Bible Study series: Acts 7:20-29. Moses was thoroughly educated in the ways of Egypt. But he had to escape from its culture.
Friendly greetings and a warm welcome to this Bible study! I write to learn. Let’s learn together and apply these truths to our lives.
I also translate to learn. The translations are mine, unless otherwise noted. If you would like to see many others, please click on this link:
At the link to the original post, next, I write more commentary and dig a little deeper into the Greek. I also offer a section titled Observations for Discipleship at the end. Check it out!
In this post, links are provided in the commentary section for further study.
Let’s begin.
Scripture: Acts 7:20-29
20 In due season, Moses was born, and he was extraordinary to God. He was brought up in his father’s household for three months. 21 But when he was abandoned, the daughter of Pharaoh drew him out and brought him up as her own son. 22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in word and action.
23 As the time of forty years drew to a completion, it came up in his heart to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel. 24 And when he saw an injustice being committed against one, he defended him and exacted punishment on the oppressor, killing the Egyptian. 25 He thought his brothers would understand that God through his hand was giving them deliverance, but they did not understand. 26 The next day, he saw men fighting and intended to bring them together in peace, saying, “Men, you are brothers. Why do you injure each other?” 27 But the aggressor against his neighbor shoved him aside and replied, “‘Who appointed you ruler and judge over us? 28 You don’t intend to kill me in the same way you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’” [Ex. 2:14] 29 And with that comment, Moses fled and became a foreigner in Midian, where he fathered two sons. (Acts 7:20-29)
Comments:
The main point in this section of Stephen’s speech before the Sanhedrin is that even Moses killed an Egyptian. He miscalculated criminally. He was a fugitive. But God can still use a man like that. But stop idolizing an imperfect human.
20:
“season”: it is the Greek noun kairos (pronounced ky-ross or ky-rohss), and many believe it has a quality of time built into it, more than just one moment after another. Call it a “season.” Compare that to chronos (pronounced khrah-noss or khroh-nohs) in v. 23, which marks time by one thing after another.
“extraordinary”: it can be translated as “beautiful”; the phrase “before God” has been omitted because it just means “very beautiful,” which I translate as “extraordinary.” But you may certainly say, “he was beautiful to God.”
21-24:
“abandoned”: There is nothing wrong with getting a good education. Renewalists need to be on the forefront of this sphere of life.
“wisdom”: see v. 10 for more comments.
“As the time of forty years drew to a completion”: that is a literal translation. Most translations simplify things as “when he was forty years old.” Rabbis divided Moses’s 120 years into three periods of forty years.
Bock on God’s visitation in Luke-Acts: “The idea of a visit is important in Luke-Acts, as God visits his people (through a deliverer in Luke 1:68, through a prophet in Luke 7:16; in a missed opportunity for Israel in Luke 19:44; of visiting Gentiles in Acts 15:14” (comment on vv. 23-25). Renewalists believe that God visits his people even today.
25-28:
Moses killed an Egyptian. Does this mean he had a temper? Murder is a long way down the road of vice and brokenness. But God could still use him. Do you see any application in your life?
Don’t try to accomplish the justice of God by fleshly or sinful methods. People will turn against you and reject your cause. Wait on God for his timing and seek him for his methods and plans to put things right.
“deliverance”: Since the theology of salvation (soteriology) is so critical for our lives, let’s look more closely at the noun salvation and at the verb sōzō (pronounced soh-zoh and used 106 times).
As noted throughout this commentary on Luke-Acts, the noun salvation and the verb save go a lot farther than just preparing the soul to go on to heaven. Together, they have additional benefits: keeping and preserving and rescuing from harm and dangers; saving or freeing from diseases and demonic oppression; and saving or rescuing from sin dominating us; ushering into heaven and rescuing us from final judgment. What is our response to the gift of salvation? You are grateful and then you are moved to act. When you help or rescue one man from homelessness or an orphan from his oppression, you have moved one giant step towards salvation of his soul. Sometimes feeding a hungry man and giving clothes to the naked or taking him to a medical clinic come before saving his soul.
All of it is a package called salvation and being saved.
Acts is about salvation of entire households and meeting in those saved households (2:2, 46; 5:42; 8:3, but be careful of persecution in 8:3! 10:2; 11:14; 16:15, 31, 34; 20:20; 21:8).
What Is the Work of Salvation?
How Do We Respond to God’s Salvation?
29:
Renewalists are (or should be) people of the logos (John 1:1). Even when God speaks a reason-defying promise, like Moses leading the children out of Egypt, Moses still had to go through the daily routine of living. For us today, when God promises a logic-defying calling and result, then Renewalists still have to obey traffic laws and stay within budgets at the grocery store, while they wait for God to fulfill his promise. So there is both a reasonable and spiritual side of the Spirit-filled life. Be balanced.
“foreigner”: Translators usually have “foreigner,” “sojourner,” or “alien.” One could say “pilgrim,” too. See v. 6, above.
Moses lived in a new country, off to the side, so to speak. He was marginalized, from the palace to the back side of the desert. Never forget that when you are marginalized and circumstances shove you off to the side, God sees you. He can redeem your situation, whether he placed you there or you put yourself there. You can learn some lessons and grow your character. He is preparing you for his next “big thing.” Let’s hope your desert season won’t last forty years!
GrowApp for Acts 7:20-29
1. Moses was first accepted then rejected. He was a foster child. How has God redeemed your life from rejection?
2. Were you a foster child or know someone who was? What is your or his story of redemption?
RELATED
The Historical Reliability of the Book of Acts
Book of Acts and Paul’s Epistles: Match Made in Heaven?
SOURCES
For the bibliography, please click on this link and scroll down to the very bottom:
Dr. Jim's Essential Bible Teaching 