John Calvin Commentary Exodus 7
John Calvin Commentary
Exodus 7
John Calvin Commentary
Exodus 7
"And Jehovah said unto Moses, See, I have made thee as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet." — Exodus 7:1 (ASV)
And the Lord said to Moses. Moses again repeats that consolation was given to him in his anxiety, and a remedy provided for his lack of faith, since he was both armed with divine authority and Aaron was appointed as his companion and assistant.
That he was “made a god to Pharaoh” means that he was equipped with supreme authority and power, by which he would cast down the tyrant’s pride.77 God did not take anything away from Himself to transfer it to Moses, since He communicates what is uniquely His to His servants in such a way that He Himself remains complete. Indeed, whenever He seems to give up a part of His glory to His ministers, He only teaches that the power and efficacy of His Spirit will be joined with their labors, so that they will not be fruitless. Moses, therefore, was a god to Pharaoh because in him God exerted His power, so that he would be superior to the king's greatness.
It is a common Hebrew figure of speech to give the title of God to all things excellent, since He alone reigns over heaven and earth, and exalts or casts down angels, as well as humans, according to His will.
This consolation, as I have said, supported Moses in his weakness, so that, relying on God’s authority, he could fearlessly despise the king's fierceness. Reinforcement was also given to him in the person of his brother, so that his stammering would not be a hindrance to him.
It has already been remarked that Moses’s ingratitude led to half the honor being transferred to his brother, although God, in giving Aaron as his companion, so lessened Moses’s dignity as to place the younger before the first-born. The name “Prophet” is used here for an interpreter, because the prophetic office originates from God alone.
However, because God delivered through Moses to Aaron what He wished to be said or done, Aaron is made subject to Moses, just as if Moses were God. This is fitting, since those who represent God should be listened to without contradiction. This principle is made clearer in the second verse, where God restricts the power given to Moses and circumscribes it within its proper bounds. For when He directs him to speak whatever He commands, He establishes him as His minister and confines him under authority, without departing from His own rights.
77 “The word Elohim, as the Hebrews remark, whether applied to God, or to men, or to angels, signifies judicial power.” —, as the Hebrews remark, whether applied to God, or to men, or to angels, signifies judicial power.” — Grotius in Pol.. Syn..
"And I will harden Pharaoh`s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt." — Exodus 7:3 (ASV)
And I will harden. Since this expression is somewhat harsh, many commentators, as I have said before, take pains to soften it. For this reason, some understand the words in connection, “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart by multiplying my signs,” as if God were pointing out the external cause of his obstinacy. However, Moses has already declared, and will repeat it later, that the king’s mind was hardened by God in other ways besides His working miracles.
As for the meaning of the words, I have no doubt that, by the first clause, God strengthened His servant’s heart with firmness to boldly resist the tyrant’s perversity, and then reminded him that he has the remedy in his hand. Thus, then, I think this passage must be translated: “I indeed will harden Pharaoh’s heart, but I will multiply my signs;” as if He had said, his hardness will be no obstacle to you, for the miracles will be sufficient to overcome it. In the same sense, He adds immediately afterwards, “Although Pharaoh should not hear you, still I will lay on my hand;” because, in my opinion, the conjunctions should be interpreted adversatively.
I do not completely reject the interpretation of others: “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that I may multiply my signs;” and, “He78 will not listen to you, that I may lay on my hand.” Indeed, God willed that Pharaoh should stubbornly resist Moses, so that the deliverance of the people might be more conspicuous.
However, there is no need to discuss at length the manner in which God hardens reprobates whenever this expression occurs. Let us hold firmly to what I have already observed: that they are merely poor speculators who refer it to a mere permission. For if God, by blinding their minds or hardening their hearts, inflicts deserved punishment on the reprobate, He not only permits them to do as they please, but actually executes a judgment He knows to be just.
From this it also follows that He not only withdraws the grace of His Spirit but also delivers to Satan those whom He knows deserve blindness of mind and obstinacy of heart. Meanwhile, I admit that the blame for such evil rests with the people themselves, who willfully blind themselves and, with a willfulness that is like madness, are driven, or rather rush, into sin.
I have also briefly shown what foul slanderers they are who, to stir up ill-will against us, pretend that God is thereby made the author of sin. This is because it would be utterly absurd to measure His secret and incomprehensible judgments by the small standard of our own understanding.
The opponents of this doctrine foolishly and thoughtlessly confuse two different things, since hardness of heart is human sin, while the hardening of the heart is God’s judgment. He again sets forth His great judgments here, so that the Israelites may expect with eager and attentive minds His magnificent and wonderful way of working.
78 It is thus translated in A..V..
"And the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah, when I stretch forth my hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them." — Exodus 7:5 (ASV)
And the Egyptians shall know. This is a type of irony, namely, that the Egyptians, subdued by the plagues, would at last begin to feel that their struggle was against God. The object of God, however, was to encourage Moses, so that he would not falter before the madness and fury of his enemies. Therefore, although the Egyptians might be senseless in their rage, God still declares that in the end they would know they had fought to their own destruction when they waged war against heaven. For there is an implied antithesis between their delayed acknowledgment of this and their present slowness of heart, which was at last forcefully removed when God thundered openly against them from heaven.
For we know how indifferently the wicked oppose their79 iron obstinacy to the divine threats, until they are forced into a state of alarm by violence. This is not because they are humbled under the hand of God, but because they see that by all their raging and turbulence they cannot escape punishment. They are like drunkards who, awakened from their intoxication, would willingly drown their senses in eternal sleep, even in annihilation. Yet, whether they want to or not, they must suffer the pains of their intemperance.
Moreover, this acknowledgment, which was to be extorted from the unwilling, urged Moses and others80 to attribute just praise to the power of God before they were convinced of it by experience. It is true, indeed, that the sincere worshippers of God are also sometimes instructed by punishments (to which reference is made in Isaiah 26:9, when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness; ), but a kind of “knowledge” is pointed out here that so prostrates the reprobate that they do not cease to lift up their horns, as it were, against God; and thus it casts them down without amending them. There was also an experiential knowledge for the elect people, of which mention has already been made (Isaiah 6:7),
ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, after that I shall have brought you out from the land of Egypt;
But this (properly speaking) is nothing more than a confirmation of the faith which, before the event takes place, is content with the simple word. Or, God certainly, by the event itself, reproves the dullness of His people when He sees that their confidence in His own word is not sufficiently strong. But the wicked so know God that, lost in shame and fear, they do not see what they do see.
79 “Leur fierte, comme un bouclier de fer;” their pride like an iron buckler. — Fr..
80 Les autres fideles. — Fr..
"And Moses and Aaron did so; as Jehovah commanded them, so did they." — Exodus 7:6 (ASV)
And Moses and Aaron did. It is not for the sake of boasting that Moses reports his own obedience; rather, after having frankly confessed his hesitation, he now relates that he and his brother had more courage for the performance of their duties. In this, he shows that he, like his brother, was God’s minister, and that he himself brought no industry, talent, counsel, or dexterity, but simply obeyed God.
Still, from their example we must learn that just as we may not undertake anything except what God prescribes, so we ought to pursue obediently and without objection whatever He commands.
What follows regarding their age is meant for amplification, since it was not a common occurrence, considering the natural frailty and weariness of old age, that two men in their eighties should have actively engaged in such a difficult task.
For I do not agree with the opinion of those who think that their dignity was enhanced by their age. I admit that age is venerable, but Moses had far different views: namely, that by excluding all human means, he might celebrate God’s glory, who performed such a mighty work through men who were failing and decrepit with age.
For although their vigor was not yet diminished, their old age could have made them timid and could also have caused the people anxiety when they saw their leaders to be not only of advanced age but even, by nature, not far from the grave.
"And Jehovah spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying," — Exodus 7:8 (ASV)
And the Lord spake. It is no wonder that Moses often repeats the same thing, because he wrote for people with unrefined and dull minds. However, it is fitting for us, so that we are not put off by his simple and popular style, to diligently examine how little we are inclined to be perceptive and earnest in our consideration of God's works.
Undoubtedly, what is related here is what we have already heard concerning the change of the rod into a serpent. The exception is that he now tells us that the miracle, previously performed in the wilderness of Midian and later in Egypt in the sight of the people, was also performed once more before Pharaoh.
Moreover, we gather from this that at Pharaoh's request, God's servants had proved and testified to their calling. Therefore, his stubbornness was all the less excusable, since he despised God's power so clearly displayed.
For this is typical of unbelievers: to demand proofs of God’s power, which they may still discredit—not because they openly scorn God, but because their secret impiety urges them to seek evasions.
The message is disagreeable and deeply annoying to the proud king. Because he does not dare to refuse God directly, he invents a plausible pretext for his refusal by asking for a miracle. When this is performed, he seeks even deeper hiding places, as we will very soon perceive.
Therefore, since it was certain that he would not willingly obey the divine command and would not yield before being miraculously convinced, God provides His servants with a remarkable and sure testimony of His power.
Furthermore, the change of the crook, or shepherd’s staff, into a serpent had this purpose: that the humble and rustic appearance of Moses should not be despised.
For (since kings are accustomed to exalt themselves greatly) Pharaoh might have laughed at the boldness of Moses and Aaron. They, seemingly forgetful of their own condition, put themselves in conflict with the entire power of Egypt. However, Pharaoh knew—although they were not to be feared for their splendid appearance and had nothing magnificent about them—that they were still not lacking sure and strong help when he saw the serpent emerge from the rod.
In short, God bore witness that His power is hidden beneath the weakness of His servants, so that at all times He might make formidable to the greatest monarchs those who are otherwise like earthen vessels.
It is not clear to me why Aaron was commanded to cast down the rod rather than Moses, unless perhaps because God intentionally sought to humble the pride of the arrogant king. He did not condescend to exert His power by the hand of His higher-ranking servant but only employed the lower-ranking one.
Therefore, with reference to this ministry, the rod of God and of Moses is now called the rod of Aaron. In the same way, Paul boasts of his gospel, the office of preaching which he knew was committed to him (Romans 16:25 and 2 Timothy 2:8).
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