John 5:46 – “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.”

Extended Explanation

In this verse, Jesus continues His confrontation with the religious leaders who refuse to believe in Him. He makes a bold and direct statement: if they truly believed what Moses wrote, they would also believe in Him.

This is because Moses wrote about Jesus in the Old Testament. The religious leaders claimed to follow Moses, but they missed the most important part of his writings—the promise of the coming Messiah.

Jesus is making it clear: the problem is not a lack of knowledge but a lack of faith. The Jewish leaders read and studied Moses’ writings, but they did not truly believe them, because if they had, they would have recognized Jesus as the One Moses wrote about.

This verse teaches us that true belief in God’s Word leads to faith in Jesus Christ. If someone rejects Jesus, they are not truly believing what the Scriptures say.

Historical Context

The Jewish religious leaders highly honored Moses.

• Moses received the Law from God on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20).
• He wrote the first five books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy), known as the Torah.
• The religious leaders built their entire system of laws and traditions on Moses’ teachings.

However, despite their devotion to Moses’ writings, they missed the deeper meaning—that Moses was pointing to Jesus.

Where Did Moses Write About Jesus?

Jesus was not saying this randomly. Moses actually did write about Him in several key passages:

1. Genesis 3:15 – God promises that a future offspring of Eve will crush the serpent’s head—this is a prophecy about Jesus’ victory over sin and Satan.
2. Deuteronomy 18:15 – Moses says, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you. You must listen to him.” (This is a prophecy about Jesus.)
3. Numbers 21:8-9 – Moses lifts up the bronze serpent in the wilderness, and all who look at it are healed—this foreshadows Jesus being lifted up on the cross (John 3:14-15).
4. Exodus 12:21-23 – The blood of the Passover lamb protected Israel from judgment—this foreshadows Jesus as the Lamb of God (John 1:29).

By rejecting Jesus, the religious leaders were not just rejecting a man—they were rejecting the very writings they claimed to follow.

Theological Implications

1. Jesus is the Fulfillment of the Old Testament – The entire story of Scripture points to Christ.
2. True Belief in Scripture Leads to Faith in Jesus – Many people read the Bible but still reject Jesus. This verse shows that real faith is not just about knowledge—it’s about trusting in Jesus.
3. Religious Tradition is Not Enough – The religious leaders knew Moses’ writings, but they did not truly believe them, because they missed Jesus.
4. The Old Testament and the New Testament are Connected – Some think the Old Testament is separate from the Gospel, but Jesus shows that Moses and the prophets were all pointing to Him.

Literary Analysis

This verse follows Jesus’ statement in John 5:45, where He tells them that Moses himself will be their accuser.

• “If you believed Moses” → They claimed to believe Moses, but their actions showed they didn’t.
• “You would believe me” → Because Moses’ writings clearly point to Jesus.
• “For he wrote about me” → The Scriptures are not just about laws—they are about God’s plan of redemption through Christ.

This verse reinforces a major theme in John’s Gospel—that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises in the Old Testament.

Biblical Cross-References

• Luke 24:27 – “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.”
• John 1:45 – Philip tells Nathanael, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth.”
• Matthew 5:17 – “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
• Romans 10:4 – “Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”
• Galatians 3:24 – “The law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.”

What This Verse Means for Today’s Christian

1. The Whole Bible Points to Jesus – The Old Testament is not just history or law—it is God’s unfolding plan of redemption that leads to Jesus.
2. Religious Knowledge is Not the Same as Faith – It is possible to study the Bible, know theology, and still miss Jesus. True faith means believing in Him personally.
3. We Should Read the Old Testament with Christ in Mind – When we read the books of Moses, we should ask: How do these passages point to Jesus?
4. Rejecting Jesus Means Rejecting the Bible – Some people claim to believe in God but reject Jesus. However, Jesus Himself said that if we believe the Scriptures, we must believe in Him.

How This Verse Relates to a Loving God

God’s love is seen in the fact that He has been revealing Jesus throughout all of history.

• God’s plan of salvation was not an afterthought—it was planned from the very beginning (Genesis 3:15).
• God sent Moses to prepare the way for Jesus—the Law and the sacrifices were meant to point people toward the need for a Savior.
• God’s love is patient—even though the religious leaders rejected Jesus, God continued to call people to faith in Christ.

God has always been pointing people to Jesus, because He desires that all come to know Him and receive eternal life.

How This Verse Connects to Jesus Christ

Jesus is the central figure of the entire Bible.

• Moses gave the Law → Jesus fulfilled the Law (Matthew 5:17).
• Moses was a mediator between God and Israel → Jesus is the true Mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5).
• Moses led the people to the Promised Land → Jesus leads His people to eternal life.
• Moses lifted up the bronze serpent for healing → Jesus was lifted up on the cross for our salvation (John 3:14-15).

To truly understand Moses’ writings, we must see them through the lens of Jesus Christ.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

1. Why do you think the religious leaders missed Jesus even though they studied Moses’ writings?
2. How does this verse show the connection between the Old and New Testaments?
3. What are some ways that Moses’ writings point to Jesus?
4. How can we read the Old Testament in a way that helps us grow in our faith in Christ?
5. How does this verse challenge us to not just know the Bible, but to believe in Jesus personally?

This verse is a reminder that the whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is about Jesus. The question is: Are we truly believing in Him, or are we just reading without faith?