New and Old Testament Parallels
‘Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying…’ Matthew 5:1,2
Matthew wants his readers to see a series of intriguing parallels between Israel’s history and what happened to Jesus.
When the fledgling nation came up from the waters of the Red Sea, God gave them the Law. This Law confirmed Israel’s unique standing as God’s firstborn, His own son.
When Jesus came up from the waters at His baptism, God gave Him the Holy Spirit in a new way, along with the declaration He was God’s Son.
The description of (old) covenant behaviour, the Law, was given on a mountain.
The description of (new) covenant behaviour, the Sermon on the Mount, was also given on a mountain
Moses stood between God and man as the mediator of the old covenant.
Jesus stood between God and man as the mediator of the new covenant.
Israel then went into a forty year wilderness to test her calling.
Jesus went into a forty day wilderness to test His calling (‘If you are the Son of God …’)
Israel failed the test.
Jesus passed the test.
Jesus became all that Israel had failed to be to bring the nation to God.
Jesus became all that we had failed to be to bring us to God.
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