But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.
This statement comes as part of Stephen's rehearsal of Israel's history. He spoke it as his final testimony in self-defense before the council. It was spoken under the direction of the Holy Spirit to people who resisted his words, so its significance is shaped by the occasion, time, and place of his address.
The verse belongs to a discourse that produces evidence for Christ from the Old Testament scriptures beginning with Moses and the prophets. That discourse gives inspired proof regarding the mission, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ and clearly proves His identity with the Messiah through the testimony of Moses and the prophets. It shows that it was the voice of Christ which spoke through the prophets and patriarchs from the days of Adam to that time, and Christ is the key which unlocks the Old Testament and gives access to its rich treasures.
This statement comes as part of Stephen's rehearsal of Israel's history. He spoke it as his final testimony in self-defense before the council. It was spoken under the direction of the Holy Spirit to people who resisted his words, so its significance is shaped by the occasion, time, and place of his address.
The verse belongs to a discourse that produces evidence for Christ from the Old Testament scriptures beginning with Moses and the prophets. That discourse gives inspired proof regarding the mission, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ and clearly proves His identity with the Messiah through the testimony of Moses and the prophets. It shows that it was the voice of Christ which spoke through the prophets and patriarchs from the days of Adam to that time, and Christ is the key which unlocks the Old Testament and gives access to its rich treasures.