5:46
On the road to Emmaus Jesus explained to the two disciples what was said about Himself in Moses and the Prophets (Lk 24:27). We can only properly understand the Old Testament if we look at it as a document pointing towards Jesus. If the Jewish leaders had believed Moses then they would have believed in Jesus, they would have welcomed Him. In summary, the Old Testament makes it clear that we are all sinners. This included the Jews, for it is not pushing things too far to say that the Old Testament is a catalogue of the sins of Israel and her sinfulness. But it also contains numerous promises, including promises of forgiveness and of a change in heart of the Israelites. If they had accepted this then they would have welcomed Jesus.
5:47
But the Jewish leaders did not believe Moses. Instead they treated the Scriptures as a means of self-advancement, and for bashing the people with. They were blind to what they actually said (2 Cor 3:15). So there was no hope of them believing Jesus. As an aside this implies that until someone accepts their own sinfulness they will never appreciate who Jesus is. For if we are not sinners, deserving of the wrath of God, what need do we have of Jesus?
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