John Calvin Commentary Exodus 16:6

"And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that Jehovah hath brought you out from the land of Egypt;" — Exodus 16:6 (ASV)

And Moses and Aaron said. The statement that the people should know that their coming out of the land of Egypt was the Lord’s work is contrasted with their wicked taunt, in which they had complained of being betrayed by Moses and Aaron when they were brought into the wilderness. Moses and Aaron therefore answer that God would openly show He was the author of their deliverance, so that they would make no more complaints against His ministers.

Although a sharp reproof is implied, it is also joined with a promise of God’s continued favor. They therefore admonish them that this event would prove God was the Leader and Deliverer of the Israelites, because He does not leave the work of His hands unfinished (Psalms 138:8). The continuation of His favor, then, shows that the same God, who proceeds in carrying out His powerful work, had from the beginning started what He continues to the very end.

The knowledge they were to receive in the evening refers to the quails, through which God provided an instance of His power. However, because this power shone forth more brightly the next day in the manna, Moses says that in the morning they would see the glory of the Lord.

However, to prevent them from being induced by this favor to think highly of themselves, or to flatter themselves in their iniquity, Moses reminds them that this was not given to them in return for their sins. Instead, God contended in this way with their obstinate perversity. This was as if to say that God would appear to them so that, by beholding their own impiety by the brightness of His countenance, they might be thoroughly filled with shame and feel the profanity of the rebellion with which they had dared to insult Him.

Furthermore, to prevent them from prevaricating and saying that they had only attacked Moses and Aaron, Moses explains why he declares them to have waged war against God Himself: namely, because neither he nor his brother had acted on their own, nor had they personally assumed any authority in the matter. For this is the meaning of the words, What are we, that ye murmur against us? as if he disclaimed any separation from God.

Now, since by this testimony Moses proves himself to have been a faithful servant of God, we gather that no one may rightly claim honor for themselves in the Church, so as to be considered a lawful pastor, unless they are divinely called. Such pastors have God as the authorizer of their office, and they advance nothing of their own, but only execute what is commanded them.

While such pastors¹⁷² may not be despised without dishonoring God, whose person they represent, conversely, those who exercise dominion with no authority but their own falsely alarm the simple in God’s name, and¹⁷³ instead of the truth, are only wearing an empty mask.

The eighth verse merely contains an explanation of the same idea, except that Moses goes on to say, furthermore, that the Israelites, when in the evening they are filled with flesh and when bread is given to them in the morning, would perceive that God is their Deliverer. Then comes the antithesis: Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.

¹⁷² “Qui resemblent a Moyse.” — Fr..

¹⁷³ “Et sont a rejetter comme pipeurs, veu qu’ils n’ont qu’une fausse masque pour la verite;” and must be rejected as deceivers, since they have only a false masque instead of the truth. — Fr..