# retracing Israel's footsteps and "fulfilling all rigteousness" Matthew 2-3



## Willem van Oranje (May 21, 2010)

Who, in Matthew 2-3, is depicted as retracing the footsteps of Israel? (Hint, his initials are JC.) But where they failed, he "fulfilled all righteousness." He kept the covenant where Israel broke it. Mat 3.15 His law-keeping, God accepted on Israel's behalf by verbal approbation. v16

Notice the parallels:

1. Journey to Egypt 2:15

2. baptism 3:15 (type=crossing of the Red Sea) cf. 1 Cor 10:2

immediately followed by

3. 40 days in the wilderness + temptation (type=40 years in the wilderness) Psalm 95:8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 

For all of us who have been united to him, grafted into Israel, this Jesus the Son of God is our righteousness!


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## Willem van Oranje (May 22, 2010)

Bump!


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## Peairtach (May 23, 2010)

Thanks for the post.

Puts one in mind of other parallels between Christ and Moses.

The Devil (The Serpent) tried to destroy them both at birth, through Pharaoh (the symbol on Pharaoh's crown was a serpent) and Herod.

Christ went up into a mountain and sat or stood on a level place to expound the Law of Moses correctly to the Twelve and others - the foundation of the New Covenant Israel of God (Matthew 5-6 and Luke).

Christ (the Gospel) ascended into Heaven where Moses (the Torah) and Elijah (the Prophets) and Enoch (the Patriarchs) also are bodily.

Christ was/is a Prophet, Priest and King, like Moses.

Christ our New Covenant Moses-Joshua is leading His people through the Wilderness of this World, and also leading them in the Conquest of this Canaan, not by the sword of iron, but by the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.

The true Israel of God has expanded to include all Jews and Gentiles that are circumcised in heart. 

The Land of Israel has expanded from the River (Euphrates) to the Sea (Mediterranean), and from the East Bank of the Jordan to the River (Wadi) of Egypt, under our Moses-Joshua and David-Solomon, Christ, to extend from the River (Euphrates) to the Ends of the Earth (Psalm 72)

There are many more parallels/contrasts.

See e.g. Ada Habershon's (a lady Bible teacher!) book on the Priests and Levites and Types (Kregel)

Some of her ideas are good and likely to be intended by the Lord as being in Scripture, while others are more fanciful.

Of course later, our Lord was tempted like Adam in a garden, and was even mistaken for a gardener, which Adam was. Unlike Adam He fulfilled the probation for Himself and His people. Mary is the representative of the Church which is the fruit of His Suffering on the Cross which He has made to be a Tree of Life, far superior to the original, for His people.


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## Willem van Oranje (May 24, 2010)

Richard Tallach said:


> Thanks for the post.
> 
> Puts one in mind of other parallels between Christ and Moses.
> 
> ...


 
It's hard to see how someone could miss some of these parallels. You mentioned some that hadn't occured to me, but certainly Matthew is setting forth Christ as retracing Israel's steps and therein taking his place. I had a professor in Matthew who gave me sort of a puzzled look when I mentioned this, a recent PhD from St. Andrews University. And it's hard to see how he could have missed the parallel.


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## Peairtach (May 25, 2010)

Well I'd never noticed the one you mentioned.

The soundest and sanest book on the general subject of Biblical Typology is Patrick Fairbairn's. Very interesting to see how God has woven together the events and ceremonials of biblical history to point to Christ.

There can be (possible) fanciful speculation in types and antitypes, but Fairbairn shows how to avoid that.

The fact that Jesus successfully faced and resisted temptation in the wilderness, Gethsemane and elsewhere is a great comfort, because I fail so often to resist. But, for me, for us, He never failed.


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## Willem van Oranje (May 25, 2010)

Richard Tallach said:


> Well I'd never noticed the one you mentioned.
> 
> The soundest and sanest book on the general subject of Biblical Typology is Patrick Fairbairn's. Very interesting to see how God has woven together the events and ceremonials of biblical history to point to Christ.
> 
> ...


 
Matthew gives an explicit reference to typological fulfillment when he says, "Out of Egypt I have called my Son." The only way to miss it is if you hadn't looked up the Old Testament quotation in its OT context and seen that it was originally referring to national Israel. I once missed this. I can see how other people could miss this. But I have a hard time understanding how one who claims to be a biblical scholar specializing in the gospel of Matthew, who is teaching a seminary course on the book of Matthew, could miss it! Almost makes me wonder if he was taught by some NPP folks over at St. Andrews.


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