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Grace and Truth Came Through Jesus Christ: Christ the Lawgiver, Moses the Servant
4:30
What the video says
The video presents an article from the Orthodox Study Bible on the grace of Christ and the law of Moses, opening with singing and a prayer. It explains that Christ and Moses were friends, and that the pre-incarnate Christ, not Moses, was the author of the law, with Moses as his servant. At the Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah appeared with Christ, showing him as the fulfillment of the law and the prophets.
Christ is greater than Moses because he is the Son of God who created all things and builds his church, while Moses spoke in the name of the Lord rather than his own. Christ gave authority to believing Jews and Gentiles to become his children, since faith in Christ, not race, is the issue. The law made sin known and led to repentance, while the Holy Spirit sent at Pentecost convicts the world of sin and makes us partakers of the divine nature.
Christ, the incarnate lawgiver, remits sins through his blood and heals the damage done by sinning.
Key moments
- John 1:17 says the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ; the grace of Christ and the law of Moses are complimentary, not contradictory.
- The pre-incarnate Christ gave Moses the law, making Christ the lawgiver and Moses his servant; Moses and Elijah appeared with Christ at the Transfiguration, showing him as the fulfillment of the law and the prophets.
- Christ is incomparably greater than Moses: as Son of God he brought creation into existence from non-existence and is building his church, while Moses spoke in the name of the Lord, not his own.
- When the Son became incarnate he spoke to Israel directly, not through a prophet; Israel refused to believe him, but to believing Jews and Gentiles he gave authority to become his children.
- The Old Testament promised Gentiles would be included in the promises to Israel, citing Genesis 12:1-3 and Isaiah 49:5-6; race is not the issue but faith in Christ, and his church is one, of every nation, tongue, and tribe.
- Christ is lawgiver in both Testaments; in his incarnation he fulfilled the old law, making it obsolete.
- The Mosaic law renewed knowledge of sin dulled between Adam and Moses, leading man to repentance; after his ascension Christ sent the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to convict the world of sin, renew the natural law in conscience, lead into all truth, and make us partakers of the divine nature.
- The old law could never remit sins; Christ, the incarnate lawgiver, offers remission of sins through his precious blood and heals the damage done through sinning.
An audio reading presents an article from the Orthodox Study Bible titled "The Grace of Christ and the Law of Moses," opening with singing and a prayer. The reading takes John 1:17 as its starting point: the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. From there it argues that the grace of Christ and the law of Moses are complementary parts of one divine plan, not opposites.
The pre-incarnate Christ, not Moses, gave the law, so Christ is the Lawgiver and Moses his faithful servant. Moses spoke in the name of the Lord rather than his own, while Christ, as the Son of God, brought creation into existence from non-existence and is building his church. At the Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah appeared with Christ, Moses prefiguring the fulfillment of the Law and Elijah the Prophets.
When the Son became incarnate he spoke to Israel directly, no longer through a prophet. Israel refused to believe him, but he gave believing Jews and Gentiles authority to become his children. The reading cites Genesis 12:1-3 and Isaiah 49:5-6 to show the Old Testament promised Gentiles would be included in the promises to Israel; race is not the issue but faith in Christ, and his church is one, of every nation, tongue, and tribe.
The Mosaic law renewed the knowledge of sin that had dulled between Adam and Moses and led mankind to repentance, though it could never remit sins. After his ascension Christ sent the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to convict the world of sin, renew the natural law in conscience, lead into all truth, and make us partakers of the divine nature.
The reading closes with Christ, the incarnate Lawgiver, remitting sins through his precious blood and healing the damage done through sinning.
Main points
- John 1:17 frames the reading: the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ; law and grace are complementary, not contradictory.
- The pre-incarnate Christ gave the law, making him the Lawgiver and Moses his servant; Moses and Elijah appeared with Christ at the Transfiguration as fulfillments of the Law and the Prophets.
- Christ is greater than Moses: as Son of God he created all things and builds his church, while Moses spoke in the name of the Lord, not his own.
- The law made sin known and led to repentance but could never remit sins; the Holy Spirit, sent at Pentecost, convicts the world of sin and makes us partakers of the divine nature.
- Christ remits sins through his precious blood and heals the damage caused by sinning; faith in Christ, not race, makes believers his children.