We read the Old Testament that ELOHIM gave the Torah to Moses on the mountain, but the New Testament says it was given by malachim (angels). What really happened? Is this a contradiction as some have said?
Old Testament scriptures:
Exodus 31:18 (Samaritan Torah)
“And He gave to Moses, when He had finished speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony written by the Finger of ELOHIM.”
Exodus 32:15-16 (Samaritan Torah)
“And Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands, tablets were written on both sides, they were written on one side and the other. And the tablets were ELOHIM’s work, and the writing was ELOHIM’s writing engraved on the tablets.”
Exodus 34:1 (Samaritan Torah)
“And YAHWEH said to Moses, cut out for yourself two tablets like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you shattered.”
Deuteronomy 5:28 (Samaritan Torah)
“And you, stand here by Me, that I shall SPEAK to you all the commandments, the statues, and the judgments which you shall TEACH THEM, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess.”
Jubilees 1:4
“And Moses was on the Mount forty days and forty nights, and YAHWEH TAUGHT him what was and what will be, and the division of all the days of the Torah and of the witness.”
New Testament scriptures:
Acts 7:51-53 (Complete Jewish Bible)
“Stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You continually oppose the RUACH HA’KODESH (THE SET-APART SPIRIT)! You do the same things your fathers did! Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who told in advance about the coming of the Righteous, and now you have become his betrayers and murders! --- You!--- who receive the Torah as having been delivered by angels (malachim)—but do not keep it!”
Galatians 3:19 (Aramaic Peshitta)
“Then what is the use of the law (Torah)? It was added because of transgression, till the coming of the heir to whom the promise was made; and the law was given by angels by the hand of a Mediator.”
Hebrews 2:2 (Aramaic Peshitta)
“For if the word spoken by angels has been affirmed, and everyone who has heard it transgressed it has received a just reward…”
So, do we have a contradiction? Or is there something we may have missed? Let us examine further:
Jubilees 30:18 (Malach/Angel of the presence speaking)
“And the seed of Levi was chosen for the PRIESTHOOD and to be LEVITES, that they might minister before YAHWEH, AS WE DO (Malachim/angels), continually, and that Levi and his sons may be blessed forever….”
Another witness to this is the “Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice,” which was found in the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran. Eight manuscripts were found in cave #4 and one manuscript was found in cave #11. Here is a brief summary from ibiblio.org:
4Q403 (ShirShabbd)
Parchment
Copied mid-first century B.C.E
Courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority
“The Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, also known as the “Angelic Liturgy,” is a liturgical work composed of thirteen separate sections, one for each of the first thirteen Sabbaths of the year. The songs evoke angelic praise and elaborate ANGELIC PRIESTHOOD, the heavenly temple, and the Sabbath worship in that temple.”
So, the malachim/angels minister in the heavens in a Priest and Levite role just as earthly Levites and Priests did in the temple on earth and of course YESHUA is the High Priest. Everything that is done on earth with YAHWEH’s people is a shadow of what is in the heavens, so it only makes sense that this would be the case.
Hebrews 8:3-5 (Complete Jewish Bible)
“For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so this high priest too has to have something he can offer. Now if He were on earth, He wouldn’t be a priest at all, since there already are priests offering the gifts required by the Torah. But what they are serving is only A COPY AND SHADOW OF THE HEAVENLY ORIGINAL; for when Moses was about to erect the Tent, ELOHIM warned him, “See to it that you make everything ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN YOU WERE SHOWN ON THE MOUNTAIN.”
So, seeing that the Levitical priesthood is a copy of what is being done in the heavens, we can look at the role of priests and Levites. One of the roles of the priests and Levites was to teach the Torah to the people, so keep this in mind.
Deuteronomy 33:10 (Complete Jewish Bible)
“They (Levites) will TEACH Jacob Your rulings, Israel Your TORAH. They will set incense before you and whole burnt offerings on your altar.”
Nehemiah 8:9 (Complete Jewish Bible)
“Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the COHEN (PRIEST) AND TORAH-TEACHER and the LEVITES WHO TAUGHT THE PEOPLE said to all the people, “Today is consecrated to YAHWEH your ELOHIM; don’t be mournful, don’t weep.” For all the people had been weeping when they heard the words of the Torah.”
So, we have Ezra who is the Priest and Torah teacher (As YESHUA is our High Priest who taught us how to walk out Torah as YAHWEH intended) and the Levites (As the angels are described in Jubilees 30:18) all teaching the Torah to the people.
Malachi 2:7-9 (Parenthesis mine)
“A COHEN’S (PRIESTS) lips should safeguard knowledge, and people should SEEK TORAH FROM HIS MOUTH, because he is the MESSENGER OF YAHWEH (Jubilees 30:18 malachim/angels are also messengers) of YAHWEH. But you turned away from the path, you caused many to fail IN THE TORAH, you corrupted the covenant of LEVI,” says YAHWEH-Tsva’ot (Hosts). Therefore I have in turn made you contemptible and vile before all the people, because you did not keep MY WAYS but were partial in APPLYING THE TORAH.”
Leviticus 10:8-11 (Samaritan Torah)
“And YAHWEH then spoke to Aaron (high priest), saying, do not drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons with you, when you come into the tent of meeting, that you will not die. It is a perpetual statute throughout your generations. And to make a distinction between the set-apart and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean (Ezekiel 22:26). And to TEACH the Sons of Yisra’el ALL THE STATUES (LAWS) which YAHWEH has spoken to them THROUGH MOSES (TORAH).”
Testament of Rueben 6:8
“Therefore I command you to listen to LEVI, because he will KNOW THE TORAH OF YAHWEH, and will give STATUTES for judgment and will slaughter for all Yisra’el until the end of the times, as the anointed High Priest, of whom YAHWEH spoke.”
Testament of Levi 9:6-7
“And Isaac called me (Levi) continually to put me in remembrance of the Torah of YAHWEH, even as the messenger of YAHWEH showed me.” And he taught me the Torah of the priesthood, of slaughtering’s, ascension offerings, first-fruits, freewill offerings, and peace offerings.”
Testament of Levi 14:3-4
“For as the heaven is purer in the sight of YAHWEH than the earth, so also you (sons of Levi) should be, as the LIGHTS OF YISRA’EL, purer than all the nations. But if you are darkened through transgressions, what, therefore, will all the nations do, who live in blindness? Yes, you will bring a curse upon our race, because the LIGHT OF THE TORAH-which was given to LIGHTEN EVERY MAN- you desire to destroy by teaching commands contrary to the judgments of ELOHIM.”
How does scripture define light?
Proverbs 6:23
“For the command is a lamp, and the TORAH A LIGHT.”
So, the Levites were chosen to be LIGHTS OF YISRA’EL by teaching Israelites the TORAH which is LIGHT.
So, what is the conclusion? Our ELOHIM gave the Torah to Moses and wrote it with His finger, but the malachim/angels were also present and were helping to teach the Torah to Moses which is one of the roles of priests and Levites, and a role they serve in the heavens. But let’s add one more layer to this it will become even clearer. Going back to this scripture from Paul shows it:
Galatians 3:19 (Aramaic Peshitta)
“Then what is the use of the law (Torah)? It was added because of transgression, till the coming of the heir to whom the promise was made; and the law was given by angels by the hand of a Mediator.”
Who is the Mediator?
1 Timothy 2:4 (Complete Jewish Bible)
“He wants all humanity to be delivered and come to full knowledge of the truth. For ELOHIM is ONE, and there is but ONE MEDIATOR between EL and humanity, YESHUA the Messiah, Himself human, who gave himself as a ransom on behalf of all, thus providing testimony to ELOHIM’s purpose at just the right time.”
Testament of Dan 6:1-2
“And now, fear YAHWEH, my children, and beware of Satan and his spirits. Draw near to ELOHIM and to the MESSENGER that MEDIATES for you, for He is a MEDIATOR BETWEEN ELOHIM AND MAN, and for the peace of Yisra’el He will stand up against the kingdom of the enemy.”
YESHUA is the Mediator! Also an Malach/Angel was ONE of His manifestations that we see in Exodus 23:20-21, the Angel who had the power to forgive transgressions and YAHWEH’s Name in Him as YESHUA means YAHWEH is Salvation.
John 1:29 (Hebrew Gospels)
“And on the next day Yochanan (John) saw YESHUA who came unto him; and he said, “Behold, this is EL (God), who takes away the iniquities from the world.”
John 1:35-36 (Hebrew Gospels)
“And on another day, Yochanan and two of his talmidim (disciples) stood again, looking at YESHUA as He walked and said, “Behold the MALACH (Angel) of YAHWEH.”
All of this matches when we connect it back to Acts when Stephen was speaking:
Acts 7:38 (Parenthesis mine)
“This is the man (Moses) who was in the assembly in the wilderness, accompanied by the MALACH (ANGEL) that had SPOKEN TO HIM AT MOUNT SINAI and by our fathers, the man who was given LIVING WORDS (10 COMMANDMENTS) to pass on to us.”
Therefore, we see that YESHUA (The High Priest) gave the Torah to Moses written by His finger and the angels in their roles as Levites/Priests were with Him teaching Moses the Torah, and there is no contradiction, but rather a complete picture of what occurred on the mountain.
As always may our Father YAHWEH bless you in YESHUA’s Name!