Apocalypse Explained # 937
937. That "Moses" signifies the Word of the Old Testament can be seen from certain passages in the Word in which he is mentioned. But in some passages "Moses" means the law in the strictest sense, which is the law given from Mount Sinai; in others, the law in a broader sense, which is the historical Word; while here the Word of the Old Testament, both historical and prophetical, is meant. "Moses" signifies the Word because the Ten Commandments, and afterwards the Five Books, which were the first part of the Word, were not from him but from the Lord through him. That Moses is mentioned instead of the law and the Word, is evident from the following passages. In Luke:
Abraham said unto him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. If they hear not Moses and the prophets neither will they be persuaded if one should rise from the dead (Luke 16:29, 31).
Here "Moses and the prophets" have a like meaning as the "law and the prophets" elsewhere, namely, the historical and prophetical Word. In the same:
Jesus, beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, interpreted in all the Scriptures the things that pertained to Himself (Luke 24:27).
In the same:
All things must needs be fulfilled which are written in the law of Moses and in the prophets and in the psalms concerning Me (Luke 24:44)
In John:
Philip said, We have found Jesus, of whom Moses in the law did write (John 1:45).
In the same:
In the law Moses commanded us (John 8:5).
In Daniel:
The curse hath flowed down upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against Him. As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us (Daniel 9:11, 13).
In Joshua:
Joshua wrote upon the stone of the altar a copy of the law of Moses (Joshua 8:32).
In John:
Moses gave to you the law. Moses gave you the circumcision. If a man receive circumcision on the sabbath, that the law of Moses might not be broken (John 7:19, 22, 33).
In Mark:
Moses hath said, Honor thy father and thy mother (Mark 7:10).
[2] That which was from the Lord through Moses was attributed to Moses because of the representation; therefore the terms "the law of Moses" and "the law of the Lord" are both used in Luke:
When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought Him up to Jerusalem, (as it is written in the law of the Lord, that every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord), that they might offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons (Luke 2:22-24, 39).
[3] Because Moses represented the law it was permitted him to come into the presence of the Lord on Mount Sinai, and not only to receive there the Tables of the Law, but also to hear the statutes and judgments of the law, and command them to the people; and it is added, that they might therefore believe in Moses forever:
Jehovah said unto Moses, Lo, I will come unto thee in the mist of a cloud, that the people may hear when I shall speak unto thee, and may also believe in thee forever (Exodus 19:9).
It is said "in the mist of a cloud," because a "cloud" signifies the Word in the letter. So when Moses came into the presence of the Lord on Mount Sinai:
He entered into the cloud (Exodus 20:21; 24:2, 18; 34:2-5).
(That "cloud" signifies the sense of the letter of the Word see above, n. 36, 594, 905, 906.)
[4] Because Moses represented the Lord as to the law or the Word, therefore:
When he came down from Mount Sinai the skin of his face shone; therefore when he spoke with the people he put a veil over his face (Exodus 34:28-35).
"The shining of the face" signified the internal of the law, for that is in the light of heaven. He veiled his face when he spoke with the people because the internal of the Word was covered and thus obscured to that people to protect them from anything of its light.
[5] Because Moses represented the Lord as to the historical Word, and Elijah the Lord as to the prophetical Word, when the Lord was transfigured Moses and Elijah were seen talking with Him (Matthew 17:3). When the Lord's Divine was manifested in the world, only those who signified the Word could talk with the Lord, because discourse with the Lord is by means of the Word. (That Elijah represented the Lord as to the Word, see n. 624.)
[6] Because Moses and Elijah taken together represented the Word, where Elijah is spoken of as the one sent before the Lord, both are mentioned, in Malachi:
Remember ye the law of Moses My servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, the statutes and the judgments. Lo, I send to you Elijah the prophet, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah comes (Malachi 4:4-6).
Elijah the prophet means John the Baptist; because he, like Elijah, represented the Word (See above, n. 624, 724).
Mark 7
1
Then the Pharisees, and some of the scribes gathered together to him, having come from Jerusalem.
2
Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is, unwashed, hands, they found fault.
3
(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, don't eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders.
4
They don't eat when they come from the marketplace, unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things, which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches.)
5
The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why don't your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?"
6
He answered them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7
But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'
8
"For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men--the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things."
9
He said to them, "Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.
10
For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother;' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.'
11
But you say, 'If a man tells his father or his mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban, that is to say, given to God;"'
12
then you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother,
13
making void the word of God by your tradition, which you have handed down. You do many things like this."
14
He called all the multitude to himself, and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand.
15
There is nothing from outside of the man, that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man.
16
If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!"
17
When he had entered into a house away from the multitude, his disciples asked him about the parable.
18
He said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also? Don't you perceive that whatever goes into the man from outside can't defile him,
19
because it doesn't go into his heart, but into his stomach, then into the latrine, thus purifying all foods?"
20
He said, "That which proceeds out of the man, that defiles the man.
21
For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts,
22
covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness.
23
All these evil things come from within, and defile the man."
24
From there he arose, and went away into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. He entered into a house, and didn't want anyone to know it, but he couldn't escape notice.
25
For a woman, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having heard of him, came and fell down at his feet.
26
Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. She begged him that he would cast the demon out of her daughter.
27
But Jesus said to her, "Let the children be filled first, for it is not appropriate to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."
28
But she answered him, "Yes, Lord. Yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs."
29
He said to her, "For this saying, go your way. The demon has gone out of your daughter."
30
She went away to her house, and found the child having been laid on the bed, with the demon gone out.
31
Again he departed from the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and came to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the region of Decapolis.
32
They brought to him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech. They begged him to lay his hand on him.
33
He took him aside from the multitude, privately, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat, and touched his tongue.
34
Looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha!" that is, "Be opened!"
35
Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was released, and he spoke clearly.
36
He commanded them that they should tell no one, but the more he commanded them, so much the more widely they proclaimed it.
37
They were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He makes even the deaf hear, and the mute speak!"
