Numbers 2

The first reading of Numbers taught that the army of God, which had gone out from the land of Egypt and made its journey through the desert, was visited—that is, numbered—by Moses and Aaron, and, having been set apart tribe by tribe, was reckoned under a fixed number. Expounding this as it were together with the whole content of the little book, we said that a pattern was there prescribed, showing how the people of God, going out from the Egypt of this world and hastening to the land of promise—that is, either to the place of the virtues or to the glory and inheritance of the kingdom of heaven—are led forward by certain orders and degrees of merit. And through these things we showed that the magnificence of the goods to come is foreshadowed in the images of the Law. But now the beginning of this reading, which has been recited today, instructs us how the order of the camp is to be composed by those who are made over to God and do not entangle themselves in the affairs of the world. And it says: "And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: Let the children of Israel pitch their camp each man according to his own order and according to his own signs, according to the houses of their families; over against, round about the tabernacle of testimony let the children of Israel encamp." Moses says: "Let each man march in the camp according to his own order and according to his own signs and according to the houses of their families," and Paul says: "Let all things be done honorably and according to order." And does it not seem to you that there is one Spirit of God, who speaks both in Moses and in Paul? Moses commands that in the camp one march according to order; Paul enjoins that in the Church all things be done according to order. And Moses indeed, who ministered to the Law, orders that order be kept in the camp; but Paul, as a minister of the Gospel, wishes the Christian to be orderly not only in his actions but in his very dress, and therefore he says: "the women likewise in orderly dress." Hence I judge that they wish order to be kept not only in duties and dress, but they give us to understand that there is a certain order even in the soul, concerning which it may be said that each one ought to march according to his own order. And this order is indeed indicated chiefly from the fruits of works, yet nonetheless also from the magnificence of the perceptions. For it often happens that one who bears a lowly and abject mind and who relishes earthly things occupies the lofty grade of the priesthood or the chair of a teacher, while he who is spiritual and so free from earthly conduct that he can examine all things and himself be judged by no one, holds the rank of a lower ministry or is even left among the common multitude. But this is to despise the ordinances both of the Law and of the Gospel, and to do nothing according to order. And moreover, if each one of us is anxious about food and drink and bestows all his care upon worldly matters, but out of a whole day assigns even one or two hours to God, and comes to church for prayer, or hears the word of God in passing, yet spends his chief care upon anxiety for the world and the belly—such a one does not fulfill the commandment which says that a man should march according to his own order, or which says that all things should be done according to order. For it is an order established by Christ to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, believing that these other things will be added to us by God in the second place. Let a man, therefore, march according to his own order. Do you suppose that those who exercise the priesthood and glory in the priestly order march according to their order and do all things that are worthy of that order? And likewise, too, do you suppose the deacons march according to the order of their ministry? And whence is it that we often hear men blaspheme and say: "See what sort of bishop, or what sort of presbyter, or what sort of deacon!"? Are not these things said where either a priest or a minister of God has been seen in something to go against his own order and to do something contrary to the priestly or Levitical order? But what shall I say also of virgins, or of the continent, or of all who are seen in the profession of religion? Will not Moses, if they have done anything immodest or wanton, anything insolent, at once rebuke them and say: "Let a man march according to his own order"? Let each one, therefore, acknowledge his own order and understand what is worthy of that order which he has undertaken, and so weigh his actions, and so also moderate his speech, his very gait, and his dress, that they may accord with the profession of his order, lest he hear it said to him by God: "Because of you my name is blasphemed among the nations."

But let us see what it is that it says: "and according to his own signs." I think the signs are those things by which the individual property of each one is designated; for example, all of us men are alike, yet there is a certain distinction proper to each one, either in the very face, or in stature, or in bearing, or in dress, through which, for example, Paul is designated to be Paul, and Peter to be Peter and not to be Paul. And sometimes even to those who do not see, the diversity of each one's sign is given, so that from voice and speech one recognizes that it is this man or that who is speaking; and according to the sign of his own property each one is known even without bodily sight. In this manner I judge that there are also diverse signs in souls. And the movement of one soul is gentler, mild, placid, tranquil, even; that of another is turbid, elated, harsher, more excitable, more insolent. One is circumspect, cautious, provident, careful, diligent; another is slothful, remiss, negligent, incautious; and among these one more, another less. And I dare to declare that perhaps as great a diversity as there is in the appearance of the face among men, so great also is found to be the difference in souls; just as I remember that the most wise Solomon says in a certain place: "As faces are diverse from faces, so also are the hearts of men diverse." But let each one, as Moses says, march according to his own signs—that is, let not him whose signs are lowly and despised march more elated and loftier than the signs of their own souls demand. And that the account of the diversity of the signs may become still more clear, we will add these things also. It is certain that all who know letters have learned the elements of letters—twenty-four if Greek, twenty-three if Latin—and out of these they write whatever must be written. Yet the sign, for example, of the alpha which Paul writes is one thing, and that which Peter writes is another; and so, through the individual men who know letters, you will find diverse signs of writing in each single letter. Hence too the handwritings written by the hands of individuals are recognized by certain proper signs and marks; and though the elements be the same, yet in the very likeness of the letters there is much unlikeness of signs. Therefore, if the example of the matter set before you has become fully clear, come now to the movements of the mind and of the souls, by which they are stirred to do something. Look upon the handwritings and see how, for example, the soul of Paul has set before itself chastity, and no less the soul of Peter, but there is a certain chastity proper to Peter and another chastity of Paul, even if it seem one and the same. In short, the chastity of one of them is such as requires that his body be mortified and subjected to servitude, and which still says "lest perchance"; but the chastity of the other does not fear that "lest perchance." Likewise justice too has something of property in Paul, and has it also in Peter. In the same manner also wisdom and the other virtues. But if even in these names, which we have set down for the sake of example, it can come to pass that, although they are one through the Spirit of God, yet there is some diversity in the very property of the virtues, how much more do all the rest of men bear certain signs proper to themselves in the movements of their souls and the virtues of the soul! Perceiving these things by a mystical reasoning, Moses writes in the Law that each one should march in the camp according to his own signs. And it can come to pass that, by an emulation of good works, we advance from lower signs to better and more magnificent ones. For if it has been rightly understood by us that all these things which are written in the Law are forms of the goods to come, and of that age which we hope for from the resurrection, it is certainly true that, if in the present life we have zeal for better things and, after the example of the Apostle, forgetting the things that are behind, we stretch out to the things that are before, then in the resurrection of the dead—where, as star differs from star in glory, so also the merits of each one will shine forth—we shall assuredly be able to be transferred from lower signs to better and more brilliant ones, and to be made equal to more resplendent stars. And human nature can advance so far in this life that in the resurrection of the dead it may be able to be made equal not only to the glory of the stars, but even to the splendor of the sun, according to what is written: "The just shall shine in the kingdom of God like the sun." Hence it is, therefore, that even among the lower things it says: "according to his own signs, by the houses of their families." As for what it says, "by the houses of their families," in the Greek the same word is set down which the Apostle also uses in that place where he says: "For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom all fatherhood in heaven and in earth is named." What Paul here calls "fatherhoods," the Latin translator there rendered "families," but one and the same word is had in the Greek. These, then, are the fatherhoods or families which Paul indeed already shows to be in the heavens, but which Moses still describes on earth under legal figures; and he admonishes us to march according to them, that we may be able to be joined to the heavenly fatherhoods. For there are, as Paul above declared—whether they are to be called families or fatherhoods—in heaven, of which perhaps is also that one which the same Paul names in another place, "the church of the firstborn enrolled in the heavens," to which it will fall to us to be joined, if we march according to order and do all things according to order. If nothing disordered, nothing restless, nothing dishonorable be found in us, then we too shall shine like the firmament and shall gleam like the stars, or the sun itself, in the kingdom of God, through Christ our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen.

I discern still something further of mystery in this book of Numbers. For the reckoning of the tribes and the distinction of ranks, the fellowship of families and the whole ordering of the camps, discloses to me the tokens of vast sacraments, since the Apostle Paul sprinkles upon us the seeds of spiritual understanding. And come now, let us see what all this reckoning of numbers, what this diversity of ranks, contains of mystical understanding. Our expectation of the resurrection of the dead is certain, when those who live, who are left, "shall not go before, at the coming of Christ, those who have fallen asleep, but joined and associated together with them shall be caught up in the clouds to meet Christ in the air" — deserting, that is, the corruption of this earthly place and the dwellings of death, whether all are to remain in the air, as Paul declares, or some also are to be transferred to paradise or to whatever other places out of the many mansions which are with the Father. But the diversity of the translation and of the glory will without doubt be granted according to the merits and deeds of each one, and each will be in that rank which the merits of his deeds have conferred upon him, just as the same Paul also attests, saying of those who rise, "but each in his own order." Hence, therefore, it will come about in the resurrection that each is enrolled, by spiritual tokens, either in the tribe of Reuben — for this very reason, no doubt, that in his morals or deeds or life he had something similar and akin to Reuben himself. But another in the tribe of Simeon, perhaps for his obedience. Another in the tribe of Levi — one, I believe, who presided well over the priesthood, or who, ministering well, acquired for himself a good standing. Another in the tribe of Judah — I do not doubt that this is he who bore a kingly spirit and ruled well the people that is within him, namely the senses of the mind and the thoughts of the heart. But also to each single tribe each one will be associated according to those things which, in his deeds or in his morals, he had akin to any one of them. There will therefore be certain ranks of this kind in the resurrection of the dead, as the Apostle designates; the type and figure of which ranks seems to me to be preformed in this book. But also the fact that the position and the order of the encampment is described by a certain association of the tribes and connection of the camps pertains without doubt to some state in the resurrection of the dead. That three tribes are said to be placed to the east and three to the west, three also toward the sea and the three last toward the north — which is called the harsh wind — but also that the tribe of Judah, which is royal, is stationed to the east, from which our Lord arose, I do not think is idle, and that Issachar is joined to it and Zebulun, and that into four parts this triple number is arranged, which, although they have differing qualities of their positions, are nevertheless all contained within the number of the Trinity, and that through all these four parts the same Trinity is always gathered into one number — for this reason, no doubt, that under the one name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are reckoned all who, coming from the four parts of the world, call upon the name of the Lord, reclining with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of God. Let these things be indicated by us in a general way for those who wish briefly to grasp the mystical contents of this whole sacred volume, so that from these, having taken the occasion of spiritual understanding, each one may pursue in the rest a similar inquiry, or even, if to anyone God reveals more, a higher and loftier one. For I truly judge myself unequal to expounding the mysteries which this book of Numbers contains; but far more inferior to those which the volume of Deuteronomy includes. And therefore we must hasten to arrive at Jesus — not that son of Nun, but Jesus Christ. Yet first, using Moses as a tutor and laying down with him the rudiments of infancy, let us so tend toward the perfection of Christ. For Moses did not put down many wars; but Jesus checked indeed all wars, and gave peace to all, so that it is written that "the land rested from wars." The land of promise, the land of inheritance, the land which flows with milk and honey, is distributed by Jesus. For "blessed are the meek, for they" through Jesus "shall inherit the land." But you will find that types and images of this very distribution went before; for it is not idle that to some the land is divided beyond the Jordan, to others within the Jordan, and to some first, to others second, and to some even third, and thus in order the inheritance of the land is divided, where each one may rest under his own fig tree and under his own vine, and there be no more anyone to terrify him. All which things, foresignified by magnificent mysteries, the Lord Jesus himself, on the day of his coming, no longer through a glass and in a riddle, but face to face in truth, will fulfill for each one, according as he himself knows the merits of the individuals — he who is the knower of the heart, to whom be glory and dominion for ages of ages. Amen.

And that there is something greater even than Israel, we gather from this: that in the book of Numbers all Israel indeed is numbered, and the twelve tribes of Israel are reckoned under a fixed number; but the tribe of Levi, as being more eminent than the rest, is held to be above this number, and is by no means counted in the number of Israel.