John Calvin Commentary Leviticus 10
John Calvin Commentary
Leviticus 10
John Calvin Commentary
Leviticus 10
"And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire therein, and laid incense thereon, and offered strange fire before Jehovah, which he had not commanded them." — Leviticus 10:1 (ASV)
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron. A memorable circumstance is recorded here, from which it appears how greatly God abominates all the sins by which the purity of religion is corrupted.
Apparently, it was a light transgression to use strange fire for burning incense. Again, their thoughtlessness would seem excusable, for Nadab and Abihu certainly did not wantonly or intentionally desire to pollute the sacred things. However, as is often the case in new matters, when they were undertaking them too eagerly, their hastiness led them into error.
The severity of the punishment, therefore, would not please those arrogant people who do not hesitate superciliously to criticize God’s judgments. But if we reflect on how holy a thing God’s worship is, the enormity of the punishment will by no means offend us.
Besides, it was necessary that their religion should be sanctioned at its very beginning. For if God had allowed the sons of Aaron to transgress with impunity, they would have afterward carelessly neglected the whole Law.
This, therefore, was the reason for such great severity: that the priests should anxiously watch against all profanation.
Their crime is specified, namely, that they offered incense in a different way from that which God had prescribed. Consequently, although they may have erred from ignorance, they were still convicted by God’s commandment of having negligently handled what was worthy of greater attention.
The “strange fire” is distinguished from the sacred fire which was always burning on the altar: not miraculously, as some pretend, but by the constant watchfulness of the priests.
Now, God had forbidden any other fire to be used in the ordinances, in order to exclude all extraneous rites and to show His detestation of whatever might be derived from elsewhere.
Let us learn, therefore, to pay such close attention to God’s command as not to corrupt His worship with any strange inventions.
But if He so severely avenged this error, what a horrible punishment awaits the Papists, who are not ashamed obstinately to defend so many gross corruptions!
"Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that Jehovah spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace." — Leviticus 10:3 (ASV)
Then Moses said to Aaron, This is what the Lord spoke. Moses restrained his brother from giving way to excessive grief. This was a very bitter stroke after their recent joy for Aaron to see himself at once deprived of two sons on the same day and at the same moment; he might also have been disposed to murmur against God for the cause of their death. Therefore, so that he would not give way to such lack of self-control, Moses reminded him that he must submit to the just judgment of God.
We will, however, seek in vain for what is here referred to,416 I will be glorified in them that come nigh me. God had often threatened the priests with death if they departed in the least degree from the prescribed rule. He had also often set before them the sacredness of their office, lest they should defile themselves by any sacrilegious act. In a word, He had chosen them to be His ministers in holy things, on the condition that they should know themselves to be subject to greater guilt and punishment than the rest of the people.
By this consolation, then, Aaron’s grief is quieted: God had not dealt cruelly with his sons, but had shown forth in them a just and profitable example, so that their successors might be more attentive in their duties. For thus the divine statement should be paraphrased: In order that I may be glorified before the whole people, I must be sanctified by those of the highest degree and consequence; or, when I shall have been sanctified by the priests themselves, whose dignity is the highest, my glory will shine forth before the whole people.
And, in point of fact, although God may punish whole groups of obscure persons, such lessons have little effect; but the punishment of men of more noble and illustrious condition draws almost all eyes to the judgments of God. For God is said to be sanctified in us in many ways, whether He shows Himself to be a compassionate or a severe Judge.
This declaration, then, is an exhortation to those whom He has dignified with special honor, to walk in fear and trembling. For, since judgment begins at the house of God, the greater the gifts and the higher the pre-eminence with which anyone is blessed, the greater is his obligation to God, and his ingratitude worthy of severer punishment.
And Aaron held his peace. Aaron’s silence is much to be applauded, by which he confessed that his sons were slain by the just judgment of God, for Moses indicates that he yielded to his admonition and was thus restrained from complaining against God. Thus Paul teaches us that Scripture is given to teach us patience (Romans 15:4). Therefore, whenever our passions are too much excited, let us learn that this is the best remedy for quieting and repressing them, to submit ourselves to God, and to humble ourselves beneath his mighty hand. David invites us to this by his own example when he says,
I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it. (Psalms 39:9).
416 A. V., “I will be sanctified;” and so also “I will be sanctified;” and so also C.’s own version; but he embodies the two clauses. Some, as De Lyra, refer this to own version; but he embodies the two clauses. Some, as De Lyra, refer this to Exodus 19:22; Others to ; Others to Exodus 29:43. “Some think it was spoken, but not written, as many things beside. . “Some think it was spoken, but not written, as many things beside. Oleaster, Lorinus, Caietan; but,” adds Willet, “they are of this mind, that they may have here some show for their unwritten traditions. Therefore,” he concludes, “without any more circumstance, we find this to have been spoken, but,” adds Willet, “they are of this mind, that they may have here some show for their unwritten traditions. Therefore,” he concludes, “without any more circumstance, we find this to have been spoken, Leviticus 8:35, ‘Keep ye the Lord’s charge, that ye die not;’ there they are commanded to observe the Lord’s ordinances, which he gave them, , ‘Keep ye the Lord’s charge, that ye die not;’ there they are commanded to observe the Lord’s ordinances, which he gave them, (Junius; ) and because Nadab and Abihu did not so, they are punished with death.” and because Nadab and Abihu did not so, they are punished with death.”
"And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Draw near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp." — Leviticus 10:4 (ASV)
And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan.417 To prevent Eleazar and Ithamar from carrying out the corpses, Moses commanded these others to act before them. It may also have been that all were stupefied by terror.
He forbids the father and brothers to mourn their death, not so much in accordance with the law (by which all except the high priest were permitted to mourn for their own brother) as to prevent this memorable lesson from being obscured by their grief, since in this way the sanctity of their religion was magnificently asserted. Nevertheless, God allowed the dead men to be mourned by the people, so that the memory of their punishment would not be lost too soon.
When he forbids Aaron418 and his sons to go out from the door of the tabernacle, he does not mean to confine them to that place so strictly as to banish them from their own private tents, but he keeps them from all defilement that might have compelled them to abandon or interrupt their duty.
417 “Se polluassent en portant les corps morts de leurs freres;” should pollute themselves by carrying the dead bodies of their brothers. — Fr. Blunt has a very ingenious conjecture that Mishael and Elzaphan were the very persons “defiled by the dead body of a man,” mentioned in Blunt has a very ingenious conjecture that Mishael and Elzaphan were the very persons “defiled by the dead body of a man,” mentioned in Numbers 9:6, 7, and who therefore could not keep the Passover. “The Veracity of the Five Books of Moses.” Art. 14. But surely, out of such a large body of persons, there must have been many deaths daily, and consequently others would have been defiled besides Mishael and Elzaphan., and who therefore could not keep the Passover. “The Veracity of the Five Books of Moses.” Art. 14. But surely, out of such a large body of persons, there must have been many deaths daily, and consequently others would have been defiled besides Mishael and Elzaphan.
418 Added from Fr..
"Drink no wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tent of meeting, that ye die not: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:" — Leviticus 10:9 (ASV)
Do not drink wine, nor strong drink.188 The second cleanness required of priests is that they should abstain from wine and strong drink. Jerome says that this term includes everything intoxicating, and I admit this to be true. However, a more correct definition would be that it denotes all liquors expressed from fruits, whose sweetness is nearly as tempting to people as wine.
Even in these times, Orientals make liquors from dates and other fruits that are exceedingly sweet and delicious. Therefore, the same rule prescribed here for priests while performing their duties also applied to the Nazarites.
Both priests and Nazarites were allowed to eat freely of all the richest foods. However, God commanded them to be content with water, because abstinence from drinks greatly contributes to a frugal lifestyle.
Few people are intemperate in eating who do not also love wine. Besides, an abundance of food generally satisfies the appetite, while there is no limit to drinking where the love of wine prevails.
Therefore, abstinence from wine was enjoined upon the priests, not only so they might guard against drunkenness, but also so they might be temperate in eating and not overindulge in their abundance. Since sobriety is the main point in moderate living, God especially limited His priests in this respect, to prevent the sharpness of their minds, and their rectitude and integrity of judgment, from being impaired by drinking.
Thus it appears how great humanity’s proneness is to all defilements.
Wine is very wholesome as one of our means of nourishment. However, by its excessive use, many weaken their strength, cloud their understanding, and almost stupefy all their senses, making themselves inactive. Some, too, degrade themselves into foul and brutish stupidity, or are driven by it to madness.
Thus, a pleasure that should have prompted them to give God thanks is taken away from them because of their sinful excess. This happens not without disgrace, because they do not know how to enjoy God’s good gifts in moderation.
He afterwards confirms that He prohibited wine for the priests when exercising their office, so that they might distinguish between clean and unclean, and be sound and faithful interpreters of the Law.
For this reason, it was fitting for them to be abstemious throughout their whole lives, because they were always appointed as teachers to instruct the people.
However, to prevent immoderate strictness from disgusting them, which might make them less inclined to willingly perform the rest of their duties, God considered it sufficient to admonish them by this temporary abstinence, so that they should strive to be sober at other times.
Thus, it must be concluded that no one given to gluttony is fit to teach, as it corrupts the soundness of the mind and destroys its sharpness.
Jerome’s comment that “A fat belly does not engender a quick understanding” is indeed a childish one. Many corpulent men possess vigorous and active intellects, and leanness is often the consequence of drinking too much.
But those who stuff their bodies will never have sufficient mental activity to carry out the office of teaching.
In conclusion, we gather from this passage, as Malachi says (Malachi 2:7), that the priests were interpreters of the Law and messengers of the Lord of hosts, not mute masks. For though the Law was written, God would always have the living voice resound in His Church, just as nowadays preaching is inseparably united with Scripture.
188 Lat., “sicera.” .” Fr, “ce qui est nomme en Hebrieu Sechar.” Blunt, “The veracity of the Books of Moses, etc.,” art. 13, argues on the probability of Nadab and Abihu’s sin in the offering of strange fire having been the effect of intoxication, from the fact of its relation being immediately followed by this prohibition. — Edit., 1835. Pp. 113, Blunt, “The veracity of the Books of Moses, etc.,” art. 13, argues on the probability of Nadab and Abihu’s sin in the offering of strange fire having been the effect of intoxication, from the fact of its relation being immediately followed by this prohibition. — Edit., 1835. Pp. 113, et seq.
"And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meal-offering that remaineth of the offerings of Jehovah made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar; for it is most holy;" — Leviticus 10:12 (ASV)
And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar Lest in the future the priests should transgress through ignorance, Moses admonishes them about their duty; and perhaps he was moved by some immediate reason to give these particular instructions rather than any others.
Until now they had little experience in observing the rites, and what had happened to their brothers must have made them anxious. Now, this consternation at the death of their brothers might have so confounded their senses that they could not apply themselves with the composure they should to the service of God, and thus the offering would have been improperly made.
Lest, therefore, their grief should so disturb them as to prevent the proper performance of their office, he commands them to eat what remained of the meat-offering with the burnt sacrifices. From this we gather that he sought to prevent them from transgressing on that day because their minds were occupied by their recent grief. And to persuade them to obedience, he presents to them the authority of God, to which it was fitting for the priesthood to be subject, since it was founded upon it.
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