Acts 3:22-23
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.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Peter doesn't just quote Moses; he uses "like me" to emphasize the prophet's unique role as a mediator, someone sent by God to speak authoritatively to the people, just as Moses himself had done. This isn't just about a future teacher, but about someone who would hold a similar, divinely appointed position of trust and authority to guide the people.
Peter has just healed a man lame from birth, and the crowd is amazed, so Peter uses this moment to preach about Jesus. He calls out the people and their leaders for denying and handing Jesus over, explaining this was part of God's plan, and now he quotes Moses from Deuteronomy to show why they must listen to Jesus, who is the promised prophet.
Peter doesn't just quote Moses; he uses Moses to point to someone even greater. How does this prophecy serve Jesus?
Peter is making a powerful connection for his Jewish audience. By quoting Deuteronomy 18, he's tapping into a well-known prophecy that the people expected to be fulfilled.
A Distinctive Prophet
Moses himself declared that God would raise up 'a prophet like me.' This wasn't just any prophet; it was someone with a unique, authoritative voice that God Himself would back.
Not Just About Succession
While the prophecy could refer to a succession of prophets throughout Israel's history, Peter highlights its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus. This wasn't just about another religious teacher; it was about the Messiah, the ultimate Mediator, the One who would inaugurate a new covenant and a new way of relating to God.
The instruction to 'hear' this prophet isn't a suggestion; it's a divine command with serious consequences. What does this mean for us?
Peter is intentionally calling out the people's disobedience. The prophecy Moses delivered wasn't just a prediction; it was a command from God.
A Non-Negotiable Command
'Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.' This isn't about selectively listening to parts that are convenient. It’s about a wholehearted submission to the prophet God sends. This prophet, as Peter is arguing, is Jesus.
The Cost of Disobedience
The implication, reinforced in the next verse (Acts 3:23), is severe: failure to listen means being 'utterly cut off.' This highlights the immense importance God places on hearing and obeying the one He has appointed. Rejecting this prophet is rejecting God's own plan for salvation and guidance.
Understand the original words
exolethreūō · Greek Verb
To be utterly cut off or destroyed, often implying exclusion from God's people or eternal judgment for rejecting God’s word and His messenger.
This is the foundational Old Testament passage that Peter is quoting, establishing Moses' own prophecy about a future prophet who would come from their own people.
Matthew 17:5This passage records the transfiguration where God the Father Himself speaks, saying, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him,' directly echoing the command to 'listen' given to the prophet like Moses.
John 1:21The Jewish leaders asked John the Baptist if he was 'the Prophet,' showing their expectation of a divinely appointed speaker, which Peter is now identifying as Jesus.
Hebrews 3:1This verse calls believers to consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, drawing a parallel between Jesus' role and that of a divinely appointed messenger like Moses.
John 6:14After Jesus miraculously feeds the five thousand, the crowd exclaims, 'This really is the Prophet who is to come into the world,' demonstrating how people recognized Jesus as the fulfillment of this prophecy.
barnesActs 3:22: "For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you."
For Moses truly said - The authority of Moses among the Jews was absolute and final. It was of great importance, therefore, to show not only that they were not departing from his Law, but that he had actually foretold these very things. The object of the passage is not to prove that the heavens m…
calvinActs 3:22-24: "For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you."
- Moses truly said unto the fathers, The Lord your God shall raise up a Prophet unto you of your brethren, [like unto me;] him shall ye hear, according to all things which he shall speak unto you. 23. And it shall come to pass, that every soul which shall not hear that Prophet shall be destr…
Peter doesn't just quote Moses; he uses "like me" to emphasize the prophet's unique role as a mediator, someone sent by God to speak authoritatively to the people, just as Moses himself had done. This isn't just about a future teacher, but about someone who would hold a similar, divinely appointed position of trust and authority to guide the people.
Peter has just healed a man lame from birth, and the crowd is amazed, so Peter uses this moment to preach about Jesus. He calls out the people and their leaders for denying and handing Jesus over, explaining this was part of God's plan, and now he quotes Moses from Deuteronomy to show why they must listen to Jesus, who is the promised prophet.
Peter has just healed a man lame from birth, and the crowd is amazed, so Peter uses this moment to preach about Jesus. He calls out the people and their leaders for denying and handing Jesus over, explaining this was part of God's plan, and now he quotes Moses from Deuteronomy to show why they listen to Jesus, who is the promised prophet.
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"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.’" — Peter doesn't just quote Moses; he uses "like me" to emphasize the prophet's unique role as a mediator, someone sent by God to speak authoritatively to the people, just as Moses himself had done. Thi…
