John Calvin Commentary Numbers 17:1

"And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying," — Numbers 17:1 (ASV)

And the Lord spoke to Moses. However stubborn the Israelites might be, with their hardness of heart now subdued and their pride broken down, they should have acknowledged the authority of the priesthood and perpetually held it in pious reverence.

But it is clear from the confirmation now added that they were not yet thoroughly overcome. For God never appoints anything in vain; therefore, the remedy He now applied was necessary for that disease of obstinacy which He perceived still maintained its secret hold on their hearts.

In this we also witness His inestimable goodness, as He not only addressed the relief of their weakness but even struggled with their depravity and perverseness to restore them to their senses. In the same way, He also deals with us now, for He not only strengthens the weakness of our faith with many aids, but He also puts constraint upon our fickle and inconstant minds, and keeps us on the path of duty even when we strive against Him. He also anticipates our willfulness, to keep us from becoming presumptuous, or rouses us when we are inclined to be slothful. Indeed, it is our responsibility to apply to our use whatever aids to faith and piety He sets before us, so that we are assured that they serve as evidence to convict us of our unbelief.

Therefore, although the majesty of the priesthood had already been sufficiently, and more than sufficiently, established, God still saw that, in the extreme perversity of the people, there would be no end to their murmurs and rebellions unless the final ratification were added. This needed to happen, moreover, in a time of calm, since while the sedition was in progress, they were not so inclined or ready to learn.

By this confirmation, therefore, He set aside any doubts that could ever arise, as Aaron’s rod, severed as it was from the tree, was the only one of the twelve that blossomed. For it was not a natural occurrence that a branch, deriving no sap from its root and which at that time of year would have been dry even on the tree, should produce flowers and fruit when it was placed before the Ark of the Covenant, while the others, though entirely similar, remained dry and dead.

And the Lord spoke to Moses. In this and similar passages, God appoints the priests to offer the sacrifices. For although they were common to all the people, He nevertheless willed that they be offered to Him by the hand of one person and in a particular place. This was for two reasons: first, because if they had been allowed to build altars everywhere, His pure and genuine worship would have been corrupted by this variety; and secondly, so that He might direct the people to the Mediator, because this principle was always to be held firmly by believers, that no offerings could be legitimate except by His grace.

The same doctrine will often occur later when the sacrifices are discussed. But since we are here discussing the priests’ office, it is sufficient to have said once and for all that it was not lawful for private individuals to offer anything to God, except by the hands of the priest, to whom this duty was assigned.

But since in this matter vainglory is remarkably apt to affect human minds, He threatens His severe vengeance against whoever attempts it. It has already been explained why God chose a single sanctuary. He now declares that unless the victims are brought there, this profanation will be equivalent to the murder of a man.

He therefore commands that all the victims should be brought before the altar, even though those who offer them may be far away. For the surface of the field²⁰⁴ means a distant place, lest anyone should excuse themselves because of the inconvenience of the journey. He expressly names the peace-offerings, because that was the kind of sacrifice by which private individuals were accustomed to demonstrate their piety.

God declares, then, that their service would be acceptable to Him if the priest should intervene to make the oblation by virtue of the responsibility committed to him. Finally, this law is ratified for all generations, so that its abrogation may never be attempted.

The reason for this is stated, which has been elsewhere more fully explained: that is, that a single place had been ordained where they were to assemble. Again, a priest was appointed who might observe the ceremonies enjoined by the Law, so that they might worship God in purity and not pollute or adulterate His sacrifices with strange superstitions.

For we have stated that the ancient people were tied to the sanctuary, lest religion should be twisted and altered according to human fancies, and lest any inventions should creep in by which they might easily fall into idolatry.

The commandment which He gave, then, that only the priest should offer the victims, is recommended on account of its great usefulness; namely, because it would restrain the people from prostituting themselves to devils. From this, a profitable doctrine is gathered: that people cannot be restrained from turning away to idolatry except by seeking from God’s mouth the one simple rule of piety.

²⁰⁴ “The open field,” A. V.