; Acts 3:22; compare Deut. 18:15–19; Heb. 10:28–31; compare Deut. 17:2–6; Deut. 19:15; Deut. 32:35, 36.
Part I: Overview
The book of Deuteronomy is one of four books of the Old Testament (Genesis, Deuteronomy, Psalms, and Isaiah) that are most often quoted in the New Testament. According to biblical scholars, Deuteronomy is the book that Jesus quoted the most, especially in crucial moments of His Messianic mission. The reason for Deuteronomy’s popularity has to do with the sermon genre of the book of Deuteronomy, its pedagogical tone, and its theological teaching. Moses does not just quote the laws; he comments on them and brings out their theological content and profound intention for the sake of applying them to the lives of the Israelites. Deuteronomy contains many teachings that will constitute the theological fundamentals of Christian faith. We find in Deuteronomy the theological tension between the rigor of the law and the good news of the grace of God. It is from the book of Deuteronomy that Paul draws the idea that the law reveals sin (Rom. 7:7), that righteousness is only by faith (Rom. 1:17; 10:6, 8, 17; compare Deut. 30:12–14), and the hope that someday God’s people will join as one with the Gentiles (Rom. 15:10; compare Deut. 32:43). This is why the book of Deuteronomy has been compared to the book of Romans in the New Testament. This week’s study is devoted to the place and significance of the book of Deuteronomy in the New Testament.
Lesson Themes:
• “It is written” (Matt. 4:4). Jesus uses the Word of God.
• Live by the Word. Deep lesson on where humans find their source of life and existence
• Law and grace. How the New Testament uses Deuteronomy to explain law and grace
• “ ‘A Prophet like me’ ” (Deut. 18:15, NKJV). Jesus points back to Deuteronomy, which pointed forward to Him.
Part II: Commentary
The study of the book of Deuteronomy, from the perspective of the New Testament, provides a comprehensive and balanced theology. From it, we will learn about the vital need of the Word of God by which we shall live. We will appreciate the value of the principle “It is written” and the vital need for the Word of God. We will understand better the interaction between law and grace, and thus adjust our relationship with the God of justice and love. We will believe in the Messianic prophecies.
“It Is Written” (Matt. 4:4).
The fact that Jesus uses “It is written” (Matt. 4:4) to introduce His quotation from the book of Deuteronomy clearly indicates that for Him this book belongs to the corpus of inspired Scriptures. This is a technical expression that already had been used in the time of the Old Testament (Josh. 1:8, 1 Kings 2:3, Neh. 10:34, etc.) and later in the New Testament (Mark 9:13, Acts 1:20, 1 Cor. 1:19, etc.) to refer to the authority of the Scriptures. The passive form of the verb indicates the grammatical intention to imply the divine subject behind these writings. It is interesting that not only Jesus but also Satan refers to the inspired Scriptures, and both use the conventional “It is written” to introduce their quotations. But only Jesus, not Satan, points to God. The devil focuses only on the miracle, and God is not important in his theology. Jesus, on the other hand, focuses on God, whom alone we should worship (Matt. 4:10). For it is possible to know the Scriptures well and quote them all the time, and yet ignore or even reject the God who inspired them.
Live by the Word.
When at the end of His 40 days of fasting in the wilderness Jesus was tempted by Satan to turn stones into bread (an allusion to the miracle of the manna), He quoted a line from the book of Deuteronomy, in which Moses spoke to the Israelites at the end of their 40 years in the wilderness: “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’ ” (Matt. 4:4, NKJV; compare Deut. 8:3). This verse refers, of course, to the Word of God, as it was understood by the Greek translation (known as the Septuagint) that is quoted in the Greek New Testament. But the Hebrew text implies more than the words coming out of God’s mouth. The Hebrew text says literally, “Man shall live on all that will come out from the mouth of God” (Deut. 8:3; compare Robert Alter’s translation; compare JPS). The Hebrew verse also alludes to God’s creation of human beings (Gen. 2:7). What Moses was emphasizing was that it is from God’s mouth, not from bread, that humans receive life. It was important that the Israelites understand this lesson. Spoiled by the manna that fell regularly and surely on their ground, the Israelites got used to that natural provision and may have, indeed, forgotten that it came from God. Jesus reminds Satan that even the power of the miracle was not the point, but the person of God Himself was.
Law and Grace
As in the book of Deuteronomy, the apostle Paul upholds both law and grace, although he also warns against misunderstanding these two principles. When Paul discusses the curse of Deuteronomy against those who observe the law (Gal. 3:10; compare Deut. 27:26), he insists that it is not the law, per se, that will save believers. To the Galatians, Paul argues that they should not trust the law for salvation, for the rigor of the law will indeed make them worthy of death. Their human effort to obey the law is bound to fail. Yet, Paul pursues, “ ‘the man who does them shall live by them’ ” (Gal. 3:12, NKJV), referring to the laws of Moses (Deut. 4:1; compare Lev. 18:5). The reason for this paradox resides not only in the value of the law but also in the faith in the grace of God: “The just shall live by faith” (Gal. 3:11), a principle that is taken from Genesis 15:6. Then Paul explains and gives the key to that “contradiction”: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law” (Gal. 3:13, NKJV) that comes from disobeying it. Paul does not promote the rejection of the law; on the contrary, he reinforces the need for the law. Although we shall live by the law, it is precisely this life of faithfulness that will take us to faith in Jesus Christ, who has died for the failure of the sinner. But we are bound to suffer the curse by relying only on our works of the law, excluding the dimension of mercy (Heb. 10:28; compare Deut. 17:2–6; Deut. 19:15; Heb. 10:30; compare Deut. 32:35, 36). Thus, it will be even worse if we ignore the mercy of God, and thus dismiss, or “insult,” the Spirit of grace that has been manifested in the Cross (Heb. 10:29).
“ ‘A Prophet Like Me’ ” (Deut 18:15, NKJV)
When, under inspiration, Moses predicts the coming of a Prophet like him (Deut. 18:15–19), he is not just referring to the future coming of prophets in general. There have been prophets before Moses (Gen. 20:7, Gen. 37:5–9, Num. 11:25). Moses has in mind the future Messiah, just as later prophets predicted Him. Note that the same particular expression, “I will raise up a prophet,” was used elsewhere in the Old Testament to describe the coming of the Messiah, thus alluding to Moses’ previous prophecy (2 Sam 7:12). So, when Jesus came and performed the extraordinary miracle of the multiplication of the loaves of bread, the Jews immediately remembered the miracle of the manna and thought that the prophet like Moses had come (John 6:14). No wonder Peter and Stephen, who knew about this Messianic prophecy, used it as an argument to convince the Jews of that time who were waiting for a Prophet like Moses (Acts 3:22, 23).
Part III: Life Application
How Do You Apply the Scriptures?
Consider the following cases of knowing the Scriptures well, but without taking seriously its inspired nature:
• Hermeneutic Application. Some may question the historical, ethical, and theological truth of the text and/or interpret the Scriptures from the point of view of their cultural presuppositions (evolutionist theories, social and political pressure, etc.). What is the danger to one’s faith from this mode of thinking? What is the remedy?
• Existential Application. For some, the Scriptures do not impact their personal and professional life, as if the God of the Scriptures (Old and New Testament) were just a God of another time who has nothing to do with their daily life and the marketplace. How can the existential thinker strive to make the Scriptures and God more personal?
How Do You Observe the Biblical Laws?
• The Sabbath. What can you do to prepare for the coming of the Sabbath from the start of the week so that you may live this day as a time of joy, as a gift from God to you, and not as a chore?
• The Tithe. Do you complain when you have to set aside part of your salary for God? Why do you think that is? What can you do to reframe your attitude toward tithing?
How Do You Understand the Messianic Prophecies?
Discuss with your class the following answers
• as real predictions that have been understood, as such, by the prophet who uttered them,
• as reflections that apply only to the contemporary situation, and
• as prophecies with double applications (contemporary and future) and reinterpreted by New Testament writers.
Notes