“This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.”
My Notes
What Does Acts 7:37 Mean?
Stephen, in his defense before the Sanhedrin, identifies Moses as the prototype of Christ: "A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me." Stephen quotes Deuteronomy 18:15, where Moses prophesied a future prophet who would be like Moses himself — from among the people, speaking God's words, demanding obedience.
Stephen's point is devastating: the same Moses the Sanhedrin claims to follow predicted someone like himself would come. If they truly believed Moses, they would recognize the pattern: rejected by his own people at first (Exodus 2:14), vindicated by God, and used to deliver the nation. Jesus followed the same pattern: rejected by his own people, vindicated by resurrection, and offering deliverance.
The phrase "like unto me" (homoios emoi) creates the typological framework Stephen is building: Jesus is the new Moses. The parallels — initial rejection, divine calling, miraculous deliverance, giving of law, mediation between God and people — are comprehensive. Moses predicted his own pattern would repeat.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does the Moses-Jesus parallel (rejected then vindicated) strengthen the case that Jesus is the predicted prophet?
- 2.Where are you rejecting something God is doing because the pattern doesn't match your expectations?
- 3.What does Stephen's willingness to die for this argument teach about the cost of speaking truth to power?
- 4.How does the irony of stoning the messenger who warns about rejecting messengers prove Stephen's point?
Devotional
This is that Moses. Stephen points at the Moses the Sanhedrin claims to revere and says: he predicted what you're doing. He told you someone like him would come. And you're rejecting that someone the same way your ancestors rejected Moses the first time.
Stephen's defense is the longest speech in Acts, and its strategy is the Old Testament itself. He's not citing obscure texts — he's walking through the history every member of the Sanhedrin knows by heart and drawing a line they can't avoid: the pattern of rejection-then-vindication is Moses' own story. And Jesus follows it exactly.
Moses was rejected by his own people before he was used by God to save them. He went to his brothers, and they said, "Who made you a ruler over us?" (verse 35). Sound familiar? Jesus came to his own, and his own received him not (John 1:11). The pattern Moses set, Jesus fulfilled. The rejection Stephen's audience is currently executing is the very pattern Moses predicted.
The "like unto me" comparison creates the question the Sanhedrin can't answer: if Moses said a prophet like him would come, and Jesus matches the Moses pattern point for point — rejected by Israel, vindicated by God, offering deliverance — then rejecting Jesus is rejecting Moses' own prophecy. The very authority they claim (Moses) condemns the action they're taking (rejecting the prophet Moses predicted).
Stephen will be killed for this speech (verse 58-60). The message that the Sanhedrin is repeating Moses' rejection gets the messenger stoned. Which, of course, only proves Stephen's point.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
This is that Moses which said unto the children of Israel,.... What is recorded in Deu 18:15.
a prophet, &c. See Gill…
Which said ... - Deu 18:15, Deu 18:18. See this explained, Act 3:22. Stephen introduced this to remind them of the…
This is that Moses, which said - A prophet, etc. - This very Moses, so highly esteemed and honored by God, announced…
Stephen here proceeds in his story of Moses; and let any one judge whether these are the words of one that was a…
The prophecy is in Deu 18:15, and has been already quoted by St Peter (Act 3:12) as referring ultimately to the Messiah.…
Cross References
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