John Calvin Commentary Numbers 16:11

"Therefore thou and all thy company are gathered together against Jehovah: and Aaron, what is he that ye murmur against him?" — Numbers 16:11 (ASV)

For which cause both you, and all your company. He here lays open their sin, which they had tried to disguise. For they had neither scruple nor shame, as we have seen, in pretending pious zeal. But in one word Moses scatters these mists, telling them that they were instigated by nothing but pride and envy to disturb the condition of the people.

We must observe the expression which he uses: that they are in “arms against God.” For, although they might never have confessed to themselves that they were dealing with Him, but only that they were contending with men for pre-eminence, still, because it was their aim to overthrow the order established by God, Moses casts aside all false pretenses and sets before them the simple fact that they are waging war with God when they are fighting with His servants.

If, therefore, we are afraid of contending with Him, let us learn to remain in our right place. For, however those who disturb the Church through their ambition may prevaricate, in fighting against the servants of God, they attack Him Himself; and therefore it is necessary that He should resist them, to avenge Himself.

For war is not waged against God as the poets portray the giants to have done, when they heaped up mountains and tried to surmount heaven; but rather when He is assailed in the person of His servants, and when what He has decreed is in any way undermined.

The vocation of the priests was sacred, so that those who conspired to overthrow it were the open enemies of God, as much as if they had directed their arms, their strength, and their assaults against Him. We must, therefore, bear in mind the reason that follows: And what is Aaron? For, if Aaron had usurped anything for himself, his temerity and audacity would not have been supported by God's approval.

Moses, therefore, declares that this is God’s cause, because there was nothing human in the ordinance of the priesthood. It was, indeed, an honorable office, so that Aaron justly deserved to be held in some esteem. But Moses indicates that he had nothing of his own, nor arrogated anything to himself. In a word, he is nothing in himself; moreover, he is not elevated for his own private advantage, and his dignity is no idle one, but rather a laborious burden placed upon his shoulders for the common welfare of the Church.

How utterly ridiculous, then, is the folly of the Pope in comparing all the enemies of his tyranny to Korah, Dathan, and Abiram! For, in order to prove that his cause is connected with that of God, let him show us the credentials of his calling and at the same time thoroughly fulfill his office.

But what frivolous and vapid trifling it is when some mimic Aaron sets himself up—produces no divine command or vocation, domineers in obedience to his own lusts, and is an actor on the stage rather than a priest in the temple—that all who reject this spurious dominion should be condemned as schismatics!

Therefore, let us hold fast to this principle: that war is waged against God when His servants, who are both lawfully called and faithfully exercise their office, are persecuted.