Thanks for joining our study. This week is part two of Moses in the New Testament. Last Sunday, we focused on Moses in the Gospels, and today we explore the Book of Acts. If you missed last week, catch up now. While we wait, check out a popular and powerful song performed by Kari Jobe.
Before moving ahead, let’s quickly review last week’s introduction, which applies to today’s study. (I don’t like to quote myself, but sometimes I do it anyway.):
“Moses is best known as the “lawgiver” because God gave him the Ten Commandments, which form the foundation of Western civilization. Furthermore, Moses’ leadership, judgment, and faith in one God are essential to understanding ancient Jewish history and tradition. That is why Jewish New Testament writers (all Jewish except Luke) reference Moses’ legacy in connection with the identity and mission of Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the Law and the prophets, proving He was the Jewish Messiah.”
Authored by Luke, Acts is the first chapter after the four Gospels. Moses is cited numerous times. I call him the “north star,” because he is always the guiding light. The first reference from Peter is in Acts 3.
Peter is preaching about the death and resurrection of Jesus in Solomon’s Colonnade on the side of the Temple. Before being arrested by the temple guards and confronted by the Sanhedrin (Supreme Court), Peter chastises his audience:
“And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled” (Acts 3:17-20). Then Peter quotes Moses:
“Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people” (Acts 3:22-23).
Christ is the fulfillment of prophecies made in the Old Testament by Moses and others.
Next, Moses is most prominently referenced by Stephen, the first Christian martyr, before his death by stoning. (Read the lead-up here.) Stephen was seized and brought before the Sanhedrin for blasphemy against Moses. Based on “false witnesses,” the Sanhedrin prosecuted and questioned Stephen:
“For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” (Acts 6:14). When asked if “these charges are true,” Stephen, pleading for his life, launched into an extraordinary defense. He reviews the history of the ancient Jewish leaders, their faith in, and relationship with God, which encompasses all of Acts 7.
Stephen points to the story of Moses as his primary “defense witness,” citing him as the deliverer and prophet. The highlight is when Stephen (like Peter above) quotes from Deuteronomy, where Moses states to his people his message from God:
“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him” (Deuteronomy 18:15). Stephen stated:
“This is the Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.’ He was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; and he received living words to pass on to us” (Acts 7:37-38).
Was Stephen talking about himself? Yes, but God needed to raise up a series of prophets to herald the coming of the Messiah and spread the Good News after His death and resurrection. Note that in the Deuteronomy passage, Moses was told, “You must listen to him.” Bible enthusiasts know that, as recorded in all three Gospel accounts of the Transfiguration, God said about Jesus, “Listen to him,” speaking to Peter, James, and John.
Stephen’s critical argument to the Sanhedrin was that, as in Moses’ time, Jewish leaders resisted God’s appointed Messianic messenger. Stephen was that man, but the Sanhedrin did not listen and they stoned him anyway.
The following reference to Moses in Acts is especially poignant. Paul (who, before his conversion, oversaw the stoning of Stephen) and Barbabas were preaching about Jesus in Antioch, and it is recorded:
“Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:38-39).
Yikes! Forgiveness through Jesus and not through a priest and animal sacrifice? That was a controversial concept.
Speaking about controversial issues, circumcision ranked high on the list. After the death of Jesus and the spread of Christianity, much was written about the problem and how it was eventually resolved. For our purposes, this is another example of the law of Moses reigning supreme and how belief in Jesus did or did not conflict with it:
“Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: ‘Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.’ This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question” (Acts 15:1-2).
When they reached Jerusalem, Acts records:
“Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, ‘The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses’” (Acts 15-5).
Requiring circumcision was an effective way to reduce the number of Gentiles who wanted to follow the teachings of Jesus. Eventually, the issue was resolved. James said:
“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God (Acts 15:19). Paul continued to be pressured about that decision:
“They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs” (Acts 21:21).
Since we are running short on space, there are a few more Moses references in Acts that you can explore on your own: (Acts 26:22) and (Acts 28:23). We close with:
“For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath” (Acts 15:21).
That verse still holds in every synagogue, and most churches also read from the Old Testament because it is fulfilled in the New Testament.
Could you do me a favor? Tell your Jewish friends that you enjoy reading about Moses in the New Testament. Then have a camera ready to capture their reaction!
Our study of Moses in the rest of the New Testament continues Sunday, August 3. Next week we have an interview with the director of a new faith movie. Stay cool. Amen!
Myra Kahn Adams is a conservative political and religious writer. Her book, “Bible Study For Those Who Don’t Read The Bible,” reprints the first 56 volumes of this popular study. “Part 2,” reprints Vols. 57 –113. Order it here.
She is also the Executive Director of the National Shroud of Turin Exhibit, dedicated to building a future permanent Shroud of Turin exhibit in Washington, D.C. Join our effort! Click to attend a major Shroud conference July 31- August 2 in St. Louis. Contact: <MyraAdams01@gmail.com>
This article is reproduced from Townhall.com.
