This document compares Moses and Jesus across several categories including their faithfulness, roles, names, testing in the desert, refusal to worship false gods, giving of laws on a mountain, healings, and roles as intercessors. It notes many parallel stories and actions between the two figures, highlighting Jesus as the fulfillment of Moses and the greater prophet who came to establish a new covenant.

1. Moses and Jesus Compared
Moses Reference Jesus Reference
Faithful in all his house Heb 3:2 citing Nm 12:7-8 Faithful to the one who appointed Heb 3:2
(different wording: LXX cf. him
MT)
Servant of God’s house Heb 3:5 The son placed over his house Heb 3:6
Forefather Joseph rescued Mt 2:13-15 echoing the Father Joseph rescued his family by Mt 2:13-15
his family (tribe) by going Joseph cycle in Gen 37-50 fleeing to Egypt
to Egypt
Moses (Mosheh) – to Ex 2:10 Jesus (Yeshua) means “God saves” – Mt 2:19-21
draw out of (or rescue name is destiny
from) the water – name is
destiny
Moses on Mt. Sinai for Ex 24:18, Dt 1:3 Jesus tested in the desert for forty Mt 4:1-11
forty days and forty nights; days and forty nights
Israel wanders in the
desert forty years
Moses refuses to worship Ex 32:20 Jesus refuses to worship Satan as a Mt 4:8-10
false gods false god
Moses goes up a Ex 20 Jesus goes up a mountain and gives Mt 5-7
mountain and gives the the New Law (his going to the root of
Law the Law, the heart)
Feast of Weeks celebrates Ex 24:16, 34:22, although Feast of Pentecost celebrates the Acts 2 fulfilling Jer
the giving of the Law on this meaning Is of post- giving of the Spirit which makes 31:31-34
Sinai exilic origin (EDB, “Weeks, obedience to the Law possible—it is
Feast of”) written on the human heart
Radiant with God’s glory Ex 34:29-35 Shining like the sun at the Mt 17:1-8
Transfiguration
Pharaoh decrees the Ex 1:22 Herod decrees the slaughter of the Mt 1:16-18
death of all the newborn innocents
Hebrew boys
70 elders to help him Ex 18:13-26, 24:1 70 disciples sent out to carry on Jesus’ Lk 10:1-20
mission and work
Heals Miriam’s leprous Nm 12:9-15 , Nm 21:6-9 Jesus is the ultimate healer A huge number of
hand and the plague of healings all
fiery serpents through the
Gospels
Leads Israel in the Exodus Ex 3-40 Refers to his passion and death as the Lk 9:31
exodus (Gk. exodos) he must undergo
Intercessor and mediator Many times, most Intercessor and mediator for the Heb 7:25
for the people particularly Ex 32:11-14 people par excellence
Created by Elizabeth Cole, November 6, 2011