John Calvin Commentary Deuteronomy 8:3

"And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; 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 doth man live." — Deuteronomy 8:3 (ASV)

And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger. Since they were sometimes made to suffer hunger in the wilderness, he proves the advantage of this discipline, because they thus learned that the human race does not live by bread and wine alone, but by the secret power of God.

For though all confess that it is through God’s goodness that the earth is fruitful, still their senses are so tied to food and drink that they rise no higher. They do not acknowledge God as their Father and Nourisher, but rather bind Him down to the external means to which they are attached, as if His hand, by itself and without instruments, could not accomplish or supply anything. Their perception, therefore, that the fruits of the earth are produced by God, is but a cold notion, which quickly vanishes and does not cling to their memory.

The power of God, as well as His goodness, is indeed abundantly manifested in the use of His creatures, which we naturally enjoy; but the depravity of the human mind causes these testimonies to act like a veil, obscuring that bright light. Besides, the majority of mankind think of God as if banished far away and dwelling in inactivity, as if He had resigned His office in heaven and earth. Consequently, trusting in their present abundance, they do not implore His favor; indeed, they pass it by as needless. And, when deprived of their accustomed supplies, they altogether despair, as if God’s hand alone were insufficient for their aid.

Since, then, men do not sufficiently profit from the guidance and instruction of nature, but rather are blinded in their view of God’s works, it was desirable that in this miracle (of the manna) a standing and manifest proof should be given: that men do not only live upon God’s bounty when they eat bread and drink wine, but even when all supplies fail them.

Although there is some harshness in the wording, yet the sense is clear: that men’s life does not consist in their food, but that God’s inspiration is sufficient for their nourishment. We must remember that the eternal life of the soul is not being referred to here; rather, we are simply and solely taught that although bread and wine fail, our bodies may be sustained and invigorated by God’s will alone. Let it then be regarded as settled that it is improper, however acutely some may argue, to apply this to the spiritual life, or to imagine a doctrinal relation to faith—as if the grace offered in the promises and received by faith gave life to our souls. For it is simply stated that the animating principle (vigor), which is diffused by the spirit of God for sustenance, proceeds from His mouth.

In Psalm 104:30, there is an exact repetition of what was said here before by Moses: Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

The word translated “not only” seems to have been expressly added, lest Moses, if he had altogether excluded the bread destined for our food, should not do justice to God. Thus, then, he guards his words, as if to say that although bread sustains man’s life, this support would still be too weak unless the hidden power of God occupied the first place; and that this intrinsic virtue, as it is called, which He Himself inspires, would be sufficient, even if all other aids should fail. This doctrine, first of all, arouses us to gratitude, referring to God Himself whatever He supplies to us by His creatures for the nourishment and preservation of our lives, while it teaches us that although all the instruments of this world should fail, we may still hope for life from Himself alone. There is no ordinary wisdom in remembering both these points.

Christ admirably applied this passage to its true and genuine practical use. For when the devil tried to persuade Him to command the stones to be made bread for the satisfaction of His hunger, He answered, Man shall not live by bread alone, etc. (Matthew 4:4), as if He had said, "There is in God’s hands another remedy, for even though He does not supply food, He is still able to keep men in life by His will alone." But I touch upon this more briefly because I have treated it more fully in my Commentaries on “The Harmony of the Gospels.”²⁵⁷

With the same object, he adds that their clothing was not worn out in so long a time, and that their shoes remained whole; namely, that they might be fully convinced that whatever concerns the preservation of human life and man’s daily wants is so entirely in God’s hands that not only its enjoyment, but even its continuance and existence, depend upon His blessing.

²⁵⁷ See Calvin Society Translation, in loco.