Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Book 2 · Chapter 12 · Questions 2
Of the mysticall application of the Passeover and the rites thereof.
QUEST. XXXIX. Of the divers applications of the sense of Scripture.
WE must first understand, that there are two generall wayes of interpreting Scripture: first, there is the simple interpretation, and then the compound sense. The first is of two sorts, either concerning the fact or thing done, and this is called the historicall sense: or the reason or cause thereof, which the fathers termed aitiologia, the shewing of the reason. The compound interpretation or sense is likewise twofold: either in comparing of the words with the thing signified, divers and differing from the words, which is called an allegorie, such are the parables of Christ, as of the sower, where the meaning is not according to the words of one that soweth seed in the ground, but of the spirituall seed of Gods word sowne in the heart: or else in comparing the things historically signified, with the things typically shadowed forth: as the serpent signified Christ, and is called of the fathers the anagogicall sense: Iun. in Analys.
Now concerning the historicall and literall sense of the Passeover, it hath beene hitherto opened: now I will proceed to the mysticall and allegoricall sense. If this first be observed, that these are not properly divers senses, but divers accommodations and applications of one generall sense: And besides, that it is not lawfull for every Interpreter according to his owne imagination, to draw, or rather wrest the Scripture into allegories, but that therein we must follow the direction and warrant of the Spirit. Now I will descend to the particular mysteries, which are fitly gathered from the paschall lambe, with the rites thereof.
QUEST. XL. Of the particular mysticall applications of the paschall Lambe, and the rites thereof.
FIrst concerning the time when this paschall lambe was to be slaine, which was in the first MonethMonth on the 14. day,1. Of the day and monethmonth. in the full of the Moone; and at even: these speciall references are made to Christ, the true paschall lambe: 1. That as then the light overcommeth darknesse, and the dayes begin to be longer than the night, so then Christ brought light to the world, the light of righteousnesse, which chaseth away the darknesse of our sinnes: Rupert. 2. As in March, all things began to revive and spring againe, so Christ brought life and refreshing to the world: Ferus. 3. It was a generall received opinion among the Jewes, that the same time that the Israelites were delivered out of Egypt, the deliverance which they expected from the Messiah should be accomplished. A…doe. Masius in 5. Iosh. And so accordingly Christ the true paschall lambe was slaine in the Feast of the Passeover. 4. The fulnesse of the Moone sheweth the fulnesse of time when the Messiah should come: Rupert. 5. The eating at even signifieth that Christ should suffer toward the end of the world, Simler.
Secondly, in the tenth of this monethmonth let every one take a lambe. Like as the lambe was set apart foure dayes before,2. Of the setting apart of the Lambe upon the tenth day. upon the tenth day of the monethmonth; so our Saviour came to Jerusalem upon the tenth day of the monethmonth, five dayes before his Passion: for upon the sixt day before Christ came to Bethanie, Ioh. 12. and the next day he went to Jerusalem, Ferus.
3. The lambe signifieth Christ, as Iohn Baptist calleth him the lambe of God,3. How Christ is compared to a Lambe. that taketh away the sinnes of the world, Ioh. 1.29. unto whom all the properties of the lambe doe most fully agree: 1. The lambe is taken from the flocke, so Christ tooke the nature of men, in all things like unto us, sinne only excepted: Ferus. It was a lambe without blemish, so was Christ without sinne: Simler. A male, to shew his strength: Iun. of a yeere old (not above, but under it might bee) to shew that Christ died at a full and perfect age: Pellican. Beside, Christ is resembled to a Lambe for his patience, he was as asheepe before the shearer, not opening his mouth: Simler. for his innocencie: Ferus. And as a Lambe cloatheth, so are wee cloathed with Christs righteousnesse: Hierom. As the Lambe feedeth, so are wee nourished spiritually by the body and bloud of Christ. Simler.
4. The bloud of the Lambe was a most lively type and figure of the bloud of Christ:4 Of the bloud of the Lambe how it resembleth Christs bloud. 1. As they were delivered from the temporall death of the plague of the first borne, so are wee redeemed by the bloud of Christ the undefiled Lambe, 1. Pet. 1.19. Iun. 2. The bloud was sprinkled or stricked with hyssope upon the doore postes: so the bloud of Christ doth not profit us, unlesse it be sprinkled upon our hearts by faith: Calvin. 3. It was stricked upon the doore postes, that we should at all times, both going out of our houses, and entring in, thinke upon the passion of Christ: and it was laid upon the upper doore poste▪ to shew that we should not be ashamed of Christ. Pellican.
5. The Lambe must be eaten whole, so whole Christ must be received and acknowledged, God Christ,5. Of the signification of the leaven and sower herbes. and man Christ, perfect God and perfect man consisting of body and soule: both the doctrine and life of Christ▪ Pellic. Ferus. The Arrians divided the Lambe that denied his Deity, the Maniches that impugned his humanity, the Apollinarists denied Christ to have a soule: or rather it signifieth our perfect conjunction with Christ: Iun. 2 The eating of unleavened bread signifieth the laying aside of the leaven of malice and wickednesse, and that we should keepe our feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, as the Apostle expoundeth it, 1. Cor. 6.8. 3. The sower herbes signifie the afflictions that accompany the crosse of Christ. Iun.
6. Vers. 11. Thus shall yee eat it. 6. Of the eating with the loines gi… and the shooes on the feete and the staffe in the hand.1. By the girding of the loynes some understand the bridling of the affections: Gregor. Pellican. rather it sheweth we should be ready for the Lords service, as they which are prepared for their journey: Philo: as the Apostle saith, Stand therefore your loynes girded up, Ephes. 6.12. Borrh. 2. The putting on the shooes with Gregory signifieth the imitating of the examples of the Saints departed: as the shooes are made of dead skinnes: but this is too curious: Pellican would have it to signifie our passing thorow this world where we have no abiding City: rather it sheweth, that wee should be armed and prepared to walke through the crosses of this life, and not to bee offended with the troubles, which follow the Gospell, but, as the Apostle saith, wee should bee shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace: Borrh. 3. By the staffe in hand Pellican understandeth the enduring of labour, Philo direction to guide us in the way: Ferus and Iunius better, the word of God, whereby we are both guided and strengthened in the way: Gregory, the pastorall duty: but the use is more generall than to belong to one calling. 4. They are bid to eat it in haste, which with Gregory signifieth, ad solemnitatem patriae caelestis a…lare, to long for our heavenly country, as they made haste to goe to Canaan: as the Apostle saith, I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. Some understand it of that feare, which they are in, which doe things in haste: and there it is good, semper pavid…m esse ne in presumptione & secur…tate p…rielitamur; alwayes to be fearefull lest b… security and presumption we should be indangered: Pellican. Some doe thus apply it: Celeriter relinquendum esse Satana regnum: that the kingdome of Satan must speedily bee left: Borrh. Ferus, beside the two first collections: Festin…re nos faciant duo, desiderium & timor: Two things cause us to make haste, desire and feare: addeth a third, that as they were bid thus to be in readinesse at what houre of the night soever there should be a cry raised in Egypt: Sic semper parati simus, quasi omni h…ra nobis ex hoc mundo exeundum sit: So we should be alwayes ready at what houre soever we are to depart this world. But this ceremony betokeneth generally our readinesse and promptnesse to Gods service: violentes esse & rapere regnum Dei: that wee should as it were take the Kingdome of God by force, as our Saviour sheweth, Matth. 11. Iun. in Analys.
QUEST. XLI. How Pharaoh is said here to have called unto Moses.
Vers. 31. ANd he called to Moses and Aaron. 1. Ferus here well noteth, Impii non evigilant nisidum judicium Dei sentiunt: The wicked awake not till they feele the judgements of God. Pharaoh is not so much awakened out of his sleepe as his hard heart is awakened. 2. Now he granteth whatsoever they had said before, making no reservation or exception of any thing as he had done: Simler. So wee see that terror and feare are the invincible weapons of God whereby Tyrants are constrained: Pellican. 3. This was, Sera sed non seria animi demissi…: This submission of his minde, though it came at the last, it came not in truth: Borrh. for Pharaoh repented him afterward. 4. Not onelyonly Pharaoh thus called to Moses and Aaron, but likewise Pharaohs servants submitted themselves and besought them to be gone, as Moses had said before, chap. 11.8. Iun. 5. But whereas Moses here told Pharaoh, chap. 10.29. from hence will I see thy face no more: it is not to be thought that Moses and Aaron were now called into Pharaohs presence: he is said to call unto them, d…um pr… imperi… suo proceres ad cum ablegavit; while hee sendeth by his commandement his Nobles unto him. Calvin.