Numbers 11

The people in the desert deserved to be reprimanded, not because they desired meat but because they murmured against the Lord as a result of this desire for meat.

Do we not see that the Israelites got to their own hurt what their guilty lusting craved? For while manna was raining down on them from heaven, they desired to have meat to eat. They disdained what they had, and they shamelessly sought what they had not, as if it were not better for them to have asked not that their unbecoming desires be gratified with food that was wanting, but that their own dislike be removed, and that they be made to receive rightly the food that was provided. For when evil becomes our delight and good the opposite, we ought to entreat God to win us back to the love of the good rather than to grant us the evil.

We would be censured along with those who dwelled in the desert and who desired the disgusting food of vice and filthiness after having eaten the heavenly manna, and we would seem to complain like them: "It was well with us in Egypt, when we sat over pots of flesh and ate onions and garlic and cucumbers and melons." Although this manner of speaking first referred to that people, nonetheless we see it now daily fulfilled in our life and profession. For everyone who has first renounced this world and then returns to his former pursuits and his erstwhile desires proclaims that in deed and in intention he is the same as they were, and he says, "It was well with me in Egypt."

'Successes' have terrible power to cast down or draw aside those who take not heed. Thus the Jews, who at first enjoyed the influence of God, sought the law of royalty from the Gentiles, and in the wilderness after the manna remembered the onions. In the same way here, refusing the Kingdom of Christ, they invited to themselves that of Caesar.

And moreover when they ate it formerly, its taste was changed into that of all kinds of meats in their mouth, and it is well known that it also took the place of flesh unto them, for it is written, "It was like honey comb, and its taste was as if it had been kneaded in oil." And although it was changed into all these varieties of food the eaters thereof were not condemned thereby, for it was a gift of Grace, and not that which their lust had demanded.

So also the Lord says to Moses: "Choose for yourself presbyters, whom you yourself know to be presbyters." Let us look more diligently at the Lord's word — what that addition may mean, by which He says: "whom you yourself know to be presbyters." Surely he who bore the senile age of the body was not manifest to the eyes of all as being a presbyter, that is, an old man? Why then is this special inspection enjoined upon Moses alone, so great and so notable a prophet, that those be chosen not whom other men know, not whom the untrained crowd recognizes, but whom the prophet full of God shall have chosen? For the judgment concerning them is not about the body, not about age, but about the mind.

The same meaning is to be understood in the case of Moses when the Lord said to him, "I will take of your spirit and give to them," that is, I will give to them of the Holy Spirit which I have already given to you. If that which is also given has the giver for its principle, because it did not receive from any other source than that which proceeds from him, then we have to confess that the Father and the Son are the principle of the Holy Spirit, not two principles. But as the Father and the Son are one God, and in relation to the creature are one Creator and one Lord, so they are one principle in relation to the Holy Spirit. But in relation to the creature, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are one principle, as they are one Creator and one Lord.

And again when Moses saw that they lusted, and were made unclean by their lust, he said to them, "Sanctify yourselves against to-morrow that ye may eat flesh," as if a man were to say, Because your persons have been made unclean by your lusts, and the gift of God draweth not nigh unto the unclean, sanctify yourselves from the lust that ye may be worthy to eat the gift of flesh, for "Ye shall not eat it one day, nor ten days, nor twenty days, but a whole month, until it come out from your nostrils, and it become indigestion unto you; because that ye have rejected the Lord Who is among you, and have said, Who will give us flesh to eat?" Behold then, according to the word of Moses unto the Jews, every one that eateth in lust, rejecteth the Lord Who is in him, and he resteth upon his lust's desire. Well then was indigestion made the limit of the meat which lust required, for need observeth a limit, but lust hath neither limit nor end.

"And Moses went out," it says, "to the people, and spoke the words of the Lord." So long as Moses hears the words of God and is taught by Him, he is within, and abides in the inner places, and is kept among secrets; but when he speaks to the crowds and ministers to the people, who cannot stand within, he is said to go out abroad. What then does a saying of such a form contain? That every teacher and master of the Church, if he stirs up something concerning the deeper mysteries, if he brings forth something hidden and secret concerning the wisdom of God among the perfect—so long as he is occupied in profound meanings, he is to be said to be within and to abide in the inner places; but when he speaks to the crowds and brings forth those things which suffice for those who are outside, and which the common people can hear, he is said to have gone out abroad and to speak to the people the words of the Lord. This I see that Paul also did, and that he was indeed within when he said: "But we speak wisdom among the perfect, yet a wisdom not of this world nor of the princes of this world, who are being brought to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God hidden in a mystery, which none of the princes of this world knew." You see how Paul is within and penetrates the inner and secret things of divine wisdom, when he speaks these things. But when he proceeds to the people, hear what he says: "Let no evil speech proceed out of your mouth," and: "Let him who stole steal no more," and: "Let each man have his own wife," and: "Let each woman have her own husband." These things, and any of this kind, Paul, going out abroad to the people after the manner of Moses, speaks.

This Spirit descended upon the seventy elders in Moses' day. My object is to prove that he knew all things and worked according to his will. The seventy elders were chosen: "The Lord then came down in the cloud, and taking some of the spirit that was on Moses, he bestowed it on the seventy elders." It was not that the Spirit was divided, but his gifts were distributed according to the vessels and the capacity of the recipients. Now there were sixty-eight present, and they prophesied. Eldad and Medad were not present. To make it clear that it was not Moses who bestowed the gift but the Spirit who wrought, Eldad and Medad, who had been called but had not yet presented themselves, also prophesied.

But let us look also at another passage, in which it is related that Moses chose seventy men from among the elders of the people, and had them before the tabernacle of the testimony, and that God, taking of the spirit of Moses, gave to the seventy elders; and when the spirit had rested upon them, it says, they all prophesied. That it said He took of the spirit of Moses and gave the spirit to the seventy elders—do not so understand it as though God, taking away some material and bodily substance from Moses, cut it into seventy portions, and thus gave to each of the elders a tiny particle: it is impious so to understand the nature of the Holy Spirit. But observe the figure of this mystical saying in this way, as though Moses, and the spirit which was in Moses, were a lamp of a certain most bright light, from which God kindled seventy other lamps, to which the splendor of that principal light so came that the very source of the light received no loss from the exchange of derivation. And in this way it is piously understood, that which is written, that "the Lord took of the spirit of Moses and gave to the seventy elders."

But let us see what it is that he says in what follows. "And the spirit rested upon them," it says, "and they all prophesied." We do not read that the spirit rests upon just any men, but upon the holy and the blessed. For the Spirit of God rests upon those who are clean of heart, and upon those who purify their souls from sin, just as, on the contrary, it does not dwell in a body subject to sins, even if it once dwelt in it; for the Holy Spirit cannot endure fellowship and association with an evil spirit. For it is certain that at the time of sin the evil spirit is present in the heart of each one and plays its part. And when a place is given to it and it is received by us through evil thoughts and wicked desires, the Holy Spirit, grieved and, so to speak, hemmed in, is put to flight from us. On account of which the Apostle also, knowing that these things so happen, warned, saying: "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit, in whom you were sealed unto the day of redemption." Therefore, by sinning we grieve the Holy Spirit, but by acting justly and holily we prepare rest for it within us. Hence, in that he now says of the seventy elders that the spirit rested upon them, he set forth the praise of their life and their virtues. In short, because on account of the purity of their heart and the sincerity of their mind and their capacity of understanding the Holy Spirit rested, it at once also works in them and does not endure idleness where worthy material for working is supplied; for the Scripture says: "and the spirit rested upon them, and they prophesied." In all, therefore, who prophesied, the Holy Spirit rested; yet it did not rest in any of them as it did in the Savior. On account of which it is also written of Him that: "There shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall arise from his root. And the Spirit of God shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and piety; and the spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill Him." But perhaps someone will say: you have shown nothing more written concerning Christ than concerning the rest of men; for just as it was said of the others that the Spirit rested upon them, so also of the Savior it was said: "the Spirit of God shall rest upon Him." But observe that upon no other above is the Spirit of God described as having rested with this sevenfold power, whereby without doubt that very substance of the divine Spirit—which, because it could not be by one name, is set forth by diverse terms—is prophesied to rest upon the rod which should proceed from the stock of Jesse. I have also another testimony, by which I can teach that in my Lord and Savior the Holy Spirit rested in a certain exceptional manner and far otherwise than is related of the rest. For John the Baptist says of Him: "He who sent me to baptize in water, He said to me: Upon whomever you shall see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, He it is." If he had said "the Spirit descending" and had not added "and remaining upon Him," He would seem to have nothing special beyond the rest. But now he added "and remaining upon Him," so that this might be for a sign in the Savior which could be shown in no other; for of no one is it written that the Holy Spirit remained upon him. And lest anyone think that in this I disparage the prophets, they themselves know that I do not disparage them by preferring my Lord Jesus Christ to them. For each recalls his own sayings, and they find that of no other was it said: "He did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth." For because He alone is the one who did no sin, therefore in Him alone the Holy Spirit remained and abode. For if He is the one of whom this singular and exceptional thing is said, which we said above, that He did no sin, it is established that all the rest were under sin. If all, then necessarily the prophets also. And how is it fitting that we should say the Holy Spirit remained in them at the time of sin? Or if it seems incredible to you that the prophets, after they had received the Holy Spirit, could sin, let us return to this very Moses whom we have in hand, who is surely the greatest and most eminent of the prophets. He writes of himself and gives testimony concerning himself that he sinned, in that he said: "Hear me, you unbelieving ones; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?" For in these words he did not sanctify the Lord at the water of contradiction, that is, he was not confident in the power of God, and did not say that God is able to bring forth water for you from this rock, but as though from the frailty of a certain distrust he answered, saying: "Shall we be able to bring forth water for you out of this rock?" Because, therefore, sin is reckoned to him by the Lord in these words, it is certain that, when he spoke these things, he did not speak from the Holy Spirit, but from the spirit of sin. But if by the testimony of Scripture so great a prophet as Moses is shown to have at one time had in himself the Spirit of God, but at another time not to have had it, namely at the time of sin, it is certain that concerning the rest of the prophets a like rule is to be held. But what shall I say also of David? who prays concerning the Holy Spirit—as though it could be taken away from him—that it not be taken away, and says: "Cast me not away from Your face, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me." And in what follows, as though for a fault the gift had been taken from him, he asks it back and says: "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and confirm me with Your governing spirit." And what shall I recall also concerning Solomon? whom surely no one will say either judged judgments or built a temple to the Lord without the Holy Spirit, or, on the other hand, in the Holy Spirit made temples to demons or bent his heart to impious women. That prophet too, who in the third book of Kings was being sent to Bethel, surely spoke the words of God in the Spirit of God; yet he is not to be believed to have transgressed in the Spirit of God the commandment of the Lord, by which he had been ordered not to eat bread in Bethel, on account of which he is also killed by a lion. But it is long to go through them one by one. And I, though I may not pronounce on it in every case, yet think that there are, even in some common deeds of men, things which, although they are free from sin, do not yet seem worthy for us to think the Holy Spirit takes part in them. As, for example that I might say, lawful marriages are indeed free from sin, and yet at that time when the conjugal acts are performed the presence of the Holy Spirit will not be given, even if he who complies with the office of generation seem to be a prophet. But there are also many other things in which human power alone suffices for itself, and neither does the matter need nor is it fitting that the presence of the Holy Spirit be present. But into these things we have fallen by a certain digression, while we wished to show that upon my Lord and Savior Jesus alone the Spirit of God ever remained, but that in all the rest of the saints—as also in the seventy elders, from whom the beginning of this discourse proceeded—the Spirit of God only rested and worked at the time those things which were expedient for those through whom it worked, and useful for those to whom it was ministered.

Joshua, the son of Nun and successor of Moses, was amazed, and coming to Moses said to him, Have you heard that Eldad and Medad are prophesying? They were called and did not come forward; "Moses, my lord, stop them." I cannot forbid them, he said, for the grace is from heaven. So far am I from forbidding them that I consider it a favor. But I think you have not spoken thus in envy. Do not be overzealous on my account, because they have prophesied, and you do not yet prophesy. Await the proper time. "Would that all the people of the Lord might prophesy, whenever the Lord shall give them his spirit."

To some, indeed, who lack patience, the Lord God in his wrath grants them what they ask, just as in his mercy, on the other hand, he refused it to his apostle. We read what and how the Israelites asked and received, but when their lust had been satisfied, their lack of patience was severely punished.

The people of Israel, because of their meat, forgot God, and instead of God, worshipped the similitude of a dumb animal; and again, because of their meat, the wrath of God went up against them; and again, because of their meat, they were led into the fornication with the Midianites, through which the pestilence had dominion over them suddenly, for it is written, "While the flesh was yet between their teeth the anger of God went up against them."

And that He might increase in them this fear, immediately, by the mouth of offence, the rod of His chastisement was revealed, and after the offence the Chastiser gave them no respite, because their servitude was not worthy of His longsuffering. Above their head the rod of justice hung continually, and immediately they committed sin they were chastened, and at the time of their offence they were beaten, and at the entrance of the path of their sins they forthwith received rebuke; for longsuffering teacheth the foolish servant contempt, and in order that that stupid nation, which in the manner of an evil-doing servant, sat in the house of God, might not [learn] contempt, the Chastiser took away longsuffering, especially when they went forth from Egypt. And we must also understand the object of that swift punishment in another way, and that there was not longsuffering as regardeth the correction of their sins; for God the Teacher took the people, like a child, from Egypt their nurse, that He might deliver unto them the doctrine of His knowledge, and might teach them the instruction of His wisdom. But the people, in their ignorance, when instruction had been delivered unto them, forgot it, and they never kept in remembrance the meditation of the commandments of God, and they were frequently punished with severity, so that, if it were only through fear of chastisement, they might lay hold upon the remembrance of instruction. The man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath day was stoned by all the congregation; and the earth opened and swallowed up others who were called by Moses, and who scorned him and came not; and fire went forth suddenly, and burnt up the bodies of others who thought lightly of his priestly office, and who sought honour for themselves; and others, who in the guise of paying honour, brought strange fire out of season, were burnt up by a tongue of fire which went forth from the tabernacle, and they perished; and others, because they asked for flesh and rejected the bread of angels, were tortured by the indigestion which came upon them; and others who went astray as concerning the calf, were pierced through by the swords of the Levites; and others, who were the cause of the revolt at the waters of trial were set apart for destruction; and others who murmured against the Lord perished by fiendish snakes; and likewise they all, because they strove against going into the land of promise, came to an end and were destroyed in the wilderness. To these offences, then, these punishments were united, and together with each act of wickedness a punishment straightway sprang up by its side, so that evil deeds might be suppressed by stripes, and sins by vengeance, and so that the people might be like a child who feareth the teacher who giveth him instruction, and that it might tremble before the Judge who would beat them like a wrongdoing slave.

The Jews ate flesh in the wilderness, and it is written concerning them that, "While the flesh was yet between their teeth the anger of God had dominion over them," not because they had eaten flesh, but because with lust they had asked to eat it, for if the eating of flesh commonly brought anger whenever they ate it, they would have received this penalty, and, moreover, the priests who continually ate flesh in the temple would have deserved also the very same condemnation; but it is not written anywhere that anger had dominion over them because of the eating of flesh except in this place. That they sought flesh lustfully, and asked for it with lust, David testifieth, saying, "They lusted with lust in the wilderness, and they tempted God in the waterless desert, And He gave them their requests, and sent fulness into their souls."

How is it that the graves of lust where the people fell in their devotion to flesh remain even to this day in the wilderness? Do we not read that the stupid people gorged themselves with quails until the wrath of God came upon them?