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The Law of Moses, the Demiurge, and the Revelation of God in Christ
John 1:17-18
The Law Given Through Elohim
The Law, as recorded in the Pentateuch, was not directly given by God the Father but was ordained through the agency of angels, also referred to as Elohim. This is evident from multiple scriptural testimonies. Stephen, in his defense before the Sanhedrin, affirms:
"Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it" (Acts 7:53).
The Greek word for "disposition" is diatagas, signifying ordinance or arrangement. This demonstrates that the Law was mediated through angels, not given directly by the Father. The Apostle Paul reinforces this understanding:
"Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary" (Galatians 3:19, ESV).
The reference to angels in the giving of the Law aligns with Moses' own account of encountering an angel in the burning bush:
"And the angel of Yahweh appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush" (Exodus 3:2).
This angel, speaking in the name of God, acted as an intermediary, just as the Elohim mediated the giving of the Law. Hebrews further affirms:
"For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward…" (Hebrews 2:2).
These verses establish that the Law was delivered through angelic beings, not by the Father directly.
Ptolemy’s Interpretation of the Law
The early Christian teacher Ptolemy offers a significant interpretation of the Law’s nature. He rejects the views of both the Jewish tradition, which attributes the Law to the perfect God, and the Marcionites, who claim that it was given by a malevolent being. Instead, he presents a more nuanced view:
"For it is evident that the Law was not ordained by the perfect God the Father, for it is secondary, being imperfect and in need of completion by another, containing commandments alien to the nature and thought of such a God." (Letter to Flora)
He further divides the Law into three parts:
- The Law of God – True commandments given by the Deity Himself.
- The Law of Moses – Commandments given by Moses from his own reasoning.
- The Traditions of the Elders – Human commandments interwoven into the Law.
Jesus confirms this division in His disputes with the Pharisees:
"Because of your hard-heartedness Moses permitted a man to divorce his wife; from the beginning it was not so" (Matthew 19:8).
Jesus contrasts the original divine intention with Moses' accommodation. Additionally, He rebukes the traditions of the elders:
"You have nullified the Law of God through the tradition of your elders" (Matthew 15:6).
This distinction aligns with Ptolemy’s claim that the Law, while containing divine elements, is not wholly from the Father but mediated through Elohim and shaped by human traditions.
If the Law was mediated by angels, also called Elohim in the Hebrew Scriptures (Psalm 82:1, 6), and if the Demiurge is identified as the intermediary who gave the Law, then it follows logically that the Elohim are the Demiurge. Ptolemy’s interpretation clarifies that the Law was neither from the perfect Father nor from an evil being but from an intermediary power—the Demiurge—who is distinct from both.
Since multiple scriptural passages affirm that angels, or Elohim, were responsible for delivering the Law (Acts 7:53, Galatians 3:19, Hebrews 2:2), they collectively fulfill the role of the Demiurge. This does not mean they are malevolent but rather that they function as intermediaries, governing the present age until Christ, the true revelation of the Father, inaugurates the world to come (Hebrews 2:5). Therefore, the Elohim, as celestial rulers and administrators of the Law, are rightly understood as the Demiurge, the architect of the material order and its legal structures.
The Revelation of the Deity in Christ
The Law, being mediated through angels and imperfect in its final form, stands in contrast to the ultimate revelation of the Deity in Christ. John declares:
"For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17).
While Moses received the Law through angelic mediation, Jesus reveals the Father directly:
"No one hath seen God at any time: An Only Begotten God, The One existing within the bosom of the Father, He, hath interpreted him" (John 1:18, Rotherham).
Moses did not see the Father but saw the Elohim. When Moses asked to see the Elohim's glory, he was only permitted to see a limited manifestation through an intermediary:
"And I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back: but my face shall not be seen" (Exodus 33:23).
Jesus, the Logos made flesh, fully reveals the Father:
"All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one fully knows the Son but the Father, neither does anyone fully know the Father but the Son and anyone to whom the Son is willing to reveal him" (Matthew 11:27).
Jesus is the exegete of the Father. The Greek term exegeomai means "to declare, interpret," from which we derive "exegesis." Christ, by His life, death, and resurrection, fully expounds the nature of God, surpassing the limited revelation given through the Law.
The Intermediate Role of the Demiurge
Ptolemy, recognizing that the Law was neither from the Father nor from an evil being, identifies the Demiurge as its author:
"For if the Law was not ordained by the perfect God himself, as we have already taught you, nor by the devil, a statement one cannot possibly make, the legislator must be some one other than these two. In fact, he is the demiurge and maker of this universe and everything in it; and because he is essentially different from these two and is between them, he is rightly given the name, intermediate." (Letter to Flora)
This aligns with the concept that the angels, as intermediaries, administered the Law. The present age is subjected to these celestial rulers:
"For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come" (Hebrews 2:5).
This indicates that the coming age, under Christ’s rule, will no longer be governed by these intermediaries.
Conclusion
The Law was mediated by angels (Elohim) and structured through Moses, but it was incomplete. Ptolemy's division clarifies its nature, distinguishing divine precepts from human additions. Jesus Christ, the Logos, surpasses this mediated revelation by fully revealing the Father. As John declares:
"And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace" (John 1:16).
Thus, while the Law served its purpose, the fullness of divine truth is found only in Christ..
John 1:17 Because, the law, through Moses, was given, favour and truth, through Jesus Christ, came into existence.
18 No one, hath seen, God, at any time: An Only Begotten God, The One existing within the bosom of the Father, He, hath interpreted him. (Rotherham's Emphasized Bible)
Some say (Jews,Ebionite and Christians) that it is legislation given by God the Father; others (Marcion Christians), taking the contrary course, maintain stubbornly that it was ordained by the opposite, the Devil who causes destruction, just as they attribute the fashioning of the world to him, saying that he is the Father and maker of this universe. Both are completely in error; they refute each other and neither has reached the truth of the matter.
Ptolemy begins by showing these two views are utterly in error
For it is evident that the Law was not ordained by the perfect God the Father, for it is secondary, being imperfect and in need of completion by another, containing commandments alien to the nature and thought of such a God. (Ptolemy's Letter to Flora)
First, you must learn that the entire Law contained in the Pentateuch of Moses was not ordained by one legislator - I mean, not by God alone, some commandments are Moses', and some were given by other men. The words of the Savior teach us this triple division. The first part must be attributed to God alone, and his legislation; the second to Moses - not in the sense that God legislates through him, but in the sense that Moses gave some legislation under the influence of his own ideas; and the third to the elders of the people, who seem to have ordained some commandments of their own at the beginning. You will now learn how the truth of this theory is proved by the words of the Savior.
In some discussion with those who dispute with the Savior about divorce, which was permitted in the Law, he said Because of your hard-heartedness Moses permitted a man to divorce his wife; from the beginning it was not so; for God made this marriage, and what the Lord joined together, man must not seperate. [Matt 19:8] In this way he shows there is a Law of God, which prohibits the divorce of a wife from a husband, and another law, that of Moses, which permits the breaking of this yoke because of hard-heartedness. In fact, Moses lays down legislation contrary to that of God; for joining is contrary to not joining.
The Savior also makes plain the fact that there are some traditions of the elders interwoven in the Law. For God,he says, Said, Honour your father and your mother, that it may be well with you, But you , he says addressing the elders, ...have declared as a gift to God, that by which you have nullified the Law of God through the tradition of your elders. Isaiah also proclaimed this, saying, This people honours me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, teaching precepts which are the commandments of men. [Matt 15:4-9].
Therefore it is obvious that the whole Law is divided into three parts; we find in it the legislation of Moses, of the elders, and of God himself. This division of the entire Law, as made by us, has brought to light what is true in it.
For if the Law was not ordained by the perfect God himself, as we have already thaught you, nor by the devil, a statement one cannot possibly make, the legislator must be some one other than these two. In fact, he is the demiurge and maker of this universe and everything in it; and because he is essentially different from these two and is between them, he is rightly given the name, intermediate. (Ptolemy's Letter to Flora)
the demiurge is the intermediate just like the angels been the intermediary Galatians 3:19
Moses and Angels The Law was given through Moses by angles or the Elohim this can be seen from Stephen's speech in acts 7 and Moses’ testimony to his encounter with the Angel of Yahweh (Ex 3:16 Ex 14:19,20).
Acts 7:53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it
The word "disposition" is the Gr. diatagas and signifies "ordinance." It has the idea of constitution or arranging. The NIV has "the law that was put into effect by angels," whereas the NEB has "the law as God's angels gave it to you." In receiving the Law, Moses did not see the great Uncreated and Eternal Spirit personally, but an angelic representative (Num. 12:8; Exo. 20:1; Gal. 3:19; Heb. 2:2; Acts 7:38).
In the case of God's own Son, the circumstances were entirely different (Heb. 1:1 -2); he was elevated to become the medium of the divine will, described as the "Word made flesh" (Jn. 1:14).
Galatians 3:19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. (English Standard Version)
By Angles: See Exo 3:2; 23:20; Isa 63:9; cp Heb 2:2-4.
Exodus 3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
"And the angel of Yahweh appeared unto him" — The angel spoke in the name of Deity, and therefore can be identified with the angel referred to in ch. 23:20-23.
Examples of angels speaking in the name of God are found throughout the Word. A typical example is given in Judges 2:1. The angel of Yahweh visited Israel with the message: "I made you to go up out of Egypt." The work is there attributed to the angel, whilst elsewhere it is declared as being of Yahweh. In fact, the work of deliverance was effected by Yahweh through "His ministers," the angels as the Elohim (cp. Psa. 103:20-21; Heb. 1:14).
The Law is given by the angels it is called the word spoken by angels in hebrews 2:2 that is, by the ministration of angels.. the
5 ¶ For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come,
This age or world is subjected meaning controlled by the angels
Because Angels control world rulers, "principalities and powers" can refer both to them and the Angels behind them.
The words, “No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.” (John 1:18), were spoken, not by the Baptist, but by the disciple.
No one, hath seen, God, at any time Not even Moses (Exo 33:18,20).
Moses’ experience of seeing a veiled manifestation of the Glory of God whilst he was hidden in a cleft of the rock (Ex. 33:22). “No man hath seen (and goes on seeing) God at any time”, not even Moses/ for the theophany he beheld was specifically limited (v.22, 23). When the covenant was made at Sinai a theophany was not only heard but also seen (Ex. 24:10,11);
An Only Begotten God, The One existing within the bosom of the Father, He, hath interpreted him
led him forth, i.e. into full revelation.
(Matthew 11:27) All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one fully knows the Son but the Father, neither does anyone fully know the Father but the Son and anyone to whom the Son is willing to reveal him.
"Exegeomai": to declare, interpret (cp English "exegesis"). In this final verse of the prologue is the climactic and ultimate statement of the career of the Logos, "the Word of God made flesh", Jesus of Nazareth. His whole life, all his teachings, and at last and especially his death and resurrection and ascension to heaven, all "expound" or "interpret" his heavenly Father.
This verse proves that, Jesus had a knowledge of God above that which any of the ancient prophets had, and that the fullest revelations of his character are to be expected in the gospel. By his Word and Spirit he can enlighten and guide us, and lead us to the true knowledge of God; and there is no true and full knowledge of God which is not obtained through his Son. Comp. #Joh 14:6 1Jo 2:22,23.
God cannot be understood in his completeness by outer consciousness. The indwelling Word, the Christ, God's spiritual idea, declares God and makes him manifest to outer consciousness by redeeming the life and substance of the body and raising it to spiritual glory.
John 1:18 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him
Verse 18: No man hath seen the Creator at any time. "God" meaning "elohim" refers to angels. See Exod# 33. 11, 20. The showing of YHWH to Moses was the showing of a highly placed angel, typifying that the people would see the manifestation of God in Jesus.
