John Calvin Commentary Exodus 18:13

"And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood about Moses from the morning unto the evening." — Exodus 18:13 (ASV)

And it came to pass. A memorable circumstance, and one well worth knowing, is introduced here. In that form of government over which God presided, and which He honored with extraordinary manifestations of His glory, there was something deserving of rebuke, which Jethro corrected. Furthermore, Moses himself, the mighty Prophet, with whom alone God was so familiar, was deservedly reproved for thoughtlessly exhausting both himself and the people by excessive labor.

It was a proof of his illustrious virtue and mental heroism to undergo so many troubles, endure so much fatigue, and not be subdued by weariness from daily exposing himself to new toils. It also revealed a magnanimity never sufficiently to be praised, that he should occupy himself freely for this perverse and wicked people, and never cease from his purpose, although he experienced an unworthy return for his kind efforts.

For we have seen him often assailed by reproaches and insults, and attacked by scoldings and threats, so that it is truly astonishing that his patience, so constantly abused, was not completely worn out.

In this, certainly, many virtues will be discovered worthy of the highest praise; yet Jethro, in these very praises, finds occasion for fault. From this we are warned that in all the most excellent acts of men some defect is always lurking, and that scarcely any act exists so perfect in every respect as to be free from any stain.

Let all those, then, who are called to be rulers of mankind know that however diligently they may exercise their office, something may still be lacking if the best plan they adopt is brought to examination. Therefore, let all—whether kings, magistrates, or pastors of the Church—know that while they strain every nerve to fulfill their duties, something will always remain that may admit of correction and improvement.

Here, too, it is worthwhile to remark that no single mortal can be sufficient to do everything, however many and various may be the gifts in which he excels. For who shall equal Moses, whom we have still seen to be unequal to the burden when he undertook the whole care of governing the people?

Let God’s servants, then, learn to measure their powers carefully, lest they exhaust themselves by ambitiously embracing too many occupations. For this propensity to engage in too many things (πολυπραγμοσύνη) is a very common problem, and many are so carried away by it as not to be easily restrained.

Therefore, so that everyone should confine himself within his own bounds, let us learn that in the human race God has so arranged our condition that individuals are only endowed with a certain measure of gifts, on which the distribution of offices depends.

For as one ray of the sun does not illuminate the world, but all combine their operations, as it were, together; so God, so that He may keep men by a sacred and indissoluble bond in mutual society and goodwill, unites one to another by variously dispensing His gifts, and not exalting any beyond measure by his entire perfection.

Therefore Augustine¹⁹⁸ truly says that God humbled His servant by this act; just as Paul reports that buffetings were inflicted on him by the messenger of Satan, lest the grandeur of his revelations should exalt him too highly (2 Corinthians 12:7).

¹⁹⁸ “Videndum etiam, ne forte ibi voluerit Deus ab alienigena admoneri Moysen, ubi et ipsum posset tentare superbia,” etc. — Augustin. Quaest. in Ex., vol. 3, pt. 1, p. 442. A.., vol. 3, pt. 1, p. 442. A.