John 5:46
For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
John 5:46: "For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me."
Here, Jesus links Moses’ writings directly to himself. The crowd trusts Moses; Jesus says true belief in Moses would naturally lead to belief in Jesus because Moses wrote to point toward the one who would fulfill the Law. The “writings of Moses” include the Pentateuch’s anticipatory language about a coming Prophet or Messiah who would bear God’s promises. This statement challenges listeners to read the Scriptures with their intended telos—the coming Messiah—rather than as disconnected legal codes. The cultural context includes a debate about messianic expectations and the authority of Scripture. Jesus’ claim would heighten the tension: if Moses wrote of him, then rejecting Jesus is, in a sense, rejecting what Moses testified to.
The verse reinforces the sufficiency of the Scriptures to reveal Christ. It closes the gap between Old Testament anticipation and New Testament fulfillment. It links prophetic hope with personal trust in Jesus, highlighting continuity rather than rupture between Testaments. It also emphasizes the authority of Jesus as the rightful interpreter of God’s redemptive plan.
Read the Old Testament with Christ in view. When you encounter stories, laws, or prophecies, ask how they point to Jesus and how he fulfills them. This approach deepens biblical literacy and helps guard against isolated, ethicalism or moralism that misses the gospel’s center. For personal life, consider: where might you be honoring Moses’ memory in nonessential ways, while failing to recognize how Jesus embodies God’s promised salvation?
Cross-References: Luke 24:25-27; John 1:45; Acts 3:22-24; Romans 10:4; Hebrews 3:1-6.