Dawn at Sinai with stone tablets and holy radiance over the mountain.
Picture of Rabbi Myron Slobin

Parashah Ki Tisa 2024: Moses, Elijah, and Yeshua—Law, Prophets, Messiah

Law and Prophets meet on the mountain; Moses and Elijah point to Messiah’s path through suffering to glory.

Parashah Ki Tisa (When You Take) — Comments 2024

In Deuteronomy 34:5, the Orthodox Jewish Bible calls Moses “eved HaShem” — “servant of God.” The term “servant of God” is attributed to others in the Bible as well; however, it is mostly applied to Moses in the Older Testament because God spoke to Moses personally. He is also known as the Lawgiver because tradition says that HaShem directly dictated the entire Torah (the Five Books of Moses) to Moses. These laws are foundational to the faith of Jews and Christians alike.

“Write this down on a scroll as a permanent reminder, and read it aloud to Joshua.” (Exodus 17:14a)
“Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.” (Exodus 34:1)

As you can see, in the second case Moses didn’t even write anything down. He was simply the bearer of the written word of the very finger of God. Moses and his service in writing the Torah, leading the people out of Egypt, and fulfilling the will of the Almighty can be viewed as the major subject of the Book of Exodus.

Moses, Elijah, and Yeshua

Although most people think of Moses as Israel’s greatest prophet, Elijah, too, is often considered to hold that title because of the miracles God performed through him. He multiplied a widow’s grain and oil (1 Kings 17:14–16), raised her son from the dead (1 Kings 17:17–24), called down fire from heaven on Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 18:36–38), and, after three and a half years of drought, prayed and rain returned (1 Kings 18:41–45). He was taken up to heaven by a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11). He is also credited with preserving the worship of Yahweh from corruption by Ba‘al.

Yet when you look at both the Older Testament (the Tenach) and the Newer Testament (the Brit Chadashah), Yeshua HaMashiach clearly stands out as the greatest prophet and the perfect embodiment of the Word of God — hinted at in the Tenach and luminous in the Brit Chadashah. Our readings this week portray all three of these towering tzaddikim (righteous ones), and there are many connections among them.

Moses and Yeshua: Promised Parallels

In 2012, Petah Tikvah Magazine published an article titled, “Similarities Between Yeshua (Jesus) and Moshe (Moses),” opening with this promise:

“I will raise up a prophet from among their brothers like you. I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.” (Deuteronomy 18:18)

That study listed multiple echoes between Moses and Yeshua and closed with this recognition:

“Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Yeshua did, said, ‘This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.’” (John 6:13–15)

These citations serve as bookends: Moses foretold, Yeshua fulfilled. As the Master said, He came to fulfill the Torah — not to abolish it.

Yeshua Magnifies Torah

Moses wrote the Law; Yeshua magnified it and corrected traditions that obscured God’s will.

“You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that a man who even looks at a woman with the purpose of lusting after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27–28)

(Note: the phrases “You have heard…” and “It was said…” in Matthew 5 refer to prevalent traditions and cultural interpretations in Yeshua’s day, not changes to Moses’ Torah.) God chose Moses to lead His people out of the slavery and idolatry of Egypt; Yeshua was sent by HaShem to lead the world out of the slavery of sin and death. Moses wrote the Torah; Yeshua is the living embodiment of Torah.

Moses and Elijah in Parallel — and with the Messiah

Moses and Elijah both fasted forty days and encountered God’s glory at Sinai/Horeb. God “passed by” Moses, hiding him in the cleft of the rock (Exodus 33:22), and He “passed by” Elijah on Horeb (1 Kings 19:11). Both served as God’s faithful servants. Yeshua, called “My Servant,” embodies the same obedience—His Gethsemane prayer displays perfect surrender.

“My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from Me! Yet not what I want, but what You want.” (Matthew 26:39b)
“Adonai, God of Avraham, Yitz’chak, and Isra’el—let it be known today that You are God in Isra’el and that I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.” (1 Kings 18:36)

Elijah was taken up and did not see death; Yeshua rose and ascended, conquering death. Some have speculated about Moses’ end (see Rabbi Eric Grossman, “Moshe Rabbeinu Never Died: The Hidden Ending”); regardless, the Gospel’s testimony at the Transfiguration unites all three.

The Transfiguration: Three “Exoduses”

In Mark 8, Yeshua speaks plainly about His death and resurrection. Six days later He takes Peter, James, and John up a high mountain; His face gleams, His garments become “dazzlingly white,” and He converses with Moses and Elijah. Luke adds a key detail:

“They appeared in glorious splendor and spoke of His exodus, which He was soon to accomplish in Yerushalayim.” (Luke 9:31)

Moses led Israel’s Exodus; Yeshua accomplished His exodus through the cross and resurrection; Elijah also experienced a departure. The presence of Moses and Elijah thus symbolizes “the Law and the Prophets” bearing witness to the Messiah.

Why Elijah?

Some say Elijah was the greatest prophet, though sages differ. Yeshua clarifies Elijah’s role and timing:

“For all the prophets and the Torah prophesied until Yochanan. Indeed, if you are willing to accept it, he is Eliyahu, whose coming was predicted.” (Matthew 11:13–14, CJB)

Jewish homes set a cup for Elijah at the Passover Seder, echoing Malachi’s promise:

“Look, I will send to you Eliyahu the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible Day of Adonai.” (Malachi 3:23 [4:5])

We recognize a first fulfillment in Yochanan the Immerser (John the Baptist), and we await a climactic fulfillment heralding Mashiach’s return.

Law and Prophets in Harmony with the Messiah

“Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” (Luke 24:24–27)
“Do not think that I came to abolish the Torah or the Prophets! I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17–18, TLV/CJB)
“‘You are to love Adonai your God…’ and ‘You are to love your neighbor as yourself.’ All of the Torah and the Prophets are dependent on these two mitzvot.” (Matthew 22:36–40)
“But now, quite apart from Torah, God’s way of making people righteous has been made clear—although the Torah and the Prophets give their witness to it as well… through the faithfulness of Yeshua the Messiah.” (Romans 3:21–23)

The radiance of Yeshua’s clothing at the Transfiguration echoes the radiant face of Moses when he descended Sinai with the second tablets (Exodus 34:29–35). The scene is a microcosm of Scripture’s unity and of human history: creation, fall, redemption, and the restoration to come.

What the Bible Teaches

1) Overcome your bad intentions (yetzer hara) with good intentions (yetzer hatov) and you will prosper in this world and the next. 2) To yield to the dark side, allowing bad intentions to overrule the good, leads to turmoil now and separation from God later. 3) The person and ministry of the Messiah stand at the center of God’s plan.

Hope and Commission

Yeshua will return in glory to consummate God’s Kingdom and usher in its fullness on earth. This culmination rests on the love announced in the Good News:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, TLV)

Until then, we emulate the Messiah so that our actions invite others to hear and consider His voice. As with Peter, Jacob, and John, revelation becomes complete in light of the resurrection (Mark 9:9). May the Transfiguration that strengthened Yeshua also encourage us.

B’shem HaMashiach — in the name of the Messiah, Ormein.

Appendix: Similarities Between Yeshua (Jesus) and Moshe (Moses)

By Rabbis Bonney Cassady and Myron Slobin

“I will raise up a prophet from among their brothers like you.” (Deuteronomy 18:18)

Moshe: Persecuted by Pharaoh in early childhood (Exodus 1:22).

Yeshua: Persecuted by Herod in early childhood (Matthew 2:16).

Moshe: Turned water to blood (Exodus 7:20).

Yeshua: Turned water to wine (John 2:9).

Moshe: Opened the sea (Exodus 14:21).

Yeshua: Walked on the sea (John 6:19).

Moshe: God sent “bread from heaven” through him (Exodus 16:4).

Yeshua: Multiplied loaves in the wilderness (Mark 6:41–44).

Moshe: Wrote the Torah (Exodus 17:14; cf. 24:4; 34:27).

Yeshua: Fulfilled and magnified Torah (Matthew 5:17).

Moshe: Died on Mount Nebo (Deuteronomy 34:1, 5).

Yeshua: Died on Golgotha’s hill (Mark 15:22, 25).

Moshe: Fasted forty days (Exodus 34:28).

Yeshua: Fasted forty days (Luke 4:1–2).

Moshe: Foretold his death (Numbers 31:2).

Yeshua: Foretold His death and resurrection (Matthew 16:21).

Moshe: Led twelve tribes (Deuteronomy 1:15).

Yeshua: Chose twelve disciples (Luke 6:13).

Moshe: Hid in Egypt during a slaughter (Exodus 2:2; cf. 1:22).

Yeshua: Hid in Egypt during Herod’s slaughter (Matthew 2:13).

Moshe: God spoke with him directly (Exodus 19:19).

Yeshua: The Father revealed His works to Him (John 5:20).

Moshe: Led Israel out of slavery (Exodus 6:13).

Yeshua: Leads people out of slavery to sin (Matthew 1:21).

Moshe: Faithful in all God’s house (Numbers 12:7).

Yeshua: Faithful Son and High Priest (Hebrews 3:1–2).

Moshe: Hidden in the cleft of the rock (Exodus 33:22).

Yeshua: Raised by God (Acts 2:24).

Moshe: Appeared after death at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:3).

Yeshua: Appeared after His resurrection (Mark 16:9).

Moshe: Addressed Israel shortly before his death (Deuteronomy 32:45).

Yeshua: Addressed the crowds shortly before His death (Matthew 23:1).

(Rabbi Cassady is the Chairman of the American International Assemblies of God Convention in Brazil, spiritual leader of two Messianic congregations in that country, and head of the Petah Tikvah Theological School. Rabbi Slobin is the spiritual leader of a Messianic community in Sioux City, Iowa.)

Categories
Recent Posts

Signup for New Posts

Share the Post:

Related Posts