John Calvin Commentary Genesis 18:6

"And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes." — Genesis 18:6 (ASV)

And Abraham hastened into the tent Abraham’s care in entertaining his guests is recorded here; and Moses, at the same time, shows what a well-ordered house he had. In short, he presents us, in a few words, with a beautiful picture of domestic government. Abraham runs, partly, to command what he wanted done, and partly, to execute his own duty, as the master of the house.

Sarah keeps within the tent; not to indulge in sloth, but rather to take her own part also in the labor. The servants are all prompt to obey. Here is the sweet concord of a well-conducted family, which could not have arisen so suddenly unless each had, by long practice, been accustomed to right discipline.

A question, however, arises from Moses’ assertion that the angels ate. Some explain that they only appeared to be eating. This notion enters their minds as a result of another error, since they imagine them to have been mere specters and not endowed with real bodies.

But, in my judgment, the matter is far different. In the first place, this was no prophetic vision, in which images of absent things are brought before the eyes; but the angels really came into Abraham’s house.

Therefore, I do not doubt that God — who created the whole world out of nothing, and who daily proves Himself to be a wonderful Artificer in forming creatures — gave them bodies for a time, in which they might fulfill the task assigned to them.

And as they truly walked, spoke, and performed other functions, so I conclude that they truly ate; not because they were hungry, but in order to conceal themselves until the proper time to make themselves known.

Yet, as God speedily annihilated those bodies, which had been created for a temporary use, so there is no absurdity in saying that the food itself was destroyed along with their bodies.

But, as it is profitable to touch briefly on such questions, and as religion in no way forbids us to do so, on the other hand, there is nothing better than for us to content ourselves with a sober solution to them.