Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Chapter 33 · Questions · Question 36
QUEST. XXXVI. Whether Moses shewed any infirmitie in this request, to see Gods glorie.
1. FErus affirmeth that Moses made this request; Non ex praesumptione sed ex side & confidentia; Not of presumption, but of faith and confidence. But if Moses had asked this in faith and confident assurance, and not rather of some curiositie, the Lord would not have denied him.
2. Procopius and Gregorie Nyssenus thinketh, that God granted Moses request here: Divina vox per ea quae nogat, concedit quod petitur; The divine voice by that which is denied, granteth what was desired, but with some reservation, that Moses should have a desire to see God still: Nec enim quisquam ita videre Deum potest, ut in eo desinat videndi desiderium; For no man can so see God, that his desire shall cease to see him, &c. But it is evident by that which followeth, that God did not altogether condescend unto Moses desire; for he had asked to see that, which mans mortall nature cannot endure to behold.
3. Neither is Moses here to bee condemned of rashnesse, or presumption; for hee desired not this of vaine curiositie, but that it might be a signe of Gods grace and favour toward him and his people, because he was praeco futurus reconciliationis, to be a publisher and preacher of this reconciliation betweene God and his people, Iunius Analys. And herein Moses sheweth his great desire to increase still in the knowledge of God, which is commendable in all, Gallas. Nibil aliud fuit Mosi propositum, quam ad fiduciam animari, &c. And Moses propounded nothing else to himselfe, than to be animated and incouraged hereby, that he might more cheerefully goe on in his charge, Calvin.
4. Moses then in this his request, partly sheweth his infirmitie, and yet is more to bee excused: for Moses was not here led inani curiositate, with vaine curiositie, but desired this, to bee confirmed in the Lords gracious promise: yet it cannot be denied, quin hic Propheta modum excesserit, but that the Prophet here exceeded his bounds, Gallas. Patet ex repulsa inconsiderate fuisse prolapsum, &c. It is evident by the repulse which Moses had, that he was inconsiderate in his asking; yet was not foolish curiositie that did draw from him this desire. hee propounded and set before him Gods glorie, and desired to bee confirmed in his calling: Vitiosum tamen fuit desiderium; It was notwithstanding a faultie desire; because he asked that which might have beene hurtfull unto him, for he could not have seene Gods glorie, and live, Calvin.
It was therefore commendable in Moses, that hee desired, in cognitione Dei magis & magis a…geri, to increase more and more in the knowledge of God, Marbach. As Bernard speaketh of some:Bern. Serm. 32. Qui pro fidei magnitudine inveniuntur, qui inducantur in omnem plenitudinem; Which are found worthy for their great faith, to be brought to a fulnesse (of knowledge:) talis erat Moses, qui andebat dicere, &c. such an one was Moses, that was bold to say, shew thy selfe unto mee: Such was Philip, that desired the Father to be shewed them, and David, that said, Thy face will I seeke: Magna fides magna meretur, &c. magnu…iritibus magnus accurrit sponsus; A great faith is worthy of great things: to great spirits the Spouse offereth himselfe in stately manner. To this purpose Bernard.
Herein Moses desire then was to be commended, but he goeth somewhat beyond his bounds. Hereof Ambrose thus writeth excellently:In Psal. 118. Norat sanctus vates Domini, quod invisibilem Deum facie ad faciem videre non posset, sed devotio sancta mensuram super greditur, & putavit Deo etiam hoc esse possibile, ut corporeis oculis faceret, id quod est incorporeum comprehendi: non reprehensibilis hic error, sed etiam grata cupiditas & inexplebilis, &c. The holy Prophet of God knew well enough that he could not see the invisible God face to face, but his holy devotion exceedeth measure, and he thought this not to be impossible unto God, to make that to be comprehended with corporall eyes, which was incorporeall: this errour is not much to be reprehended, but his insatiable desire was gratefull and accepted, &c.
Lib. 9. super Ioan. cap 36.Cyrill more fully toucheth this point, comparing together Moses desire here, and Philips, Ioh. 14. that Christ should shew them the Father: Studiosus quidem Philippus fuit, sed non adeo acutus, ut commode & apte, quae sit visio Dei, posset intelligere; Philip was studious and desirous, but not sharp enough to understand what the vision of God is, &c. And in the same place hee sheweth, that Philip failed in these two things, first in his understanding, for it was impossible for a man, oculi… corporis Dei substantiam aspicere, with the eyes of his body to see the substance of God, and in his discretion: Non valde prudenter, cum imago & character patris verus adesset; Neither did he aske this wisely, seeing the true image and character of God Christ Jesus was present: seeing then that the vision and knowledge of the Son, sufficed to understand the nature of the father: supervacaneus iste Philippi sermo videtur: this speech of Philip seemed to be superfluous: Non tamen lande sua privandus Philippus; yet Philip is not to be deprived of his due praise, &c. And in these two things Cyrillus setteth forth his commendation: first, in respect of that which he desired, Visionem Patris caeteris omnibus rebus anteposuit; He preferred the vision of the Father before all other things: Secondly, in regard of the end; that whereas the Jewes boasted of Moses, that God spake with him in the mount, and shewed him his glorie: hee thought that the Jewes mouths might be stopped: Si Christus quoque credentibus in cum Patrem ostenderet, &c. If Christ also would shew the Father to those which beleeved in him, &c.
In like manner Moses here is to be commended in these two things: first, ut plurimum spiritualia petit; Moses desireth all spirituall things, he desired nothing more than to see Gods glorie, which is all one with that petition, Hallowed bee thy name, Ferus. And Moses propounded unto him a good end, that hee might see Gods glorie, ut de eo populo tuo concionari queam, that I may preach thereof to thy people, Osiander.
So also in two other things Moses faileth, because, hac carne circundatus, being compassed about with this flesh, hee desired to see the greatnesse of Gods glorie: and that hee desired to see the brightnesse of Gods glorie, qui ministerium non lucis, sed umbrae teneret, who had the ministerie not of the light it selfe, but of the shadow, Borrh.