Gods wrath being mitigated by Moyses, the people mourne for their sinne, 7. Moyses pitcheth the tabernacle vvithout the campe, and therin conuerseth familiarly vvith God. 18. desiring to see his glorie.
1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Go, get thee up from this place, thou and thy people which thou hast brought out of the land of Egypt, into the land concerning which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying: To thy seed I will give it:E il Signore parlò a Mosè, e disse: Va', parti da questo luogo tu, e il popol tuo cavato da te dalla terra d'Egitto, verso la terra, che io promisi con giuramento ad Abramo, ad Isacco, e a Giacobbe, quando dissi: Daralla alla tua stirpe:AND our Lord spake to Moyses, saying: Goe, get thee vp from this place, thou and thy people which thou hast brought out of the Land of Aegypt, into the land wherof I sware to Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, saying: To thy seede I wil giue it:Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens: Vade, ascende de loco isto tu, et populus tuus quem eduxisti de terra Ægypti, in terram quam juravi Abraham, Isaac et Jacob, dicens: Semini tuo dabo eam: 2And I will send an angel before thee, that I may cast out the Chanaanite, and the Amorrhite, and the Hethite, and the Pherezite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite,E manderò tuo precursore l'Angelo per cacciarne il Chananeo, e l'Amorrheo, e l'Hetheo, e il Pherezeo, e l'Heveo, e 'l Jebuseo;and I wil send an Angel thy precusor, that I may cast out the Chananeite, and Amorrheite, and Hetheite, and Pherezeite, and Heueite, and Iebuseite,mittam præcursorem tui angelum, ut ejiciam Chananæum, et Amorrhæum, et Hethæum, et Pherezæum, et Hevæum, et Jebusæum, 3That thou mayst enter into the land that floweth with milk and honey. For I will not go up with thee, because thou art a stiffnecked people; lest I destroy thee in the way.Onde tu entri nella terra, che scorre latte e miele. Imperocché io non verrò teco, dappoiché tu sei un popolo di dura cervice: perché io non abbia a sterminarti nel viaggio.and thou maiest enter into the land that floweth with milke and honey: for I wil not goe vp with thee, because thou art a stiffenecked people: lest perhappes I destroie thee in the way.et intres in terram fluentem lacte et melle. Non enim ascendam tecum, quia populus duræ cervicis es: ne forte disperdam te in via. 4And the people hearing these very bad tidings, mourned: and no man put on his ornaments according to custom.Ma avendo udito il popolo queste dolorose parole pianse: e nissuno si vestì de' soliti suoi ornamenti.And the people hearing this verie il saying, mourned: and no man put on his ornamentes after the custome.Audiensque populus sermonem hunc pessimum, luxit: et nullus ex more indutus est cultu suo.
5And the Lord said to Moses: Say to the children of Israel: Thou art a stiffnecked people, once I shall come up in the midst of thee, and shall destroy thee. Now presently lay aside thy ornaments, that I may know what to do to thee.E il Signore disse a Mosè: Di' a' figliuoli d'Israele: Popolo di dura cervice sei tu: se io mi porrò una volta in mezzo a te, io ti sterminerò. Su via, deponi i tuoi ornamenti affinché io sappia, come ho da trattarti.And our Lord sayd to Moyses: Speake to the children of Israel: Thou art a stiffenecked people, once I shal goe vp in the middes of thee, and shal destroy thee. Now presently lay away thy ornamentes, that I may know what to doe vnto thee.Dixitque Dominus ad Moysen: Loquere filiis Israël: Populus duræ cervicis es: semel ascendam in medio tui, et delebo te. Jam nunc depone ornatum tuum, ut sciam quid faciam tibi. 6So the children of Israel laid aside their ornaments by Mount Horeb.Deposero adunque i figliuoli d'Israele i loro ornamenti appiè del monte Horeb.Therfore the children of Israel layd away their ornamentes from mount Horeb.Deposuerunt ergo filii Israël ornatum suum a monte Horeb. 7Moses also taking the tabernacle, pitched it without the camp afar off, and called the name thereof, The tabernacle of the covenant. And all the people, that had any question, went forth to the tabernacle of the covenant, without the camp.E Mosè deposto il tabernacolo, lo tese in lontananza fuor degli alloggiamenti, e chiamollo il tabernacolo dell'alleanza. E tutti quelli del popolo, che avean qualche disputa, andavano al tabernacolo dell'alleanza fuori degli alloggiamenti.Moyses also taking the tabernacle, pitched it without the campe a farre of, and called the name thereof, The Tabernacle of couenant. And al the people, that had anie question, went forth to the Tabernacle of couenant, without the campe.Moyses quoque tollens tabernaculum, tetendit extra castra procul, vocavitque nomen ejus, Tabernaculum fœderis. Et omnis populus, qui habebat aliquam quæstionem, egrediebatur ad tabernaculum fœderis, extra castra. 8And when Moses went forth to the tabernacle, all the people rose up, and every one stood in the door of his pavilion, and they beheld the back of Moses, till he went into the tabernacle.E allorché Mosè usciva per andare al tabernacolo, si alzava tutta la moltitudine, e ognuno se ne stava ritto sulla porta della sua tenda, e tenevan dietro cogli occhi a Mosè, fino a che non era entrato nel tabernacolo.And when Moyses went forth to the tabernacle, al the people rose vp, and euerie one stoode in the dore of his pauilion, and they beheld the backe of Moyses, til he entred into the tabernacle.Cumque egrederetur Moyses ad tabernaculum, surgebat universa plebs, et stabat unusquisque in ostio papilionis sui, aspiciebantque tergum Moysi, donec ingrederetur tentorium.
9And when he was gone into the tabernacle of the covenant, the pillar of the cloud came down, and stood at the door, and he spoke with Moses.E quando questi era entrato nel tabernacolo dell'alleanza, la colonna della nuvola calava, e stava alla porta, e Dio parlava con Mosè,And when he was entred into the Tabernacle of couenant, the piller of the cloude came downe, and stoode at the doore, and he spake with Moyses,Ingresso autem illo tabernaculum fœderis, descendebat columna nubis, et stabat ad ostium, loquebaturque cum Moyse, 10And all saw that the pillar of the cloud stood at the door of the tabernacle. And they stood and worshipped at the doors of their tent.Veggendo tutti, come la colonna della nuvola era ferma alla porta del tabernacolo. Eglino poi si stavan sulle porte delle loro tende, e adoravano il Signore.al they beholding that the piller of the cloud stoode at the doore of the Tabernacle. And they stoode, and adored at the doores of their tabernacles.cernentibus universis quod columna nubis staret ad ostium tabernaculi. Stabantque ipsi, et adorabant per fores tabernaculorum suorum. 11And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man is wont to speak to his friend. And when he returned into the camp, his servant Josue, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not from the tabernacle.E il Signore parlava con Mosè faccia a faccia, come suole un uomo parlare col proprio amico. E quando egli se ne tornava agli alloggiamenti, il suo giovine ministro Giosuè figliuolo di Nun non si dipartiva dal tabernacolo.And our Lord spake vnto Moyses face to face, as a man is wont to speake to his frend. And when he returned into the campe, his minister Iosue the sōne of Nun, a yong man, departed not from the Tabernacle.Loquebatur autem Dominus ad Moysen facie ad faciem, sicut solet loqui homo ad amicum suum. Cumque ille reverteretur in castra, minister ejus Josue filius Nun, puer, non recedebat de tabernaculo. 12And Moses said to the Lord: Thou commandest me to lead forth this people; and thou dost not let me know whom thou wilt send with me, especially whereas thou hast said: I know thee by name, and thou hast found favour in my sight.E Mosè disse al Signore: Tu mi comandi di esser guida di questo popolo, e non mi fai sapere, chi sia colui, che tu manderai con me, e ciò anche dopo che hai detto: Ti conosco per nome, e tu hai trovato grazia dinanzi a me.And Moyses said to our Lord: Thou commandest me to leade forth this people: and doest not shew me whom thou wilt send with me, especially wheras thou hast said: I know thee by name, and thou hast found grace in my sight.Dixit autem Moyses ad Dominum: Præcipis ut educam populum istum: et non indicas mihi quem missurus es mecum, præsertim cum dixeris: Novi te ex nomine, et invenisti gratiam coram me.
13If therefore I have found favour in thy sight, shew me thy face, that I may know thee, and may find grace before thy eyes: look upon thy people this nation.Se adunque io ho trovato grazia nel tuo cospetto, fammi veder la tua faccia, affinché io ti conosca, e trovi grazia dinanzi a' tuoi occhi: getta il tuo sguardo sopra questo popolo, e sopra questa nazione.If therfore I haue found grace in thy sight, shew me thy face, that I may know thee, and may find grace before thine eyes, looke vpon thy people this nation.Si ergo inveni gratiam in conspectu tuo, ostende mihi faciem tuam, ut sciam te, et inveniam gratiam ante oculos tuos: respice populum tuum gentem hanc. 14And the Lord said: My face shall go before thee, and I will give thee rest.E il Signore disse: La mia presenza ti precederà, e io darotti requie.And our Lord said: My face shal goe before thee, and I wil giue thee rest.Dixitque Dominus: Facies mea præcedet te, et requiem dabo tibi. 15And Moses said: If thou thyself dost not go before, bring us not out of this place.E Mosè disse: Se tu stesso non vai innanzi a noi, non ci far partire da questo luogo.And Moyses sayd: If thy selfe doest not goe before, bring vs not out of this place.Et ait Moyses: Si non tu ipse præcedas, ne educas nos de loco isto. 16For how shall we be able to know, I and thy people, that we have found grace in thy sight, unless thou walk with us, that we may be glorified by all people that dwell upon the earth?Imperocché come mai potrem conoscere io, e il popolo di aver trovato grazia nel tuo cospetto, se non vieni con noi, affinché siamo rispettati da tutti i popoli, che abitano la terra?For whereby shal we be able to know I and thy people, that we haue found grace in thy sight, vnles thou walke with vs, that we may be glorified of al peoples, that dwel vpon the earth?In quo enim scire poterimus ego et populus tuus invenisse nos gratiam in conspectu tuo, nisi ambulaveris nobiscum, ut glorificemur ab omnibus populis qui habitant super terram ? 17And the Lord said to Moses: This word also, which thou hast spoken, will I do; for thou hast found grace before me, and thee I have known by name.E il Signore disse a Mosè: Quello pure, che tu hai detto, io lo farò: perché tu hai trovato grazia dinanzi a me, e ti conosco per nome,And our Lord said to Moyses: This word also, which thou hast spoken, wil I doe: for thou hast found grace before me, and thy selfe I haue knowen by name.Dixit autem Dominus ad Moysen: Et verbum istud, quod locutus es, faciam: invenisti enim gratiam coram me, et teipsum novi ex nomine. 18And he said: Shew me thy glory.E quegli disse: Fammi veder la tua gloria.Who said: Shew me thy glorie.Qui ait: Ostende mihi gloriam tuam.
19He answered: I will shew thee all good, and I will proclaim in the name of the Lord before thee: and I will have mercy on whom I will, and I will be merciful to whom it shall please me.Rispose: Io ti mostrerò tutto il bene, e pronunzierò il nome di Signore dinanzi a te: come io avrò misericordia di chi vorrò, e sarò clemente verso di chi mi piace.He answered: I wil shew thee al good, and wil cal in the name of the Lord before thee: and I wil haue mercie on whom I wil, and I wil be merciful to whom it shal please me.Respondit: Ego ostendam omne bonum tibi, et vocabo in nomine Domini coram te: et miserebor cui voluero, et clemens ero in quem mihi placuerit. 20And again he said: Thou canst not see my face: for man shall not see me, and live.E soggiunse: Non potrai vedere la mia faccia; perocché non viverà uomo dopo avermi veduto.And againe he sayd: Thou canst not see my face: for man shal not see me, and liue.Rursumque ait: Non poteris videre faciem meam: non enim videbit me homo et vivet. 21And again he said: Behold there is a place with me, and thou shalt stand upon the rock.E di poi: Ecco, disse, che io ho un luogo, dove mi sto, e tu starai su quel masso.And againe: Behold, quoth he, there is a place with me, and thou shalt stand vpon the rocke.Et iterum: Ecce, inquit, est locus apud me, et stabis supra petram. 22And when my glory shall pass, I will set thee in a hole of the rock, and protect thee with my right hand till I pass:E quando passerà (per colà) la mia gloria, io ti porrò nella bocca di quel masso, e ti adombrerò colla mia destra, fin a tanto ch'io sia passato.And when my glorie shal passe, I wil sette thee in a hole of the rocke, and protect thee with my right hand, vntil I passe:Cumque transibit gloria mea, ponam te in foramine petræ, et protegam dextera mea, donec transeam: 23And I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face thou canst not see.E ritirerò la mia mano, e vedrai il mio tergo: ma la faccia mia non potrai vederla.and I wil take away my hand, and thou shalt see my backe-partes: but my face thou canst not see.tollamque manum meam, et videbis posteriora mea: faciem autem meam videre non poteris.
33:1
Calmet
This place. Mount Sinai, (Menochius) or the tabernacle, ver. 7. (Calmet)
33:3
Haydock
I will not go: "in majesty" (Chaldean) and "brightness," Arabic. The angel shall go in his own name, and shall not perform such great miracles. My tabernacle shall be removed to a respectful distance, lest, not being able to endure the barefaced impiety of the people, I slay you in my fury. God addresses Moses, as the representative of the nation, (Menochius) and adopts the language of men, appearing as a king, who cannot bear to be insulted to his face. (Haydock)
33:4
Menochius
Ornaments. Chaldean and Syriac, "arms." They had brought jewels, etc., out of Egypt. (Menochius)
33:5
Pagnin
Once, etc. "In a moment." (Pagnin.)
Shall destroy, if you prove rebellious any more, as I foresee you will.
Lay aside, as you have done.
Menochius
To thee, according to the measure of your repentance or negligence. (Menochius)
33:6
Salien
By Horeb, or at the foot of the mount. Some think they put them on no more in the wilderness; (Calmet) or at least till they had obtained the tables of the law again, in testimony of God's reconciliation with them. (Salien.)
33:7
Menochius
Tabernacle: not that which God had described, which was set up later, (chap. 40.) but one destined for public and private prayer. (Menochius)
Thalmud and Villet
Afar, a thousand yards. (Thalmud and Villet.)
Tirinus
Covenant; or alliance, which God had entered into with the people. (Tirinus)
The Hebrew may signify, "of the assembly or congregation," because there the people met to hear the divine doctrine explained, and to offer up their prayers.
Haydock
Camp. Thus were the people reminded of their excommunication, or separation, from the God whom they had so wantonly abandoned, and whose protection and presence were their only support and comfort. (Haydock)
Tirinus
The record of the covenant was also probably torn, as Moses was ordered to write it again, Exodus 34:27. (Tirinus)
33:8
Haydock
Rose up, out of respect to their prince, who was not their mediator also. (Haydock)
33:9
Menochius
He spoke. The angel, conducting the pillar, spoke in God's name. (Menochius)
33:10
Calmet
And worshipped. This the Samaritan copy omits. The people bowed towards Moses and the angel. (Calmet)
33:11
Challoner
Face to face. That is, in a most familiar manner. Though, as we learn from this very chapter, Moses could not see the face of the Lord. (Challoner)
Haydock
The angel assumed a human form, (Menochius) which Moses knew could not fully display the majesty of God; and hence he begs to see his face, or his glory, (ver. 13, 18,) which God declares is impossible for any mortal to do, ver. 20. (Haydock)
He addresses him, however, with unusual condescension, and speaks to him without any ambiguity, "without any medium," as the Arabic expresses it. Other prophets were instructed by visions, and were filled with terror, Daniel 10:8.
Tirinus
Young man, though 50 years old, and the general who defeated the Amalecites, Exodus 17:13. Puer means a servant also, in which capacity Josue waited on Moses, and was alone allowed to be present with him in the tabernacle. He did not sleep there, (Calmet) but guarded it from all profanation. Some say he was still called young, because he was unmarried; in which sense the Chaldean styles him hullema, which corresponds with the Hebrew halma, a virgin. (Serarius) (Tirinus)
33:12
Haydock
To the Lord. This conversation probably took place on Mount Horeb, (ver. 22,) after God had threatened that he would not go up with the people, Exodus 32:34. And here (ver. 3,) Moses, considering that God would thus withdraw his special providence from his people, begins to expostulate with him; and first, having mentioned with gratitude, the repeated kindnesses of God towards himself, he begs to be informed what angel shall accompany him, and then proceeds to beg that God would still shew his wonted favour to the penitent Hebrews, and conduct them himself, as he had done before the transgression. We do not read before, that God said to Moses, I know thee by name; (St. Augustine, q. 193,) but he had used that expression in some conversation with him, as he did afterwards, ver. 17. (Haydock)
33:13
Face. Hebrew, "way." Be thou our guide.
Salien
Thy people. Acknowledge them again. Moses begs not for any special favour for himself, but only for the Hebrews. (Salien.)
33:14
Face. Arabic, "light." Syriac, "walk in my presence," and fear not. The Messias is called the angel of his face, Isaias 63:9.
Calmet
Rest. I will grant thy request. (Calmet)
33:15
Thyself. Moses desires a farther explanation, or a positive assurance that God would conduct them.
By all, ab omnibus, distinguished in glory from all others. (Chaldean)
33:18
Calmet
Glory, or face, ver. 13, 20. The angel was robed in darkness, which Moses begs may be removed. Tertullian supposes, he wished to behold the Messias. Many think he desired to contemplate the divine essence. (St. Augustine, q. 161.; Philo; etc.) But, could he be ignorant that such a request could not be granted? (Calmet)
Haydock
God promised to shew him all good, or the beatific vision after death. (Haydock)
33:19
Calmet
All good, that could reasonably be desired. "I will pass before thee in all my glory," (Septuagint) and principally in my beneficence, Exodus 34:6, 7. (Calmet)
Menochius
I will shew thee what great favours I have in reserve for Israel. Divines dispute whether Moses saw the divine essence. (St. Thomas Aquinas, 1. p, q. 12, a. 11.) (Menochius)
Tirinus
If he requested to do so now, it seems to be denied, ver. 20. and John 1:17. (Tirinus)
Menochius
Proclaim, etc. When I pass, I will repeat some of my glorious titles, and particularly that I am merciful. (Menochius)
Calmet
Yet I will shew mercy with discretion, and will punish some of you. (Calmet)
33:20
Menochius
My face, even in my assumed form. (Menochius)
Haydock
The effulgence would cause death, as was commonly believed, Genesis 13:16. To behold the divine essence, we must be divested of our mortal body, 1 Corinthians 2:9. (St. Gregory of Nazianzus, or. 49.) (Haydock)
33:23
Challoner
See my back parts. The Lord, by his angel, usually spoke to Moses in the pillar of the cloud, so that he could not see the glory of Him that spoke familiarly with him. In the vision here mentioned, he was allowed to see something of Him, in an assumed corporeal form: not in the face, the rays of which were too bright for mortal eye to bear, but to view Him as it were behind, when his face was turned from him. (Challoner)
Du Hamel
Thus our curiosity is repressed. (Du Hamel)
Iliad. N. Grotius
Servius observes, on Virgil, that the "gods mostly declare themselves by suddenly disappearing. They will not shew their faces." (Iliad. N. Grotius)
Haydock
The rock was Christ, (Du Hamel) in whose sacred humanity we discern, at a distance, the majesty of God. (St. Augustine, q. 154.) Moses saw the hinder parts of God, or what should happen to Jesus Christ in the latter days of the synagogue. (Origen, hom. 12.) By this wonderful vision, God was pleased to declare that he was appeased. (Haydock)
33:11
Face to face.... That is, in a most familiar manner. Though as we learn from this very chapter, Moses could not see the face of the Lord.
33:12
I know thee by name.... In the language of the scriptures, God is said to know such as he approves and loves: and to know by name, those whom he favours in a most singular manner, as he did his servant Moses.
33:23
See my back parts.... The Lord by his angel, usually spoke to Moses in the pillar of the cloud; so that he could not see the glory of him that spoke familiarly with him. In the vision here mentioned he was allowed to see something of him, in an assumed corporeal form: not in the face, the rays of which were too bright for mortal eye to bear, but to view him as it were behind, when his face was turned from him.
33:3
God would not in this passage worke such miracles, as he did, bringing them forth of Aegypt. So it is a comination because they werest ubborne and stiffe necked.
33:19
The vision of God in gloric, is algo•d.
God by his grace maketh his seruants to cal vpon his name. S. Aug. q 154. in Exod.
33:20
None in this life can see God as Saincts do in glorie. 1. Ioan. 3.
33:22
Concordanza Rom 9.
33:23
Moyses saw more glorious workes & effectes of God, then other Prophets, yet not his substance and diuine nature. Theodoret. q. 68. in Exod S Hier. de verb. Isa. vidi. Dom. S. Chrysost. ho. 4. de in copie, Dei natura.
33:1
san Barnaba † 61 d.C. The Epistle of Barnabas 6
… Enter into the good land which the Lord swore [to give] to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and inherit ye it, a land flowing with milk and honey.”
33:2
sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 4.15
… Wherefore also He says to Moses in Exodus: “I will send forth My angel before thee; for I will not go up with thee, because thou art a stiff-necked people.”
san Gregorio di Nissa † 395 d.C. Against Eunomius 11.3
… The passage runs thus: God is speaking, “Go, get thee down, guide this people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold Mine Angel shall go before thee in the day when I visit .” And a little while after He says again, “And I will send Mine Angel before thee
33:3
san Barnaba † 61 d.C. The Epistle of Barnabas 6
… Again, I will show thee how, in respect to us, He has accomplished a second fashioning in these last days. The Lord says, “Behold, I will make the last like the first.” In reference to this, then, the prophet proclaimed, “Enter ye into the land flowing with milk and honey, and have dominion over it.”
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 54.11
… you have many pearls, buy the one pearl with these. Stand, as Jeremiah says, in more ways than one that so you may come on the true way that leads to the Father. Exchange your love of necklaces and of gems and of silk dresses for earnestness in studying the scriptures. Enter the land of promise that flows with milk and honey.
33:7
Eusebio di Cesarea † 339 d.C. The Life of Constantine 2.12
… He pitched the tabernacle of the cross outside and at a distance from his camp, and there passed his time in a pure and holy manner, offering up prayers to God; following thus the example of his ancient prophet, of whom the sacred oracles testify, that he pitched the tabernacle without the camp.
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose 63.24
… Let your conversation be there, that you may say: “But our conversation is in heaven.” Therefore did Jesus go forth out of the city, that you going out of this world may be above the world. Moses alone, who saw God, had his tabernacle without the camp when he talked with God;
33:10
san Giovanni Damasceno † 749 d.C. An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 4.16
… For as Basil, that much-versed expounder of divine things, says, the honour given to the image passes over to the prototype . Now a prototype is that which is imaged, from which the derivative is obtained. Why was it that the Mosaic people honoured on all hands the tabernacle
33:11
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. Against Praxeas 14
… (and this they maintain) because in a preceding passage, before He had refused (the sight of) His face to Moses, the Scripture informs us that “the Lord spake face to face with Moses, even as a man speaketh unto his friend;”
Afraate † 346 d.C. Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 6.5
5. For thus it is written, my beloved, concerning Moses, that from the time the Holy One was revealed to him, he also loved holiness. And from the time he was sanctified, his wife ministered not to him. But it is thus written:— Joshua, the son of Nun, was the minister of Moses from his childhood .
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 4
… himself, though they have never so often refused it, have paid such heavy penalties, and if nothing has availed to deliver any of them from this danger, neither Aaron nor Eli, nor that holy man the Saint, the prophet, the wonder worker, the meek above all the men which were upon the face of the earth, who spake with God, as a man speaketh unto his friend,
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On the Holy Trinity 2.16
… And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shall stand upon a rock: and it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee into a watch-tower of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: and I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back parts; but my face shall not be seen.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 3
… What did Moses see? Moses saw a cloud, he saw an angel, he saw a fire. All that is the creature: it bore the type of its Lord, but did not manifest the presence of the Lord Himself. For thou hast it plainly stated in the law: “And Moses spake with the Lord face to face, as a friend with his friend.”
Teodoreto di Cirro † 458 d.C. Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 1
Eran. —Yet we hear the divine scripture saying God appeared unto Abraham at the oak of Mamre; and Isaiah says “I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up,” and the same thing is said by Micah, by Daniel and Ezekiel. And of the lawgiver Moses it is related that “The Lord spake to Moses face to face as a man speaketh unto his friend,”
33:12
san Gregorio di Nissa † 395 d.C. On the Making of Man 20.1
… but “knowledge” is not always to be understood of skill and acquaintance with anything, but of the disposition towards what is agreeable,—as “the Lord knoweth them that are His ”; and He says to Moses, “I knew thee above all
33:13
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. The Five Books Against Marcion 4.22
… Then at the last He says, “And then thou shalt see my back.”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. Against Praxeas 14
Moreover, there comes to our aid, when we insist upon the Father and the Son as being Two , that regulating principle which has determined God to be invisible. When Moses in Egypt desired to see the face of the Lord, saying, “If therefore I have found grace in Thy sight, manifest Thyself unto me, that I may see Thee and know Thee,”
san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 10.7
… And again: By faith Moses forsook Egypt , and shortly after he says, accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt . This Moses says to Him, Shew me Thyself . Thou seest that the Prophets also in those times saw the Christ, that is, as far as each was able. Shew me Thyself, that I may see Thee with understanding
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 15
… ( c. xii. 41 .) What also to Ezekiel? for he too beheld Him sitting above the Cherubim. ( Ezek. i. and x .) What to Daniel? for he too saith, “The Ancient of days did sit” ( Dan. vii. 9 .) What to Moses himself, saying, “Show me Thy Glory, that I may see Thee so as to know Thee.” (
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. City of God 10.13
… Nevertheless it is He Himself who was seen under that form, as that thought itself is heard in the sound of the voice; and the patriarchs recognized that, though the bodily form was not God, they saw the invisible God. For, though Moses conversed with God, yet he said, “If I have found grace in Thy sight, show me Thyself, that I may see and know Thee.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 53.12
… For he saw Him, not as He is, but in some symbolical way to suit the form that the vision of the prophet had itself to assume. For Moses likewise saw Him, and yet we find him saying to Him whom he saw, “If I have found grace in Thy sight, show me now Thyself, that I may clearly see Thee;”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 139.6
… Moses, the holy servant of God, with whom God spake by a cloud, for, speaking after human fashion, He must needs speak to His servant through some work of His hands which He assumed,…longed and desired to see the true appearance of God, and said to God, who was conversing with him, “If now I have found grace in Thy sight, show me Thyself.”
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Seven Books of John Cassian on the Incarnation of the Lord, Against Nestorius 5.13
… and to hear the things which ye hear and have not heard them.” And so the prophet Isaiah says: “O that Thou, Lord, would rend the heavens and come down,” and David too: “O Lord, bow the heavens and come down.” Moses also says: “Show me Thyself that I may see Thee plainly.”
33:14
san Melitone di Sardi † 180 d.C. Melito, the Philosopher 9
The face of the Lord —His manifestation. In Exodus, “My face shall go before thee;”
33:15
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen's Commentary on Matthew 13.26
… ones, pointed out by our Saviour, are under the stewardship as of nursing-fathers and nursing-mothers, on this account I think that Moses, who believed that he had been already assigned a place among the ranks of the great, said, with regard to the promise, “My angel shall go before you,” “If thou thyself do not go along with me, carry me not up hence.”
san Gregorio di Nissa † 395 d.C. Against Eunomius 11.3
… day when I visit .” And a little while after He says again, “And I will send Mine Angel before thee .” Then, a little after what immediately follows, comes the supplication to God on the part of His servant, running on this wise, “If I have found grace in Thy sight, let my Lord go among us ,” and again, “If Thou Thyself go not with us, carry me not up hence
33:17
san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 10.7
… ‘A great thing,’ saith the Lord, ‘thou desirest, O Moses: and I approve thine insatiable desire, and I will do this thing
san Gregorio di Nissa † 395 d.C. Against Eunomius 11.3
… and then the answer of God to Moses, “I will do for thee this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in My sight, and I know thee above all men
33:18
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On Fasting 6
… while He taught him even then (by experience) that man liveth not upon bread alone, but upon every word of God; in that the People, though fatter than he, could not constantly contemplate even Moses himself, fed as he had been upon God, nor his leanness, sated as it had been with His glory!
33:19
san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 10.8
8. Now here I wish you to make safe what I am going to say, because of the Jews. For our object is to prove that the Lord Jesus Christ was with the Father. The Lord then says to Moses, I will pass by before thee with My glory, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee
san Gregorio Nazianzeno † 389 d.C. Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.76
… the majesty, and the height, and the dignity, and the pure natures scarce able to contain the brightness of God, Whom the deep covers, Whose secret place is darkness, since He is the purest light, which most men cannot approach unto; Who is in all this universe, and again is beyond the universe; Who is all goodness,
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. On the Holy Spirit 1.13
133. And Scripture makes clear that that which is the Father’s Name, the same is also that of the Son, for the Lord said in Exodus: “I will go before thee in My Name, and will call by My Name the Lord before thee.”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 16
Ver. 15 . “For I will have mercy, He says, on whom I will have mercy, and I will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” (
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. The Enchiridion 98
… As it is, however, after answering, “God forbid;” that is, God forbid that there should be unrighteousness with God; he goes on to prove that there is no unrighteousness in God’s doing this, and says: “For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On Patience 18
… For their good works did not come before God’s mercy, but followed it. For to them was it said, and by them written, long ere Christ was come in the flesh, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will show compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. A Treatise on the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin 1.51
… “God,” says he, “calls whomsoever He deigns, and whom He wills He makes religious.” See whether this is not the prophet’s own declaration: “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and will show pity on whom I will be pitiful;”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. A Treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians 2.10
… theirs, I perceived that for this reason they either think, or wish it to be thought, that we assert fate under the name of grace, because we say that God’s grace is not given in respect of our merits, but according to His own most merciful will, in that He said, “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”
33:20
sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 1.19
… And, “There is none that understandeth, or that seeketh after God: they have all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable,” they maintain to be said concerning ignorance of Bythus. Also that which is spoken by Moses, “No man shall see God and live,”
sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 4.20.5
… The prophets, then, indicated beforehand that God should be seen by men; as the Lord also says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” But in respect to His greatness, and His wonderful glory, “no man shall see God and live,”
sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 4.20.9
… “Stand in the deep place of the rock, and with My hand I will cover thee. But when My splendour shall pass by, then thou shalt see My back parts, but My face thou shalt not see: for no man sees My face, and shall live.”
sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 4.20.11
… But when John could not endure the sight (for he says, “I fell at his feet as dead;” that what was written might come to pass: “No man sees God, and shall live”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. An Answer to the Jews 9
… therefore the man who was being prepared to act as images of this sacrament was inaugurated under the figure of the Lord’s name, even so as to be named Jesus. For He who ever spake to Moses was the Son of God Himself; who, too, was always seen . For God the Father none ever saw, and lived.
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. The Five Books Against Marcion 2.27
… It is He who descends, He who interrogates, He who demands, He who swears. With regard, however, to the Father, the very gospel which is common to us will testify that He was never visible, according to the word of Christ: “No man knoweth the Father, save the Son.” For even in the Old Testament He had declared, “No man shall see me, and live.”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. The Five Books Against Marcion 5.19
… He must not be regarded, however, as making any difference between a visible and an invisible God; because long before he wrote this we find a description of our God to this effect: “No man can see the Lord, and live.”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. Against Praxeas 14
… When Moses in Egypt desired to see the face of the Lord, saying, “If therefore I have found grace in Thy sight, manifest Thyself unto me, that I may see Thee and know Thee,” God said, “Thou canst not see my face; for there shall no man see me, and live:”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. Against Praxeas 15
… “No man hath seen God at any time;” meaning, of course, at any previous time. But he has indeed taken away all question of time, by saying that God had never been seen. The apostle confirms this statement; for, speaking of God, he says, “Whom no man hath seen, nor can see;” because the man indeed would die who should see Him.
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. Against Praxeas 24
… The Father indeed was invisible, as Philip had learnt in the law, and ought at the moment to have remembered: “No man shall see God, and live.”
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen De Principiis 2.4.3
… In this way, then, Moses too must be supposed to have seen God, not beholding Him with the bodily eye, but understanding Him with the vision of the heart and the perception of the mind, and that only in some degree. For it is manifest that He, viz., who gave answers to Moses, said, “You shall not see My face, but My hinder parts.”
Antipapa Novaziano † 258 d.C. A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity 18
Behold, the same Moses tells us in another place that “God was seen of Abraham.” And yet the same Moses hears from God, that “no man can see God and live.”
sant'Atanasio di Alessandria † 373 d.C. Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 2.16
… for all of them are works as He is. But if it be impossible for things originate either to see or to know, for the sight and the knowledge of Him surpasses all (since God Himself says, ‘No one shall see My face and live
sant'Efrem il Siro † 373 d.C. Ephraim Syrus: Three Homilies 1.29
29. But what shall we say about the Lord of the Angel, Who said to Moses,— No man shall see Me and live ?
san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 9.1
… And when he saw merely the likeness of the glory , and not the glory itself, he fell to the earth from fear. Now if the sight of the likeness of the glory brought fear and distress upon the prophets, any one who should attempt to behold God Himself would to a certainty lose his life, according to the saying, No man shall see My face and live
san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 10.7
… This Moses says to Him, Shew me Thyself . Thou seest that the Prophets also in those times saw the Christ, that is, as far as each was able. Shew me Thyself, that I may see Thee with understanding . But He saith, There shall no man see My face, and live
san Gregorio di Nissa † 395 d.C. Against Eunomius 10.1
… And how can the word hold good, “No man hath seen God at any time ” and, “Whom no man hath seen nor can see ” and, “There shall no man see the face of the Lord and live
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. Exposition of the Christian Faith 5.19
236. Moses is prevented from seeing the face of God; Arius merited to see it in secret. Moses and Aaron among His Priests. Moses who appeared with the Lord in glory, that Moses then saw only the back parts of God in appearance; Arius beholds God wholly face to face! But “no one,” it says, “can see My face and live.”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 74
… Wherefore Christ said, “No man hath seen God at any time” ( c. i. 18 ); and again, “Every man that hath heard and hath learned from God cometh unto Me.” ( c. vi. 45 .) “Ye have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His shape.” ( c. v. 37 .) And in the Old Testament, “No man shall see My face, and live.” (
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. Against the Pelagians 3.6
… But if you think that God is seen by those who are pure in heart in this world, why did Moses, who had previously said, “I have seen the Lord face to face, and my life is preserved,” afterwards entreat that he might see him distinctly? And because he said that he had seen God, the Lord told him,
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. The Confessions 1.5
… “Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.” So speak that I may hear. Behold, Lord, the ears of my heart are before Thee; open Thou them, and “say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.” When I hear, may I run and lay hold on Thee. Hide not Thy face from me. Let me die, lest I die, if only I may see Thy face.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 139.6
… for no one hath seen My Face, and lived;”
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Conferences of John Cassian 1.15
… which considerations certainly no one will preserve lastingly, if anything of carnal affections still survives in him, because “thou canst not,” saith the Lord, “see My face: for no man shall see Me and live;”
Teodoreto di Cirro † 458 d.C. Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 1
… seen the Father.” Wherefore the evangelist plainly exclaims, “No man hath seen God at any time,” and confirms the word of the Lord, for he says, “The only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father He hath declared Him,” and the great Moses, when he desired to see the invisible nature, heard the Lord God saying, “There shall no man see me and live.”
Teodoreto di Cirro † 458 d.C. Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 4.2.12
12. If all mankind shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven, according to the Lord’s own words, and He said to Moses “No man shall see me and live,”
Teodoreto di Cirro † 458 d.C. Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 147
And after the immortality and incorruptibility of His body He called Himself Son of Man, naming Himself from the nature which was seen, inasmuch as the divine nature is indeed invisible to angels, as the Lord Himself had said “No one hath seen God at any time.” And to the great Moses He said “There shall no man see me and live.”
papa san Leone I Magno † 461 d.C. Sermons 95
… And how great the blessedness of seeing God , what mind can conceive, what tongue declare? And yet this shall ensue when man’s nature is transformed, so that no longer “in a mirror,” nor “in a riddle,” but “face to face ” it sees the very Godhead “as He is ,” which no man could see
Pseudo-Clement The Recognitions of Clement 3.29
… “I call you back to the first question. You said now that God is visible to no one; but when that heaven shall be dissolved, and that superior condition of the heavenly kingdom shall shine forth, then those who are pure in heart shall see God; which statement is contrary to the law, for there it is written that God said, ‘None shall see my face and live.’”
33:21
san Basilio † 379 d.C. De Spiritu Sancto 26
… For words applicable to the body are, for the sake of clearness, frequently transferred in scripture to spiritual conceptions. Accordingly we find the Psalmist, even in reference to God, saying “Be Thou to me a champion God and a strong place to save me” and concerning the Spirit “behold there is place by me, and stand upon a rock.”
Early Popes (Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals) The Epistles of Pope Fabian 3.5
… for it is written, “My dove, my undefiled, is but one.” Hence, again, the Lord says to Moses, “There is a place with me ( penes me ), and thou shalt stand upon a rock.”
33:22
sant'Efrem il Siro † 373 d.C. Ephraim Syrus: Nineteen Hymns on the Nativity of Christ in the Flesh 3
… In His love He multiplied [the days of] the aged Simeon; that he, a mortal, might present Him who quickeneth all. By power from Him did Simeon carry Him; he that presented Him, was by Him presented [to God]. He gave imposition of hands to Moses in the Mount,
san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 10.7
… ‘A great thing,’ saith the Lord, ‘thou desirest, O Moses: and I approve thine insatiable desire, and I will do this thing for thee, but according as thou art able. Behold, I will put thee in the clift of the rock
san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 12.16
… What strange thing do we announce, when Jacob says, For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved ? The Lord, who ate with Abraham, ate also with us. What strange thing then do we announce? Nay more, we produce two witnesses, those who stood before Lord on Mount Sinai: Moses was in a clift of the rock
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. On the Holy Spirit 3.5
33. And yet since we read that the Son is the hand (for it is written: “Hath not My Hand made all these things?” and elsewhere: “I will place thee in the cleft of the rock, and I will cover thee with Mine hand, I have placed My hand under the covering of the rock,”
33:23
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. The Five Books Against Marcion 4.22
… Then at the last He says, “And then thou shalt see my back.” Not loins, or calves of the legs, did he want to behold, but the glory which was to be revealed in the latter days.
sant'Atanasio di Alessandria † 373 d.C. Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 3.23.6
… Therefore also, being equal to God, He ‘thought it not a prize to be equal to God;’ and again since the Godhead and the Form of the Son is none other’s than the Father’s
san Gregorio Nazianzeno † 389 d.C. Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 28
… I was running to lay hold on God, and thus I went up into the Mount, and drew aside the curtain of the Cloud, and entered away from matter and material things, and as far as I could I withdrew within myself. And then when I looked up, I scarce saw the back parts of God;
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. Exposition of the Christian Faith 5.19
236. Moses is prevented from seeing the face of God;
33:1
Scilicet, quando jam secundo Moses ascenderat in montem Sina, ut dictum est cap. xxxii, vers. 31, in quo mansit continue totidem diebus quot manserat prius, videlicet 40, petens veniam pro peccato populi, et in fine horum secundorum 40 dierum accepit secundas tabulas legis (priores enim jam confregerat cap. xxxii, vers. 19), ut patet cap. xxxiv, vers. 28, et Deuter. ix, 18, et x, 1. Vade, etc., in terram quam juravi Abraham, Isaac et Jacob. Soli Abraham expresse juravit Deus se daturum ei Chanaan; Isaac vero et Jacob tantum eam promisit, sed simili forma qua Abrahamo, seu remittendo se ad id quod cum Abrahamo gestum erat: ergo promittendo eis idem quod Abrahae promiserat, illudque ratificando et confirmando, implicite jurabat eis idem quod juraverat Abrahamo.
33:2
Est apostrophe Dei ad populum; nam paulo ante Mosi locutus erat Deus: hic vero se convertit ad populum, loquiturque Mosi quasi internuntio populi ejusque personam sustinenti. Praecursorem angelum, qui te praeeat in columna nubis et ignis, quique ante te praecedens exterreat Chananaeos, et tibi contra eos viam sternat ad victoriam, ita scilicet ut angelus hic non Dei, uti hactenus fecit, sed suam personam repraesentet, voceturque angelus, non Deus, ac consequenter angelico tantum modo, et simplici custodia te comitetur, ut custos tuus; non autem illustria illa patret miracula, quae hactenus Dei virtute et potestate patravit, tanquam Dei nomen et personam sustinens et repraesentans.
33:3
Non comitabor te, non ero tibi praesens uti hactenus fui, videlicet per singulare illud patrocinium, perque operationem tot signorum et miraculorum. Res enim spirituales maxime praesentes esse sentiuntur per operationem sibi propriam et commensuratam. Ita Abulensis et colligitur ex Chaldaeo vers. 16. Populus durae cervicis es, q. d. Es populus cervicosus, inobediens, refractarius: hinc ne ad iram me concites, nolo te comitari, sed mittam angelum qui te ducat. Haec enallage personarum et commutatio sermonis, apud Hebraeos passim est obvia. Ne forte disperdam te, ne vindicem maximam tuam ingratitudinem, et irreverentiam in me meamque majestatem, ut habet Chaldaeus, admissam, si videlicet ego, per tot miracula me tibi praesentem, et tam clementem, tuique amantem et curam gerentem ostendens, tamen a te negligar, spernar, et idolis postponar, uti jam vitulo postpositus fui.
33:4
Luxit: Et nullus ex more indutus est cultu suo. Quae hic de populo dicuntur, ordine non suo inserta sunt. Abrumpunt enim continuum Dei cum Mose colloquium, quod fuit secundis illis 40 diebus in monte. Itaque Moses hic more suo, colloquio Dei historiam verbis Dei consonam interjicit, videlicet quid ad Domini verba dixerit et fecerit populus, quando ea audivit: quod factum est non eodem die, quo haec Mosi dixerat Dominus, sed post 40 dies colloquii Mosis cum Deo in Sina, quando videlicet iis evolutis Moses de monte descendit, et narravit populo quid cum Domino egisset, quidque dixisset Deus. Hisce enim auditis, cognoscens populus Deum adhuc sibi esse infensum ob idolum vituli, luxit, et deposuit ornatum suum, et, ut Septuaginta vertunt, luxerunt in luctuosis, id est, luxerunt in lugubribus, scilicet vestibus. Est ergo hic hysteron proteron: Moses enim integros 40 dies mansit in monte cum Domino, nec inde descendit nisi die 39, ut tabulas legis dolaret; ac mox eodem die rursum in montem ascendit, ac sequenti die 40, Deus tabulis Decalogum inscripsit, uti patebit cap. sequenti. Ita Abulensis.
33:5
Eadem scilicet vice, qua vers. 1, 2, 3, locutus est ad Mosen: unde et eadem quae ibi dixerat hic repetit et inculcat Deus, ut ad paenitentiam Hebraeos magis inflectat; patet ex dictis vers. 4. Semel ascendam, et delebo te. Est gravis objurgatio, q. d. Si semel in te irruam, omnino delebo te. Jam nunc depone ornatum tuum. Hinc patet Hebraeos paulo ante vers. 4, non deposuisse ornatum suum, sed illud per anticipationem ibi dici; alioqui enim postea hoc versu non juberentur ornatum suum deponere, si eum jam deposuerant. Ornatus hic fuerunt vestes mundae et festivae, quas accepturi legem in Sina induerant, cap. xix, vers. 10, et huc usque non deposuerant, utpote Deo adhuc cum illis per Mosen loquente. Unde Septuaginta vertunt, auferte stolas gloriarum vestrarum. Ita Oleaster et alii. Chaldaeus tamen sic explicat: Depone ornatum tuum, id est tua arma bellica. Addit Hieronymus Prado in Ezech. XXIV, pag. 312, et alii, uti dixi cap. xxxii, 25, per ornatum hic accipi aureas byssinasve corollas, quas sibi in Sina Hebraei imposuerant, ut essent symbolum suae desponsationis cum Deo. Unde Hebraeum עָדִי adi, stolas, vela, pepla serica, monilia, coronas, similemque ornatum, qui vestibus affigitur et applicatur, magis significat, quam ipsas vestes ornatas, id est elegantes, pretiosas et festivas. Nota: Sicut herus servum peccantem quem verberare constituit, nudari praecipit: sic hic voluit Deus, ut Israel se quasi nudaret, et nudum Deo flagris caedendum praesentaret, ut hoc humilitatis et paenitentiae habitu, veniam impetraret. Sic qui olim paenitentiam publicam agebant in Ecclesia, posito ornatu ciliciis induti, sacerdotibus quasi reos ad paenam et disciplinam se offerebant. Ut sciam quid faciam tibi. Ut visa tua paenitentia decernam qualem paenam, an levem, an graviorem ulterius tibi infligere debeam.
33:6
Tum ex spontaneo suo luctu, tum praecepto Domini incitati. Rursus hic interrumpitur colloquium Dei cum Mose, per historicam narrationem ejus quod praeceperat Deus: nam haec depositio ornatus contigit post 40 dies, cum Moses a monte et Deo rediit ad populum. A monte Horeb ad montem Horeb (est enallage praepositionis), puta consistentes juxta Horeb sive Sinai, ubi Deus propter vitulum offensus apparebat.
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Nota, haec quoque et sequentia usque ad vers. 12, per anticipationem dici, et suo ordine inserenda esse post cap. xxxiv. Id ita esse patet primo, ex eo quod haec praecedenti ornatus depositioni annectantur, quasi simul haec facta sint: ornatus autem depositio contigit post 40 diem, cum videlicet Moses jam descendisset de monte. Voluit enim Moses haec simul narrare et jungere, tanquam paenitentiae signa, quibus se idoli sui paenitere ostendit populus. Nam hoc ipso quo tabernaculum extra castra figebatur, castra summo suo decore spoliabantur, videbanturque esse quasi excommunicata. Idem, secundo, patet ex eo quod dicitur hic eo tempore vocatum fuisse hoc tabernaculum foederis, puta a secundis tabulis legis, quibus foedus denuo sancitum est, quas Moses in hoc tabernaculo, tanquam Dei domicilio deposuit. Nam has secundas tabulas foederis confirmatrices, certum est Mosen non accepisse ante 40 diem jam dictam. Tertio, quia Moses ascendit secundo in montem cap. praeced., vers. 31; ibique mansit per 40 dies continuos, uti patet cap. seq. vers. 28. Ergo quae hic interjiciuntur, post hosce 40 dies, cum Moses jam de monte descendisset, contigerunt; nisi dicas hosce 40 dies fuisse interruptos per unum diem, quo Moses de monte descendit, egitque cum populo ea quae hic enarrantur a vers. 4 ad 12. Verum hoc non est verisimile: nam Moses, cap. seq. vers. 28, indicat satis se continuis 40 diebus et noctibus fuisse cum Deo in monte. Ita Abulensis. Tabernaculum. Tabernaculum hoc non fuit illud quod jussit Dominus fieri cap. xxvi, quodque post haec factum et erectum narratur cap. XL, in quo urna cum manna, arca et Cherubim deposita fuerunt: nihil enim horum hoc tempore fabricatum erat; sed erat hoc tabernaculum parvum tentorium Mosis, quatenus ipse erat dux populi: unde eo convenire solebant seniores acturi concilium cum Mose; huic etiam tabernaculo incubabat columna nubis, quae erat dux itineris. Denique Deus ad ostium hujus tabernaculi se per nubem videndum exhibebat, ibique colloquebatur cum Mose spectante populo, ac dabat responsa, uti hic dicitur. Quando tabernaculum hoc factum sit, incertum est. Ex dictis credibile est factum esse sub idem tempus, quo columna nubis a Deo data est castris Hebraeorum, cap. xiii, 21. Cessavit usus hujus tabernaculi fabricato altero illo splendido, quod Dominus jussit fieri cap. xxvi, quodque factum et erectum est cap. XL. Unde Chaldaeus hoc tabernaculum vocat domum doctrinae, quia in eo a Deo docebatur Moses in negotiis et causis, de quibus eum consulebat.
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Surgebat universa plebs, quasi surgendo et stando reverentiam exhibens Deo, et Mosi Dei vices gerenti, suoque capiti et rectori.
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Scilicet columna nubis quae praecessit, id est angelus, qui columna nubis tegebatur; et hic vices Dei gerebat. Unde vers. 11 dicitur Dominus locutus, puta non per se, sed per angelum hunc columnae praesidem. Id autem fiebat ad hoc, ut populus Mosen revereretur, sciretque eum non sua, sed Dei mandata promere.
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Q. d. Adorabat quisque Deum stans, vel potius procumbens in genua in ostio tabernaculi sui, convertendo se ad tabernaculum Mosis, in quo angelus vice Dei cum Mose, per columnam nubis loquebatur.
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Chaldaeus, verbum ad verbum; Septuaginta, ἐνώπιος ἐνωπίῳ, praesens praesenti, facialis faciali. Quare verisimile est angelum hunc specie corporea et humana apparuisse Mosi, et cum eo collocutum esse, quem tamen Mosen agnoscens non hominem esse, sed angelum Dei vices gerentem, summa humilitate et reverentia audivit eique respondit. Tropologice S. Hieronymus in Psal. cxxxiii: Habet, inquit, Dominus Jesus qui quasi ad faciem suam sibi ministrant, puta monachos et virgines; habet alios quasi in agris sibi servientes, puta saeculares. Minister ejus Josue, filius Nun, puer, non recedebat de tabernaculo. Josue vocatur hic "puer," non aetate: jam enim praefuerat bello contra Amalec cap. xvii; sed obedientia, innocentia et disciplina: erat enim discipulus Mosis, ab eoque erudiebatur tanquam futurus ejus in regimine populi successor. Sic passim in Scriptura discipuli et famuli vocantur pueri, quia minores et inferiores sunt magistro vel hero; et vice versa heri et magistri vocantur patres. Sic Elisaeus Eliam vocat patrem dicens: "Pater mi, currus Israel (tu es) et auriga ejus;" sic servi Naaman eum vocant patrem, IV Reg. v, 13; sic Abrahae servus vocatur puer, Genes. xviii, 7; sic Giezi vocatur puer Elizei; sic David loquitur pueris, id est famulis suis, et passim in libris Regum famuli vocantur pueri. Josue ergo non recedebat de tabernaculo, ut locum sacrum quasi custodiret absente Mose, utque servaret legis tabulas; simul interim vacabat orationi et contemplationi. De recessu Mosis a tabernaculo ad castra tropologiam vide apud S. Gregorium, part. II Pastor. cap. v: "Qui, inquit, praesunt aliis, Dominum saepe consulant oportet, neque ita tamen Dominum contemplando appetant, quin deorsum quoque ad membra illius miserando descendant."
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Redit Scriptura ad intercisam narrationem colloquii Domini cum Mose; igitur haec connectenda sunt cum vers. 5. Praecipis ut educam populum istum; et non indicas mihi quem missurus es mecum. Dixerat Dominus Mosi: "Angelus meus praecedet te," sed certum aliquem non designaverat. Verum Moses ductu et comitatu angeli non contentus, volebat ut Deus ipse comitaretur, essetque dux castrorum: hoc hic verecunde, ideoque ambigue et in terminis generalibus petit Moses, dicens: "Non indicas mihi quem missurus es;" idque crescente sermone simul et animo, ac libertate clarius explicat cum subdit vers. 13: "Ostende mihi faciem tuam," q. d. Illam mitte nobiscum, facies tua nos ducat, iterque praeeat. Rupertus et Lipomanus putant Mosen petere ut Deus mittat Christum: hic enim est ille qui mittendus est. Sed hoc non est litterale. Praesertim cum dixeris: Novi te ex nomine: Septuaginta, novi te praeter omnes, q. d. Prae omni te elegi et diligo, mihique places.
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Hebr. ostende mihi viam tuam, ut scilicet tu teipso et facie tua viam nobis praeeas et ostendas: haec enim est via tua. Unde Septuaginta vertunt, ostende mihi teipsum manifeste, aut, cognoscibiliter. Quare immerito Eugubinus hic carpit Septuaginta et Interpretem nostrum. Hinc patet non petiisse hic Mosen visionem Dei, vel essentiae divinae, uti videtur velle S. Augustinus, epist. 112, et lib. II Trin. cap. xvi, et S. Gregorius, lib. XVIII Moral. xxxvi, et D. Thomas, in II Corinth. xii; nam paulo post Moses clariorem petet Dei visionem, quam eidem Deus negabit, cum prioribus hisce ejus petitionibus annuat. Ut sciam te, ut cognoscam te mihi et populo placatum, propitium et praesentem.
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Id est, ego ipse praecedam te; hoc enim petierat Moses vers. 13, scilicet ut non angelus, sed Deus ipse adesset et praecederet castra Hebraeorum. Illud hic Moysi annuit Deus, unde Chaldaeus vertit, majestas mea praecedet te. Aliena ergo a mente Scripturae est expositio Ruperti et Abulensis, qui per faciem intelligunt angelum aliquem primarium, qui dicatur angelus facierum, eo quod proxime assistat Deo. Utitur vero Deus faciei nomine; non enim dicit ego, sed, "facies mea praecedet te." Primo, quia, ut ait S. Gregorius, lib. XVIII Moral. II, per faciem designatur notitia et familiaritas, q. d. Ego facie mea te praeibo familiariter et jugiter per quaevis ardua, iterque quamvis invium videatur, facile et patens ostendam. Secundo, quia nomine faciei respectus gratiae designatur, quae Hebraeos in terram promissam feliciter erat perductura. Hic ergo Deus Mosi annuit id quod petierat, atque adeo hic omnino se populo reconciliatum ostendit, conceditque pristinam suam praesentiam ad victorias illustres, et ad opera magnifica et miraculosa ac divina pro Hebraeis patranda; haec autem praestitit Deus non immediate per se, sed per angelum praesidem columnae, ducemque exercitus Hebraeorum, cui suas vices delegavit, quemque ita sua potentia et auctoritate instruxit, ut non angelus, sed Deus castra praeire dicatur et videatur; hoc enim solum petiit Moses, hoc et impetravit. Et requiem dabo tibi, ut inter medios hostes mea nixus praesentia, signis et miraculis, in mea ope securus quiescas, tandemque ad terram promissam victor pervenias, eamque quiete possideas.
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Pro si non tu ipse praecedas, Hebraea, Chaldaeus et Septuaginta habent: Si facies tua non praecedat; unde patet Mosen hic non aliud petiisse quam confirmationem ejus quod Dominus jam concesserat; sed id fusius et urgentius explicare, tum quia illectus colloquio divino, eo diutius frui cupiebat, de quo vide S. Ambrosium, lib. III, epist. 11 ad Irenaeum, pie et pulchre disserentem; tum quia ad hoc incitabat eum vehementia desiderii salutis populi: verebatur enim Moyses ne quo modo Dominus rursum irritatus negaret et revocaret id quod promiserat: unde et cap. sequent. vers. 9, rursus idem petit; tum denique quia Moses parturiebat aliam petitionem vers. 18, cui ut viam sternat, huic insistit diutius.
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Chaldaeus vertit, in quo sciemus quod invenimus gratiam coram te, nisi cum ambulaverit majestas tua nobiscum, ut fiant nobis miracula, et dividamur ab omni populo terrae? Vides hic Mosen per "faciem Dei" non aliud petiisse quam illustria miracula et opera Dei; unde et sequitur: Ut glorificemur ab omnibus populis. Hebr. niphlinu tripliciter verti potest: primo, ut glorificemur; secundo, ut dividamur; tertio, ut mirificemur: unde apte et pulchre Chaldaeus vertit, ut fiant nobis miracula; ad hoc enim petebat Moses non angelum, sed Deum ipsummet ducem viae: idque ei concessit Deus dans ei angelum, qui non angeli, sed Dei nomen, personam et potestatem gereret et exerceret.
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Q. d. Expressius hic confirmo quod expressius petebas et repetebas, licet tacite idem concesserim ante, videlicet ut glorificem vos per signa et miracula, in conspectu omnium gentium, idque ex nunc, ut non discedatis ex hoc loco nisi me duce, directore et protectore, sed per angelum, cui meas vices demando. Moraliter discant hic principes et Praelati, singulique fideles, quam in omnibus Dei ducatum et directionem exposcere debeant, uti facit hic Moses: sic enim eis omnia prospere cedent. Ita David orat, Psal. cxviii, 133: "Gressus meos dirige secundum eloquium tuum;" et Psal. xxiv, vers. 4: "Vias tuas, Domine, demonstra mihi, et semitas tuas edoce me;" unde I Reg. xviii, 14, de eo dicitur: "In omnibus quoque viis suis David prudenter agebat, et Dominus erat cum eo." Saule vero eum persequente multos composuit psalmos, quibus a Deo protegi et dirigi postulat; itaque Saulis manus evasit, rex creatus est, Syros, Philistinos, Ammonitas omnesque hostes suos felicissime debellavit. Ita Salomon a Deo dirigi postulat: "Da mihi, Domine, sedium tuarum assistricem sapientiam, quoniam servus tuus sum ego, et filius ancillae tuae, homo infirmus," etc. Sap. IX, 4. Idem monet dicens: "In omnibus viis tuis cogita illum (Deum), et ipse diriget gressus tuos," Prov. III, vers. 6; et cap. xvi, vers. 9: "Cor hominis disponit viam suam, sed Domini est dirigere gressus ejus." Ita Josaphat rex cinctus ab hostibus, orat: "Cum ignoremus quid agere debeamus, hoc solum habemus residui, ut oculos nostros dirigamus ad te;" itaque insignem a Deo victoriam impetravit, II Paral. xx, 12. Hunc imitemur in periculis, in arctis, in dubiis et perplexitatibus positi, totoque corde ad Deum recurramus, et similem Dei opem, lumen et directionem experiemur. Hac de causa Tobias docet filium, dicens cap. iv, vers. 20: "Omni tempore benedic Deum; et pete ab eo, ut vias tuas dirigat, et omnia consilia tua in ipso permaneant;" itaque faciens filius Raphaelem angelum viae ducem, Saram uxorem, opes amplas omniaque prospera impetravit, quin et patri visum restituit. Hinc et Cassianus monet ut ante singulas actiones oremus: "Deus, in adjutorium meum intende; Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina." Unde illud ipsum orat Ecclesia initio singularum Horarum canonicarum; atque mane quotidie ad Primam cum Davide orat: "Sit splendor Domini Dei nostri super nos, et opera manuum nostrarum dirige super nos, et opus manuum nostrarum dirige." Atque ad Primam, Tertiam, Sextam, Nonam, recitat Psal. cxviii, quo orat Psaltes ut Deus vias nostras in lege sua dirigat. Ratio est, primo, quia, ut ait Salomon, Sapient. ix, 14: "Cogitationes mortalium timidae, et incertae providentiae nostrae:" ergo a suprema prudentia Dei dirigendae sunt, ejusque directio efflagitanda est. Secundo, quia ad Dei providentiam spectat, omnium creaturarum, praesertim hominum, actiones dirigere: hocque ejus est objectum. Quare Dei munus invadit, eique injuriam facit, qui hoc sibi arrogat, quasi sine Deo solus sapere, seque et suas actiones sapienter dirigere possit. Tertio, quia solus Deus novit eventus futuros, tam absolute, quam conditionate, quid scilicet eveniet, si hoc vel illud egero, aut non egero; quid ego in hac illave re, hoc aut illo loco, tempore, statu, conditione essem acturus, ac praesertim an bene victurus, perseveraturus, ac salvandus, an male victurus et damnandus. Ergo qui sapit, ad Deum recurrat, oretque assidue: Domine, qui omnium habes praescientiam et providentiam, dirige me recte ad salutem, per illas vias quae peccati non habent scandalum, per illas semitas quibus praescis me certo perventurum ad gloriam, ad quam me creasti; atque diverte et arce a me vias illas, quas si ingrediar, praescis me peccaturum et damnandum; in hoc enim cardo salutis vertitur, inde pendet mea electio vel reprobatio, mea gloria vel damnatio. Sic directus fuit a Deo pius Abraham, per omnes peregrinationis suae vias sospes et felix. Sic directus fuit Jacob, unde de eo ait Sapiens, cap. x: "Haec (sapientia Dei) justum deduxit per vias rectas, et ostendit illi regnum Dei (in Bethel), et dedit illi scientiam sanctorum, et honestavit (id est ditavit) illum in laboribus, et complevit labores illius." Sic directus fuit a Deo Joseph, de quo eodem cap. dicitur: "Haec venditum justum non dereliquit, etc., donec afferret illi sceptrum regni, etc., et dedit illi claritatem aeternam." Sic directus fuit Moses cum Hebraeis per mare Rubrum, per desertum duce angelo columnae praeside 40 annis, donec pervenirent in terram promissam. Sic directus fuit Josue in omnibus bellis, quibus Chananaeos delevit. Sic directus fuit Judas Machabaeus cum paucis contra plurimos dimicans, semperque vincens, quia Dei ductum ante praelium semper implorabat, excepto ultimo in quo occubuit. Sic directus fuit Gregorius Thaumaturgus, qui fide in Deum nixus, omnia quae aggrediebatur feliciter perficiebat, idque saepe per miracula: ideoque cum Neocaesaream ad episcopatum veniens 17 tantum fideles invenisset, moriens 17 tantum in ea infideles reliquit. Sic directus fuit Theodosius, Carolus Magnus, Carolus V, aliique pii reges et principes in bellis, quae contra Ecclesiae suosque hostes felicissime gesserunt.
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Petierat Moses, vers. 13, dicens: "Ostende mihi faciem tuam:" concessit hoc ei Deus; hic ulterius petit dicens: "Ostende mihi gloriam tuam;" sed hoc abnuit et recusat Deus. Quaeres, quam Dei gloriam videre petit hic Moses? Philo, De Monarchia, per gloriam intelligit ideas et potestates quae sunt in Deo et mente Dei. Secundo, Tertullianus intelligit gloriam humanitatis Christi, quam ipse ostendit in transfiguratione, in monte Thabor coram Mose et Elia, de quo paulo post plura. Tertio, alii per gloriam intelligunt essentiam divinam, quasi hanc videre petierit Moses. Ita S. Hieronymus, vel quisquis est auctor Comment. in S. Marcum, cap. ult.; Rupertus, Lipomanus ac S. Augustinus, lib. XII De Genes. ad litt., cap. xxvii, et Suarez, De Deo trino et uno, lib. II, cap. xxx, numer. 13. Imo S. Ambrosius, in Psalm. cxviii, serm. 8, videtur sentire, quod Moses petierit Dei essentiam videre oculis corporeis: "Norat, ait, sanctus vates Domini, quod invisibilem Deum facie ad faciem videre non posset; sed devotio sancta mensuram supergreditur. Putavit ergo Deo etiam hoc esse possibile, ut corporeis oculis faceret, id quod est incorporeum, comprehendi. Grata cupiditas atque inexplebilis, quod Dominum suum manu tenere, et obtutu oculorum videre cupiebat." Verum S. Ambrosius videtur loqui de visione essentiae divinae, non in se, sed in aliqua idea, specie vel figura corporata. Videtur enim ipse sensisse, Dei substantiam a nemine, ne a Beatis quidem, immediate ut in se est videri posse, sed tantum mediante aliqua luce, umbra, velo, vel specie. Hoc etiam videntur sensisse S. Chrysostomus Contra Anomaeos, et S. Basilius, lib. I Contra Eunomium: reprehendit enim eum, quod doceret Dei substantiam uti in se est, ab homine videri posse: licet aliqui hoc limitent, addantque "viribus naturae, et in hac vita." Hoc enim volebat Eunomius, nimirum se similesque viros sapientes sua acie ingenii, et suis viribus in hac vita posse videre, imo comprehendere Deum uti est in seipso, quod merito impugnant SS. Basilius, Chrysostomus et Ambrosius. Verum dico, Mosen hic tantum petiisse, ut Dominus, id est angelus Domini personam sustinens, qui caligine tectus cum eo loquebatur, illam amoveret, ut clare gloriam ejus, id est speciem exteriorem gloriae illius, videre posset; idque ad hoc, ut clariorem divinae majestatis cognitionem ex hac visione perciperet, utque populo gloriam hanc Dei referre et praedicare posset. Sic vidimus cap. III, vers. 13, eumdem Mosem petiisse a Deo revelari sibi nomen Dei, ut illud populo proponeret. Loquebatur enim Dominus cum Mose voce corporea, sed ab eo ob caliginem non videbatur: cupiebat ergo Moses formam ejus, qui secum loquebatur, videre. Id tantum Mosen petiisse, patet ex responsione Domini dicentis: "Non poteris videre faciem meam," scilicet gloriam meam, quam tantopere tu, o Moses, videre postulas. Gloria ergo est facies gloriosa, vel corpus gloriosum Dei, quod Moses non potuit videre in facie, sed tantum in tergo, uti mox dicam. Ita Abulensis, Oleaster et alii.
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Hebraice, ostendam bonum meum. Multi per hoc bonum intelligunt divinam essentiam (haec enim est omne bonum), quam Mosen in hac vita vidisse putant. Ita sentiunt S. Augustinus, epistola 112, cap. xii et xiii; Basilius, hom. 4 Hexam., qui tamen illud revocat lib. I Contra Eunomium; Ambrosius, lib. I Hexam. cap. ii; Lyranus, Abulensis, Beda, Hugo, S. Thomas, II II, Quaest. CXXXIV, art. 3; Durandus, in IV, dist. 46, Quaest. vi; Sixtus Senensis, lib. V, cap. xli. Verum, ut in fine capitis ostendam, ex hoc loco nihil pro hac eorum sententia colligi potest. Unde Dico: Deus hic concedit Mosi id quod ipse petierat, dicens: "Ostende mihi gloriam tuam;" hanc enim hic vocat bonum Dei, vel omne bonum; bonum ergo hic idem est quod praestantia, excellentia et pulchritudo, hoc est gloria Dei apparens in corpore assumpto, quae Dei majestatem aliquo modo referat, quaeque sit tanta, quantam capere possit mortalis Mosis oculus, q. d. Petis, o Moses, videre corpus meum gloriosum; ego illud tibi ostendam, non in facie, sed in tergo. Unde Chaldeus vertit, ego transire faciam omnem gloriam meam super faciem tuam; Hebraea habent, transire faciam omne bonum meum ante faciem tuam, quod sine dubio non est aliud quam illud quod paulo post subditur: "Cum transibit gloria mea, ponam te in foramine petrae, et videbis posteriora mea." Ita Abulensis, Oleaster et Molina, qui sic explicat: "Ostendam tibi omne bonum," id est perfectissimum et excellentissimum quiddam. Et vocabo in nomine Domini. Aliqui legunt, et vocabor, id est, et vocari me faciam vestrum Deum et ducem ex miraculis, quae pro vobis faciam, inquit Hugo. Verum Hebraea, Chaldaea, Septuaginta et Romana Latina habent, et vocabo, haecque est vera lectio, q. d. "Ego vocabo in nomine Domini," id est ego inclamabo nomen Domini; cum videlicet transibo ante te in petra tectum et absconditum, inclamabo, ut scias me transire, ac respicias, meaque posteriora videas; inclamabo, inquam, epitheta nominis Dei, dicendo, ut dicitur cap. xxxiv, vers. 6: "Dominator, Deus misericors et clemens, patiens et verax," etc., idque ut doceam te modum invocandi et deprecandi me, meque his epithetis compellandi. Id patet ex Septuaginta qui vertunt, vocabo, Dominus coram te; et ex cap. xxxiv, vers. 6, ubi Dominus praestat Mosi id quod hic ei promittit, quod maxime liquet in Hebraeo, in quo utrobique eadem est phrasis: "Vocabo, ergo in nomine Domini," id est vocabo et inclamabo epitheta jam dicta nominis Domini, et vocando eadem invocare te tuosque docebo. Miserebor cui voluero. Hebraea, Septuaginta, et ex iis S. Paulus, Rom. ix, 15, habent: "Miserebor cui miserebor," id est miserebor cui voluero, cui mihi placuerit vel libuerit. Hoc primo, sic exponit Abulensis, Vatablus et Lipomanus, q. d. Ostendam tibi omne bonum, non ob tua merita, sed ex liberali mea clementia et misericordia. Secundo, S. Chrysostomus, Theophylactus, Theodoretus, Oecumenius in cap. ix ad Roman. sic exponunt, q. d. Ego vituli adoratores, quos volo, per Levitas vel meipsum mactabo; aliis vero, quibus volo condonare, miserebor et parcam. Verum dico: genuinus hujus loci sensus est hic: Ego Deus transiens ante te, o Moses, vocabo et inclamabo nomen Domini, dicendo: "Dominator Domine," aliaque Dei epitheta, sed maxime hoc: "Miserebor cui voluero," id est, ego et clemens et misericors sum, sed liberrime; misereor enim ei cui voluero. Hoc enim epithetum clementiae pluribus vocibus exprimitur in hoc Dei transitu, cap. xxxiv, vers. 6, ubi haec vox sive vocatio Dei enarratur; ibi enim impletur id quod hic promittitur: vult enim Deus maxime hoc nomine clementiae a nobis invocari, utque illa nitamur, non autem nostris meritis. Principem enim, regium et divinum animum maxime decet et ornat clementia. To ergo et miserebor cui voluero, et clemens ero in quem mihi placuerit, technice sive materialiter accipiendum est: pendet enim quasi objectum a verbo vocabo. Moraliter, nota hic magnum et divinum quid esse clementiam. "Nullum magis decet clementia, quam principem," ait Seneca, libro De Clementia, apud quem vide multa praeclara de hac re; et Cicero, lib. I Offic.: "Nihil, ait, est laudabilius, nihil magno et praeclaro viro dignius placabilitate atque clementia." Et Ovidius, lib. III Trist. eleg. 5: Quo quisque est major, magis est placabilis irae, Et faciles motus mens generosa capit. Corpora magnanimo satis est prostrasse leoni: Pugna suum finem, cum jacet hostis, habet. At lupus, et turpes instant morientibus ursi, Et quaecumque minor nobilitate fera est. Julius Caesar tanta clementia erga hostes et rebelles usus est, ut Marius non semel dixerit: "Caesar, qui apud te audent dicere, magnitudinem tuam ignorant; qui non audent, humanitatem et clementiam." Augustus Caesar Cinnam necem sibi machinantem vocans: "Ego, ait, te servavi in castris hostium repertum, ego tibi patrimonium omne concessi, ego te ornavi sacerdotio: cur me occidere voluisti?" Perturbato Cinna, sic finit orationem: "Vitam tibi, Cinna, iterum do, prius hosti, nunc insidiatori et parricidae. Ex hodierno die inter nos incipiat amicitia; contendamus utrum ego meliori fide vitam tibi dederim, an tu mihi debeas." Et consulatum obtulit. Vis exitum? Cinnam habuit perpetuo amicissimum, solus ille Cinnae fuit haeres. Ita Suetonius in Vita Augusti. Alexander Magnus tam clemens victor, quam acer bellator fuit, ait Plutarchus. Nero Imperator initio imperii ita clemens fuit, ut cum sententiae cujusdam capite damnati subscribere deberet, exclamarit: "Utinam litteras nescirem!" Titus Imperator fratrem Domitianum insidias molientem non est ultus, sed his verbis admonuit: "Quid opus te parricidio petere, quod me volente obventurum est, imo quod jam habes, imperii particeps?" Nonne recte ait Claudianus: Cum vincamur ab omni Munere, sola Deos aequat clementia nobis? Aurelianus Imperator, teste Vopisco, cum Tyanam venisset, eamque occlusam reperisset, iratus dixit: "Canem in hoc oppido non relinquam." Hac voce erecti milites in spem praedae; urbe autem capta, militibus respondit: "Agite; canem me negavi relicturum, canes omnes occidite," et sic promissis satisfecit, et clementer hostes suos tractavit. Galieni junioris Imperatoris uxori quidam gemmas vitreas pro veris vendiderat; re comperta mulier flagitavit vindictam. Caesar jussit hominem corripi, quasi leoni objecturus. Dein in arenam, dum impostor et populus exspectant terribilem leonem, prosiliit caper. Cunctis rem tam ridiculam mirantibus, per praeconem dici jussit: "Imposturam fecit, et passus est." Eadem clementia opera refellit impostorem, et derisit uxorem. Ita Trebellius Pollio. Alexander Severus Imperator, cum uxor Memmia, et mater Mammaea ei objicerent, "quod nimia clementia ejus potestas vilesceret," respondit: "Sed securior est et diuturnior." Idem Ovimum Camillum senatorem rebellantem, et tyrannidem affectantem, consortem imperii fecit, Caesaremque creavit, ait Lampridius. Rudolphus Imperator cum post morum mutationem clementior aequo suis videretur, ait: "Severum et immitem fuisse me aliquando poenituit, lenem et placabilem nunquam." Ita Aeneas Sylvius, lib. II Comment. de gestis Alfonsi. Alfonsus rex, teste Panormitano, dicebat: "Malo multos mea clementia servare, quam paucos mea severitate perdere." Et rigidioribus: "Vultisne, ait, ut leones et ursi regnent?" Idem: "Mali, ait, citius benevolentia, quam severitate in viam virtutis revocantur. Ego, ait, justitia bonis gratus sum, malis autem clementia." Sigismundus Caesar, teste Aenea Sylvio in ejus Vita, "eos reges beatos dicebat, qui ejectis ex aula superbis mansuetos sibi asciscerent."
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Non enim videbit me homo et vivet. Loquitur de facie corporea et assumpta (hanc enim videre petebat Moses, uti dixi), qua se aliquatenus majestas et gloria Dei repraesentat, et videndam exhibet. De ea enim, non autem de facie, id est essentia, deitatis hic sermonem esse, patet ex eo quod sequitur: "Videbis posteriora mea, faciem autem meam videre non poteris." Sensus ergo est, q. d. Cupis, o Moses, videre fulgorem faciei meae, ut in facie videas eum qui tecum loquitur, cujusque voces audis; verum scito id fieri non posse: nam fulgor hic faciei meae, licet corporeus et assumptus, quia tamen aliquo modo fulgorem essentiae et majestatis meae referre, adumbrare et repraesentare debet, hinc talis tantusque est, ut illum ferre non possit mortalis oculus, quin protinus hoc fulgore homo excaecetur, imo exanimetur et moriatur; hoc enim est quod ait: "Non videbit me homo et vivet." Ita Abulensis. Symbolice Nyssenus: "Non videbit me homo et vivet," quia cognitio praesens, inquit, est finita, Deus autem est infinitus. Tropologice S. Gregorius, lib. XVIII Moral. cap. xxxvii: Nullus unquam Deum spiritualiter videt, et mundo carnaliter vivit: non enim possumus simul Deo frui et mundo. Quomodo videatur Deus a castis mentibus in hac vita, vide S. Bernardum, serm. 31 in Cant., et S. Ambrosium, lib. De Bono mortis, cap. xi.
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Et stabis supra petram. Cumque transibit gloria mea, ponam te in foramine petrae, et protegam dextera mea, donec transeam: tollamque manum meam, et videbis posteriora mea: faciem autem meam videre non poteris. S. Augustinus, Quaest. CLIV in Exod., negat hic corporalem Dei, vel angeli speciem promissam fuisse a Deo, aut visam a Mose, sed meram fuisse prophetiam, eo quod postea Mosen reipsa corporaliter vidisse Deum non legamus. Posteriora ergo Dei visa a Mose, censet esse mysteria Christi post ejus ascensionem credita a Judaeis. Praedicante enim Petro dixerunt: Quid faciemus? et baptizati sunt, et acceperunt Spiritum Sanctum, Actor. ii, 37; denique in fine mundi omnis Israel salvus fiet. S. Augustinum sequitur Cajetanus dicens: Non promittitur res gerenda, sed parabola est: petra significat erectam ac fixam mentem, qua elevatus est Moses, ut intelligibiliter cognosceret Deum; manus Dei apposita petrae significat quaedam attributa ei velata fuisse, et tantum ea ostensa quae Deus voluit, per manum transparente quasi luce sua, ei demonstrare. Verum hic mysticus est sensus. Certum est ad litteram promitti Mosi visionem Dei, id est, angeli vicarii Dei in corpore assumpto, eamque illi reipsa obtigisse patebit cap. seq., vers. 5 et 6. Porro hanc petram esse illam ipsam, e qua Moses jussu Dei aquam populo elicuit, Exodi xvii, 6, censet S. Augustinus hic Quaest. CLIV, ita ut aqua ex petra in Sina, per quatuor milliaria fluxerit in Raphidim, ubi erant castra Hebraeorum. Idem censet Fernandius, visione 7, sect. 2, qui et addit petram hanc comitatam esse Hebraeos in deserto per quadraginta annos, aut per se, aut per fluxum aquae. Verum haec incerta sunt. Allegorice, petra est Ecclesiae fideique soliditas, sine qua nemo Deum cognoscere potest, de qua Christus Petro, Matth. xvi: "Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam." Ita Theodoretus et S. Gregorius, lib. XXXV Moral. cap. vi. Nyssenus vero: "Christus, ait, currentibus est locus et via, infirmis lapis, domus quiescentibus." Insuper S. Thomas, II II, Quaest. CLXXI, art. 2, per applicationem manus ad foramen putat significari modum quo Prophetae communicatur lumen propheticum, tantum scilicet, quantum Deus vult. Unde saepe Prophetae dicunt: Facta est super me manus Domini; quia lumen propheticum non est permanens, nec plenum, sed transiens, et manu Dei attemperatum. Hoc mysticum est, uti paulo ante dixi in expositione Cajetani, qui eam a S. Thoma hausisse videtur. Rabbini fingunt in tergo Dei scripta fuisse ejus epitheta: "Dominator Domine Deus, misericors," etc., quae recensentur cap. xxxiv, vers. 6. Dicit ergo Deus: In Sina est petra cava, in cujus cavitate latere potes, o Moses, quaeque tegi potest anterius; ego igitur in ea te collocabo, nubeque contegam, donec transeat facies mea gloriosa, tuncque nubem amovebo, ut possis videre posteriora, id est tergum meum; nam faciem meam videre non poteris, quin protinus vibrantibus ex ea majestatis meae splendoribus exanimeris. Id ita factum esse patet cap. xxxiv, vers. 5 et 6. Protegam dextera mea, donec transeam (vers. 22). Q. d. Dextera mea nubem, vel corpus aliud opacum apponam, et opponam cavernae, in qua latebis, o Moses, idque ne videas gloriam faciei meae, transcuntis ante te, et moriaris. Tollamque manum meam, et videbis posteriora mea (vers. 23). Q. d. Cum facies mea transierit, amovebo nubem quae tegit te in caverna, ut tergum meum intuearis. Hinc videtur corpus hoc in quo Deus apparuit Mosi, non ab angelo, sed a solo Deo fuisse compositum, ornatumque tanto lumine anterius, ut solem longe vinceret: in tergo vero ita fuit lux haec attemperata, ut eam Mosis aspectus ferret, eaque mirifice recrearetur; ita tamen hac luce aspersa et perfusa fuit facies Mosis, ut ex ea radiare, et cornuta esse coeperit, uti dicam cap. sequenti. Dico a solo Deo formatum esse hoc lucidum corpus, non ab angelo, quia non est verisimile angelos posse per se immediate lucem producere, aut tantum luminis coacervare, quod solari aequiparetur. Nota: Hoc corpus lucidum a Deo ita compositum subiit et ingressus est angelus, illudque movit, ut transiret ante cavernam in qua latebat Moses. Secundo, angelus hic idem fuit cum eo, qui Hebraeos ex Aegypto eduxit, praeivitque in columna nubis, quique praeerat tunc populo et Synagogae, nunc autem praeest Ecclesiae, puta S. Michael. Hunc esse litteralem hujus loci sensum, tota series orationis loquitur; item quod cap. seq., vers. 5 et 6, Dominus adimplens id quod hic promittit Mosi, revera et corporaliter transeat ante Mosen, ostendens ei tergum suum. Simili quodam modo S. Pachomius corporeis oculis vidit gloriam Domini, ut habet ejus Vita. Allegorice, tamen sensus hic est potior, et magis intentus a Spiritu Sancto. Unde S. Augustinus, Quaest. CLIV, dicit hic esse prophetiam de Christo: facies enim Domini significat divinitatem Christi: hanc non viderunt Judaei cum Christum crucifixerunt, sed postquam Christus transivit per mortem et resurrectionem ad Patrem; tunc multi eorum posteriora haec ejus viderunt, et crediderunt. Tropologice Nyssenus: In hac, inquit, vita Deum videre non possumus; iste tamen videt posteriora Dei, qui supra petram, id est Christum, stat, quique corde et animo semper Deum sequitur, quocumque ducat, juxta illud Psaltis: "Adhaesit anima mea post te, me suscepit dextera tua;" et Christi: "Si quis vult venire post me, abneget semetipsum." Rursum: "Veni, sequere me." Sequi enim Deum mente, voluntate et actione, semper et ubique quocumque ducat, idipsum est Deum videre. Symbolice, posteriora Dei sunt effectus et creaturae Dei, e quibus solis Mosi et nobis in hac vita Deum speculari conceditur. Ita Philo, Anastasius in Quaest. S. Scripturae, Quaest. xxiii; Irenaeus, lib. IV, cap. xxxvii, Hilarius in Psal. cxiii. "Ex perpetuitate, ait S. Augustinus, creaturarum intelligitur Creator aeternus, ex magnitudine omnipotens, ex ordine et dispositione sapiens, ex gubernatione bonus." Symbolice quoque, alii putant hic praesignatam et promissam esse Mosi visionem humanitatis Christi in transfiguratione, in monte Thabor; humanitas enim inferior et posterior est Christi pars, divinitas vero est prior et potior. Ita Tertullianus, lib. IV Contra Marc. xxii; Nazianzenus, orat. 2 De Theologia; Origenes hic homil. 12, et homil. 7 in Num.: de quo vide S. Augustinum, lib. II De Trinitate, cap. xvii, et Bernardum, serm. 61 in Cantica. Rursum S. Ambrosius in Psal. xliii, 24: Moses, inquit, vidit posteriora Christi; vidit splendorem ejus ut homo est, vidit ejus gloriam passionis, per quam regnum nobis coeleste reparavit. Unde colligit Fernandius, visione 7, sect. 3, Mosen vidisse Christum flagellis caesum, et spinis coronatum, qualem Pilatus populo exhibuit, dicens: "Ecce homo;" item vidisse eum cruci affixum. Unde exclamavit, cap. xxxiv, vers. 6: "Misericors, clemens, multae miserationis," etc. Et huc allusisse S. Petrum, epist. I, cap. 1, vers. 11, cum Prophetas Spiritu Dei praenuntiasse ait eas, "quae in Christo sunt passiones, et posteriores glorias," ubi et significat id est, q. d. Passiones Christi sunt posteriores ejus gloriae, quae scilicet in tergo Domini glorioso ostensae sunt Mosi. Verum hoc symbolicum est et mysticum, non litterale, ideoque incertum et conjecturale. Ex dictis patet nullo modo ex hoc capite colligi posse quod Moses viderit divinam essentiam; neque enim Moses hoc petiit, neque si petiit, impetravit. Nam Dominus ei diserte respondet dicitque: "Faciem meam videre non poteris;" estque haec aliorum Patrum pene omnium sententia, quos citat L. Molina, Valentia et alii, I part., Quaest. XII.
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v. 1 « Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen dicens : Vade, ascende de loco isto, tu et populus tuus », — pronomen possessivum (ef. 32,7) ignorant Hebr. Sam. Chald.; cf. Aug. — « quem eduxisti de terra Aegypti, in terram, quam iuravi Abraham, Isaac et lacob dicens : Seminz tuo dabo eam ». v. 9 « Et mittam praecursorem (ut » — Hebr. : ante faciem tuam — « angelum, ut » — verte et — « ettciam Chananaewum et Amorrhaeum et Hethaeum et Pherezaeum et Hevaeum et Iebusaeum »,
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v. 3 « [et intres] 2n terram fluentem lacte et melle », cf. 3,8. 17; 13,5. « Non enim ascendam tecum, quia populus durae cervicis es, ne forte disperdam te in via ». Recte Ps. Ion., Itup., Cai., Bonfr. Mud. Non ascendam in medio tui connectunt cum 29,42 sqq., ubi Deus tam solemniter promiserat, habitaturum se 2n medzo HUMMELAUER. — IN EX. ET LEV. —- 2Í Israelis in tabernaculo foederis. Concedit ergo Deus populo praesentiam angeli, columna nubis variisque miraculis manifestandam usque ad tempus ingressus in terram sanctam; at revocat perpetuam illam promissam praesentiam, et peculiarem cultum a gentium religionibus toto coelo distinctum. Angeli praesentia a Dei cum populo habitatione eo certe differt, 1) quod illa efferatur ut temporanea, duratura usque ad plene subactam terram promissam, haec vero futura sit in V. T. perpetua; 2) quod angelus ante faciem Hebraeorum incedat, dum habitatio futura sit 7n med?o eorum; 3) quod angelusante faciem populiincedens certe cum illo non conversetur facte ad faciem , dum Deus in medio populi habitans utique cum illo intime et amice sit conversaturus (cf, 99,42 sqq.). Rationem porro, nonunicam quidem, cur non in medio populi ascensurus sit, eam effert Deus : ne forte disperdam te in via. Sanctius quid (Tost.) futura erat illa Dei in medio populo habitatio, quam merus angeli ante faciem incessus; severius punienda delicta ante faciem Dei inhabitantis, quam post tergum angeli praeeuntis commissa. Ceterum non negat Deus, forte se populo terram sanctam ingresso aliquando largiturum esse gratiosam suam inhabitationem, atque ita Moysen ad preces, populum ad poenitentiae opera sollicitat, quo gratia fortasse differenda tantummodo, illico concedatur. Haud mirum, ad Dei verba summo moerore affectum esse populum : v. ^ « Audiensque populus sermonem hunc pessimum, luxit et nullus |ex
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v. 5 « Dixitque Dominus ad Moysen : Loquere filiis Israel : Populus durae cervicis es, semel ascendam in medio tui, et delebo te ». Bene Vat. sententiam construit conditionate : si »iomento uno (Hebr.), i. e. si vel tantillum ascendam in medio tui, praesens in tabernaculo, aliquo tuo delicto, ut te deleam, compellar. « Jam nunc depone ornatum Luum, ut» « ex magnitudine vel parvitate poenitentiae » (Ians.) « sciam, quid faciam tibi », « decernam, gravemne an levem poenam infligere debeam (Men.). LXX : et monstrabo tibi, quid faciam tibi.
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v. 6 « Deposuerunt ergo filii Israel ornatum suum a monte Horeb ». v. T sqq. non agit de tabernaculo, quod Moyses et familia incolebant (c9 envi» abxoo, LXX ; item Syr.); non agit de tabernaculo cap. 25 sqq. descripto, illud quippe nonnisi serius constructum est, non vero hoc interdicti, si ita fas sit loqui, tempore. Satis communiter statuunt interpretes catholici, ante pretiosum illud tabernaculum Moysi in monte Sinal praemonstratum exstitisse apud Hebraeos tabernaculum aliud, quod illo postmodum constructo. cessaverit (Tost.), quo se homines ad consulendum et fortasse etiam ad colendum Deum reciperent. Confertque 7os/. cum iis, quae v. 7 de quaestionem habentibus traduntur, ea quae cap. 18 de Moyse quaestiones solvente narrabantur, censetque has Moysen quaestiones prope idem tabernaculum solvisse. Nulla est ratio supponendi, in eo tabernaculo fuisse aliquid areae correspondens; et omnino credenda estin illo non fuisse ulla imago numinis ficta. Id quippe à patriarchis traditum accepisse videntur Hebraei, ut nulla 1magine numen venerarentur. Hunc sine imagine cultum itemque sabbati religionem, a maioribus usque servata, Deus per Moysen mandatis sancivit, dum reliqua decalogi mandata in ipsa naturae lege continentur. v. « Moyses quoque tollens tabernaculum », quod ab ipso primum constructum esse nulla est ratio cum Tost., Sylv. affirmandl, « teten-
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dit extra. castra procul ». Antea intra castra fuerat; nune, declarante Deo v. 3 se nolle habitare in medio populi, instar excommunicationis (Tost., lans.) seu interdicti tabernaculum illud e castris removetur. « Vocavitque nomen etus tabernaculum foederis », seu verius conventus, imprimis sane quod illue convenirent habentes quaestionem. Nomen a priore illo tabernaculo transiit in posterius a Moyse confectum (Bonfr.). Gratuito autem infert 7os/., nune primum tabernaculo illud nomen esse inditum : potest enim, uti alias saepe, verbum verti vocavet aliquis, vocabatur. Scribuntur autem verba hebraica forma actionis imperfectae, quia id, quod tum fieri consueverit, refertur. Intellige igitur foedus cum Abraham vel etiam cum Noe factum. « Et omnis populus, qui habebat aliquam quaestionem, egrediebatur ad. tabernaculum foederis extra castra ».
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v. 8 « Cumque egrederetur Moyses ad —— t4abernaculum , surgebat universa plebs , et stabat unusquisque in ostio -— papilionis sui, aspiciebantque tergum Moysi, donec ingrederetur tenlorium ».
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v. 9 « Ingresso autem illo tabernaculum foederis, descen- -. debat columna mubis » (13,24 sq.) « et stabat ad ostium, loguebatur- -. que cum Moyse » ,
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v. 10 « cernentibus universis, quod columna nubis staret ad ostium tabernaculi. Stabantque ipsi et adorabant per fores » — in foribus — « fabernaculorum suorum ».
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v. 41 « Loquebatur autem. Dominus ad Moyen facie ad. faciem , sicut solet logut homo ad amicum suum », « familiariter » (Vat.). Expressionis (cf. 1 Cor. 13, 12) sensum h. l. non eum esse, vidisse Moysen faciem Dei, e v. 13 indubium est : sed loquebatur « praesens praesenti » (Jans.), nullo intercedente legato et, sicut amicicolloquuntur in loco obscuro (Ca?.). « Cumque ille reverteretur n castra, minister eius Iosue, filius Nun, puer, non recedebat de tabernaculo », quod non decebat relinqui sine custode.
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v. 13 « S? ergo inveni gratiam £n conspectu tuo » , quod tu affirmas, « ostende mihi — faciem tuam », — corrige viam tuam (v. s.) : tribue mihi oracula - tua — « ut sciam te », viam tuam, voluntatem tuam, « et inveniam —..— gratiam ante oculos tuos », 1. e. experimento, non sola v. 12 assert1one edocear, me tibi esse carum. Et « respice populum tuum, gentem hanc ». Hebr. : Et vide, quoniam populus tuus gens haec est , 3Ydque videns utique Jespice. Ergo, si revera carus tibi sum, duo fac , quae te rogo : et mihi tua oracula continua et recordare, gentem hane esse populum tuum, non meum tantum, rem tuam abiecto hoe populo te repudiare. | His tandem rationibus placatur Deus.
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v. 14 « Dizitque Dominus : Facies mea praecedet. te », — verte : persona. mea ibit, ego ipse ibo, non solus angelus — « ef requiem dabo tibi », 1pse te in terram promissam introducens (Deut. 3,20; Ios. 1,13. 15; 22,4). De v. 15 sq. versui 14 probabilius anteponendo dicebamus supra. Difficultatem sentiens Sy. V. 14 pro 125! *z2 legebat 45225 (cf. Gen. 17,1), sed falso.
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v. 15 « Et ait Moyses : Si non tu ?pse praecedas » , — h. l. recte vertit Vulg. vocem 25 — « ne educas nos » — Sam. LXX me — « de loco isto ». Potius hic relinque in deserto, quam sine te procedere iubeas.
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v. 16 « In quo enzm scire », facto experiri, « poterimus, ego et populus tuus, invenisse nos gratiam n conspectu tuo », quod tu v. 12 verbis protestabare, « nist ambulaveris nobiscum , ut » — vel potius e£ — « glo-- rificemur », ego et populus tuus, « ab omnibus populis », 1. e. anter illos, « qut habitant super terram ». Sequitur altera sententia (v. s.), qua. Deus Moysi assentitur.
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v. 17 « Dixit autem Dominus ad. Moysen : Et verbum istud, quod locutus es, faciam »; in medio populi habitabo; « Znvenisti enim gratiam coram me, et te ipsum novi ex momine ». Cf. v. 19.
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Arg. — Moyses firmissimum obtentae gratiae et obtinendae, si postmodum necesse fuerit, veniae pignus petit, ut Dei faciem seu gloriam confueri permittatur. Uti Elias 3 Reg. 19,9 sqq. solum Dei tergum contueri permittitur. Qui duo viri ante reliquos antiquiores sanctos ad faciem Domini servatoris transfiguratam in monte Thabor contuendam fuere admissi. Petitionem illud fortasse Moysis menti suggessit, quod eum Deo conversaretur facie ad faciem, quodque Deus promisisset, faciem suam i. e. se ipsum cum Moyse esse incessurum. Hine inauditum divinae faciei contuendae favorem a Deo precibus extorqueri posse suspicatus est. Facies opponitur v. 23 posterioribus : ergo intelli* gitur vera facies. Haec eadem dicitur gloria (cf. v. 18 et 20) : sc. Deus a facie visus suam contuendam praebet gloriam; non item, si à tergo conspiciatur. « Non est enim aliqua pars corporis, per quam homo distincte cognoscatur, sicut per faciem » (Tost.). v. 22 sq. omnino produnt intelligi faciem et tergum apparitionis cuiusdam divinae sub forma humana, qua proxime sensus percellebantur, at iis mediantibus sine dubio anima etiam rapiebatur ad divinam contuendam et amandam excellentiam. Igitur petitionis sensus non est : « Demonstra te mihi laetum », sed potius : « Ostende mihi te ipsum, sicut cognoscibilis a me es » (Tost.). « (uam ». Deus se pro Moyse, quidquid fieri possit, facturum esse asseverat et, quid gratiae concedere possit et concessurus sit, v. 19. 20. 21 triplici e£ dizit solemniter annuntiat.
33:19
v. 19 : « Respondit : Ego ostendam omne bonum » — meum reliqui omnes habent — « ibi ». Deus eam sui sensibilem repraesentationem producet, quae bonitatem eius non ex aliqua parte tantum, sed, quantum fieri possit, totam exhibeat : at eius repraesentationis Moyses non faciem, sed posteriora tantum aspiclet. Hebr. : Ego transire faciam omne bonum meum coram te : 31,6 reapse Deus /ransi/ coram Moyse. Conceditur videri Deus non a facie sed a tergo, neque longiori tempore, sed in transitu tantum (Caz:.). Sensum vere efiam reddit LXX -: Ego transibo ante te gloria mea. « Et vocabo in nomine » — meo soli adscribunt LXX Syr. — « Domini? coram te ». Sensus verborum obvius est, Deum certiorem facturum esse Moysen proxime futurae suae visionis, clamantem : Iahve coram te adest (Sa). Tamen post Aug. plures censuere vocabo h. !. idem sonare, atque « faciam te invocare » ; unde fortasse originem duxit lectio vocabor pro vocabo. At prior versio omuüino praeferenda. « Ef miserebor, Formula haec proxime exprimit Dei libertatem 1n seligendis iis, quibus gratias suas conferat; mediate exprimit Dei libertatem in mensura. etiam gratiae determinanda. Ea igitur h. 1. formula affirmat Deus, se Moysi favorem esse collaturum non solum grandem, nam grande quid generalis haec formula sonat, sed eundem omnino gratuitum, cuius ne post tam assiduas quidem preces intimamque eum Deo familiari- - tatem ullum Moysi sit ius. Illico autem explicat, eum favorem ad faciei visionem non pertingere :
Moyses ad supplicationes rediens, primum ut Deus in medio populo permanenter habitet, cultu speciali honorandus impetrat 33,12-17. Tripli impetrato favore audacior factus efflagitat privilegium nemini mortalium unquam concessum contuendae divinae faciei, ratus eo obtento nihil iam fore, quod a Deo populi delictis aliquando exasperato obtenturus non sit. Divinam faciem salva, quam 32,10 Moysi conservandam affirmaverat, vita conspici haud posse affirmat Deus, posteriora contuenda promittit 33,18-23. Tandem Moyses cap. 34^ foedus cum Deo instaurat. Arg. — Redit Moyses, « dum quadam vice cum Deo esset » (Sy/v.), loquereturque facie ad faciem, i. e. familiariter, ad sermonem illum pessimum, quem locutus erat Dominus 32,3^ (Tost.), et distinctius etiam 33,1-3, concessurum se Hebraeis angelum eos praecedentem, sed non ipsum in medio eorum esse habitaturum. Cuius decreti partem alteram revocari percupiens causatur Moyses, nisi Deus in medio populo praesens adsit, defuturum sibi quem de agendis consulat; angelum quippe non consulebat Moyses, sed itineris ducem sequebatur. Petita concedit Vulg., non aliam atque LXX lectionem prae oeulis habens, perperam textum se; neque v. 14 sq., ubi Q^33 vertendum est persona, ergo ego ipse ibo, praecise illud, quod hae supplicatione Moyses efflagitat. De facie seu gloria primus agit v. 18. Tandem narratio v. 14-17 est mire confusa. Antequam Moyses expresse petiit, ut Deus eum Hebraeis eat (implicite id habet v. 13), Deus v. 14 idem petitum concedit : Ego ipse ibo, et requiem dabo tibi. Quo concesso, verba v. 14 sq., quae procedunt e suppositione nondum concessi eius petiti, lectorem offendunt. Praeterea duplici v. 14. 17 effato idem petitum conceditur. Quibus perpensis crediderim, v. 14-17 duas eiusdem textus recensiones confundi. Versum 13 commode excipiunt verba v. 15 sq., dum v. 14 et v. 17 videntur esse eiusdem divini responsi aut fragmenta duo aut duae recensiones. Sensus planus : Deus petita concedit, sc. praeter angelum praecedentem se ipsum iturum et habitaturum esse in medio populi sui. v. 42 « Dixit autem. Moyses ad. Dominum » : Vide, tu « praecipis, ut educam populum tuum istum, et non indicas mihi, quem missurus es mecum », — Puncta "27 : et non indicas mihi , quo missurus sis populum meum. Deus inde a vituli aurei superstitione Israelem nunquam voeaverat populum suum, sed populum tuum (Moysis 32,7) , populum istum (32,34), populum quem eduxisti (33,1); simul tamen maximum in Moysen profitebatur affectum. Huic agendi rationi Moyses iam suum superstruit argumentum : Singularem in me profiteris affectum, sed non provides populo mo. Est hoc argumentum ad hominem. Dices, in sententia, sicuti nos eam construimus, desiderari adverbium locale mav. Verum eiusmodi adverbium in sententiis localibus quandoque omittitur. Gen. 30,38 : j1Nxà jNa2n 0vCN n"o5 mnpv2, in canalibus aquarum, quo venire consueverant oves. Cf. 3 Reg. 12,2 et V. Baumann : Hebràische Relativsatze, Leipzig 189^ p. 33 sq. Praeterea sententia nostra non est proprie localis; non est de motu locali, sed morali. Locum, quo deducendus esset populus, sexcenties indicaverat est via sua v. 13, constans cum legibus universae genti datis, tum imprimis particularibus dubiorum solutionibus a Deo, non ab angelo per Moysen dandis. Hanc viam indicaverat Moysi Deus 18,90; hanc viam expetebant, quotquot 33,7 quaestionem aliquam habentes egrediebantur ad tabernaculum foederis. — « [praesertim] cum dixeris : novi le ex nomine, et invenisti gratiam coram me ». « Nominatim te cognosco, ef carum prae ceteris » — LXX «zazpk x&wag; — « habeo » (Bonfr.). « Te familiariter utor : nam, qui e solo aspectu sunt noti, ii minus familiares exsistunt » (Mar.). Locutio est anthropomorphiea. Verba (cf. v. 17) aut eadem aut synonyma locutum aliquando esse Deum ad Moysen, e v. 12 indubie docemur, licet ea antea non sint descripta : non omnia se. Dei effata scriptis mandabantur. Duplex 3926 NOVORUM SACRORUM INSTITUTIO. profertur ratio, cur Deum deceat Moysi non denegare constans suae praesentiae oraculum : prima, quod eum deceat ita honorari, quem — — Deus sui populi ducem constituerit; altera, quod idem aequum sit concedere amico omnium familiarissimo, quemque Deus disertis verbis affirmaverit sibi esse apprime carum et gratiosum.
33:20
v. 20 « [Rursumque] ait : Non poteris videre (Cat.). Quo idem favor consistat, positive tandem explicat
33:21
v. 91 : « E/ iterum. : Ecce, inquit, est locus apud me », propius loco, unde ad te loquor : videtur enim, uti 3,5, Deus eousque non proximum Moysi ad se accessum permisisse. « E/ stabis supra petram ».
33:22
v. 99. « Cumque transibit gloria mea, ponam te in foramine petrae » , ne turbine abripiaris, « e£ [protegam] dextera mea , donec transeam », ne videns faciem meam consumaris.
33:23
v. 23 « Tollamque manum meam », postquam transiero, « e£ videbis posteriora mea; faciem autem. meam videre non [poteris] ». Cum ergo Moysi non concedatur videre faciem Dei, certe non vidit divinam essentiam (Aug. De Trin. II. 45 sqq.; M. 42. 801 sqq.), quae est perfectissima Dei visio. At idem S. Doctor (cf. etiam De Genesi ad lit. XII. 27; M. 34. ATi et Epist. 147, al. 112 ad Paulinam cap. 8; M. 33. 605) sentiebat, Moysen concupivisse divinae essentiae visionem, nisus imprimis verbis v. 11, Moysen iam ante loqui consuevisse cum Deo « facie ad faciem ». Clamat autem totus contextus, posse aliquem loqui cum alio facie ad faciem, neque tamen eius faciem videre. Deus Moysi apparere consueverat forma aliqua sensibili, voce humanae vocis simili loquens audiebatur, tamen corpoream formam illi non, aut certe non totam exhibuerat, transibat (v. 19; 34, 6) turbinis instar, nube veluti obvolutus. Moyses petiit clarum aspectum eius formae corporeae, quam in nube latere et voce loqui supponebat, . « excellentissimae formae corporeae, qua apparere possit » Deus (Jonfr.)» aspectum non quemlibet, sed imprimis faciei. Deus id negat fier] posse , non quidem absolute, sed secundum legem universalem a se pro V. T. statutam. Deus, ad superstitionem et idololatriam praecludendam , sapienter statuerat nullam numinis effigiem in V. T. esse permittendam. Quam legem populus erecto vitulo aureo fuerat transgressus. Eandem rursus Deus efficacissime inculcavit, ne Moysi quidem familiarissimo amico concedens aspectum sui in forma aliqua sensibili. Arg. — Monetur Moyses, ut sequenti mane cum novis tabulis montem conscendat solus v. 1-^. Dei adventum persentiens invocato Iahve nomine se munit v. 5; Deus vero se lahven esse, foederis deum , inelamat v. 6 sq. Moyse, ut Deus concessam ante veniam solemniter confirmet, supplicante v. 8 sq., Deus pactum confirmat, quo ipse populi proteetionem in se suscipit et vicissim mandatorum observationem exigit v. 10 sq. Inculcat v. 12-26 potissima in Deum officia, ne dii alieni adorentur, ne dii conflatiles fabricentur, ut festa et sabbata observentur. Moyses post quadraginta dies ad populum revertitur radiante facie v. 27-35. Cap. XXXIV v. 4 « Ac deinceps » : — Hebr. - et dizit Dominus ad Moysen; e contra 33,19. 20. 21 : et dizit. Prolixiore formula novum narrationis caput incipit, fortasse etiam Deus haec non immediate post 33,23 prolocutus est — « Praecide , ait, tib duas tabulas lapideas instar priorum, et scribam super eas verba, quae habuerunt tabulae, quas [registi ». At v. 27 sq. Moyses et scribere iubetur et scribit. Ad quae assería componenda, variae et ingeniosae excogitatae sunt rationes. simplicissima est, ut supponas voci *n2n2* literam 10d accrevisse scribae euiusdam incuria, et ob memoriam textus.32,16. Ergo priores tabulae excisae et inscriptae erant opere Dei, posteriores opere Moysis, monumentum perpetuum divini in superstitionem odii. Simul Deus secundo concedens tabulas manifestat, se foederi ante inito plene adhaerere, et tabernaculum et reliqua, qualia cap. 25-31 descripserat, eonfici velle (Ca?.).
33:1
… Eletto sacerdote (ibid. 33, 1), ricevette l'unzione con Aronne e i suoi fratelli (Lev. 7, 2-36). Una colpevole negligenza causò la morte sua e del fratello Abiu: usarono per i loro incensieri fuoco profano, invece …
33:2
… Iud. 2, 1-4; 6, 11-24; 13, 6-23; Zach. 3, 1-6). Alla fine del « codice dell'alleanza », Jahweh promette il « suo a. » che condurrà Israele (Ex. 23, 20-23), l'« a. dell'alleanza » (Mal. 3, 1). Talora l'a. di Jahweh è chiaramente distinto da Jahweh (Ex. 33, 2-6; Num. 22, 31; II Sam. 24, 16). Dopo s. Ireneo (Adv. …
33:3
… mondo, questi uomini, che non possono sperare nulla se non da Dio, «entreranno in possesso della terra» promessa ad Abramo (Gen. 15, 7-8, 18; Deut. 4, 38) e al popolo d'Izesele (Ex. 3, 8, 17). Questa «terra» piena di delizie («latte e miele»: Ex. 13, 5; 33, 3) rappresenta il Regno messianico.
33:7
alla tenda, lungi dall'accampamento (Ex. 33, 7), riceve-
TABERNACOLO (TENDA) DI RIUNIONE (EBR. 'ŌHEL, PER LO PIÙ SEGUITO DA MĒ'ĒDH: « T. DA CONVEGNO »)
Fu preceduto probabilmente da una tenda sacra (Ex. 33, 7-11), santuario provvisorio, trasportato da Mosè fuori dell'accampamento in punizione dell'adorazione del vitello d'oro. …
33:14
1. Fonti scritturali. - Nel Vecchio Testamento si vedano, ad es., Ex. 22, 1-3; Tob. 2, 21; Ex. 33, 14-15. Nei primi due passi indicati si impone addirittura di rendere qualcosa di più di ciò che si è sottratto: Si quis furatus fuerit boves, aut ovem, et occiderit vel vendiderit, quinque …
33:18
… Nella parola di Gesù che gli a. protettori dei fanciulli «vedono sempre la faccia del Padre» (Mt. 18, 10, tenendo presente Ex. 33, 18 sgg. e le discussioni a cui questa questione aveva dato luogo tra i rabbini; cf. H. Strack-P. …
33:20
vedere il mio volto e vivere » dice il Signore (Ex. 33,20).
33:23
Per conseguenza il p. può essere definito: factum vel dictum vel concupitum aliquid contra legem aeternam (s. Agostino, Contra Faustum, 20, 27: PL 42, 418). È questo anzi l'aspetto del p. più frequente richiamato nella Rivelazione (cf. Gen. 39, 9; 13, 13; 38, 10; Ex. 33, 23; Jud. 10, 7; 19, 25; Rom. 5, 19; 2, 29; 4, 16; ecc.). …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · Douay-Rheims originale (Douai 1609-10), trascrizione EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Pubblico dominio.