Christ in the Cleft
Get the full intelligence
Search transcripts, export clips, track mentions, and explore all topics from “Christ in the Cleft” inside PodZeus.
This episode of The Outlaw God podcast, hosted by Caleb Keith and featuring Stephen Paulson, dives deep into the theological significance of Moses in the cleft of the rock as described in Exodus 33 and 34. The hosts argue that this pivotal moment is not merely a mystical encounter but a divine revelation of Jesus Christ as the true bearer of God’s glory and mercy. Drawing heavily on Martin Luther’s insights, they explain that the glory of God is not an abstract essence but a personal, external presence—Jesus Christ—who speaks directly to Moses in the cleft. This encounter reveals the fundamental distinction between law and gospel: Moses is commanded to preach the law in its fullness, which brings death and condemnation, but he is also personally given the gospel—mercy and grace apart from the law—by Christ himself. This dual revelation allows Moses to preach the law without despair, knowing that Christ will ultimately bring life. The episode critiques the Vulgate translation for obscuring this truth by turning Christ’s proclamation into Moses’ prayer, calling this a 'demonic attack' on the gospel. The hosts emphasize that understanding this moment is essential to reading the Old Testament correctly and that it establishes Moses as the first Christian, not because of his obedience, but because he received the gospel directly from Christ. The episode concludes with a powerful application for modern Christian preaching: the law must be preached in its full severity, but only because the preacher has first received the gospel. Without that personal encounter with Christ’s mercy, preaching the law becomes destructive, not life-giving. The hosts contrast this with religious systems that soften the law or make it a means of earning grace. They affirm that true evangelical preaching—Lutheran preaching—requires both the full law and the full gospel, delivered in their proper order. The episode ends with a teaser for the next installment, which will explore David’s final words and his role as a central figure in the Old Testament narrative of Christ’s promise.
The glory of God is not an abstract essence but a personal presence—Jesus Christ—who speaks in the cleft of the rock.
Moses is both the preacher of the law (which brings death) and the recipient of the gospel (which brings life), making him the first Christian.
The law must be preached in its fullness, but only because the preacher has first received the gospel of grace apart from the law.
The Vulgate’s translation of Exodus 34:5 misrepresents Christ’s proclamation as Moses’ prayer, obscuring the gospel and creating a false theology of mercy.
True Christian preaching requires the proper distinction between law and gospel, with Christ’s voice being the only source of true mercy and forgiveness.
Introduction and Book Promotion
Caleb Keith introduces Dr. Scott Keith and promotes his new book, Being Family, emphasizing the theological importance of marriage and family life as central Christian vocations.
The Central Question: What Is the Glory of God?
“The glory of God is not an inner essence of God or the essential being of God. No, glory is actually a second, an external object to God. And now we're trying to figure out whether that external object is some sort of a thing like a bolt of lightning, or if it's an actual person and we know that this is going to be the person of Jesus Christ.”
Luther’s Revelation: Christ Preaches to Moses
“I will not preach as you do, Moses, or as you are obliged to preach. So now Jesus starts off by saying, Moses, you know what the glory of God is? The glory of God is learning the difference between what you're going to preach and what I'm preaching to you.”
The Law and the Gospel: Two Words of God
“The law is given in order to make sure that they can't keep it. That is not even saying that the law is given to just show them that they're not keeping it, just so that they know this. It's actually being given to increase their sin.”
The Vulgate’s Corruption: A Demonic Attack on the Gospel
“This was a demonic attack on the gospel itself. So this is not simply a little bit of an issue. And now Luther is starting to understand that, of course, not everywhere, but in certain key places you've got a—not just a problem—You have a satanic opposition to the actual words of the Holy Spirit that have been written into a text.”
“This was a demonic attack on the gospel itself. So this is not simply a little bit of an issue. And now Luther is starting to understand that, of course, not everywhere, but in certain key places you've got a—not just a problem—You have a satanic opposition to the actual words of the Holy Spirit that have been written into a text.”
“The glory of God is not an inner essence of God or the essential being of God. No, glory is actually a second, an external object to God. And now we're trying to figure out whether that external object is some sort of a thing like a bolt of lightning, or if it's an actual person and we know that this is going to be the person of Jesus Christ.”
“I will not preach as you do, Moses, or as you are obliged to preach. So now Jesus starts off by saying, Moses, you know what the glory of God is? The glory of God is learning the difference between what you're going to preach and what I'm preaching to you.”
Host
Guest
Jesus Christ
person
Stephen Paulson
person
Caleb Keith
person
Martin Luther
person
Exodus 34
other
Exodus 33
other
The Vulgate
other
1517
organization
The Outlaw God Podcast
media
Abraham
person
Get the full intelligence
Search transcripts, export clips, track mentions, and explore all topics from “Christ in the Cleft” inside PodZeus.
Start discovering podcast insights today
Start with a 7-day trial and explore a growing catalog of popular podcasts. No credit card required.
No credit card required • 7-day trial • Cancel anytime