John Calvin Commentary Exodus 12:43

"And Jehovah said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: there shall no foreigner eat thereof;" — Exodus 12:43 (ASV)

This is the ordinance of the passover. Since the Passover was the sacred bond by which God would hold the chosen people obligated to Himself, He forbids all strangers from partaking of it, because indiscriminate permission to eat of it would have been an unworthy profanation. Indeed, since this ordinance is a supplement to the First Commandment, it addresses only those to whom the preface of the Law is directed: Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord.

We know that among the Gentiles, only the initiated³¹⁸ were admitted to their sacred rites. This was an absurd imitation³¹⁹ of this true and lawful ordinance, because such a condition is only applicable to God's institution, lest strangers should indiscriminately usurp the testimonies of His grace, with which He honors His Church alone.

For circumcision was then like a hedge, intended to distinguish Gentile nations from the holy race of Abraham. Therefore, if anyone wished to celebrate the Passover together with the chosen people, it was necessary for him to be circumcised in order to attach himself to the true God. However, God did not refer merely to the outward sign, but to its purpose: namely, that all who were circumcised should commit to practicing sincere piety.

Moses, therefore, first of all, excludes all strangers who were unclean through their uncircumcision. Then he adds two exceptions: namely, that servants bought with money should be circumcised (which was a necessary requirement), and that free and independent persons, if they chose to embrace the same option, should also be received to the Passover.

From this it appears that this rite was not only unique to God’s people, but that it was also a sign of the future redemption. For strangers could not testify that they were sharers in the redemption promised to the race of Abraham alone; therefore, the ceremony of the sacred feast would have been vain and useless to them. Nor does Moses refer only to the mixed multitude that had followed the Israelites out of Egypt; rather, he prescribes a law concerning all strangers who, for many succeeding ages, would come on business into the land. Undoubtedly, in celebrating the Passover, these strangers would have expected a different redemption, since the one already granted to the children of Abraham had not extended to them. For although they might be counted among the people, yet no portion of the land consequently fell to their lot, nor was their condition improved regarding temporal rights;³²⁰ it was only so that they might become members of the Church.

From the analogy between the Holy Supper and the Passover, this law remains in force now: namely, that no polluted or impure person should intrude at the Lord’s table, but that only the faithful should be received after they have professed themselves to be followers of Christ.³²¹ This is also expressed in the words, One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger (Exodus 12:49). This means that the ordinance of the sacrament should be solemnly observed by all, so that they should equally participate in the grace offered to them in common. In this respect, the condition of all should be equal, though it differed regarding their inheritance of the land.

³¹⁸ “Ceux qui y estoyent sollennellement introduits, et comme emmatriculez;” those who had been solemnly introduced to them, and as it were, matriculated. — Fr..

³¹⁹ “Vray est que cela n’a este qu’une singerie: mais tant y a que le diable a voulu contrefaire ce qui est du vray ordre et legitime, lequel doit estre observe en tous sacremens, c’est puis qu’ils sont tesmoinages de la grace speciale de Dieu envers son Eglise, qu’on ne les doit pas prostituer a tons venans;” it is true that this was but a monkey-like imitation; but whilst the devil has thus wished to counterfeit the true and legitimate, order, which should be preserved in all sacraments, it is because they are the testimonies of the special favor of God to His Church, that they must not be prostituted to all comers. — Fr.

³²⁰ Omitted in the French.

³²¹ “Fait protestation de leur roy et Chrestiente;” made open profession of their faith and Christianity. — Fr.