Lectio 6
Lecture 6
Fides Moysi per Exodum
Moses’ faith during the Exodus
11:27 Fide reliquit Aegyptum, non veritus animositatem regis: invisibilem enim tamquam videns sustinuit. [n. 617]
11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the fierceness of the king: for he endured, as seeing him that is invisible. [n. 617]
11:28 Fide celebravit Pascha, et sanguinis effusionem: ne qui vastabat primitiva, tangeret eos. [n. 620]
11:28 By faith he celebrated the pasch and the shedding of the blood: that he who destroyed the firstborn might not touch them. [n. 620]
11:29 Fide transierunt mare Rubrum tamquam per aridam terram: quod experti Aegyptii, devorati sunt. [n. 623]
11:29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea, as by dry land: which the Egyptians attempting, were swallowed up. [n. 623]
11:30 Fide muri Jericho corruerunt, circuitu dierum septem. [n. 624]
11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, by the going round them seven days. [n. 624]
11:31 Fide Rahab meretrix non periit cum incredulis, excipiens exploratores cum pace. [n. 626]
11:31 By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with the unbelievers, receiving the spies with peace. [n. 626]
617. Supra posuit Apostolus fidem Moysi, quantum ad id quod fecit in Aegypto, hic quantum ad id quod fecit in exitu de Aegypto.
617. After describing Moses’s faith in regard to what he did in Egypt, the Apostle here shows it in regard to what he did during the departure from Egypt.
Et circa hoc facit tria.
In regard to this he does three things.
Primo enim ostendit quid fecerit in exitu de Aegypto;
First, he shows what he did during the departure from Egypt;
secundo ostendit modum exeundi, ibi fide celebravit;
second, the manner of their departure, at by faith he celebrated;
tertio quid per fidem factum est cum populo infideli, ibi fide Rahab.
third, what was done by faith with the unbelieving people, at by faith Rahab.
618. Dicit ergo, quod Moyses fide, id est per fidem, reliquit Aegyptum. Sicut autem habetur Ex. XII, 37, primo fugit de Aegypto, interfecto Aegyptio; secundo autem exivit quando simul omnes filios Israel eduxit.
618. He says, therefore, that by faith Moses left Egypt. But, as recorded in Exodus, he first left Egypt after killing an Egyptian (Exod 2); but he left it a second time when he led all the sons of Israel out of Egypt.
Glossa autem exponit de secundo exitu, quia sequitur non veritus animositatem, id est, indignationem, regis. In primo enim exitu legitur, Ex. II, 14, eum timuisse. Prov. c. XIV, 35: iracundiam regis inutilis sustinebit. In secundo vero non timuit. Prov. XXVIII, v. 1: iustus quasi leo confidens, absque terrore erit. Potest tamen referri ad primum.
But a Gloss explains about the second departure, because he continues, not fearing the fierceness, i.e., the indignation, of the king. For at his first departure it is recorded in Exodus that he feared him (Exod 2). He that is good for nothing shall feel the king’s anger (Prov 14:35). But at the second, he did not fear him: the just, bold as a lion, shall be without dread (Prov 28:1). But nevertheless, it can be referred to the first departure.
619. Sed numquid tunc non timuit?
619. But did he not fear then?
Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod in timore duo consideranda sunt. Unum, quod aliquando potest esse vituperabile, scilicet quando propter timorem facit aliquid non faciendum, vel dimittit faciendum. Et sic non timuit Moyses, quia propter timorem non dimisit iuvare fratres suos.
I answer that there are two things to be considered in fear: one is that it can be blameworthy, namely, when through fear a person does what should not be done or neglects to do what should be done. This is not the way Moses feared, because fear did not cause him to neglect helping his brothers.
Aliud est, quod potest esse laudabile, quando scilicet salva fide, refugit periculum propter timorem instantem. Matth. X, 23: cum persequentur vos in civitate ista, fugite in aliam. Si enim aliquis salva honestate sua posset vitare periculum et non vitaret, stultus esset et tentaret Deum, quod est diabolicum. Et sic Iesus cessit volentibus ipsum lapidare, nec ad suggestionem diaboli voluit se praecipitare: ita et Moyses confidens de divino auxilio, fugit propter timorem regis ad tempus. Et probat, quod hoc fecit ex fide, quia fides est de invisibilibus.
The other can be praiseworthy, namely, when keeping the faith a person flees from danger because of a present fear: when they shall persecute you in one city, flee to another (Matt 10:23). For if a person, while preserving his honor, could avoid danger and does not, he would be foolish and tempting God, which is diabolical. This is the way Jesus hid from those who would stone him and refused the devil’s suggestion to cast himself down. So too, Moses, trusting in God’s help, fled for a time, because he feared the king. He proves that he did this by faith because faith is about invisible things.
Et iste sustinuit, id est, expectavit Deum invisibilem, et eius adiutorium, tamquam videns. Ps. XXVI, 14: confortetur cor tuum, et sustine Dominum. I Tim. I, 17: regi autem saeculorum immortali, invisibili, et cetera. Moyses enim in utroque exitu expectabat Dei adiutorium, unde in primo dicit, Ex. II, 22: Deus patris mei adiutor meus. In secundo vero, Ex. XIV, 14: vos tacebitis, et Dominus pugnabit pro vobis.
For he endured, i.e., awaited, as seeing him that is invisible, God, and he awaited his help: let your heart take courage and wait for the Lord (Ps 27:14); now to the king of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever (1 Tim 1:17). For Moses awaited God’s help at both departures; hence, at the first one he said: the God of my father is my helper (Exod 2:22); and at the second: the Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace (Exod 14:14).
620. Deinde cum dicit fide celebravit Pascha, ostendit quid fecerit quantum ad modum transeundi. Et
620. Then when he says by faith he celebrated the pasch he shows what he did as to the way he departed:
primo ponit illud quod fuit factum ad praeparationem transitus;
first, he states what was done in preparing for the departure;
secundo quantum ad ipsum transitum, ibi fide transierunt;
second, as to the departure itself, at by faith they passed through;
tertio quantum ad id quod per fidem factum fuit quantum ad introitum terrae promissionis, ibi fide muri Iericho.
third, as to what was done by faith in entering the promised land, at by faith the walls of Jericho.
621. Quantum ad primum ponit historiam, quae habetur Ex. XII, ubi Dominus mandavit illis ante exitum filiorum Israel, scilicet eadem nocte, immolari agnum et de sanguine eius utrumque postem et superliminare liniri, carnes eius assas cum azymis et lactucis agrestibus comedi, cum multis aliis, quae observanda erant, ut ibi habet videri. Et hoc vocabatur Pascha, scilicet esus agni, et effusio sanguinis, quae duo concurrebant ad transitum illum quem facturi erant in proximo.
621. In regard to the first, he alludes to the history recorded in Exodus, where the Lord commanded them before the departure of the children of Israel, namely, that same night, to immolate a lamb and put its blood on both the side posts and on the upper door posts of the houses: then they were to eat the flesh roasted at the fire and unleavened bread with wild lettuce, and they were to do many other things that were to be observed (Exod 12). And this is called the Pasch, i.e., the eating of the lamb and the shedding of blood, these two things occurring at that passage which they were to accomplish the next day.
Dicitur autem Pascha a paschin Graece, quod Latine est passio, vel a phase, quod Hebraice idem est quod transitus. In hoc autem figurabatur, quod Christus per passionem transiret ex hoc mundo. Io. XIII, 1: ut transeat ex hoc mundo. Item quod nos per meritum mortis eius a terrenis ad caelestia, ab Inferno transimus ad caelum. Eccli. XXIV, 26: transite ad me, omnes qui concupiscitis me. Quod quidem fuit per virtutem sanguinis Christi. Supra X, 19: habentes itaque fiduciam, fratres, in introitu sanctorum in sanguinem Christi.
It is called the Pasch from paschin in Greek, and passio in Latin, or from the word phase, which in Hebrew is the same as ‘passage.’ But this prefigured that Christ would pass out of this world by his passion: that he would pass out of this world (John 13:1). It also instructs us that by the merit of his death we have passed from earthly things to heavenly, and from hell to heaven: come over to me, all you that desire me (Sir 24:26). This, of course, is accomplished in virtue of Christ’s blood: having therefore, brethren, a confidence in the entering into the holies by the blood of Christ (Heb 10:19).
Fuit autem in illo Paschate duplex transitus. Unus quo transibat Dominus percutiens Aegyptios; alius quo populus transibat. Sic etiam sanguine Christi, qui est agnus immaculatus, debent liniri postes fidelium, intellectus scilicet et affectus. Dicit ergo fide, id est per fidem, celebravit Pascha, id est esum agni, et sanguinis effusionem, ad liniendum postes domorum. Et quare hoc faciebat? Ne scilicet qui vastabat primogenita, Aegyptiorum, tangeret eos. Ps. LXXVII, 51: percussit omne primogenitum in terra Aegypti.
But two passings occurred during that Pasch: one, in which the Lord passed, striking the Egyptians; the other, in which the people passed. So too, with the blood of Christ, who is the lamb without blemish, the posts of the faithful should be besmeared, namely, their intellect and affections. He says, by faith he celebrated the Pasch, i.e., the eating of the lamb and the shedding of the blood to be smeared upon the posts of their house. Why did they do this? That he who destroyed the firstborn of the Egyptians might not touch them: he killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt (Ps 78:51).
622. Sed quaeritur quorum ministerio hoc factum sit, utrum scilicet bonorum, vel malorum angelorum, quia videtur quod per malos. Ps. LXXVII, 49: immissionem per angelos malos.
622. But by whose ministry was this done? Was it done by good angels or the wicked? For it seems to have been the wicked angels: which he sent by evil angels (Ps 78:49).
Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod non est inconveniens de quibuscumque. Unde sciendum est quod poenarum inflictio fit interdum per bonos angelos. Sicut enim dicit Dionysius IV cap. de Divinis nominibus, punire malum non est malum, sed malum facere est malum. Punitio enim est opus iustitiae, sicut patet de angelo, qui contrivit castra Assyriorum, Is. XXXVII, 36, qui creditur fuisse bonus angelus. Unde talis punitio indifferenter fit per bonos et malos; sed differenter a bono et a malo, quia bonus non punit nisi exercendo iustitiam divinam in malos. Et in Scripturis operatio tam diaboli, quam boni angeli, cuiusmodi est haec, attribuitur Deo. Malus autem etsi obsequatur divinae iustitiae, tamen non ex intentione iustitiae hoc agit, sed ex perversitate voluntatis suae affligit bonos et malos, et libentius bonos si permittatur, sicut patet de Iob. Iste angelus, qui dixit Moysi: transibit Dominus percutiens Aegyptum, bonus angelus fuit, cum ipse aliquando loquatur in persona sua. Bono autem angelo aliquando subministrat spiritus nequam, unde adhibitum fuit ibi ministerium eius, licet ex intentione suae malae et perversae voluntatis, voluntarie operantis ad caedem. Et ideo dicit iram et tribulationum immissionem per angelos malos. Non ergo tangebat eos, qui erant sanguine signati, malus angelus terrore et timore Dei, utpote non permissus. Bonus autem inde terrebatur admirando virtutem Dei.
I answer that it could have been both. Hence, it should be noted that the infliction of punishments is sometimes performed by good angels. For as Dionysius says in The Divine Names (Divine Names, 4), to punish the evil is not evil, but to do evil is evil. For punishment is a work of justice, as is shown by the angel who struck the camp of the Assyrians, because he is believed to have been a good angel (Isa 57). Hence, such punishment is done indifferently by the good and by the bad; but by the good in a manner different from the bad because the good does not punish save by exercising divine justice upon the evil (and in Scripture such a work of the devil or of a good angel is attributed to God). But the evil angel, even though he obeys divine justice, does not do this from a love of justice; rather, from the perversity of his will he afflicts the good and the bad, and preferably the good, if he is permitted, as in the case of Job. Therefore, it was a good angel who said to Moses: the Lord will pass through, striking the Egyptians (Exod 12:23), since he sometimes speaks in his own person. But sometimes evil spirits serve a good angel; hence, he used the services of their evil and perverse wills in the slaughter. Therefore, he says: indignation and wrath and trouble, which he sent by evil angels (Ps 78:49). Therefore, the evil angel did not touch those who were sealed with blood, being restrained by terror and fear of God; but the good were deterred, wondering at God’s power.
623. Deinde cum dicit fide transierunt, etc., ostendit quid egit in ipso transitu. Et primo ostendit hoc, secundo ostendit quod illud pertinebat ad fidem, ibi quod experti.
623. Then when he says by faith they passed through, he shows what he did in the very passing: first, he shows this; second, he shows that this pertained to faith, at which the Egyptians.
Dicit ergo, quod fide, id est, per fidem, transierunt mare rubrum tamquam per aridam terram. Duo enim ibi per fidem facta sunt. Unum, quod homo fecit, scilicet quod commiserunt se ad transeundum, quod non fuit nisi per fidem. Aliud fuit ex parte Dei, scilicet quod aquae fuerunt eis pro muro. Hoc etiam fuit per fidem. Operatio enim miraculorum attribuitur fidei. Matth. XVII, 19: si habueritis fidem sicut granum synapis, dicetis monti huic: transi hinc, et transibit. Ergo hoc fide factum est, id est, hoc meruit fides. Et hoc habetur Ex. XIV et XV.
He says, therefore, by faith they passed through the Red Sea, as by dry land. Two things were done there by faith: one was what the men did, namely, they committed themselves to cross over; and this was done only by faith. The other was on God’s part, namely, that the waters acted as a wall for them. But this was by faith, for the working of miracles is attributed to faith: if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain: remove from hence, thither, and it shall remove (Matt 17:19).
Deinde ostendit, quod hoc pertinet ad fidem, quia Aegyptii hoc experti, id est, volentes experiri, devorati sunt, quia scilicet non habuerunt fidem. Ex. XV, 12: extendisti manum tuam, et devoravit eos terra.
Then he shows that this pertains to faith, because the Egyptians attempting this, i.e., willing to try it, were swallowed up, because they did not have faith: you stretched forth your hand, and the earth swallowed them (Exod 15:12).
624. Deinde cum dicit fide muri Iericho corruerunt, circuitu dierum septem. Agit de eo, quod per fidem factum est in introitu terrae promissionis.
624. Then when he says, by faith the walls of Jericho fell down, by the going round them seven days, he describes what happened when they entered the promised land.
De hoc habetur Iosue VI, ubi dicitur, quod ad mandatum Domini, sacerdotes septem diebus cum arca testamenti circuierunt primam civitatem ultra Iordanem, scilicet Iericho, et septima die septimo circuitu, muri eius corruerunt: hoc fuit aliquid ex parte hominis, scilicet quod ex mandato Domini circuierunt, credentes mandatum Domini debere impleri. Aliquid autem ex parte Dei, scilicet quod sic ad circuitum eorum muri corruerunt.
This is mentioned in Joshua, where it is stated that at God’s command the priests for seven days should go around the first city beyond the Jordan, namely, Jericho, with the ark of the covenant, and on the seventh day the walls fell down (Josh 6). Here was something on the part of men, namely, that at the Lord’s command they went round, believing that God’s command would be fulfilled, and something on God’s part, namely, the walls fell down by their going round.
625. Moraliter Iericho interpretatur luna, sive defectus, et significat mundum istum. Muri eius sunt impedimenta quibus aliquis detinetur in mundo. Per buccinas quibus Levitae et sacerdotes intonabant, vox praedicatorum significatur. Per circuitum septem dierum totus designatur decursus praesentis temporis, qui per septem dies completur. Per quae datur intelligi, quod omnia impedimenta mundi cadunt ad continuam vocem praedicationis. II Cor. X, 4 s.: arma militiae nostrae non sunt carnalia, sed potentia Deo ad destructionem munitionum, consilia destruentes, et omnem altitudinem extollentem se adversus scientiam Dei.
625. Morally, Jericho is interpreted as the moon or as defect and signifies this world. Its walls are the obstacles by which some are held fast in the world. By the trumpets, which the Levites and priests sounded, the voice of preachers is signified. By the going round for seven days is designated the course of the present time, which is completed in seven days. By this we are given to understand that all the obstacles of the world fall at the continuous sound of preaching: the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty to God unto pulling down of fortifications, destroying counsels and every height that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (2 Cor 10:4).
626. Deinde cum dicit fide Rahab meretrix, ostendit quid factum sit per fidem ab aliquo de populo infideli, scilicet a Rahab, de qua Iosue V et VI. Cum enim Iosue misisset exploratores ad explorandum Iericho, ipsi evaserunt auxilio istius mulieris, quae dicitur meretrix, id est, idololatra. Vel, ad litteram, meretrix erat, ad quam ingressi sunt non ad peccandum, sed ad latendum. Domus enim talium patent, maxime de nocte. Isti etiam venerant de nocte. Domus etiam eius coniuncta erat muro. Meretrices autem absque exceptione accipiunt indifferenter, et ideo melius poterant apud eam occultari. Ista ergo per fidem liberata fuit. Unde dicit Rahab meretrix, fide, id est, per fidem, recipiens exploratores cum pace, non periit cum incredulis, qui corporaliter perierunt, quia exploratores iuraverant ei ipsam liberare, et omnem domum patris sui, quod et fecerunt.
626. Then when he says, by faith Rahab the harlot, he shows what was done by faith by one of the unbelievers, namely, by Rahab, as recorded in Joshua (Josh 2, 6). For when Joshua had sent spies to explore Jericho, they escaped with the aid of that woman who is called a harlot, i.e., an idolater. Or she was literally a harlot, with whom they stayed, not to sin but to hide. For the houses of such persons are visible especially at night. But they had come at night. Furthermore, her house was adjacent to the wall. But harlots take everyone without exception; therefore, it was easier for them to hide with her. Therefore, she was freed by faith; hence, he says, by faith Rahab the harlot perished not with the unbelievers, receiving the spies with peace. She did not perish with the unbelievers, who perished corporally, because the spies had sworn to free her and everyone of her father’s house; which they did.
Quare autem magis declinaverint ad ipsam, potest dici, quia ut ipsa minus posset inculpari, indifferenter omnes recipiens. Nec erat conveniens, ut salus ipsorum fieret alicui salvanti ipsos occasio mortis. In hoc autem quod ex ipsa receptione ipsorum liberata est designatur quod recipientes praedicatores Evangelii liberantur a morte aeterna. Matth. c. X, 41: qui recipit prophetam in nomine prophetae, mercedem prophetae accipiet.
But why had they turned to her? Possibly because she would be less guilty, receiving all indiscriminately. Furthermore, it was not fitting that their safety be the occasion of death for the one harboring them. But by the fact that she was freed by receiving them is designated that those who receive the preachers of the gospel are delivered from eternal death: he that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive the reward of a prophet (Matt 10:11).
Lectio 7
Lecture 7