Acts 7:22
And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.
ACTS 7:22
This verse crystallizes Moses’ training: “learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians” and “mighty in words and in deeds.” The education Moses receives in Egypt gives him rhetorical skill and practical ingenuity. Stephen (and Luke) emphasizes this to show that Moses is uniquely equipped for leadership, bridging Hebrew tradition and Egyptian knowledge. Moses’ prowess becomes a vehicle for the eventual exodus: he can speak, persuade, and perform signs. However, this dual cultivation also creates tension—his identity as Hebrew yet his social standing as an Egyptian prince. The phrase “in all the wisdom of the Egyptians” signals a comprehensive formation: philosophy, science, administration, military knowledge, and diplomacy. Stephen is setting up Moses as a figure who has the capacity to confront Pharaoh and lead a nation, demonstrating that God can fit a calling into the resources available in a given era.
Wisdom, power, and leadership are central here. Theologically, Moses embodies the idea that human preparation and divine call can align: God uses the instruments of the world to accomplish his purposes. The verse also hints at the complexity of discernment: possessing human wisdom does not automatically equate to divine calling. Moses must respond to God’s initiative and respond in obedience. This foreshadows how God later calls prophets and leaders who are equipped by education, experience, and personal transformation. It also reinforces the continuity between wisdom as human skill and wisdom as divine insight.
Your education and experiences—whether in academics, trade, or leadership—can become tools for God’s purposes. Practical steps: identify the skills you have developed and consider how they could serve others in tangible ways—mentorship, leadership in a ministry, or social impact projects. Seek to integrate your knowledge with a faith-guided ethic: use your influence to promote justice, mercy, and truth. If you feel underqualified, remember that God uses both natural gifts and supernatural empowerment. The key is obedience and readiness to respond when God calls, not merely accumulating credentials. Use your talents to bless others and advance the common good in communities that need leadership, justice, and integrity.
Cross-References: Exodus 3:11–14; Exodus 4:10–12; 1 Corinthians 1:26–29; James 3:13; Proverbs 2:6