In this post I will cite the texts where it is clearly stated that Jesus is the One whom Moses, as well as the rest of the prophets, spoke and wrote of. This will refute any attempt of claiming that Muhammad was the prophet that Moses predicted.

We start off with John’s Gospel:

“Philip found Nathan′a-el, and said to him, ‘We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’” John 1:45

“After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tibe′ri-as. And a multitude followed him, because they saw the signs which he did on those who were diseased. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a multitude was coming to him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?’ This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, ‘Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?’ Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.’ Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, that nothing may be lost.’ So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign which he had done, they said, ‘This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!’ Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” John 6:1-15

Pay close attention that after the miraculous feeding of the multitude with a few fish and loaves, the people correctly reasoned that Jesus is that Prophet was to come into the world.

This then caused the Jews to bring up the issue of Moses and the manna that God fed Israel for the forty years they remained in the wilderness:

“When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal.’Then they said to him, ‘What must we do, to be doing the works of God?’Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’So they said to him, ‘Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”’Jesus then said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.’They said to him, ‘Lord, give us this bread always.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast out.For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me;and this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day.For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.’ The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, ‘I am the bread which came down from heaven.’They said, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, “I have come down from heaven”?’Jesus answered them, ‘Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.’” John 6:25-44

Christ himself affirmed that Moses and the entirety of the Old Testament bears witness to him:

“Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them.For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.” Matthew 5:17-18

“And taking the twelve, he said to them, ‘Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written of the Son of man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon; they will scourge him and kill him, and on the third day he will rise.’ But they understood none of these things; this saying was hid from them, and they did not grasp what was said.” Luke 18:31-34  

“And he said to them, ‘O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:25-27

“Then he said to them, ‘These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.’” Luke 24:44-47

“You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to me; yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” John 5:39-40

“Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; it is Moses who accuses you, on whom you set your hope. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?” John 5:45-47  

Other NT passages include:

“Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for establishing all that God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old. Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet from your brethren as he raised me up. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul that does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came afterwards, also proclaimed these days. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God gave to your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your posterity shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you in turning every one of you from your wickedness.” Acts 3:19-26  

“To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer, and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.” Acts 26:22-23

“When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in great numbers. And he expounded the matter to them from morning till evening, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets. And some were convinced by what he said, while others disbelieved. So, as they disagreed among themselves, they departed, after Paul had made one statement: ‘The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: “Go to this people, and say, You shall indeed hear but never understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.” Let it be known to you then that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.’ And he lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ quite openly and unhindered.” Acts 28:23-31

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and designated Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,” Romans 1:1-4

“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies him who has faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:21-26

“Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed and through the prophetic writings is made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—” Romans 16:25-26

The Scriptures even go as far as to claim that Moses personally saw Jesus in his prehuman existence when Christ came down to deliver Israel out of Egypt:

“I want you to know, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,and all ate the same supernatural food and all drank the same supernatural drink. For they drank from the supernatural Rock which followed them, and the Rock was Christ.Nevertheless with most of them God was not pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness.” 1 Corinthians 10:1-5

“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.” Hebrews 11:24-28 (NIV)

MUSLIM SCHOLARS

What makes this all the more intriguing is that Muslim expositors and historians have candidly admitted that Moses in the Law prophesied the coming of Christ!

Razi then raises the following question: ‘It may be argued that latter statement contradicts the one before it. This is because it clearly indicates that he came to make lawful some of the things which were unlawful in the Torah. This would mean that his legislation was contrary to that of the Torah, which would contradict his saying, “I shall confirm the Torah which was before me.”’ Razi, however, holds that ‘there is actually no contradiction between the two statements because confirming the Torah can only signify the belief that ALL THAT IS IN IT is true and right. If, moreover, the second purpose [of Jesus’ apostleship] is not mentioned in the Torah, his making lawful some of the things which are unlawful in it would not contradict his having confirmed the Torah. Furthermore, SINCE THE TORAH CONTAINS PROPHECIES CONCERNING THE COMING OF JESUS, then neither his coming nor his law would be contrary to the Torah.’ (Mahmoud M Ayoub, Q. 3:50, The Quran and Its Interpreters: The House of Imran [State University of New York Press (SUNY), Albany, NY 1992], Volume II, p. 150; bold and capital emphasis mine)

The Jews say ‘The Christians stand on nothing’ that can be used as support for their claims and they rejected Jesus; and the Christians say ‘The Jews stand on nothing’ that can be used as support for their claims and they rejected Moses; yet they both groups recite the Scripture revealed to them in the Scripture of the Jews there is the confirmation of Jesus and in that of the Christians there is the confirmation of Moses yatlūna’l-kitāba ‘they recite the Scripture’ the sentence is a circumstantial qualifier. Thus in the way that these have said the ignorant from among the Arabs and others say the like of what these say this last phrase mithla qawlihim ‘the like of what they say’ is the explication of dhālika ‘that way’ that is to say to every person of religion they would say ‘You have no basis’; God shall decide between them on the Day of Resurrection regarding their differences in religion and will admit the confirmer into Paradise and the falsifier into the Fire. (Tafsir al-Jalalayn, Q. 2:113 https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=2&tAyahNo=113&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2; bold emphasis mine)

Allah explained the disputes, hatred and stubbornness that the People of the Book have towards each other. Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that Ibn `Abbas said, “When a delegation of Christians from Najran came to the Messenger of Allah, the Jewish rabbis came and began arguing with them before the Messenger of Allah. Rafi` bin Huraymilah said, ‘You do not follow anything,’ and he reiterated his disbelief in Jesus and the Injil. Then a Christian man from Najran’s delegation said to the Jews, `Rather, you do not follow anything,’ and he reiterated his rejection of Musa’s prophethood and his disbelief in the Torah. So Allah revealed the Ayah…

(The Jews said that the Christians follow nothing (i.e. are not on the right religion); and the Christians said that the Jews follow nothing (i.e. are not on the right religion); though they both recite the Scripture.)”

Allah made it clear that each party read the affirmation of what they claimed to reject in their Book. Consequently, the Jews disbelieve in Jesus, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE THE TORAH in which Allah took their Covenant BY THE TONGUE OF MOSES TO BELIEVE IN JESUS. Also, the Gospel contains Jesus’ assertion that Moses’ prophethood and the Torah came from Allah. Yet, each party disbelieved in what the other party had. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Q. 2:113 http://www.alim.org/library/quran/AlQuran-tafsir/TIK/2/111; bold and capital emphasis mine)

Isa said, “The Tawrah CONVEYED THE GLAD TIDINGS OF MY COMING, and my coming confirms the truth of the Tawrah. I convey the glad tidings of the Prophet who will come after me. He is the unlettered, Makkan, Arab Prophet and Messenger, Ahmad.” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Q. 61:6 https://www.alim.org/quran/tafsir/ibn-kathir/surah/61/5/; bold and capital emphasis mine)

Elsewhere Ibn Kathir admitted that Jesus is indeed similar to Moses even though he still argued for Muhammad being the prophet of Deut. 18:

In Book four[sic] of the existing Torah, there is a verse which says: <A prophet was set for them from their close relations, and brothers like you Musa (Moses), and I will put my word in his mouth.> It is clear to them and to everyone that Allah … did not send a prophet from the offspring of Isma’el except Muhammad … In fact, there was no prophet from the Children of Isra’el similar to Musa … EXCEPT ‘Issa … but the Jews do not accept his prophethood, and he is not the offspring of their brothers; instead, he is related to them through his mother, therefore, the meaning of the above verse focuses on Prophet Muhammad… (The Seerah of Prophet of Muhammad, abridged by Muhammad Ali Al-Halabi Al-Athari [Al-Firdous Ltd, London, 2001: First Edition], part II, p. 24; bold and capital emphasis mine)

The foregoing should put an end to the desperate nonsense of Muhammadans to convince folks that Muhammad was the prophet like Moses.

Unless indicated otherwise, biblical references taken from the Revised Standard Version (RSV).

FURTHER READING

JESUS CHRIST – THE PROPHET LIKE MOSES

Messianic Prophecy and the Quran: Another Muhammadan Dilemma

Jesus Christ: The Living Bread From Heaven

The Muratorian Canon refers to a fragment that mentions a list of the books that the 2^nd century churches deemed to be authoritative and canonical. Since it is dated at approximately at 170 AD it becomes a very important witness to the canon accepted by the church at large. All emphasis will be mine:

The Muratorian Fragment is the oldest known list of New Testament books. It was discovered by Ludovico Antonio Muratori in a manuscript in the Ambrosian Library in Milan, and published by him in 1740. * It is called a fragment because the beginning of it is missing. Although the manuscript in which it appears was copied during the seventh century, the list itself is dated to about 170 because its author refers to the episcopate of Pius I of Rome (died 157) as recent. He mentions only two epistles of John, without describing them. The Apocalypse of Peter is mentioned as a book which “some of us will not allow to be read in church.” A very helpful and detailed discussion of this document is to be found in Bruce Metzger’s The Canon of the New Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987), pp. 191-201. Below is Metzger’s English translation of a critically amended text of the Fragment, from Appendix IV of the same book (pp. 305-7). I include Metzger’s footnotes, with their original enumeration, and add some supplementary footnotes of my own. —M.D.M.

* Ludovico Antonio Muratori, ed., Antiquitates Italicae Medii Aevi, v. 3 (ex typographia Societatis palatinæ, Mediolani, 1740). Reprinted in Bologna, 1965.

THE MURATORIAN CANON

The following translation usually follows the amended text edited by Hans Lietzmann, Das Muratorische Fragment und die Monarchianischen Prologue zu den Evangelien (Kleine Texte, i; Bonn, 1902; 2nd ed., Berlin, 1933). Owing to the wretched state of the Latin text, it is sometimes difficult to know what the writer intended; several phrases, therefore, are provided with alternative renderings (enclosed within parentheses). Translational expansions are enclosed within square brackets. The numerals indicate the lines of the original text. For a discussion, see chap. VIII.1 above, where freer renderings are sometimes given in place of the following literalistic translation.

. . . at which nevertheless he was present, and so he placed [them in his narrative]. [1] (2) The third book of the Gospel is that according to Luke. (3) Luke, the well-known physician, after the ascension of Christ, (4-5) when Paul had taken with him as one zealous for the law, [2] (6) composed it in his own name, according to [the general] belief. [3] Yet he himself had not (7) seen the Lord in the flesh; and therefore, as he was able to ascertain events, (8) so indeed he begins to tell the story from the birth of John. (9) The fourth of the Gospels is that of John, [one] of the disciples. (10) To his fellow disciples and bishops, who had been urging him [to write], (11) he said, ‘Fast with me from today to three days, and what (12) will be revealed to each one (13) let us tell it to one another.’ In the same night it was revealed (14) to Andrew, [one] of the apostles, (15-16) that John should write down all things in his own name while all of them should review it. And so, though various (17) elements [3a] may be taught in the individual books of the Gospels, (18) nevertheless this makes no difference to the faith (19) of believers, since by the one sovereign [3b] Spirit all things (20) have been declared in all [the Gospels]: concerning the (21) nativity, concerning the passion, concerning the resurrection, (22) concerning life with his disciples, (23) and concerning his twofold coming; (24) the first in lowliness when he was despised, which has taken place, (25) the second glorious in royal power, (26) which is still in the future.

What (27) marvel is it then, if John so consistently (28) mentions these particular points also in his Epistles, (29) saying about himself, ‘What we have seen with our eyes (30) and heard with our ears and our hands (31) have handled, these things we have written to you? [4] (32) For in this way he professes [himself] to be not only an eye-witness and hearer, (33) but also a writer of all the marvelous deeds of the Lord, in their order. (34) Moreover, the acts of all the apostles (35) were written in one book. For ‘most excellent Theophilus’ [5] Luke compiled (36) the individual events that took place in his presence — (37) as he plainly shows by omitting the martyrdom of Peter (38) as well as the departure of Paul from the city [of Rome] [5a] (39) when he journeyed to Spain.

As for the Epistles of (40-1) Paul, they themselves make clear to those desiring to understand, which ones [they are], from what place, or for what reason they were sent. (42) First of all, to the Corinthians, prohibiting their heretical schisms; (43) next, [6] to the Galatians, against circumcision; (44-6) then to the Romans he wrote at length, explaining the order (or, plan) of the Scriptures, and also that Christ is their principle (or, main theme). [6a] It is necessary (47) for us to discuss these one by one, since the blessed (48) apostle Paul himself, following the example of his predecessor (49-50) John, writes by name to only seven churches in the following sequence: To the Corinthians (51) first, to the Ephesians second, to the Philippians third, (52) to the Colossians fourth, to the Galatians fifth, (53) to the Thessalonians sixth, to the Romans (54-5) seventh. It is true that he writes once more to the Corinthians and to the Thessalonians for the sake of admonition, (56-7) yet it is clearly recognizable that there is one Church spread throughout the whole extent of the earth.

For John also in the (58) Apocalypse, though he writes to seven churches, (59-60) nevertheless speaks to all. [Paul also wrote] out of affection and love one to Philemon, one to Titus, and two to Timothy; and these are held sacred (62-3) in the esteem of the Church catholic for the regulation of ecclesiastical discipline. There is current also [an epistle] to (64) the Laodiceans, [6b] [and] another to the Alexandrians, [6c] [both] forged in Paul’s (65) name to [further] the heresy of Marcion, and several others (66) which cannot be received into the catholic Church (67)— for it is not fitting that gall be mixed with honey.

(68) Moreover, the epistle of Jude and two of the above-mentioned (or, bearing the name of) John are counted (or, used) in the catholic [Church]; [7] and [the book of] Wisdom, (70) written by the friends [7a] of Solomon in his honour. (71) We receive only the apocalypses of John and Peter, (72) [7b] though some of us are not willing that the latter be read in church. (73) But Hermas wrote the Shepherd (74) very recently, [7c] in our times, in the city of Rome, (75) while bishop Pius, his brother, was occupying the [episcopal] chair (76) of the church of the city of Rome. [7d] (77) And therefore it ought indeed to be read; but (78) it cannot be read publicly to the people in church either among (79) the Prophets, whose number is complete, [8] or among (80) the Apostles, for it is after [their] time. (81) But we accept nothing whatever of Arsinous or Valentinus or Miltiades, (82) who also composed (83) a new book of psalms for Marcion, (84-5) together with Basilides, the Asian founder of the Cataphrygians [8a] . . .

1 The meaning may be that Mark arranged the material of his Gospel in the order indicated by Peter, who was participant in the events narrated.

2 The reading of the Fragment, quasi ut uris studiosum, ‘as so to speak, one zealous for (or, learned in) the law,’ has been variously interpreted and/or emended. For example, Routh took iuris as translating του δικαιου, i.e. Luke was studious of righteousness; Buchanan replaced ut iuris with adiutorem, ‘assistant’; Bartlet supposed that the translator read νοσου as νομου (Luke was ‘a student of disease’); Zahn replaced ut iuris with itineris, thereby referring to Luke’s readiness to accompany Paul on his journeys; Lietzmann conjectured litteris, i.e. Luke was well versed as an author. Harnack (Sitzungsberichte der königlich Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften [1903], p. 213) and Ehrhardt (op. cit.), who retain iuris studiosus of the Fragment, have pointed out that in technical language of Roman law this could refer to an assesor or legal expert who served on the staff of a Roman official. Although this title was current prior to the time of Justinian’s Digest (published in 533) and so was available to the translator of the Fragment, it is anybody’s guess what Greek phrase it represented—assuming, of course, that the Canon was drawn up originally in Greek (unfortunately no help is provided in David Magie, De Romanorum iuris publici sacrisque vocabulis sollemnibus in Graecum sermonem conversis [Leipzig, 1905]).

It is significant that the Latin text of the Fragment appears to have been a source for Chromace of Aquileia, who in his commentary on Matthew (written between 398 and 407) refers to Luke as follows: Dominum in carne non vidit, sed quia eruditissimus legis erat quippe qui comes Pauli apostoli … (See Joseph Lemarie, ‘Saint Chromace d’Aquilee temoin du Canon de Muratori,’ Revue des etudes augustiniennes, xxiv [1978], pp. 101-2).

3 Here ex opinione is taken as the equivalent of εξ ακοης. Others conjecture ex ordine, representing καθεξης (‘orderly sequence.’ Luke i.3).

3a Latin, principia. —M.D.M.

3b Latin, principali. —M.D.M.

4 I John i.1-3.

5 Luke i.3.

5a That is, the city of Rome. This lack of specificity is one indication that the author was a Roman. —M.D.M.

6 The letter ‘b’ in the Latin text before ‘Galatians’ may belong to ‘Corinthians’ (προς Κορινθιους Β’).

6a Latin, principium. —M.D.M.

6b Tregelles writes, “It appears impossible to suppose that the cento of phrases from St. Paul’s genuine Epistles, often found in Latin MSS. under the name of Epistola ad Laodicenses, is here intended. … the writer seems to have intended the Epistle to the Ephesians, which Marcion altered, and to which he gave this name, either as part of his changes, or it may be from having obtained his copy of it from Laodicea.” (p. 47) —M.D.M.

6c Nothing is known of the Epistle to the Alexandrians mentioned here. —M.D.M.

7 It may be, as Zahn (Geschichte, ii, 66) and others have supposed, that a negative has fallen out of the text here.

7a Tregelles suggests that the Latin translator of this document mistook the Greek Philonos “Philo” for philon “friends.” Many in ancient times thought that the so-called “Wisdom of Solomon” was really written by Philo of Alexandria. —M.D.M.

7b The Apocalypse of Peter describes with some imaginative detail the torments of hell and the blessings of heaven. It was read with respect and used for admonition throughout the churches in early times. —M.D.M.

7c The Shepherd of Hermas is another work widely read in early times. It is a kind of moral allegory, like Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, but more impressive in that it purports to convey a series of divine revelations. —M.D.M.

7d This would be Pius I, bishop of Rome from about 142 to 157. —M.D.M.

8 Perhaps the Fragmentist means that there are three major Prophets and twelve minor Prophets.

8a The few words that follow this are unintelligible, and so the fragment practically ends here. —M.D.M. (English Translation from Bruce M. Metzger)

Here’s another English rendering:

[1] . . . But he was present among them, and so he put [the facts down in his Gospel.]

[2] The third book of the Gospel [is that] according to Luke. [3] Luke, “the” physician, [4] after the ascension of Christ, [5] when Paul had taken him with him as a companion of his traveling, [6] [and after he had made] an investigation, wrote in his own name — [7] but neither did he see the Lord in the flesh — [8] and thus, as he was able to investigate, [9] so he also begins to tell the story [starting] from the nativity of John.

[10] The fourth [book] of the Gospels is that of John [one] of the disciples. [11] When his fellow-disciples and bishops urged [him], he said: [12] “Fast together with me today for three days [13] and, what shall be revealed to each, let us tell [it] to each other.” [14] On that same night it was revealed to Andrew, [one] of the Apostles, that, with all of them reviewing [it], John should describe all things in his own name.

[15] And so, although different beginnings might be taught in the separate books of the Gospels, [16] nevertheless it makes no difference to the faith of believers, [17] since all things in all [of them] are declared by the one sovereign Spirit — [18] concerning [His] nativity, concerning [His] passion, concerning [His] resurrection, concerning [His] walk with His disciples, [19] and concerning His double advent: the first in humility when He was despised, which has been; the second in royal power, glorious, which is to be.

[20] What marvel, therefore, if John so constantly brings forward particular [matters] also in his Epistles, saying of himself: [21] “What we have seen with our eyes and have heard with [our] ears and our hands have handled, these things we have written to you.” [22] For thus he declares that he was not only an eyewitness and hearer, but also a writer of all the wonderful things of the Lord in order.

[23] The Acts of all the Apostles, however, were written in one volume. [24] Luke described briefly “for” most excellent Theophilus particular [things], which happened in his presence, [25] as he also evidently relates the death of Peter (?) [26] and also Paul’s departure from the city as he was proceeding to Spain.

[27] The Epistles of Paul themselves, however, show to those, who wish to know, which [they are], from what place, and for what cause they were sent. [28] First of all he wrote to the Corinthians, admonishing against schism of heresy; [29] thereupon to the Galatians [admonishing against] circumcision; [30] to the Romans, however, [he wrote] rather lengthily pointing out with a series of Scripture quotations that Christ is their main theme also (?).

[31] But it is necessary that we have a discussion singly concerning these, [32] since the blessed Apostle Paul himself, imitating the example of his predecessor, John, wrote to seven churches only by name [and] in this order: [33] The first [Epistle] to the Corinthians, the second to the Ephesians, the third to the Philippians, the fourth to the Colossians, the fifth to the Galatians, the sixth to the Thessalonians, and the seventh to the Romans.

[34] But, although he wrote twice to the Corinthians and to the Thessalonians, for reproof (?), [35] nevertheless [it is evident that] one Church is made known to be diffused throughout the whole globe of the earth. [36] For John also, though he wrote in the Apocalypse to seven churches, nevertheless he speaks to them all.

[37] But he [wrote] one [letter] to Philemon and one to Titus, but two to Timothy for the sake of affection and love. [38] In honor of the General Church, however, they have been sanctified by an ordination of the ecclesiastical discipline.

[39] There is extant also [an epistle] to the Laodiceans, and another to the Alexandrians, forged in the name of Paul according to the heresy of Marcion. [40] There are also many others which cannot be received in the General Church, for gall cannot be mixed with honey.

[41] The Epistle of Jude indeed and the two with the superscription “Of John,” are accepted in the General [Church] —

[42] so also the Wisdom of Solomon written by friends in his honor. [43] We accept only the Apocalypses of John and of Peter, although some of us do not want it to be read in the Church.

[44] But Hermas composed The Shepherd quite recently in our times in the city of Rome, while his brother, Pius, the bishop, occupied the [episcopal] seat of the city of Rome. [45] And therefore, it should indeed be read, but it cannot be published for the people in the Church, [46] neither among the Prophets, since their number is complete, [47] nor among the Apostles for it is after their time (?).

[48] But we accept nothing at all of Arsinoes, or Valentinus, or Metiades (?). [49] Those also [are rejected] who composed a new book of Psalms for Marcion together with Basilides and the Cataphrygians of Asia (?) . . . . (Latin Text and English Translation from Theron)

FURTHER READING

The Old Testament of the Early Church

Athanasius’ Biblical Canon

Gregory of Nazianus’ Biblical Canon

The Biblical Books of the Apostolic Canons

The Synod of Laodicea’s Biblical Canon

John of Damascus’ Biblical Canon

This will be a very short post.

According to John’s Gospel, the Lord Jesus celebrated Hanukkah (Hebrew for dedication):

“The feast of the Dedication^[a] was then taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter.^{(B) [b]}And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon.” John 10:22-23

Footnotes

10:22 Feast of the Dedication: an eight-day festival of lights (Hebrew, Hanukkah) held in December, three months after the feast of Tabernacles (Jn 7:2), to celebrate the Maccabees’ rededication of the altar and reconsecration of the temple in 164 B.C., after their desecration by Antiochus IV Epiphanes (Dn 8:13; 9:27; cf. 1 Mc 4:36–59; 2 Mc 1:18–2:19; 10:1–8).

10:23 Portico of Solomon: on the east side of the temple area, offering protection against the cold winds from the desert. New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)

tn That is, Hanukkah or the ‘Festival of Lights.’ The Greek name for the feast, τὰ ἐγκαίνια (ta enkainia), literally means “renewal” and was used to translate Hanukkah which means “dedication.” The Greek noun, with its related verbs, was the standard term used in the LXX for the consecration of the altar of the Tabernacle (Num 7:10-11), the altar of the temple of Solomon (1 Kgs 8:63; 2 Chr 7:5), and the altar of the second temple (Ezra 6:16). The word is thus connected with the consecration of all the houses of God in the history of the nation of Israel.

sn The feast of the Dedication (also known as Hanukkah) was a feast celebrating annually the Maccabean victories of 165-164 b.c.—when Judas Maccabeus drove out the Syrians, rebuilt the altar, and rededicated the temple on 25 Kislev (1 Macc 4:41-61). From a historical standpoint, it was the last great deliverance the Jewish people had experienced, and it came at a time when least expected. Josephus ends his account of the institution of the festival with the following statement: “And from that time to the present we observe this festival, which we call the festival of Lights, giving this name to it, I think, from the fact that the right to worship appeared to us at a time when we hardly dared hope for it” (Ant. 12.7.6 [12.325])…

sn It was winter. The feast began on 25 Kislev, in November-December of the modern Gregorian calendar. (New English Translation Bible https://netbible.org/bible/John+10)

As the foregoing comments make clear, the event of Hanukkah is found in the deuteron-canonical books called apocrypha by Protestants, specifically 1 and 2 Maccabees.

In order to help readers appreciate this celebration I am going to quote the relevant sections of these writings that explain when and why Hanukkah was established:   

“Then said Judas and his brothers, ‘Behold, our enemies are crushed; let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it.’So all the army assembled and they went up to Mount Zion.And they saw the sanctuary desolate, the altar profaned, and the gates burned. In the courts they saw bushes sprung up as in a thicket, or as on one of the mountains. They saw also the chambers of the priests in ruins. Then they rent their clothes, and mourned with great lamentation, and sprinkled themselves with ashes.They fell face down on the ground, and sounded the signal on the trumpets, and cried out to Heaven. Then Judas detailed men to fight against those in the citadel until he had cleansed the sanctuary. He chose blameless priests devoted to the law,and they cleansed the sanctuary and removed the defiled stones to an unclean place.They deliberated what to do about the altar of burnt offering, which had been profaned.And they thought it best to tear it down, lest it bring reproach upon them, for the Gentiles had defiled it. So they tore down the altar,and stored the stones in a convenient place on the temple hill until there should come a prophet to tell what to do with them.Then they took unhewn stones, as the law directs, and built a new altar like the former one.They also rebuilt the sanctuary and the interior of the temple, and consecrated the courts.They made new holy vessels, and brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table into the temple.Then they burned incense on the altar and lighted the lamps on the lampstand, and these gave light in the temple.They placed the bread on the table and hung up the curtains.

“Thus they finished all the work they had undertaken. Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-eighth year, they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar of burnt offering which they had built.At the very season and on the very day that the Gentiles had profaned it, it was dedicated with songs and harps and lutes and cymbals.All the people fell on their faces and worshiped and blessed Heaven, who had prospered them. So they celebrated the dedication of the altar for eight days, and offered burnt offerings with gladness; they offered a sacrifice of deliverance and praise.They decorated the front of the temple with golden crowns and small shields; they restored the gates and the chambers for the priests, and furnished them with doors. There was very great gladness among the people, and the reproach of the Gentiles was removed. Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at that season the days of the dedication of the altar should be observed with gladness and joy for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev.” 1 Maccabees 4:36-59

“Since on the twenty-fifth day of Chislev we shall celebrate the purification of the temple, we thought it necessary to notify you, in order that you also may celebrate the feast of booths and the feast of the fire given when Nehemi′ah, who built the temple and the altar, offered sacrifices. For when our fathers were being led captive to Persia, the pious priests of that time took some of the fire of the altar and secretly hid it in the hollow of a dry cistern, where they took such precautions that the place was unknown to any one.But after many years had passed, when it pleased God, Nehemi′ah, having been commissioned by the king of Persia, sent the descendants of the priests who had hidden the fire to get it. And when they reported to us that they had not found fire but thick liquid, he ordered them to dip it out and bring it.And when the materials for the sacrifices were presented, Nehemi′ah ordered the priests to sprinkle the liquid on the wood and what was laid upon it.When this was done and some time had passed and the sun, which had been clouded over, shone out, a great fire blazed up, so that all marveled.

“The Jewish brethren in Jerusalem and those in the land of Judea,

“To their Jewish brethren in Egypt,

“Greeting, and good peace.

“May God do good to you, and may he remember his covenant with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, his faithful servants. May he give you all a heart to worship him and to do his will with a strong heart and a willing spirit. May he open your heart to his law and his commandments, and may he bring peace. May he hear your prayers and be reconciled to you, and may he not forsake you in time of evil. We are now praying for you here.

“In the reign of Deme′trius, in the one hundred and sixty-ninth year, we Jews wrote to you, in the critical distress which came upon us in those years after Jason and his company revolted from the holy land and the kingdom and burned the gate and shed innocent blood. We besought the Lord and we were heard, and we offered sacrifice and cereal offering, and we lighted the lamps and we set out the loaves. And now see that you keep the feast of booths in the month of Chislev, in the one hundred and eighty-eighth year…

^“And while the sacrifice was being consumed, the priests offered prayer —the priests and every one. Jonathan led, and the rest responded, as did Nehemi′ah.The prayer was to this effect: ‘O Lord, Lord God, Creator of all things, who art awe-inspiring and strong and just and merciful, who alone art King and art kind,who alone art bountiful, who alone art just and almighty and eternal, who dost rescue Israel from every evil, who didst choose the fathers and consecrate them, accept this sacrifice on behalf of all thy people Israel and preserve thy portion and make it holy.Gather together our scattered people, set free those who are slaves among the Gentiles, look upon those who are rejected and despised, and let the Gentiles know that thou art our God.Afflict those who oppress and are insolent with pride.Plant thy people in thy holy place, as Moses said.’

“Then the priests sang the hymns. And when the materials of the sacrifice were consumed, Nehemi′ah ordered that the liquid that was left should be poured upon large stones.When this was done, a flame blazed up; but when the light from the altar shone back, it went out.When this matter became known, and it was reported to the king of the Persians that, in the place where the exiled priests had hidden the fire, the liquid had appeared with which Nehemi′ah and his associates had burned the materials of the sacrifice, the king investigated the matter, and enclosed the place and made it sacred. And with those persons whom the king favored he exchanged many excellent gifts.Nehemi′ah and his associates called this ‘nephthar,’ which means purification, but by most people it is called naphtha.” 2 Maccabees 1:1-9, 18-36

“One finds in the records that Jeremiah the prophet ordered those who were being deported to take some of the fire, as has been told,and that the prophet after giving them the law instructed those who were being deported not to forget the commandments of the Lord, nor to be led astray in their thoughts upon seeing the gold and silver statues and their adornment.And with other similar words he exhorted them that the law should not depart from their hearts.It was also in the writing that the prophet, having received an oracle, ordered that the tent and the ark should follow with him, and that he went out to the mountain where Moses had gone up and had seen the inheritance of God.And Jeremiah came and found a cave, and he brought there the tent and the ark and the altar of incense, and he sealed up the entrance.Some of those who followed him came up to mark the way, but could not find it.When Jeremiah learned of it, he rebuked them and declared: ‘The place shall be unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows his mercy.And then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord and the cloud will appear, as they were shown in the case of Moses, and as Solomon asked that the place should be specially consecrated.’

“It was also made clear that being possessed of wisdom Solomon offered sacrifice for the dedication and completion of the temple. Just as Moses prayed to the Lord, and fire came down from heaven and devoured the sacrifices, so also Solomon prayed, and the fire came down and consumed the whole burnt offerings. And Moses said, ‘They were consumed because the sin offering had not been eaten.’ Likewise Solomon also kept the eight days.

“The same things are reported in the records and in the memoirs of Nehemi′ah, and also that he founded a library and collected the books about the kings and prophets, and the writings of David, and letters of kings about votive offerings.In the same way Judas also collected all the books that had been lost on account of the war which had come upon us, and they are in our possession.So if you have need of them, send people to get them for you.

“Since, therefore, we are about to celebrate the purification, we write to you. Will you therefore please keep the days?It is God who has saved all his people, and has returned the inheritance to all, and the kingship and priesthood and consecration, as he promised through the law. For we have hope in God that he will soon have mercy upon us and will gather us from everywhere under heaven into his holy place, for he has rescued us from great evils and has purified the place.

“The story of Judas Maccabe′us and his brothers, and the purification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar, and further the wars against Anti′ochus Epiph′anes and his son Eu′pator,and the appearances which came from heaven to those who strove zealously on behalf of Judaism, so that though few in number they seized the whole land and pursued the barbarian hordes,and recovered the temple famous throughout the world and freed the city and restored the laws that were about to be abolished, while the Lord with great kindness became gracious to them—all this, which has been set forth by Jason of Cyre′ne in five volumes, we shall attempt to condense into a single book.” 2 Maccabees 2:1-23

“Now Maccabe′us and his followers, the Lord leading them on, recovered the temple and the city;and they tore down the altars which had been built in the public square by the foreigners, and also destroyed the sacred precincts.They purified the sanctuary, and made another altar of sacrifice; then, striking fire out of flint, they offered sacrifices, after a lapse of two years, and they burned incense and lighted lamps and set out the bread of the Presence.And when they had done this, they fell prostrate and besought the Lord that they might never again fall into such misfortunes, but that, if they should ever sin, they might be disciplined by him with forbearance and not be handed over to blasphemous and barbarous nations.It happened that on the same day on which the sanctuary had been profaned by the foreigners, the purification of the sanctuary took place, that is, on the twenty-fifth day of the same month, which was Chislev.And they celebrated it for eight days with rejoicing, in the manner of the feast of booths, remembering how not long before, during the feast of booths, they had been wandering in the mountains and caves like wild animals.Therefore bearing ivy-wreathed wands and beautiful branches and also fronds of palm, they offered hymns of thanksgiving to him who had given success to the purifying of his own holy place.They decreed by public ordinance and vote that the whole nation of the Jews should observe these days every year. Such then was the end of Anti′ochus, who was called Epiph′anes.” 2 Maccabees 10:1-9

With the foregoing in view, this should illustrate why all Christians should study the deuteron-canonical books since these writings further illuminate our understanding of the historical and cultural backgrounds of the New Testament Scriptures.

In this article I will provide further proofs for Christ being identified as the God of Israel.

The Gospels record Jesus’ riding on the foal of a donkey as he made his way to the Temple for the express purpose of fulfilling [O]ld [T]estament prophecy:

“And when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Beth′phage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,saying to them, ‘Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me.If any one says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and he will send them immediately.’This took place to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet, saying, ‘Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of an ass.’ The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them;they brought the ass and the colt, and put their garments on them, and he sat thereon.Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.” Matthew 21:1-8

Here is the specific prophecy which Christ fulfilled:

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass. I will cut off the chariot from E′phraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your captives free from the waterless pit.” Zechariah 9:9-11

Israel’s King comes to reign over the whole earth as he sets the captives free from the pit of death due to the covenant that God had made, which had been instituted by the blood that had obviously been shed for the atonement of sins (cf. Leviticus 17:11).

Elsewhere in Zechariah, this King who rides on a donkey into Jerusalem is actually YHWH God Almighty!

“Behold, a day of the LORD is coming, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in the midst of you. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women ravished; half of the city shall go into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day HIS FEET shall stand on the Mount of Olives which lies before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley; so that one half of the Mount shall withdraw northward, and the other half southward. And the valley of my mountains shall be stopped up, for the valley of the mountains shall touch the side of it; and you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzzi′ah king of Judah. Then the LORD your God will come, and all the holy ones with him… And the LORD will become king over all the earth; on that day the LORD will be one and his name one… Then every one that survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of booths. And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there will be no rain upon them.” Zechariah 14:1-5, 9, 16-17  

Note that the prophet further predicts the time when YHWH’s feet will physically split the mount of olives, thereby splitting it half, as he descends with his holy ones to begin reigning over all the earth from Jerusalem.

Remarkably, not only did Jesus institute a covenant ratified by his blood, which was shed for the forgiveness of sins,

“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’” Matthew 26:26-28

He is also said to be the One who will descend upon the mount of olives with his holy ones at his second coming!

“And when he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’ Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away;” Acts 1:9-12

“so that he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.” 1 Thessalonians 3:13  

All this shows that Christ is none other than that very God whom Zechariah foretold would physically descend upon the mount of olives in order to begin ruling over the world from Jerusalem!

This is further brought out by what the crowds and children shouted as they saw Jesus entering into Jerusalem on a foal of an ass:

“And the crowds that went before him and that followed him shouted, ‘Hosanna TO the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!’And when he entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, ‘Who is this?’And the crowds said, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee.’… And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna TO the Son of David!” they were indignant; and they said to him, ‘Do you hear what these are saying?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Yes; have you never read, “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast brought perfect praise”?’” Matthew 21:9-11, 14-16

Notice that the youngsters apply the phrase Hosanna to Jesus in praise of him, which angered his religious enemies. This expression comes directly from the following Psalm, where it is applied to YHWH God himself!

“We beg you, O Yahweh (anna YHWH), save us (ho’oshiah ‘na)! We beg you, O Yahweh (anna YHWH), give us success! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of Yahweh. We bless you from Yahweh’s house. Yahweh is El, and he has given us light. March in a festival procession with branches to the horns of the altar. You are my El, and I give thanks to you. My Elohim, I honor you highly. Give thanks to Yahweh because he is good, because his mercy endures forever.” Psalm 118:25-29 Names of God Bible (NOG)

We now can understand why Jesus’ religious foes were livid at the children’s praise. Seeing that they didn’t think that Christ was God in the flesh they could not help but view this as blasphemy.

Jesus then quoted the following Psalm to justify the children glorifying him:

“O LORD, our Lord, how magnificent is your reputation throughout the earth! You reveal your majesty in the heavens above. From the mouths of children and nursing babies you have ordained praise on account of your adversaries, so that you might put an end to the vindictive enemy.” Psalm 8:1-2 New English Translation (NET)

Astonishingly, the Psalm which Christ cited speaks of YHWH enabling children to magnify him in order to silence his enemies.

And yet Jesus applied it to his own situation for the express purpose of embarrassing his own foes for failing to realize who he truly was, even though the youngsters who were supposed to be less intelligent than they knew that the Person before them is none other than the God whom the Psalmist says is praised by infants and nursing babes!   

In other words, Christ was claiming to be YHWH God Almighty in the flesh whom youngsters can’t help but worship!

Here’s where it gets even more amazing!

At the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry, the Jews would recite Psalm 118:25 during the Feast of Tabernacles, which lasted for eight days. On the seventh day of the festival there was the water-drawing ceremony where the Jews would draw water from the pool of Siloam and then make a procession to the altar to encircle it. During the first six days, the Jews would encircle the altar one time, but on the seventh day they would do so seven times. Each day as they encircled the altar they would say: “Ani Waho! Save us we pray! Ani Waho! Save us we pray.”

The phrase Ani Waho was used in place of the words anna YHWH in Psalm 118:25, thereby functioning as a synonym or substitute for God’s sacred covenant name.

Here’s what the Talmud states in respect to this issue:

מַתְנִי׳ מִצְוַת עֲרָבָה כֵּיצַד? מָקוֹם הָיָה לְמַטָּה מִירוּשָׁלַיִם וְנִקְרָא ״מוֹצָא״, יוֹרְדִין לְשָׁם וּמְלַקְּטִין מִשָּׁם מוּרְבִּיּוֹת שֶׁל עֲרָבָה, וּבָאִין וְזוֹקְפִין אוֹתָן בְּצִדֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, וְרָאשֵׁיהֶן כְּפוּפִין עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. תָּקְעוּ וְהֵרִיעוּ וְתָקְעוּ. בְּכׇל יוֹם מַקִּיפִין אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ פַּעַם אַחַת וְאוֹמְרִים: ״אָנָּא ה׳ הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא, אָנָּא ה׳ הַצְלִיחָה נָּא״. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: ״אֲנִי וָהוּ הוֹשִׁיעָה נָא״. וְאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם מַקִּיפִין אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים. בִּשְׁעַת פְּטִירָתָן מָה הֵן אוֹמְרִים: ״יוֹפִי לְךָ מִזְבֵּחַ, יוֹפִי לְךָ מִזְבֵּחַ!״ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר: ״לְיָהּ וּלְךָ מִזְבֵּחַ, לְיָהּ וּלְךָ מִזְבֵּחַ״.

MISHNA: How is the mitzva of the willow branch fulfilled? There was a place below Jerusalem, and it was called Motza. They would descend there and gather willow branches [murbiyyot] from there. And they would then come and stand them upright at the sides of the altar, and the tops of the branches would be inclined over the top of the altar. They then sounded a tekia, a simple uninterrupted blast, sounded a terua, a broken sound and/or a series of short staccato blasts, and sounded another tekia. Each day they would circle the altar one time and say: “Lord, please save us. Lord, please grant us success” (Psalms 118:25). Rabbi Yehuda says that they would say: ANI VAHO, please save us. And on that day, the seventh day of Sukkot, they would circle the altar seven times. At the time of their departure at the end of the Festival, what would they say? It is beautiful for you, altar; it is beautiful for you, altar. Rabbi Elazar said that they would say: To the Lord and to you, altar; to the Lord and to you, altar. (Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah, The William Davidson Edition, Chapter 4, 45a; capital emphasis mine)

Here’s another rendering of the aforementioned tradition:

Talmud – Mas. Sukkah 45a

‘Does one then need to dry them?¹ Say rather, Upon the portico’.² Rehaba citing R.³ Judah stated, The Temple Mount had a double colonnade, one colonnade being within the other.⁴

MISHNAH. HOW WAS THE PRECEPT OF THE WILLOW-BRANCH [CARRIED OUT]? THERE WAS A PLACE BELOW JERUSALEM CALLED MOZA.⁵ THEY WENT DOWN THERE AND GATHERED THENCE YOUNG WILLOW-BRANCHES AND THEN CAME AND FIXED THEM AT THE SIDES OF THE ALTAR SO THAT THEIR TOPS BENT OVER THE ALTAR. THEY THEN SOUNDED⁶ A TEKI’AH [LONG BLAST], A TERU’AH [TREMULOUS BLAST] AND AGAIN A TEKI’AH.⁷ EVERY DAY⁸ THEY WENT ROUND THE ALTAR ONCE, SAYING, ‘WE BESEECH THEE, O LORD, SAVE NOW, WE BESEECH THEE, O LORD, MAKE US NOW TO PROSPER’.⁹ R. JUDAH SAID, [THEY WERE SAYING],¹⁰ ‘ANI WAHO,¹¹ SAVE NOW’. BUT ON THAT DAY¹² THEY WENT ROUND THE ALTAR SEVEN TIMES. WHEN¹³ THEY DEPARTED, WHAT DID THEY SAY? ‘THINE, O ALTAR, IS THE BEAUTY! THINE, O ALTAR, IS THE BEAUTY!’ R. ELIEZER SAID, [THEY WERE SAYING,] ‘TO THE LORD AND TO THEE, O ALTAR, TO THE LORD AND TO THEE, O ALTAR’.

(11) ani waho the numerical value of which equals that of the Hebrew for ‘we beseech Thee, O Lord’. For other explanations cf. Rashi, a.l.

(12) The seventh day of the Festival. (Rabbi Epstein translation, Sukkah.PDF; emphasis mine)

What makes this rather interesting is that the expression Ani Waho literally means “I and He.” As such, it points to YHWH being a multi-personal Deity!

Astonishingly it was during the conclusion of this Feast that Jesus promised to give all who would be believe in him rivers of living water,

“Now the Jews’ feast of Tabernacles was at hand… On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, ‘If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink.He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, “Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.”’Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” John 7:2, 37-39

And where he identified himself as the light of the world and as the great “I AM” (in Hebrew Ani Hu), a variant on the phrase Ani Waho!

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’… Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone that judge, but I AND HEwho sent me.’… He said to them, ‘You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.’… So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me.And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.’As he spoke thus, many believed in him… They answered him, ‘Abraham is our father.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham’s children, you would do what Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God; this is not what Abraham did. You do what your father did.’ They said to him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.’Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.’… The Jews answered him, ‘Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?’Jesus answered, ‘I have not a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it and he will be the judge.Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see death.’The Jews said to him, ‘Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, as did the prophets; and you say, “If any one keeps my word, he will never taste death.”Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you claim to be?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is your God.But you have not known him; I know him. If I said, I do not know him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know him and I keep his word.Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; he saw it and was glad.’The Jews then said to him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?’Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.’So they took up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple. John 8:12, 16, 23-24,28-30, 39-42, 48-59

And not only does Christ refer to himself as the “I AM,” he even reveals who the “I and He” are. I.e., the Father and the Son are the very Ani Waho whom the Jews were invoking!

Here, again, are Jesus’ words:

“But even if I myself should judge, my judgment is true, because I am not alone, but I and he who sent me.” John 8:16 Noyes(i) New Testament

28 Jesus therefore said, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then ye will know that I am He, and do nothing of myself, but speak these things as the Father taught me. 29 And he that sent me is with me; he hath not left me alone, for I always do the things that please him.” John 8:28-29 Noyes

What this shows is that Christ deliberately appealed to the practices and phraseology employed during the Feast to identify himself as that very God whom the Jews thought they were honoring!

As the following citations indicate:

John 7:37 sn There is a problem with the identification of this reference to the last day of the feast, the greatest day: It appears from Deut 16:13 that the feast went for seven days. Lev 23:36, however, makes it plain that there was an eighth day, though it was mentioned separately from the seven. It is not completely clear whether the seventh or eighth day was the climax of the feast, called here by the author the “last great day of the feast.” Since according to the Mishnah (m. Sukkah 4.1) the ceremonies with water and lights did not continue after the seventh day, it seems more probable that this is the day the author mentions. (NET Bible https://netbible.org/bible/John+7)

And:

The last day is either the seventh or the eighth. On the seventh day there was a procession with water from Siloam to the temple, and a ceremony of light in the women’s court (cf. Sukk. 3-5). These ceremonies were missing on the eighth day, but people could still mentally associate them with Jesus’ teaching (see vv. 37-9; 8:12), just as in chs. 4 and 6 one can see the connection with Isa 55:1, ‘Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters’. During the water ceremony people sang, ‘With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation’ (Isa 12:3; b. Sukk. 48b). The water was not drunk but was taken up to the temple. The combination of these two passages of Isaiah shows that the believer can now drink the water of salvation from Jesus. (The Oxford Commentary on the Bible, edited by John Barton, John Muddiman [Oxford University Press, 2001], p. 976; bold emphasis mine)

The above commentary goes on to write:

v. 24, the ego eimi has no complement (see JN 6:16-21). It is possible that this ‘I am he’, spoken as it is during the festival of Booths, is also an allusion to YHWH (cf Sukk. 4:5). v. 25, the words ten archen can mean ‘at all’ (NRSV) and be an expression of exasperation. But since arche is important in the theology of the Fourth Gospel {1:1-2; 2:11; 6:64; 8:44; 15:27; 16:4) the literal translation ‘at the beginning, which is what I tell you’ might be better, with the force, ‘I am the One at the beginning, which is what I keep telling you’ (see Miller I980). vv. 26-9, the judgement of condemnation supplements the promise of salvation in 3:17 and 12:32, 34. It will be more explicit with the sending of the Helper in 16:8. Jesus once again underlines his close link with the Father: he says what he has heard from him, he is not left alone, and he does what pleases the Father (see 5:19-47). But the ego eimi in v. 28 concerning the uplifted Son of Man, which extends the thought of v. 24, adds a new dimension to the question of Jesus’ identity. Only believers will be able to recognize the divine ‘I am’ revelation on the cross. v. 30, the Jews who believe in Jesus still need further teaching, as is shown by vv. 31-59… Since Abraham is the most important figure for the Jews, they now ask how Jesus can have met him. Jesus answers with an ego eimi formula different from that in vv. 24 and 28, because it is part of a normal sentence. He contrasts Abraham’s birth with his own sovereign being that transcends time. One might compare Ps 90:2, ‘Before the mountains were brought forth … you are God.’ Jesus has been able to see Abraham because he was before him. This assertion is considered as a blasphemy and therefore the Jews want to stone him (Lev 24:16). Jesus escapes from them in the same way as before (7:30, 32, 45). (Ibid., pp. 977-978; bold emphasis mine)

And:

In Mk 6:45-52 the evangelist shows that the disciples do not really recognize the saving epiphany of Christ, whereas in Mt 14:22-33 the scene is concluded with the disciples’ confession: ‘Truly you are the Son of God’. In John the epiphany is in the foreground, with the formula ‘it is I’, ego eimi. This sentence is used in John either with a complement, or without, as here. In three cases, in 8:24, 28, and 13:19, the absence of a complement makes the expression allude to ani hu which designates YHWH in Deut 32:39; Isa 43:10; 52:6. It is possible that even in Jn 6:20; 18:6, 8, there is more than a simple statement ‘it is I’. The miraculous landing during a storm is similar to that which is attributed to YHWH in Ps 107:23-30. There may also be an allusion to Jewish passover readings on the crossing of the Red Sea under Moses’ guidance (Giblin 1983). (Ibid., p. 972; bold emphasis mine)

Here’s what another scholarly source writes:

Judaism in General

Dodd takes the ani hu of the Old Testament as the starting point for understanding the ego eimi of John. However, he looks to Rabbinic texts to elucidate the words in John further. He refers to Pinchas ben Jair (c. 130-160 CE) who takes Isa. 52:6 in the following way: ‘Therefore my people shall know my name, therefore, that Ani-hu is speaking: here am I’. Dodd goes on to argue that the translation of certain verses in the LXX bear out an interpretation in which ani hu is seen as a name. He thinks that the LXX version of Isa. 45:19 (ego eimi ego eimi kyrios ho lalon dikaiosyne) has rendered YHWH twice, ‘once by ego eimi and once by kyrios‘. For Dodd, the second ego eimi becomes a name: ‘I am “I AM” the Lord, who speaks righteousness’. From a contemporary of Pinchas ben Jair, R. Judah ben Ilai, Dodd argues that the term ani wehu also became used in much the same way even before the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. In the light of the Rabbinic interpretation of ani hu and the connected ani wehu…, which both came to refer to the secret name for God, Dodd suggests that the presupposition when Jesus uses ego eimi is that ‘the eternal glory of God is given to Christ, and in the same act the Name of God is glorified’.

Stauffer combines the rabbinic interpretation of ani hu with that of the Dead Sea sect and comes to a similar conclusion to that of Dodd. In regard to the Dead Sea sect’s understanding of ani hu, Stauffer asserts, 

The Manual of Discipline states in 8.13 f.: ‘They are to be kept apart and to go into the wilderness to prepare the way of the HUAHA there, as it is written: “Prepare in the wilderness of…” Here the name Jahweh is replaced in the quotation by the four points (JHVH), and in the Dead Sea text itself by the secret name HUAHA. Presumably this is made up of the HUAH (HE) and A (signifying Elohim, God).

Using other references from Qumran (e.g. Damascus text 9.5) as well as rabbinical writings (e.g. Sukkah 53a¹), Stauffer suggests that

Isaiah 40-55 was much read and quoted. The emphatic ‘HU’ was a favourite designation of God. Theology was occupied with the divine self-affirmation ‘ANI’ and ‘ANI HU’. The Hallel psalms, where ‘HU’ means ‘God’, belonged at that time to the regular features of the ritual for the two great pilgrimage feasts…

The very words ego eimi are full of meaning for both Dodd and Stauffer, and, because of rabbinic interpretation of them the implications would be automatically clear to the readers of John. This depends on whether the Rabbinic usage of such a term is pre-Johannine and whether John was aware of such traditions. (David M. Ball, I Am in John’s Gospel Literary Function, Background and Theological Implications [Sheffield Academic Press, 1996], pp. 36-37; bold emphasis mine)

The following scholar does an excellent job of bringing all the preceding points together:

“The ‘I AM’ expressions that we have just cited come from John 8. We shall now examine John 8 in its wider context of chapters 7-9. These chapters are to be read against the background of the Jewish Festival of Booths (cf. John 7:2, 10). (See Fig. 7) For our purposes three elements of this cultic celebration are particularly important: (1) Every morning of this week-long festival the ritual of water libation took place. The water was fetched from the Pool of Siloam and poured out on the altar; the rite itself seems to have anticipated the advent of the harvest rains. (2) The festival was also characterized by a grand Festival of Lights (Hanukkah) in the forecourt of the women, in the course of which the golden candlesticks were lit and the participants danced joyfully with torches in their hands. (3) Furthermore, there was a procession around the altar, in the course of which there was the divine proclamation – ’ani wehu’. On the last day of the festival this feature was repeated seven times.”

“Even a cursory reading of John 7-9 reveals a number of details that appear in special relief when beheld against the background of the Jewish festival. First, Jesus presents an alternative to the Jewish water libation with the words, ‘If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water’ (John 7:37-38). Jesus speaks these words of the Spirit. Second, Jesus palpably recalls the Jewish Festival of Lights when he heals the man born blind (9:1-12) and proclaims, ‘I am the light of the world’ (8:12; 9:5). These correspondences naturally lead us to wonder what Jesus has made of the rite in which this formula ’ani wehu’ is employed? The answer is quite simple: the formula repeatedly finds its counterpart in Jesus’ several ‘I AM’ expressions (cf. John 8:24 and 28 above). (Tryggve N. D. Mettinger, In Search of God – The Meaning and Message of the Everlasting Names [Fortress Press, 2005], 2. The God Who Says “I AM”: The Riddle of the Name YHWH, The New Testament: When Jesus Says “I AM,” Ibid., pp. 46-47; bold emphasis mine)

And:

“One detail needs special attention. As we have seen, in Isaiah the formula is ’ani hu’, ‘I (am) he,’ a phrase which was varied in the context of the Jewish Festival of Booths to ’ani wehu’, with the meaning ‘I and he.’ In John 8, we find yet another expression that provides a factual counterpart to the Jewish formula in all its multiplicity. The Greek text of 8:16 may be translated as follows: ‘Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone that judge, but I and he who sent me.’ Here the words ‘I and he who sent me’ look like yet another reference to the divine proclamation that took place in the Jewish Festival of Booths (cf. also John 10:30).

“Yet another passage in John 8 reads: ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am’ (John 8:58). Here, too, one suspects that it is the ’ani hu’ formula of the Prophet of Consolation and the divine ‘I AM’ of Exod 3:14 that form the background. Once this is acknowledged, the Jews’ reaction becomes intelligible: ‘So they picked up stones to stone him’ (8:59). Note what the law of Moses commands: ‘He who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him’ (Lev 24:16). Thus, when Jesus uttered the Semitic revelatory formula that underlies the Greek ego eimi (‘I AM’) his Jewish listeners felt that he had gone too far; he had profaned the Name and deserved to die.

“Thus we now must deal with the arrest of Jesus in John 18. When the emissaries announce that they are seeking Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus proclaims his ego eimi (v 5), which could well mean, “I am he” (cf. John 9:9). The continuation, however, shows that here the formula also serves as a formula of self-revelation: ‘When he said to them, “ego eimi,” they drew and fell to the ground’ (v 6). The event takes place during the last week of Passover that occurred during Jesus’ earthly life. We are reminded of what the Jewish texts say about the Day of Atonement: when the priests and the people hear the high priest call out the divine Name, they fall to their knees with their faces turned towards the earth (m. Yoma 6:2).” (Ibid., pp. 47-48; bold emphasis mine)

If the data presented here still doesn’t convince someone that the inspired Scriptures emphatically proclaim in the clearest manner that Jesus is the eternal God YHWH who became a flesh and blood human being then no amount of evidence will ever be sufficient.

FURTHER READING

Jesus as the Great I AM

Jesus as the Great I AM Excursus

The Early Church Fathers On John 8:58