"For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers were
all under the cloud."
7. Paul cites a terrible example from Scripture to prove that not all
obtain the prize who run. There were about six hundred thousand of
them, all of whom walked in the way of God and enjoyed his word and
his confidence so completely as to be protected under the cloud and
miraculously to pass through the sea; yet among the vast number who
ran at that time only two, Joshua and Caleb, obtained the prize. They
alone of all that multitude reached the promised land.
Later on in the chapter (verses 11-12) Paul explains this fact,
saying: "Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and
they were written for our admonition ... wherefore let him that
thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." The design of these
dealings of God with Israel is to terrify the pride, false wisdom and
self-will; to deter men from despising their fellows and from seeking
to make the Word of God minister to their own honor or profit in
preference to the honor and profit of others. The intent is to have
each individual put himself on an equality with others, each to bear
with his fellow, the weak enduring the strong, and so on, as enjoined
in the four chapters.
8. How many great and noble men may have been among the six hundred
thousand, men to whom we would have been unworthy to hand a cup of
water! They included the twelve princes of the twelve tribes, one of
whom, Nahshon, Matthew (ch. 1, 4) numbers in the holy lineage of
Christ. There were also the seventy elders who shared in the spirit of
Moses, Eldad and Medad in particular (Num 11, 27), and all the other
great men aside from the faction of Korah. All these, mark you, strove
in the race. They did and suffered much. They witnessed many miracles
of God. They aided in erecting a grand tabernacle and in instituting
divine worship. They were full of good works. Yet they failed, and
died in the wilderness. Who is so daring and haughty he will not be
restrained and humbled by so remarkable an example of divine judgment?
Well may it be said, "Let him that ... standeth take heed lest he
fall."
9. Well, the example of Israel is one readily understood. God grant we
may heed it! Let us examine the apostle's text yet further--his
mention of baptism and spiritual food, using Christian terms and
placing the fathers upon the same plane with us Christians, as if they
also had had Baptism and the Holy Supper.
He would have us know, first, the oft-repeated fact that God from the
beginning led, redeemed and saved his saints by two
instrumentalities--by his own word and external signs. Adam was saved
by the word of promise (Gen 3, 15): The seed of the woman shall bruise
the serpent's head; that is, Christ shall come to conquer sin, death
and Satan for us. To this promise God added the sign of sacrifice,
sacrifice kindled with fire from heaven, as in Abel's case (Gen 4, 4),
and in other cases mentioned in the Scriptures. The word of promise
was Adam's Gospel until the time of Noah and of Abraham. In this
promise all the saints down to Abraham believed, and were redeemed; as
we are redeemed by the word of the Gospel which we believe. The fire
from heaven served them as a sign, as baptism does us, which is added
to the word of God.
10. Such signs were repeated again and again at various times, the
last sign being given by Christ in his own person--the Gospel with
baptism, granted to all nations. For instance, God gave Noah the
promise that he should survive the flood, and granted him a sign in
the ship, or ark, he built. And by faith in the promise and sign Noah
was justified and saved, with his family. Afterward God gave him
another promise, and for a sign the rainbow. Again, he gave Abraham a
promise, with the sign of circumcision. Circumcision was Abraham's
baptism, just as the ark and the flood were that of Noah. So also our
baptism is to us circumcision, ark and flood, according to Peter's
explanation. 1 Pet 3, 21. Everywhere we meet the Word and the Sign of
God, in which we must believe in order to be saved through faith from
sin and death.
11. Thus the children of Israel had God's word that they should
inherit the promised land. In addition to that word they were given
many signs, in particular those Paul here names--the sea, the cloud,
the bread from heaven, the water from the rock. These he calls their
baptism; just as our baptism might be called our sea and cloud. Faith
and the Spirit are the same everywhere, though the signs and the words
vary. Signs and words indeed change from time to time, but faith in
the one and same God continues. Through various signs and revelations,
God at different times bestows the same faith and the same Spirit,
effecting through these in all saints remission of sins, redemption
from death, and salvation, whether they lived in the beginning or at
the end of time, or while time progressed.
12. Such is Paul's meaning when he says the fathers did eat the same
meat, and drink the same drink as we. He, however, qualifies with the
word "spiritual." Externally and individually Israel had signs and
revelations different from ours; but the Spirit and their faith in
Christ was identical with our own. Spiritual eating and drinking is
simply believing in God's Word and sign. Christ says (Jn 6, 56), "He
that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in
him." And in the preceding verse, "My flesh is meat indeed, and my
blood is drink indeed." That is, He that believeth in me shall live.
"For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them."
13. In other words, they believed in the same Christ in whom we
believe, though he was yet to come in the flesh; and the sign of their
faith was the material rock, from which they physically drank water,
just as we in partaking of the material bread and wine at the altar
spiritually eat and drink the true Christ. With the outward act of
eating and drinking we exercise inward faith. Had the Israelites not
possessed the word of God and faith as they drank from the rock, the
act of drinking would not have benefited their souls. Neither would it
profit us to receive bread and wine at the altar if we were without
faith. Indeed, had not the Word of God come first, the rock would not
have yielded water and command faith. Likewise, if God's Word did not
accompany bread and wine, they would not be spiritual food nor
exercise faith.
14. So it is ever the same spiritual meat and drink which God embodies
in his word and sign, whatever its material and external form may be.
Were he to command me to lift up a mere straw, immediately the straw
would hold for me spiritual food and drink. Not because of any virtue
in the straw, but because it is a revelation and sign of the divine
truth and presence. Again, if God's Word and his sign be lacking or
unrecognized, the very presence of God himself has no effect. Christ
says of himself (Jn 6, 63), "The flesh profiteth nothing." He makes
that statement because his hearers pay no heed to the words in which
he speaks of his flesh, though it is these which make his body the
true meat, according to his declaration (v. 58), "This is the bread
which came down out of heaven." Therefore we are not to regard unduly,
as blind reason does, the works, signs and miracles of God; rather we
are to recognize his message therein. This is the act of faith.
15. The apostle refers to a single type--the rock, saying: "They drank
of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ." By
this statement he makes all the figures and signs granted to the
people of Israel by the Word of God refer to Christ; for where the
Word of God is, there Christ is. All the words and promises of God are
concerning Christ. Christ himself refers the serpent of Moses to
himself, giving it a typical significance, Jn 3, 14. We may truly say
the Israelites looked upon the same serpent we behold, for they saw
the spiritual serpent that followed them, or Christ on the cross.
Their beholding was believing in the Word of God, with the serpent for
a sign; even as their spiritual drinking was believing in the Word of
God with the rock for a sign. Without the Word of God, the serpent
could have profited them nothing; nor could brazen serpents
innumerable, had the Israelites gazed upon them forever. Likewise the
rock would have profited them nothing without the word of God; they
might have crushed to powder all the rocks of the world or drank from
them to no purpose.
16. According to the general principle here laid down by Paul, by
using the rock as illustration, we may say the Israelites partook of
the same bread of heaven whereof we eat; and they ate of the spiritual
bread of heaven which followed them--Christ. With them, eating was
believing in the Word of God, while they had for their sign the bread
from heaven whereof they physically partook. Had not this Word
accompanied the bread, it would have been simply material food,
incapable of profiting the soul or calling forth faith. Christ says
(Jn 6, 32), "It was not Moses that gave you the bread out of heaven;
but my Father giveth you the true bread out of heaven." And (verse
58), "Not as the fathers ate [manna], and died." Even Moses says (Deut
8, 3), "And fed thee with manna ... that he might make thee know that
man doth not live by bread only, but by everything that proceedeth out
of the mouth of Jehovah."
In other words, "In the material manna you must not merely see the
work--the act of satisfying the appetite--but much rather the word of
promise bringing you the bread of heaven; for by that word you live
forever if you have faith."
17. We may say the same concerning the sea and the cloud. The children
of Israel walked under the same cloud that shadows us; that means,
they walked under the spiritual cloud that followed them--Christ.
Otherwise expressed, walking under the cloud was simply believing in
the word of God, the word they had in their hearts, which told them to
follow the cloud. Without that word they would have been unable to
believe or to follow; indeed, with the word lacking, the cloud would
never have appeared. Therefore, the cloud was called the glory of the
Lord whose appearance had been promised.
So we see how we must in all things have regard to the word of God. To
it faith must attach itself. Without it, either there are no signs and
works of God, or else, existing, and regarded with the physical eyes
only, without reference to the Word, they cause one to open his mouth
in wonderment for a while like everything else which is new, but they
do not profit the soul nor do they appeal to faith.
18. Some take the words "which followed them" to mean that the
spiritual rock accompanied the children of Israel, companioning with
them--"comitante petra," not "petra consequente," Christ being
spiritually present in the word and by faith. This view they endeavor
to base upon the Greek text. I have rendered it: "the rock following."
The point is not worth contention. Let each understand it as he may.
Both interpretations given are correct. I hold to what I have offered
because all the circumstances of the incident, and earlier words of
God, pointed to a future Christ, a Christ who should follow, in whom
they should all believe. Thus Abraham saw behind him the ram in the
thicket and took and sacrificed him; that is, he believed in the
Christ who afterward should come and be sacrificed.
19. Again, some say the common noun in the clause "and the rock was
Christ" means the material rock; and since Christ cannot be material
rock they explain the inconsistency by saying the rock signifies
Christ. They here make the word "was" equivalent to "signifies." The
same reasoning they apply to certain words of Christ; for instance,
they say where Christ, referring to the Holy Supper (Mt 26, 26),
commands, "Take, eat; this is my body"--they say the meaning is, "This
bread signifies, but is not truly, my body." They would thereby deny
that the bread is the body of Christ. In the same manner do they deal
with the text (Jn 15, 1) "I am the true vine," in making it "I am
signified by the vine." Beware of such reasoners. Their own malice has
led them to such perverting of Scripture. Paul here expressly
distinguishes between material and spiritual rocks, saying: "They
drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was
Christ." He does not say the material rock was Christ, but the
spiritual rock. The material rock was not spiritual, and did not
follow or go with them.
20. The explanations and distortions of such false reasoners are not
needed here. The words are true as they read; they are to be
understood in substance and not figuratively. So in John 15, 1,
Christ's reference is not to a material but a spiritual vine. How
would this read, "I am signified by a spiritual vine"? Christ is
speaking of that which exists, and must so be understood--"I am"; here
is a true spiritual vine. Similar is John 6, 55, "My flesh is meat
indeed." The thought is not, "My flesh signifies, or is signified by,
true meat"; spiritual meat is spoken of and the meaning is, "My flesh
is substantially a food; not for the stomach, physically, but for the
soul, spiritually." Neither must you permit the words "This is my
body" to be perverted to mean that the body is but signified by the
bread, as some pretend; you must accept the words precisely as they
mean--"This bread is essentially, by a real presence, my body." The
forcing of Scripture to meet one's own opinions cannot be tolerated. A
clear text proving that the infinitive "to be" is equivalent to
"signify" would be needed; and, even though this might be proven in a
few instances, it would not suffice. It would still have to be
indisputably shown true in the place in question. This can never be
done. Now, the proposition being impossible, we must surrender to the
Word of God and accept it as it stands.
21. Christ has been typified by various signs and objects in the Old
Testament, and the rock is one of them. Note first, the material rock
spoken of had place independently of man's labor and far from man's
domain, in the wilderness, in desolate solitude. So Christ is a truly
insignificant object in the world, disregarded, unnoticed; nor is he
indebted to human labor.
22. Further, water flowing from the rock is contrary to nature; it is
purely miraculous. The water typifies the quickening spirit of God,
who proceeds from the condemned, crucified and dead Christ. Thus life
is drawn from death, and this by the power of God. Christ's death is
our life, and if we would live we must die with him.
23. Moses strikes the rock at the command of God and points to it,
thus prefiguring the ministerial office which by word of mouth strikes
from the spiritual rock the Spirit. For God will give his Spirit to
none without the instrumentality of the Word and the ministerial
office instituted by him for this purpose, adding the command that
nothing be preached but Christ. Had not Moses obeyed the command of
God to smite the rock with his rod, no water would ever have flowed
therefrom. His rod represents rod of the mouth whereof Isaiah speaks
(ch. 11, 4): "He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth; and
with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked." "A sceptre of
equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom." Ps 45, 6.
_Second Sunday Before Lent_
Text: Second Corinthians 11, 19-33; 12, 1-9.
19 For ye bear with the foolish gladly, being wise yourselves. 20 For
ye bear with a man, if he bringeth you into bondage, if he devoureth
you, if he taketh you captive, if he exalteth himself, if he smiteth
you on the face. 21 I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had
been weak. Yet whereinsoever any is bold (I speak in foolishness), I
am bold also. 22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am
I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. 23 Are they ministers of
Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I more; in labors more
abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in
deaths oft. 24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save
one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I
suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep; 26 in
journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in
perils from my countrymen, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in
the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils
among false brethren; 27 in labor and travail, in watchings often, in
hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28
Besides those things that are without, there is that which presseth
upon me daily, anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am
not weak? who is caused to stumble, and I burn not? 30 If I must needs
glory, I will glory of the things that concern my weakness. 31 The God
and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for evermore knoweth
that I lie not. 32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king
guarded the city of the Damascenes in order to take me: 33 and through
a window was I let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his
hands.
1 I must needs glory, though it is not expedient; but I will come to
visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ,
fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not; or whether out of
the body, I know not; God knoweth), such a one caught up even to the
third heaven. 3 And I know such a man (whether in the body, or apart
from the body, I know not; God knoweth), 4 how that he was caught up
into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for
a man to utter. 5 On behalf of such a one will I glory: but on mine
own behalf I will not glory, save in my weakness. 6 For if I should
desire to glory, I shall not be foolish; for I shall speak the truth:
but I forbear, lest any man should account of me above that which he
seeth me to be, or heareth from me. 7 And by reason of the exceeding
greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted overmuch,
there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to
buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch. 8 Concerning this
thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And
he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is
made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in
my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.