Summary of Deuteronomy
By Johannes Brenz
I’m translating a brief overview of the books of the Bible written by Johannes Brenz (1499–1570) for the weekly devotional. Here’s what Brenz has to say about Deuteronomy:
Deuteronomy
The fifth book of Moses, named Deuteronomy, clearly contains within itself the promise of the prophet, who would come after Moses, in whose mouth God Himself would put His Word, as He Himself says. This prophet is Christ and no other. Although it may seem that Moses considered this promise without much concern, it is nevertheless true that those who bring keen attention to this text will find that this matter of the promise is not introduced unintentionally as something which does not accord with anything else; rather, it is the centerpiece of the entire book. In the book, the Law is repeated and also interpreted. But Christ is the end of the Law; the one who believes in Him is righteous, as Saint Paul says. For the Law demands something greater and more difficult than man can produce after his fall and corruption on account of sin. Therefore, this prophet, namely Christ, is promised. Although He attended to the teaching office, just as Moses was a teacher, He did not set out to terrify or kill anyone, but rather to comfort His hearers and bring them life. Thus, the better and more extensively the Law is explained and interpreted, the more people are pointed away from the Law to Christ.
Johannes Brenz, Kurtzer Begriff und Inhalt der gantzen Heiligen Schrifft (1552)
Statue of Moses by Michelangelo, in the church of San Pietro in Vincoli, Rome
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moses_Michaelangelo_September_2015-1.jpg)