Goodness and Life or Evil and Death: Choose Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Deut. 30:15-20)

See, I have today set before you life and good, death and evil. 16 If you obey the commandments of the Lord, your God, which I am giving you today, loving the Lord, your God, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and ordinances, you will live and grow numerous, and the Lord, your God, will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 If, however, your heart turns away and you do not obey, but are led astray and bow down to other gods and serve them, 18 I tell you today that you will certainly perish; you will not have a long life on the land which you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth today to witness against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, 20 by loving the Lord, your God, obeying his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you, a long life for you to live on the land which the Lord swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give to them.

Moses had been delivering his final address to Israel before his death and their entry into the Promised Land.  He renewed the covenant, emphasizing that Israel’s past experiences—God’s deliverance from Egypt, His provision in the wilderness, and His mighty acts—demanded a response of faithfulness.  This farewell discourse serves as both a warning and a promise, urging Israel to remain faithful as they stand on the threshold of God's fulfillment of His promise to their ancestors.  

Deuteronomy 30:11-20 presents Moses’ final exhortation to Israel, emphasizing that obedience to God’s commandments is neither too difficult nor beyond human reach (vv. 11-14).  The Law is accessible, already in their hearts and mouths (cf. Rom 10:6-8), highlighting the personal responsibility of choosing between life and death, blessing and curse (vv. 15-18).  The passage culminates in the call to love and obey the Lord, which leads to life and prosperity, while turning away results in destruction (vv. 19-20).  However, this choice is not made through human effort alone; earlier in Deuteronomy 30:6, Moses reveals that God Himself will "circumcise" their hearts so that they may love Him fully, anticipating the grace necessary for obedience.

This passage affirms human freedom and the necessity of a decision to follow God.  The commandment is not esoteric or distant but intimately tied to one’s life and choices.  This reinforces the covenantal theme of Deuteronomy, where love and obedience to God are inseparable from divine blessing (cf. Deut. 6:5; 11:26-28).

This passage finds its fulfillment in Christ, as John 14:6 reveals: Jesus is "the way and the truth and the life."  Just as Moses set before Israel the choice of life or death, Jesus presents Himself as the only path to eternal life.  The accessibility of the Law in Deuteronomy prefigures the accessibility of Christ's grace, which is not distant but given through faith (Rom 10:8-13).  Just as Moses was the mediator of the old covenant, Christ is the mediator of the new and eternal covenant (cf. Luke 22:20; Heb. 8:6-13), bringing the fullness of life to those who believe in Him.

In the broader context of salvation history, Deuteronomy 30:11-20 aligns with God's call for a response of faith and obedience.  The choice between life and death echoes throughout Scripture, as seen in Joshua 24:15, where Israel must choose whom to serve.  Jesus, the new Moses, also presents a choice: to believe in Him or remain in darkness (John 3:16-21).  The passage also relates to Paul’s teaching in Galatians 3:10-14, where he explains that those under the Law are subject to its curse if they fail to keep it entirely.  However, Christ has redeemed us from this curse, fulfilling the Law and granting justification through faith.

Ultimately, this passage underscores the covenantal relationship between God and His people, pointing toward the new covenant in Christ, where salvation is a matter of faith working through love (Gal 5:6).  Through Jesus, the choice of life is extended to all nations, fulfilling God's plan of salvation (Acts 13:46-48).

Heavenly Father, You have set before us the path of life in Your Son, Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life. Open our hearts to love You fully, to walk in Your commands, and to choose life by abiding in Him. Strengthen our faith, so that we may trust in Your grace and follow Christ with unwavering devotion. Lead us ever closer to You, so that we may dwell in Your presence now and for all eternity.  This we pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen!

                                                       

Sources

• McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
• Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
• Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
• Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
• Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: The Pentateuch. Four Courts Press, 2017
• Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
• Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
• Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.