Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Chapter 33 · Questions · Question 3 – Question 7
QUEST. III. How God saith he will send his Angell, and yet himselfe not go with them.
Vers. 1. I Will send an Angell before thee. 1. Some thinke, that this is but a repetition of that which the Lord promised before, that they should be brought into the land of Canaan, and that Gods Angell should go before them. But God promised these things upon a condition, and now upon their disobedience he reverseth all, and saith in effect unto them, Pergite quo vult…s, ego omnem vestri curam abjiciam; Go whither you will, I will have no more care of you, Ferus, Marbach. But by the former promise, chap. 32.34. Mine Angell shall go before you: it is euident, that the Lord doth confirme here his former promise, and not reverse it. 2. Cajetane thus expoundeth, that God was content his cloud should goe before him, as it did, but he will not dwell among them in his Tabernacle, as he had promised. So also Burgens. But the contrarie is evident, because God had alreadie prescribed unto Moses, the forme and fashion of the Tabernacle, all which had been to no effect, if the Lord would not make it his habitation: for to what purpose then, should they make it? 3. Calvine, because a difference is here made, betweene the sending of an Angell before them, and Gods being among them, thinketh that this is understood of a created Angell, and not of that Angell of Gods presence, before promised, chap. 23. which was Iesus Christ himselfe. But the same Angell is understood both here, and there, because the same office was to be performed in both places, to bring the people into the land of Canaan. And so the Interlinearie Gloss. understandeth, Angelum quem se missurum spondet Dominus Deus, Dominum Iesum Christum possumus intelligere; The Angell, which the Lord God promiseth to send, we may understand to be our Lord Iesus Christ.
4. Rupertus giveth this sense, I will send mine Angell before thee, that thou maiest enter into the land of Canaan, sed non ut intras in terram viventium, but not to enter into the land of the living. But here the text doth not insinuate the spirituall Canaan, but the terrestriall only, as it is described to be a land, that floweth with milke and honie.
5. The author of the Scholasticall historie, here saith, that whereas God was the keeper of Israel himselfe, before they committed idolatrie: he afterward appointed Michael the Arch-angell to be their keeper and guide; who is called their Prince. But the same Angell, which the Lord promiseth now to send before them, did go before them before, Exod. 14.19. and 23.20. Behold I will send an Angell before thee, which indeed was Michael the Arch-angell, or principall or chiefe Angell, who was no created Angell, but even Christ himselfe, for who else is the Prince of the Lords people?
6. Wherefore, whereas God saith he will send his Angell, and not go himselfe, the meaning is not, seeing God is everie where, that he would not be with them, per potentiam, by his power, but not as before; per miraculorum operationem, by the operation of miracles, Lyran. Tostat. Negat se amplius familiariter illis praesentem fore; Hee denieth that hee will in that familiar manner be present, as he was before, Simler. Gallas. Aut inter eos visibiliter residere, Or to be visiblie resident among them. Iun. But afterward, when upon Moses request God changed his purpose, that he would go with them himselfe: then hee was present, in working miracles for them, as before, as in sending them flesh, Numb. 11. and causing water to come out of the rock, Numb. 20. Tostat. qu. 4.
QUEST. IIII. Why the Lord saith, he will not goe with them himselfe, lest he should consume them.
Vers. 3. LEst I consume thee in the way. 1. Rupertus so understandeth this, as though the Lord would have the people no more to take him for their God: Non tibi expedit, ut me Deum tuum nomines culturam meam profitearis; It is not good for thee, that thou doe henceforth name mee for thy God, or professe my worship: for it were better not to know God at all, than knowing to provoke him, &c. But if the Lords meaning were utterly to renounce them, as being not his people, he would not have promised to send an Angell before them.
2. Neither is it to be thought, that the Angell should be, Deo misericor dior, more mercifull than God, and readie to spare them: for even the Lord had told them before concerning the Angell, that he would not spare their misdeeds.
3. But if God should be present, as is said before, in working miracles for them, and multiplying his benefits, tanto esset populi rebellio gravior, the rebellion of the people and their unthankfulnesse, should be so much the greater, Lyran. And this is the reason, why the Lord punished his owne people more for their idolatrie, than he did the Gentiles, because the Lord had done more for them, than any other people, Tostat. qu. 5. So Hugo de S. Victor. Lest I should destroy thee, Iratus aliquando tua stultitia, si tecum essem assidue. Being at the length angrie for thy foolishnesse, if I should be continually with thee. So also Iunius, Ne si gravius in praesentiam ipsius peccaverint Israelitae, &c. Lest the more the Israelites did sinne against the Lord being present, the more grivous punishment should be decreed against them.
QUEST. V. What ornaments they were, which the people laid aside.
Vers. 4. ANd no man put on his best rayment, or his ornament. 1. Hugo de S. Victor. by their ornament, heere understandeth the Tabernacle of Moses, where the Lord talked with him, which was an ornament and grace to the people: which now was removed away from them, and pitched without the campe. So also Gloss. interlinear. But the removing of Moses Tabernacle is afterward mentioned, vers. 7. it was then a divers thing from this: and this ornament here spoken of, was peculiar, and severall to everie one, which they laid aside, so was not this Tabernacle.
2. R. Salom. understandeth this ornament of certaine golden coronets, which were miraculously put upon every ones head by the Angels, at that time when the law was delivered, whereby they were espoused unto God: which now they put off, as having broken their faith toward God, to whom they were espoused.
But, neither is it likely, that everie one had such a golden coronet, for whence should they have such abundance of gold? Tostat. qu. 7. And if this ornament were miraculously given them, it was no more in their power to put them off, than it was at the first to assume them: and if it had been any such ornament of their espousals, they were then stripped of them, when they had first transgressed, when Moses saw that the people were naked, chap. 33.25. Simler.
3. R. Salom. beside this, hath another exposition: by their ornaments understanding their favour, and dignitie with God, which now they had lost. But it was not in their power, either to lay aside, or to take up this kind of spirituall ornament. The Lord could deprive them thereof, whether they would or no.
4. The Chalde paraphrast, by these ornaments, understandeth, arma bellica, their weapons of warre, their swords, and their bowes, and such like. But it seemeth that both men and women laid aside these ornaments: whereas the men only did weare armour.
5. Some thinke that these were the ornaments, which they did weare for the honor of the golden calfe, Oleaster. But it is not like, that if they had worne any such, that they did put them on still, seeing the Levites had put to the sword divers of them for their idolatrie: they would not have been so shamelesse as in despight of Moses to have carried in open view those markes of idolatrie.
6. Therefore these were none other ornaments, than their costly and precious apparell; which they used to weare in the time of publike joy: as the Septuagint translate them, foreign, their glorious garments, such as they received of the Egyptians, with other jewels of gold and silver, when they came out of Egypt, chap. 3.22. Tostat. quaest. 7. So also Burgens. Nullus ex more, indutus est cultu suo; None of them was decked in apparell, as they used to be; Depositis ornamentis, lugubri habitu incedebant; Having laid aside their ornaments, they went in mourning weeds, Iun. Pelarg.
QUEST. VI. Why in publike repentance they used to change their habit.
Vers. 4. THey sorrowed. That is, they put on sackcloth and mourning garments, not as though true repentance consisted in the change of the outward apparell: for the Lord saith by his Prophet, Rent your hearts, and not your garments, Ioel 2. but the externall signes of repentance are profitable also, and not to be neglected for these causes. 1. That by these signes, Conspicuum fiat eos vete peccatum suum agnoscere; That by these outward arguments it may appeare, that they do truely confesse their sinne, Lippom. God will have fructus cum arbore, the tree with the fruit: the tree is the penitent and contrite heart, the fruit outward confession, and humiliation, Ferus. 2. Because men by their sinne doe not onelyonly provoke God, but offend men, it is requisite, that as in their heart, they doe humble themselves before God, so they should by their outward behaviour give satisfaction unto men, Ferus. And so, ignominia partem ultro subire inter homines, &c. willingly undergoe some shame among men, in condemning themselves. 3. It is profitable also for the good example of others: ut alias ad imitationem provocent, to stirre up others to imitate the like, Calvin. 4. I is infirmitas nostra sublevatur; By these outward signes of repentance, our infirmitie is helped, Gallas. and our sorrow and repentance thereby increased. 5. Reales sunt quadam preces, The humble habit and gesture of the bodie, are certaine reall prayers whereby wee are stirred up more earnestly to intreat pardon at Gods hand, Simler.
QUEST. VII. VVhy the Lord thus spake unto Moses.
Vers. 5. FOr the Lord had said. 1. Tostatus opinion is, that this here is inserted by way of anticipation, because Moses delivered this unto the people, after his comming downe from the mount the second time, because at the same time, Moses moved his Tabernacle without the campe, which was after his second comming downe; for it is called heere the Tabernacle of the Covenant, vers. 7. because the tables of the Covenant were there kept, which Moses had not yet received; for the first tables were broken.
Contra. 1. At Moses second comming downe, the people were reconciled, for Moses brought the tables of the law, which was a signe of reconciliation betweene God and his people: therefore it is not like, that then so long after the people put off their rayment in signe of repentance. 2. Neither is it like, their sorrow and repentance was so long deferred. 3. And as unlike it is, that then Moses removed his Tabernacle, which was a signe unto the people, that God would not dwell among them, when the Covenant was renued, and the tables new written. 4. Neither is it called the Tabernacle of the Covenant, as the Latine Interpreter readeth; but ohel mogned, the Tent of the Congregation.
2. Some thinke, that this is here rehearsed, concerning the peoples laying aside of their costly apparell, and the removing of Moses Tent, per recapitulationem, by recapitulating: supposing these things to have been done before Moses went up into the mount: their reasons see before quest. 2. where they are propounded by Tostatus, as though he inclined to that opinion: but qu. 8. upon this chapter, he seemeth rather to be of opinion, that here an anticipation of the storie is to be admitted, a narration of that before, which was done after, and not a recapitulation, a setting downe after, of that which was done before. But the historie is not prevented in this place, as is shewed before: so neither is it deferred, for all this here rehearsed could not be done in the space of one day; which must be admitted: if these things were done before Moses went up againe unto God, which was the verie next day after the slaughter of the people by the Levites chap. 32.30. 3. Cajetanes opinion is, that Moses was at this time with God in the mount; Et quod rursus de monte descenderit; And that he came downe againe from the mountaine, and told the people these things. But at Moses second going up to the mount, to receive the second tables, he continued there fortie daies, and fortie nights, and eat nothing, Deut. 9.18. during that time he came not downe. 4. Wherefore this was some other going up of Moses unto God, though not into the thicke cloud, beside his second solemne going up, for the second tables: so that Moses went unto God, and returned to the people againe, before he was called up, and bid to bring other tables of stone with him like to the first, chap. 34.1. And then this historie is not transposed, but things are set downe in that order, wherein they were done. See before quest. 2.