A Prophet Like Moses: Jesus or Paul?

Deuteronomy 18:15 "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him." (NASB)

Daniel I. Block in his article on Deuteronomy in 'The Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible' suggests that Paul and not Jesus is to be considered as the 'new' or 'second' Moses. Block's defence of this view are as follows:-
1. That Jesus denied that He was the prophet (John 1:21)pg 166
2. Paul provided a profound theological work interpretting the law. Ibid.
3. Jesus is to be thought of as Yahweh incarnate and Paul resembles Moses in leading the community of faith.pg 170

The most obviously fault with Block's first point is that this was not Jesus' rejection of being The Prophet. It was John who rejected the fact that he was The Prophet in John 1:21. I am suprised at this elemenatry mistake by Block.
Block's strongest point is that Paul did extensively provide Christians with a theological work that interpretting Torah. Paul touched on much of the heart of the law, heading the fight against those who would force gentiles to circumcise. Paul used the words of Moses that it is the circumcision of the heart that is important (Romans 2:28-29; cf. Deuteronomy 10:16) However, Jesus also expounded Torah reminicient of Moses. The sermon on the Mount is certainly an allusion of Jesus as the Prophet like Moses. Matthew in particular portrays Jesus as the 'new' Moses throughout his gospel account from the nativity narratives to the five discourses mirroring Moses addresses to Israel in the book of Deuteronomy. Jesus also summarises the law with Moses words in Matthew 22:37 that we should love God with all our heart, mind and soul.
Block's third point is almost as weak as his first. Historically and Biblically Paul was never the leader of the Church. Paul wrote Christ was the head (Ephesians 5:23. Peter wrote that Christ was the Rock (1 Peter 2:4-8). There were many apostles during the first century church and Paul viewed himself as least.

In context Deuteronomy 18:15 is within a portion of scripture that distiguishes between false prophets and true prophets. The true prophets will be like Moses in their proclamation of the Word of God. Verse 15 presents the prophet as a singular figure. Midrashically the Rabbi's identified this figure as the Messiah in The Talmud. Throughout history Israel had many prophets, some false and some true. The most significant after Moses was Elijah. Elijah was like Moses except he didn't see God face to face in the sense Moses did(Deuteronomy 34:10) Likewise Paul never saw God face to face. Paul looked forward to seeing God face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12) but he never spoke face to face with God like Moses did. Jesus is the Prophet like Moses as He has seen the Father. Moses writes in that we should listen to this prophet and God Himself declares in the presence of Moses and Elijah that we must listen to the Words of Jesus.
I would just like to note that Block's article on Deuteronomy is an excellent piece of work and I thoroughly recommend The Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible as a wonderful tool for research. I, however, disagree with Block's view on Paul being the 'second' Moses.