Later text
John 5:37BSB
And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified about Me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form,
Intertextuality Pair
John 5:37 → Exodus 19:3-6
Allusion
Earlier text
Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, "This is what you are to tell the house of Jacob and explain to the sons of Israel: 'You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine. And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites."
+ 1 more earlier text
Earlier text
Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
Significance
At Sinai the LORD called Moses up the mountain and sent him to the people with a covenant offer: "Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations" (Exodus 19:5). Israel met God through thunder and a mediator; as Moses later put it, "You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form; there was only a voice" (Deuteronomy 4:12). John 5:37 turns that memory around: "You have never heard His voice nor seen His form". The tie is clear for the Sinai scene and closest in wording to Deuteronomy 4:12 (phōnē, G5456, in both Greek texts). Sinai's people at least heard the voice; these hearers "pore over the Scriptures" (5:39) yet miss the Father's testimony "because you do not believe the One He sent" (5:38). The contrast is between Moses and the Son, who alone has seen the Father (6:46) and has made Him known (1:18). The call to obey God's voice is answered by coming to Jesus, of whom the Scriptures "testify," in order "to have life" (5:39-40).
- Found via
- G.K. Beale & D.A. Carson (eds.), Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (2007)
- Reference Type
- Allusion
- Connection Method(s)
- Contrast