What statement from Deuteronomy was fixed in Peter’s mind?
(Deut. 8:3; Matt. 4:1-11; Acts 7:37; 10:34; Gal. 3:1-14; Heb. 10:28-31) Blog 12-18 Dec. 2021
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: In his farewell address Moses emphasized the need to remember God’s leading, his covenant, and his loving care. Known as The Book of the Law or The Book of the Covenant, Deuteronomy gives a summary of all that God tried to teach his people during their wilderness wanderings. They were never to forget that it was God’s grace and not their goodness that brought all his blessings to them and that if they rebelled against him they would receive the curses listed in Deuteronomy. These themes are repeated throughout the Old Testament.
Jesus and Deuteronomy
1. When tempted in the wilderness how did Jesus respond to the devil? In responding to Satan’s temptations Jesus quoted verses from Deuteronomy (Deut. 6:13, 16; 8:3; Matt. 4:1-11).
2. What particular link exists between Jesus’ temptations and the book of Deuteronomy? Jesus was the Prince of the covenant & Deuteronomy is the Book of the Covenant so it was very appropriate for Jesus to quote from it when Satan attempted to thwart his covenant fulfillment (Deut 29:9; Mal. 3:1; Heb. 10:9).
3. How were Jesus’ temptations related to those of Adam and Eve? Just like Jesus, Adam & Eve were tempted on appetite, presumption, & selfish ambition in rejecting the Word of God (Gen, 3:1-6).
4. How was it that Jesus could quote various passages from Deuteronomy with such ease? Jesus spent his childhood learning Holy Scripture at his mother’s knee & on his own throughout his youth (Luke 2:46-47).
5. After feeding the 5,000, what did the people erroneously seek from Jesus? The people sought physical food when they should have been seeking the Bread of Life, Jesus himself (Deut. 8:3; John 6:30-35).
6. Give other examples where Jesus quoted Deuteronomy: Jesus quoted Deuteronomy in Matthew15:4; 18:16; 22:37; & 26:11.
7. When Peter writes that we should resist the devil how did Jesus do this that made the devil flee from him? Jesus wielded the sharp two-edged sword of the Spirit to resist the devil, just as we should also (Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12; 1 Pet. 1:23).
8. What evidence does Luke give that after his resurrection Jesus still relied on his knowledge of Holy Scripture rather than on doing miracles as the greatest proof that he was the Messiah? Luke says that in order to show the two disciples on the road to Emmaus that he was the promised Messiah he quoted Moses & the prophets (Luke 24:25-27).
The Early Church and Deuteronomy
9. What statement from Deuteronomy does Peter quote in his second Pentecostal sermon? Peter quotes the portion of Deuteronomy that says God will raise up another prophet like Moses to whom his people should pay careful attention & says that prophet is Jesus (Deut. 18:15-19; Acts 3:22-23).
10. What statement from Deuteronomy was fixed in Peter’s mind when he came to Cornelius’ home? Just after his housetop vision Peter has Moses’ statement that “God is no respecter of persons” fixed in his mind (Deut. 10:17; Acts 10:34; 1 Pet. 1:17).
11. If according to Moses and Peter, God does not have favorites, what common doctrine must be wrong? If God doesn’t have favorites, then the doctrine of limited atonement (that Jesus died only for the elect) must be wrong (Deut. 10:17; Acts 10:34).
12. What statement from Deuteronomy does Stephen quote in his defense before the Jewish Council? Stephen quotes the portion of Deuteronomy that says God will raise up another prophet like Moses to whom his people should pay careful attention (Deut. 18:15-19; Acts 7:37).
13. Why did the Jewish leaders reject Stephen’s application of Deuteronomy 18:15? The Jewish leaders rejected Stephen’s defense because they could not believe that the Law of Moses had served its purpose while only the Ten Commandments remained & that they were no longer God’s chosen people (Deut. 18:15; Acts 6:8-14; 7:37; Col. 2:13-17).
Paul and Deuteronomy
14. When Paul quotes Moses’ statement about the nearness of God’s Law to his people, how does he turn Moses’ emphasis in another direction? Paul applies Moses’ words to the nearness of the Gospel to those in his hearing, saying that Moses taught “Obey and Live” which Israel took to mean that they had the power to obey in themselves & so sought righteousness through their obedience when they should have sought righteousness in Jesus who taught “Live and Obey” (Deut. 30:12-13; Romans 10:1-13).
15. How does Paul apply the curse mentioned in Deuteronomy 27:26? Paul uses Moses’ words to emphasize that God through Moses required TOTAL obedience in order to not be cursed, thus showing that all human beings are under a curse because no one totally obeys God’s Law (Deut. 5:29; 27:26; Gal. 3:10-11).
16. What is Paul’s answer to the human inability to keep all the Commandments? Paul turns to Jesus as the One who bore all the curses for us (even to being hanged on a tree) so that through faith in him we might receive all the blessings promised in Deuteronomy (Deut. 21:23; Gal. 3:11-14; 2 Cor. 5:21).
17. To whom does Paul write the book of Hebrews? Paul clearly states that he is writing the book called “Hebrews” to “holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling” thus showing that he is writing to all believers & not Jewish believers only (Heb. 3:1).
18. What passages from Deuteronomy does Paul quote in Hebrews 10? In Hebrews 10 Paul quotes Deuteronomy 17:6 & 32:35-36 (Heb. 10:28-30).
19. What theme, common to Deuteronomy, is Paul emphasizing in the last part of Hebrews 10? In the last part of Hebrews 10 Paul is emphasizing the possibility of a believer losing their salvation by openly turning away from God who will settle all accounts in final judgment (Deut. 17:6, 12-13; 32:35-36; Heb. 10:26-31).