Below I have described a set of miraculous occurrences. What scene from the bible do you think they describe?
- The scene takes place on a high place.
- It involves a group of three close individuals. One of them is Moses.
- A period of six days precedes the climatic encounter.
- The glory of the Lord descends on the mountain and envelopes one of the men, whose faces radiants intensely.
- The witnesses are overcome with fear and awe.
- The devine voice of God is heard
- A mediator is revealed.
- The mediator who speaks with God fasts for forty days.
Have you figured out the biblical story these events are speaking of? If you think it is Revelation at Sinai when Moses recieves the Ten Commandments, you are correct. If you think it is the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor or Hermon you are correct as well. In other words, Revelation at Sinai and the Transfiguration of Jesus mirror one another.
THE WAY
The pattern of destination, preparation, ascension and divine instruction is found both at Sinai and in the story of the Transfiguration. Both narratives frame the mountain as a place God intentionally leads people to for a climactic revelation and instructions.
Moses returned with the Ten Commandments. Jesus does not return from the mountain with a written code of laws as Moses did; instead, he returns with a revelation of his divine sonship and the charge that his disciples must “listen to him.” The focus moves from commandments written on stone, to a "living word." Instead of recieving a written law, the message is that Jesus’s teachings interpret and fulfill the Law and Prophets.
Instead of giving external commands for behavior, Jesus calls disciples into a life shaped by communion with him, inspired by his example of self-giving love, sacrificial obedience, and trust in God’s will.
Light As Glory
“When Moses came down from Mount Sinai… The skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God” (Exodus 34:29-30).
"And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light." (Matthew 17:2)
In both the story of Moses and the Transfiguration of Jesus, light is the visible sign of God's glory—it reveals not just divine presence, but the transformative nature of a close encounter with God. The radiant light acts as a physical manifestation of spiritual reality, identifying the one who beholds God as being set apart, changed, and vested with authority or purpose.
Exposure to divine light communicates something of God’s glory to those who behold it. Moses reflects it. Jesus is the light. What is so profound is the Christian belief that to see Jesus is “beholding the glory of the Lord," and by doing so we are "transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
Thus the theme of light as glory moves from Moses, who reflects and mediates, to Jesus, who radiates and fulfills. The Resurrection of Jesus is often symbolized and understood as the ultimate triumph of light over darkness.
Echoes Through Time: Continuity and Fulfillment
Some events in history echo through history, reach us today and continue into the future.
Each event, receiving the Ten Commandments at Sinai and the Transfiguration which set the course for the cross—fundamentally changes the spiritual identity, destiny and mission of God's people.
The "echo" is not a new echo; rather the echo has been transformed, for those with ears to hear. The echo of Moses is in the echo of Jesus.
The New Testament is best understood not as creating a new religion separate from Judaism, but as a continuation and fulfillment of the Hebrew Scriptures (the Tenach). Jesus and the New Testament writers consistently root their teachings and events within the context of Jewish ritual, holidays, and scripture interpretation, affirming this continuity.
A New Blood Covenant
The Transfiguration is to Sinai, as the Last Supper is to the eve of Passover.
The New Testament teaches that Jesus, at the Last Supper and in his crucifixion, inaugurated a new covenant by offering his own blood as the final, perfect substitute for the animal sacrifices of the Mosaic covenant. He is the Passover Lamb. Jesus consciously substitutes his blood for the animal blood of the old sacrificial system. Jews without a temple, and animal sacrifices, have an offer that we can choose to accept. This acceptance is offered at the Last Supper, and was accepted by his Jewish followers, whom Jesus chose.
The pattern of the Passover in Egypt echoes through time in the crucifixion.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)
Jesus as Teacher Within Judaism:
Jesus lived and taught as an observant Jew, participating in synagogue worship, Jewish festivals, and Torah observance. His parables often offer new, deeper interpretations of the Hebrew Scriptures (Tenach), aimed at revealing their fuller meaning rather than rejecting them.
“when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. (Jeremiah 31.31)
The New Testament frequently quotes and alludes to the Old Testament, emphasizing that Jesus fulfills its promises rather than abrogates them (Matthew 5:17-19). The “New” Testament takes its name from Jeremiah’s prophecy of a “new covenant” (Jeremiah 31:31), which builds on the old but inaugurates a transformed relationship with God.
Many New Testament scenes take place during Jewish festivals, such as Passover (Jesus’ crucifixion), Pentecost (Spirit outpouring in Acts 2), and Tabernacles. This situates the Christian story firmly within Jewish temporal and theological frameworks.
Scholars increasingly affirm that early Christianity started and remained a Jewish movement for decades, with no sharp “parting of ways” initially. The divergence into distinct religions developed gradually over centuries.
Proverbs Delivered as Parables
Jesus’ parables act as interpretive tools to renew understanding of the Tenach, inviting followers to grasp spiritual truths latent in the Jewish Scriptures—often revealing the coming kingdom of God and moral/spiritual responsibilities.
Echoes of the Tenach are found throughout the New Testament. By the same token, the sources of those echoes are found throughout the Tenach. We simply need ears to hear and eyes to see. The New Testament is in the Old Testament, just waiting for the hour to be revealed. By the same token, the Tenach is understood through the New Testament. You can't have one without the other.
“Then he took a cup... ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’” (Matthew 26:27-28)
Jews are taught to keep our ears and eyes shut to the New Testament. We don't even say "the name." It is as though, we are sitting at the Last Supper, and when we were offered the 1st Cup, we said, "I'll pass; thanks but no thanks."
The response of many Jewish people to Jesus throughout history and today is complex and deeply rooted in faith, identity, and experience. Many have not embraced Jesus as Messiah—not out of ignorance or hardness of heart, but because of profound theological and cultural reasons, along with a historical context marked by painful persecution from some who claimed Christian faith.
It is essential to approach this reality with humility and compassion, recognizing that God’s work among His people is a divine mystery that unfolds in His perfect timing. Scripture acknowledges this spiritual experience in Romans 11, describing a partial hardening for a time, but ensuring that God's promises to Israel remain unbroken:
“And so all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26)
Respectful dialogue, genuine listening, and patient love are the clearest paths toward bridge-building between Jewish and Christian faiths.
Conclusion: Notes And Chords
The echoes of biblical themes through Scripture can be compared to a musical chord building off individual notes. Each biblical story, prophecy, or symbol is like a single note—meaningful on its own—but when these notes resonate together across time and texts, they form a rich, layered chord.Just as a chord harmonizes individual notes to produce a fuller, deeper sound, the echoes in Scripture combine to create a complex, unified melody of God's redemptive plan. Each echo amplifies and deepens the meaning of the others, enriching our understanding like the harmonies in music.
Epilogue:
Consider Isaiah 53 in the context of this post.
Knowing - What the Hebrew shows us.