Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Chapter 33 · Questions · Question 55 – Question 56
QUEST. LIV. What manner of visible demonstration this was here shewed unto Moses.
1. RAb. Cahadiagon thinketh, that this, which Moses saw, was onelyonly an exceeding bright cloud, which on the forepart was of that shining brightnesse, that no mortall man could endure to behold it: but on the backer part it was not so bright. But the very description of face, hands, backer parts sheweth, that, that which Moses saw had some similitude and likenesse.
2. Irenaeus taketh it to be the vision of a glorious bodie, but now onelyonly promised, and performed, In novissimis temporibus, &c. quando Moses cum (Christo) confabulatus est in altitudine montis; In the latter times, when Moses talked with Christ in the top of the mount, and together with Helias saw him there transfigured. But it is evident by the text, the Lord describing the present place, where Moses should be set to see this vision, that it was presently shewed him.
3. Tostatus agreeth, that there was shewed forthwith unto Moses, quoddam luminasum corpus, a certaine bright bodie, the countenance whereof was so glorious, that Moses could not indure to behold it: which exceeding lightsome and glorious bodie he thinketh well to have beene only formed and prepared of God, not by any Angelicall power: for such glorious brightnesse exceeded the worke of any creature: neither was the other naturally capable thereof. But herein he is greatly deceived, in thinking that this bodie was assumed, not by God himselfe, but by some Angell: which he would prove both by the motion thereof, and by the speech which was uttered, both which were done successivè, successively in time, whereas the Lord worketh in an instant, quest. 23.
Contra. 1. It is evident in the text, that this glorious bodie and humane shape was assumed by God himselfe even the Lord Christ: both because the Lord saith, I will passe by, and he saith, thou canst not see my face: but if an Angell had stirred this bodie, it had beene an Angels face, not Gods, and an Angell had passed by, not God himselfe. 2. Seeing the Seraphims covered their face with their wings, as not being able to behold the glorie of the Lord, whom the Prophet saw sitting as upon a throne, Isai. 6.1, 2. how i… it like the Angels should stirre and move that bodie, the glorie whereof they could not behold? 3. And seeing all things are possible unto God, hee maketh the feet to goe, and the tongue to speake, can he not much more give motion and speech at his pleasure, either with or without the ministerie of Angels?
4. Wherefore it is the most probable opinion, Deum humana effigie pertransisse; that God passed by Moses in an humane shape, Oleast. Transiit in assumpta forma; he passed by in an assumed shape or forme, Osiander. And it is not unlike, but that the Lord Christ appeared now unto Moses in that glorious manner, wherein hee was transfigured in the mount, in the dayes of his flesh, when his face did shine as the Sunne: saving that Moses being not yet glorified, as hee was then, could not now endure to see his glorious countenance, as he did then: he saw now onelyonly his backe parts, not naked, but clothed in glorious manner: both because the Lord had given a law to cover their naked parts, that they should not appeare, Exod. 20.26. And that the figure might answer unto the bodie; because in mount Tabar, when Moses and Elias talked with God, not onelyonly Christs countenance did shine as the Sunne,Matth. 17.2. but his raiment also was as white as the light.
The reasons which lead me to condescend to this opinion, that such a glorious humane shape now appeared to Moses are these: 1. Because this demonstration best agreeth to the letter of the text, which must not be drawne from the plaine and historicall sense, but where there is necessitie, and some inconvenience is like to ensue of the contrarie: so that this sensible vision of God is most answerable to Moses request, and to the Lords grant and concession here made unto him.
2. The historie of Moses transfiguration in the mount in the sight of this Moses, and Helias, doth helpe also to interpret this place.
3. The end and scope of Moses desire was to receive some visible signe and seale of the Lords reconciliation with his people, which was best performed this way.
QUEST. LV. Where the Lord promised, that Moses should se… his back parts.
Vers. 29. THou shalt see my backe parts, &c. 1. Tostatus thinketh, that Moses was at this time with God in mount Sinai, where the Lord promised him to see his backe parts: which he would gather out of these words of the Lord: Behold there is place by me: that is, here in this rocke wherein I now speake with thee, qu. 18. But this cannot be so: for Moses was not yet called up into mount Sinai, which followeth afterward, chap. 34.2. and after he went up thither to the Lord, he continued there fortie dayes, and fortie nights with the Lord, and all that while came not downe: but Moses went downe from this place to give notice to the people not to come neere the mount, chap. 34.3.
2. Osiander taketh it, that all this communication was betweene the Lord and Moses in the Tabernacle, where it is said that the Lord spake with Moses face to face, vers. 11. But this is not like neither: for vers. 21. the Lord saith, there is a place by me: that is, not farre off in the mount, where I use to commune with thee: it seemeth then that the Lord was in some part of the mount by the description of the place in the rocke.
3. Therefore it is like, that this communication was had betweene the Lord and Moses, not in the top of mount Sinai: for then the Lord at this time would have shewed this sight, which was not done till afterward, when the Lord proclaimed his name Iehovah before Moses, which followeth in the next Chapter, chap. 34.7. Gallas. But Moses went up to some part of the mountaine, the next day after the slaughter of the people, chap. 32.30. where he had all this conference with God, which is declared in this Chapter, saving that it is somewhat interrupted by the inserting of that narration of the peoples laying aside of their best garments, and Moses removing of the Tabernacle out of the host, vers. 7. to vers. 12.