“This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The text highlights the word "redeemer" for Moses, not just a "deliverer," to show that he was a divinely appointed rescuer who, like Christ, paid a price (symbolically, through the Passover) to liberate God's people. This elevates Moses from a mere leader to a foreshadowing of Christ's ultimate work of salvation.
“This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Stephen is recounting the story of Moses, emphasizing how the people rejected him when he first offered to lead them, questioning his authority. He's drawing a parallel between their ancestors' refusal of Moses, whom God appointed as ruler and redeemer, and the current generation's rejection of Jesus. This sets the stage for Stephen to accuse his listeners of following in the footsteps of their rebellious forefathers.
Have you ever felt overlooked or misunderstood when trying to do what's right? The Israelites' rejection of Moses wasn't a one-off event, but a pattern that echoed through their history.
Stephen highlights a crucial point: the very people Moses was sent to save didn't accept him at first. They questioned his authority, asking, “Who made you a ruler and a judge?”
This rejection wasn't just a minor hiccup; it revealed a deeper problem within the nation. It showed a tendency to push back against God's chosen leaders and His divine plan. This pattern of resistance would sadly continue, even towards God's ultimate deliverer, Jesus.
We often think of leaders as having one primary role. But Moses was appointed with two powerful, interconnected titles. What does this dual commission reveal about God's mission?
Stephen doesn't just call Moses a 'ruler'; he adds another vital title: 'redeemer.' The original language used for 'redeemer' here is profound, speaking of ransoming or rescuing someone by paying a price.
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Understand the original words
rhystēs · Greek Noun
The act of setting free or rescuing from bondage, captivity, or danger. Theologically, it often refers to God’s act of liberating His people from physical or spiritual slavery by paying a price or exercising power.
angelos · Greek Noun
A supernatural messenger sent by God to serve as a representative of His presence or to deliver His word. In the context of the burning bush, the 'Angel of the Lord' is often understood as a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ.
archōn · Greek Noun
One who exercises authority, governs, or leads. In a biblical context, it refers to those ordained by God to administer justice and guide the people of God according to His law.
Stephen highlights that the people's rejection of Moses, even after God's clear commission and miraculous interventions, foreshadows their rejection of Jesus, whom Moses himself prophesied would come.
c. 1446 BC
Moses's Call at the Burning Bush
God appears to Moses in a burning bush, commissioning him to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Moses Rejected by Israelites
When Moses and Aaron first approach the Israelites with God's message of deliverance, the people refuse to listen, hardened by their cruel bondage.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt and Red Sea Crossing
Despite the people's initial rejection, God empowers Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, culminating in the miraculous parting of the Red Sea.
c. 1446-1406 BC
Forty Years in the Wilderness
The Israelites wander in the desert for forty years, during which Moses receives the Law and leads the people according to God's commands.
c. 1406 BC
Moses's Prophetic Promise
Just before his death, Moses tells the Israelites that God will raise up a prophet like him, whom they should heed.
This passage directly highlights God's commission of Moses as a deliverer, mirroring the verse in Acts where Stephen emphasizes God's sending of Moses in this role, despite initial rejection.
Deuteronomy 18:15Stephen quotes this prophecy, which points to a future prophet like Moses, directly connecting Moses' role as a ruler and deliverer to the greater role of the Messiah, reinforcing the theme of divine appointment and rejection.
Hebrews 9:12This New Testament passage speaks of Christ's redemptive work through his own blood, providing a theological parallel to Moses being a 'redeemer' (λυτρωτὴν) and highlighting the ultimate deliverance Christ provides, far surpassing Moses'.
Acts 3:22Peter echoes Deuteronomy 18:15, just as Stephen does, to show that Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophet like Moses, underscoring the continuity of God's redemptive plan and the rejection faced by His chosen messengers.
John 1:11This verse describes Jesus coming to his own people who did not receive him, creating a strong parallel to the rejection of Moses described in Acts 7:35 and Stephen's broader argument about Israel's consistent pattern of rejecting God's messengers.
vincentActs 7:35: "This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush."
Deliverer (λυτρωτὴν)Strictly, a ransomer or redeemer. Only here in New Testament. See on ransom, Matthew 20:28; and redeemed, 1 Peter 1:18.By the hand (ἐν χειρὶ)The best texts read σύν χειρὶ, "with the hand;" i.e., in association with the protecting and helping power of the angel.
meyerActs 7:35: "This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush."
Acts 7:35-37 . The recurring τοῦτον is emphatic: this and none other . See Bornemann in the Sächs. Stud. 1842, p. 66. Also in the following Acts 7:36-38 , οὗτος … οὗτος … οὗτος are always emphatically prefixed. ὃν ἠρνήσαντο ] whom they (at that time, Acts 7:27 ) denied , namely, as ἄρχοντα καὶ δικαστ…
The text highlights the word "redeemer" for Moses, not just a "deliverer," to show that he was a divinely appointed rescuer who, like Christ, paid a price (symbolically, through the Passover) to liberate God's people. This elevates Moses from a mere leader to a foreshadowing of Christ's ultimate work of salvation.
Stephen is recounting the story of Moses, emphasizing how the people rejected him when he first offered to lead them, questioning his authority. He's drawing a parallel between their ancestors' refusal of Moses, whom God appointed as ruler and redeemer, and the current generation's rejection of Jesus. This sets the stage for Stephen to accuse his listeners of following in the footsteps of their rebellious forefathers.
Stephen is recounting the story of Moses, emphasizing how the people rejected him when he first offered to lead them, questioning his authority. He's drawing a parallel between their ancestors' refusal of Moses, whom God appointed as ruler and redeemer, and the current generation's rejection of Jesus. This sets the stage for Stephen to accuse his listeners of following in the footsteps of their rebellious forefathers.
"“This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush." — The text highlights the word "redeemer" for Moses, not just a "deliverer," to show that he was a divinely appointed rescuer who, like Christ, paid a price (symbolically, through the Passover) to libe…
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Last reviewed October 2026