For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
JOHN 5:46KJVWhat does John 5:46 mean?
John 5:46 says that if the people truly believed what Moses wrote, they would also believe Jesus, because Moses wrote about Him. Jesus is pointing out that the teachings of Moses actually point forward to Jesus Himself.
In this verse, Jesus is speaking to Jewish leaders who prided themselves on following Moses’ writings. He challenges them by saying that their lack of belief in Him shows they do not really believe Moses either. The verse highlights a connection between the Old Testament writings and Jesus, showing that Jesus sees Himself as the fulfillment of what Moses wrote.
The Greek behind John 5:46
- πιστεύω (pisteuō, "believed"): This word means more than just agreeing with facts; it often carries the sense of trusting or having faith. Jesus is saying that true belief in Moses’ writings would naturally lead to belief in Him.
- ἔγραψεν (egrapsen, "he wrote"): This verb refers to Moses’ act of writing, likely pointing to the first five books of the Old Testament. Jesus claims that Moses’ writings contain references or prophecies about Him.
- περὶ ἐμοῦ (peri emou, "of me"): This phrase means "about me." Jesus is making a direct claim that Moses’ writings are not just general teachings, but specifically point to Him.
Why John 5:46 matters
- John 5:46 clarifies that Jesus saw His mission and identity as deeply rooted in the Jewish Scriptures, not as something separate or new.
- This verse challenges the assumption that someone can accept the authority of Moses but reject Jesus; according to Jesus, the two are inseparable.
- John 5:46 helps explain the broader argument in John 5, where Jesus is defending His authority and identity to religious leaders who are skeptical of His claims.