Resurrection of Moses is More Miraculous than Jesus' supposed Resurrection

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Resurrection of Moses is More Miraculous than Jesus’ supposed Resurrection

Matthew 17:1-5

1 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
2 And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.
3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him.
4 Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

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Mark 9: 2-8

2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them,
3 and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
4 Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus.
5 Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
6 He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.
7 Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; then from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”
8 Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.

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Luke 9: 27-33

27 Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God."
28 About eight days after he said this, he took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray.
29 While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.
30 And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,
31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
32 Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
33 As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying.

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According to Catholic Encyclopedia, Moses was a:

Hebrew liberator, leader, lawgiver, prophet, and historian, lived in the thirteenth and early part of the twelfth century, B. C.
newadvent.org/cathen/10596a.htm

And according to Jewish Encyclopedia:

" For the statement that Moses did not die at all, compare Sotah 13b. “When the angel of death, being sent by God to Moses, appeared before him and said, ‘Give me your soul,’ Moses scolded him, saying, ‘You have not even the right to appear where I am sitting; how dare you say to me that I shall give you my soul?’ The angel of death took this answer back to God. And when God said to the angel the second time, ‘Bring Me the soul of Moses,’ he went to the place where Moses had been, but the latter had left. Then he went to the sea to look for Moses there. The sea said that it had not seen Moses since the time when he had led the children of Israel through it. Then he went to the mountains and valleys, which told him that God had concealed Moses, keeping him for the life in the future world, and no creature knew where he was.”
This simple story of the old midrash follows the Bible closely, making the mountains and valleys the speakers because, according to Deut. xxxiv. 1-5, Moses died on the mountain and was buried in the valley."
“God Himself buried Moses (Sotah 14a; Sanh. 39a) in a grave which had been prepared for him in the dusk of Friday, the sixth day of the Creation (Pes. 54a). This tomb is opposite Beth-peor (Deut. xxxiv. 6), in atonement for the sin which Israel committed with the idol Peor (Sotah 14a). Yet it can not be discovered; for to a person standing on the mountain it seems to be in the valley; and if one goes down into the valley, it appears to be on the mountain (ib.).”
jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=830&letter=M&search=moses#2868

cont
 
Instead of going into the details of what Jewish Midrash/traditions say about Moses, let’s go by what Judeo Christain Bible says.

So according to OT, Moses did die after living for 120 years and since date is not given in the Bible, let’s assume Catholic Encyclopdia is telling the truth thus according to it Moses lived upto the early part of the twelfth century, B. C:

Hebrew liberator, leader, lawgiver, prophet, and historian, lived in the thirteenth and early part of the twelfth century, B. C.
newadvent.org/cathen/10596a.htm

And according to Encyclopedia of the World Biography, Moses died iin 1272 B.C
Name: Moses Birth Date: c. 1392 B.C. Death Date: c. 1272 B.C. Place of Birth: Egypt Place of Death: Moab, Syria Nationality: Egyptian Gender: Male Occupations: prophet
bookrags.com/Moses

Now, since Christ began his ministry at 30 years of his age thus if we assume that appearance of Moses alongwith Elijah (as mentioned in Matthew 17:1-5, Mark 9: 2-8 and Luke 9: 27-33)to Christ and his three disciples–Peter, James and John–took place right after Christ began his ministry, then, Moses resurrected after 1272+30=1302 years after his death.

Then, if we assume for the sake of argument that Jesus indeed died and rose on third day and his rising from the dead on the third day is a miracle, then rising of Biblical Moses after 1302 years must be more miraculous than Christian Jesus’s rising from just three days after his alledged death because logically, rising from the dead mere three days after the death is less miraculous than rising a person who is dead for more than 1300 years.

If you as a Catholic Christian say, “No the appearance of Moses was not like Christ” then I would qoute your New American Bible which says that Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus as witnesses to the fulfillment of the law and the prophets:

3 [5] Moses and Elijah represent respectively law and prophecy in the Old Testament and are linked to Matthew. Sinai; cf Exodus 19:16-20:17; 1 Kings 19:2, 8-14. They now appear with Jesus as witnesses to the fulfillment of the law and the prophets taking place in the person of Jesus as he appears in glory.
nccbuscc.org/nab/bible/mark/mark9.htm#foot3

So appearance of Moses and Elijah must be same as resurrection of Christ in order to truly become “witnesses to the fulfillment of the law and the prophets taking place in the person of Jesus as he appears in glory.”

Thus according to Christian’s own adopted dogmas/views/logic, Moses not only resurrected but his resurrection and appearance in the presence of three disciples (Peter, James and John) must be a greater MIRACLE than the Christ’s. And this appearance was not like Paul’s vision on Damascus road in which Paul didn’t even see the person but mere light/voice of “Jesus of Nazerath” and then he heard a strange statement which is now modified in latest Bibles.
 
st_augustine said:
(…)
So appearance of Moses and Elijah must be same as resurrection of Christ in order to truly become “witnesses to the fulfillment of the law and the prophets taking place in the person of Jesus as he appears in glory.”

Thus according to Christian’s own adopted dogmas/views/logic, Moses not only resurrected but his resurrection and appearance in the presence of three disciples (Peter, James and John) must be a greater MIRACLE than the Christ’s. And this appearance was not like Paul’s vision on Damascus road in which Paul didn’t even see the person but mere light/voice of “Jesus of Nazerath” and then he heard a strange statement which is now modified in latest Bibles.
Click to expand...
😃 This article sounds rather childish - “my miracle is greater than your miracle” type of thing… I’m not sure what exactly it tries to prove.
Anyway, having the same childish approach in mind, we must notice that the reason Moses and Elijah apeared was beacause of Christ. To bear witness to Him. This implicitly subordinates them to Jesus. q.e.d. 😉

Alex.
 
Jesus is greater because he is seated at the Right Hand of the Father in Heaven. His resurrection is real, and I think Moses appearing to Jesus only testify that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, who is both God and Man.

I don’t think Moses resurrection is more miraclous as the original poster stated, which is in fact an opinion and not based on facts.
 
jAlex said:
😃 This article sounds rather childish - “my miracle is greater than your miracle” type of thing… I’m not sure what exactly it tries to prove.
Anyway, having the same childish approach in mind, we must notice that the reason Moses and Elijah apeared was beacause of Christ. To bear witness to Him. This implicitly subordinates them to Jesus. q.e.d. 😉

Alex.
Click to expand...
But without the witnessing of Moses who had to resurrected after more than a thousand years from his dead, the legality of Jesus’ messiahship/fulfillment of the law and the prophets, would be meaningless as Jesus’ own physically alive people were neither fit to receive him nor tolerate his mission thus tried to kill him with crucifixion while let go free a famous criminal Jesus Barabbas. It means in the eyes if Jews of Jesus’ time, the crimes of Jesus Barabbas were less than the crime(s) of Jesus known as Christ.

So the argument remains: Moses’ Resurrection was more Miraculous than Jesus’ so-called “Resurrection”.
 
st_augustine said:
But without the witnessing of Moses who had to resurrected after more than a thousand years from his dead, the legality of Jesus’ messiahship/fulfillment of the law and the prophets, would be meaningless as Jesus’ own physically alive people were neither fit to receive him nor tolerate his mission thus tried to kill him with crucifixion while let go free a famous criminal Jesus Barabbas. It means in the eyes if Jews of Jesus’ time, the crimes of Jesus Barabbas were less than the crime(s) of Jesus known as Christ.

So the argument remains: Moses’ Resurrection was more Miraculous than Jesus’ so-called “Resurrection”.
Click to expand...
The thing is Moses, or any other human, cannot resurrect themselves by their own power. Only God can bring people back to life. Given that the Catholics hold that Jesus is God, and only God can work miracles, then the fact is moot.
Besides, the Scripture passages nowhere assert they were literaly resurected: “And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him” - this can be also interpreted as a vision, or that they appeared in spirit…

Alex.
 
st_augustine said:
But without the witnessing of Moses who had to resurrected after more than a thousand years from his dead, the legality of Jesus’ messiahship/fulfillment of the law and the prophets, would be meaningless …
Click to expand...
I would argue His messianship would not have been meaningless at all…
A passage from Luke (19:37-40) comes in my mind : when the Pharisees try to silence the crowd when Jesus entered Jerusalem, He replied : “I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” … so see, even the stones can bear witness to Him when others refuse to…

Alex.
 
st_augustine said:
Resurrection of Moses is More Miraculous than Jesus’ supposed Resurrection
And according to Jewish Encyclopedia:

" For the statement that Moses did not die at all, compare Sotah 13b…And according to Jewish Encyclopedia:

cont
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Just be aware the Midrash is meant to convey a truth and not meant to be taken literally (imo). A midrash is literally a “story”. Its purpose being to shed some light on an aspect of Torah.
 
In the Apocalypse did not Jesus say, “I am the Alpha and the Omega–the first and the last.” Jesus is the firstborn after death. To me that means He was the first to resurrect from the grave.

In the Transfiguration, could it be Moses and Elijah appeared in a spiritual form rather than carnal? By Christ’s death on the cross He opened up the Gates of Heaven.

That could mean that Moses and Elijah were not quite in Heaven because the Cross had not yet occurred to “open the Gates of Heaven.”

Both, Moses and Elijah vould have been in somekind of “vestibule” or an anteroom just outside the Gates. That is, until Christ’s sacrifice.
 
johnstown_johnn said:
In the Apocalypse did not Jesus say, “I am the Alpha and the Omega–the first and the last.” Jesus is the firstborn after death. To me that means He was the first to resurrect from the grave.

In the Transfiguration, could it be Moses and Elijah appeared in a spiritual form rather than carnal? By Christ’s death on the cross He opened up the Gates of Heaven.

That could mean that Moses and Elijah were not quite in Heaven because the Cross had not yet occurred to “open the Gates of Heaven.”

Both, Moses and Elijah vould have been in somekind of “vestibule” or an anteroom just outside the Gates. That is, until Christ’s sacrifice.
Click to expand...
This thread is eight months old, and the OP has been banned … just thought I’d point that out.
 
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