Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Chapter 33 · Questions · Question 34 – Question 35
QUEST. XXXIV. Whether Moses desired to see the verie divine nature and essence of God.
Vers. 18. I Beseech thee shew me thy glorie. 1. Ferus thinketh that Moses only asked of God, to shew him certaine signes and evidences of his glorie, quibus omnes homines te agnoscant, credant; whereby all men may acknowledge thee, and beleeve in thee. But this had beene a lawfull request, and the Lord would not have denied it. 2. Some thinke that Moses desired, ostendi sibi aspectabilem formam divinae majestatis, that there might be shewed unto him some visible forme of the divine Majestie, not for his owne satisfaction, but to content the rude people, that he might make some description thereof unto them, who desired to be instructed by some visible demonstration, which was the cause why they caused in Moses absence a Calfe to be made. But this had beene too much, to condescend to the weaknesse and infirmitie of the people, and beside it had been a superfluous request, seeing they had already visible signes of Gods presence, the cloudie and fierie pillar, ex Simler….
3. Some are of opinion that Moses desired not to see Gods majestie with his bodily eyes, but that hee craved for his further confirmation in his calling, an inward knowledge of God, as hee was in himselfe, Tostat. qu. 18. So Gregorie: Moses desired, ut supernae essentia mentis oculis adesset, that the high essence (of God) might bee presented to the eyes of the minde, 18. Moral. cap. 6. But it is evident by the description following, that God did shew some visible sight of his glorie unto Moses, and therefore Moses desired not onelyonly a spirituall, but a sensible demonstration of Gods glorie.
4. The most are of opinion, that Moses desired to see, ipsam majestatem & essentiam Dei, The verie majestie and essence of God, Osiander: Splendorem divinae amplitudinis videre voluit; Hee would see the brightnesse of the divine excellencie, Borrh. So before them Theodoret; Divinam naturam ut videret, …ravit; He prayed that he might see the divine nature, &c. Shew me thy glorie, that is, te ipsum, ut videris in gloria, thy selfe, as thou art seene in thy glorie, Lyran. But it is not to bee thought that Moses so conceived, that God could be seene with corporall eyes, as Procopius noteth, he desireth to see Gods face, non tanquam eum cernere posset, not as though he could see him with his eyes.
5. Therefore I subscribe here to Oleasters opinion, that he desired not to see, ipsam beatificam visionem, the verie blessed vision of Gods majestie, but onelyonly his glorie: yet it seemeth by the Lords answer, that he craved to see, factalem visionem, the vision of Gods face, his request is, that he might have a more full sight of Gods glorie, which hitherto was hid in the cloud; so that by glorie he understandeth the lightsome brightnesse, which was overshadowed by the cloud. As S. Paul calleth the shining brightnesse of Moses face, the glorie of his countenance. 2 Cor. 3.7. Therefore though the verie essence of God Moses could not request to see with the eyes of his flesh, yet Deum sibi videntiori forma manifestari, he desireth that God might in a more evident forme be manifested, than yet he had seene him in.
And their sense is not to be misliked, which thinke that Moses desired to see the Messiah in his glorie, whom he knew should appeare unto the world in humane shape: of which opinion this is a probable argument, because Christ in the dayes of the flesh was transfigured in mount Tabor,Matth. 17. and was seene of Moses and Elias in shining glorie, far surpassing the Sunne, Pellican, Lippoman.
QUEST. XXXV. What emboldened Moses to make this request.
Vers. 18. I Beseech thee shew me thy glorie. 1. Moses is encouraged by the Lords gracious acceptance of his former petitions, to proceed yet further: first, hee intreated the Lord to pardon the peoples sinne, then that hee would vouchsafe them his gracious presence; and further, that hee would bee among them, and worke wonders still among the people, that all nations might know that Israel was gracious in Gods sight: now last of all, he desireth to see Gods essence and glorie, Ferus.
2. Like as among men, a servant seeing his master ready to grant him what he asketh, accipit andaci…m plus petendi, taketh to himselfe courage and boldnesse to aske more; so doth Moses here, Lyran.
3. Moses here was set as it were upon Gods ladder, cernens uno superato gradu sup…resse alium, &c. hee seeing one degree or step to be behinde, after he had overcome one, giveth not over till hee came unto the top, Procop.
4. And Moses having spoken with God hitherto, as in a cloud, jam fretus intima illa familiaritate, now enjoying that great familiaritie; he desireth to see, and speake with God, submot… nube, the cloud being taken aside, Borrh.
5. Tostatus thinketh, that Moses is the bolder to revive and renue this request, because he had moved it before, vers. 13. but intermitting that request a while, hee turneth unto another, that God would goe with his people. But in that place the Latine text readeth corruptly; for Moses saith, shew me, derachecha, thy way, not, thy face.