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Epiphany · Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany · Year B

Deuteronomy 18:15-20

The Prophet

January 31, 2027

Moses, Lorenzo Monaco
Moses, Lorenzo Monaco, c. 1408–10The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Moses sits enthroned against a gold ground in a pointed arch, robed in blue and rose, holding the two tablets of the law as the prophet of Israel.The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet.Lorenzo MonacoA Camaldolese monk in Florence who was both a manuscript illuminator and one of the last great painters of the gold-ground tradition.The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, which makes its public-domain pictures free for anyone to use.The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
LSB Three-Year Lectionary
GospelMark 1:21-28Mk 1:21-28
Epistle1 Cor. 8:1-131 Cor 8:1-13
Old TestamentDeut. 18:15-20Dt 18:15-20
PsalterPs. 111Ps 111

Overview & Insights

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you.” (Deuteronomy 18:15)

The prophet comes last in the listing of Israel’s different leadership roles. Almost certainly this is deliberate and significant, like the putting of the judge before the king. Maintaining justice was a higher priority than having a dynastic monarchy. Judge and king must both submit to the law of God, just as the priest must faithfully teach it. But what if those entrusted with such forms of leadership were themselves to go astray? Then the last word was God’s. And God would put that word in the mouth of God’s prophet.

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Take it further: Deuteronomy 18:15-20

Commentary

Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:15-20 (Working Preacher)Commentary on Dt 18:15-20 (Working Preacher) Working Preacher

Reads Moses' promise of a prophet like me as the test of an authentic prophetic voice.

Deuteronomy 18 Commentary: Priests and ProphetsDt 18 Commentary: Priests and Prophets Enduring Word · David Guzik

Verse-by-verse evangelical treatment of true and false prophets in Israel.

Deuteronomy 18 CommentaryDt 18 Commentary Precept Austin

Cross-referenced compilation of expositors and word studies on the chapter.

Deuteronomy 18:15 CommentariesDt 18:15 Commentaries BibleHub

Classic commentators on the LORD raising up a prophet from among the people.

Deuteronomy 18:15-20 (Center for Excellence in Preaching)Dt 18:15-20 (Center for Excellence in Preaching) Center for Excellence in Preaching

Reformed preaching commentary on discerning the word God actually commands.

Background & Word Study

Book of Deuteronomy Summary (Overview Video)Book of Dt Summary (Overview Video) BibleProject

Animated overview of Moses' final words and covenant charge to Israel.

Deuteronomy 18:15 Interlinear BibleDt 18:15 Interlinear Bible BibleHub

Hebrew text with parsing and Strong's numbers for word-level study.

Deuteronomy 18 (Sefaria)Dt 18 (Sefaria) Sefaria

Hebrew and English side by side with classical Jewish commentary.

The Church Fathers

Deuteronomy 18 (Catena Bible and Commentaries)Dt 18 (Catena Bible and Commentaries) Catena

Patristic and early-church comment on the chapter collected verse by verse.

Questions preachers ask

Who is the prophet like Moses?

Moses promises that God will raise up a prophet from among the people to whom they must listen; the New Testament reads this as fulfilled in Christ, the prophet greater than Moses.

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