Acts 3:22

22. Omit γὰρ πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας with אABC. Vulg. ‘Moses quidem dixit.’

22. Μωϋσῆς μέν, Moses indeed said. Here the Apostle cites the prophecies to which he has been alluding. First from Deuteronomy 18:15 (though not quoting the LXX. quite exactly) he points out that the prophet who had been promised was to be of their brethren, as Moses had been. This was a comparison which the Jews themselves were fond of making, and they often identified the prophet of whom Moses spake with the Messiah. Thus the Midrash Rabbah on Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, ‘Rabbi Berakhiah in the name of Rabbi Yizkhak [Isaac] says: “As was the former redeemer so shall the latter redeemer be.” While of the former redeemer it is said (Exodus 4:20), “And Moses took his wife and his sons and set them upon an ass,” so of the latter: for it says (Zechariah 9:9), “He is lowly and riding upon an ass.” And while the former redeemer brought down manna, as it says (Exodus 16:4), “Behold I will rain bread from heaven for you,” so the latter redeemer will bring down manna. For it says (Psalms 72:16), “There shall be abundance of corn in the earth.” And as the former redeemer caused the well to spring up (see Numbers 21:17), so the latter redeemer shall also cause the waters to spring up. For it says (Joel 3:18), “A fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim.” ’

ὡς ἐμέ, like unto me. This is a rendering of the Hebrew כּ, and is very common in the LXX. Cf. Judges 8:18 καὶ εἶπαν Ὡς σὺ ὤς αὐτοὶ, εἰς ὁμοίωμα υἱοῦ βασιλέως.

ἀκούσεσθε, i.e. those who have ‘ears to hear’ when the prophet comes and speaks. The next verse shews that all the nation were not included in the ‘ye.’