Accuser: Satan or Moses?

[Wrangler]

In today's devotional reading, I finally connected the point of confusion on this point. I always thought Satan was our accuser (Zechariah 3:1) until I read Jesus say in John 5:45 that Moses is our accuser. Can anyone straighten this out so I can understand?

 

[Bob Estey]

In today's devotional reading, I finally connected the point of confusion on this point. I always thought Satan was our accuser (Zechariah 3:1) until I read Jesus say in John 5:45 that Moses is our accuser. Can anyone straighten this out so I can understand?

I don't think Jesus was referring to Moses as a person, but rather to the law that was delivered through Moses.

 

[Jack]

I don't think Jesus was referring to Moses as a person, but rather to the law that was delivered through Moses.

Exactly!

 

[Jim C]

In John 5:45, Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees in particular. Pharisees considered themselves the 'experts' in Mosaic law. Christ was informing them that the same Law they were experts in would condemn them and that Moses would be the one accusing those Pharisees before God.

As Christ has purchased us out from under the Law which God had Moses author (by paying our penalty), it is then Satan, and not Moses, who accuses us.

 

[Waiting on him]

In today's devotional reading, I finally connected the point of confusion on this point. I always thought Satan was our accuser (Zechariah 3:1) until I read Jesus say in John 5:45 that Moses is our accuser. Can anyone straighten this out so I can understand?

Being I was never under any such law I would say he was stating that their accuser was the Mosaic law.

 

[BarneyFife]

In today's devotional reading, I finally connected the point of confusion on this point. I always thought Satan was our accuser (Zechariah 3:1) until I read Jesus say in John 5:45 that Moses is our accuser. Can anyone straighten this out so I can understand?

Satan is the accuser of the brethren, in general (Revelation 12:10), but Jesus was speaking specifically to "the Jews," established in verses 10-18 of John 5 saying, ironically, that he (Moses) in whom they had put their hopes was their accuser because their efforts to improve upon his writings by adding cumbersome, carnal, hedging requirements (instead of accepting the heart change that is prescribed by texts like Deuteronomy 5:29 and John 3:1-15—which Christ marveled that Nicodemus didn't understand, being a teacher in Israel) was actually doing the opposite of what they intended and making them guilty under the law they had deceived themselves they revered so much. They had no inward circumcision of the heart (Romans 2:29) and therefore could not keep the two great commandments (Matthew 22:36-40) which define the self-sacrificing, other-centered love from which the Ten Commandments hang and, by extension, every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.



Hope this isn't too convoluted.


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[Waiting on him]

Satan is the accuser of the brethren, in general (Revelation 12:10), but Jesus was speaking specifically to "the Jews," established in verses 10-18 of John 5 saying, ironically, that he (Moses) in whom they had put their hopes was their accuser because their efforts to improve upon his writings by adding cumbersome, carnal, hedging requirements (instead of accepting the heart change that is prescribed by texts like Deuteronomy 5:29 and John 3:1-15—which Christ marveled that Nicodemus didn't understand, being a teacher in Israel) was actually doing the opposite of what they intended and making them guilty under the law they had deceived themselves they revered so much. They had no inward circumcision of the heart (Romans 2:29) and therefore could not keep the two great commandments (Matthew 22:36-40) which define the self-sacrificing, other-centered love from which the Ten Commandments hang and, by extension, every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.



Hope this isn't too convoluted.


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Yes.. death reigned from Adam to Moses. It appears the imputation came with Moses.

 

[Wrangler]

Satan is the accuser of the brethren, in general (Revelation 12:10), but Jesus was speaking specifically to "the Jews," established in verses 10-18 of John 5

Hmmm. Thank you for your thoughtful reply. Is your take there are a total of 2 accusers; Moses against "the Jews" and Satan for everyone else? Interesting.

Perhaps it is the use of the definite article that got my wires crossed. If things are personal, we use personal pronouns. You ate your lunch and I ate mine. But the boss reminded us not to return late from lunch. "Your lunch" and "my lunch" imply possible different meals but "the boss" implies there is only one for the both of us.

Similarly, "your accuser" and "my accuser" imply the possibility of different accusers. In addition to the definite article is the capitalization. The President ordered the strikes agains the Houtihs. I was there when the Accuser said ...

 

[Waiting on him]

Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
— Romans 4:8

 

[Waiting on him]

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
— 2 Corinthians 5:19

This was the good news of Jesus’s words. Mercy and grace.

 

[Wrangler]

their efforts to improve upon his writings by adding cumbersome, carnal, hedging requirements

I've heard this many times. In reading Scripture, I cannot tell what laws are from God from the 613 commandments that are added to improve Moses writings by adding cumbersome, carnal, hedging requirements or are their commandments by men in addition to the 613?)