John Calvin Commentary Numbers 25:10

"And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying," — Numbers 25:10 (ASV)

And the Lord spoke to Moses. In these words, God shows that He was the author of the death (of Zimri and Cozbi),¹⁸⁶ not only because He was in this way propitiated toward the people, but also because He calls the zeal of Phinehas His own.¹⁸⁷ It will, however, fit equally well whether we understand it actively or passively: namely, either that Phinehas was inflamed with zeal to vindicate God’s glory, or that he took upon himself the zeal of God Himself. Whichever is preferred, God attributes to Himself what was done by Phinehas.

When He declares that He was appeased by the punishment inflicted, let us not imagine that there was a meritorious satisfaction by which the Papists falsely claim that their punishments are redeemed before God. For although the just chastisements of sin are sacrifices of a sweet savor, they are by no means expiations to reconcile God. Besides, there is no question here of compensation; rather, what is meant is that it was a means of appeasing God when the ungodliness of the people, which had, as it were, fanned His wrath into a flame, was repressed by this severe correction.

Thus, in Psalm 106, the atonement is ascribed not to the act of Phinehas but only to his prayer,¹⁸⁸ because, by right of his priesthood, he had humbly interceded for the people. At the same time, the statement of Paul is true that those are not judged by God who voluntarily judge themselves (1 Corinthians 11:31), since by their penitence, they in a way prevent this judgment.

A perpetual priesthood is promised to Phinehas as his reward. If anyone objects that he thereby obtained nothing new, since, in accordance with the rule of the law, he was the undoubted successor of his father, I reply that it is not uncommon for God to declare that He will give by way of reward what He had already freely promised. Thus, what had been promised to Abraham before the birth of Isaac is again repeated after he was prepared to sacrifice him (Genesis 22:16): Because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, therefore, in blessing I will bless thee, and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.

Besides, the privilege of a single individual is not solely in question here; rather, it refers to a perpetual succession, as if God had promised that his posterity should never fail. And certainly, the change that took place at the beginning of Solomon’s reign is not contrary to this promise, for it may be probably inferred that Zadok, no less than Abiathar, was of the lineage of Phinehas.

This covenant is called a “covenant of peace” because it was to be surely established; consequently, it may be properly translated “My covenant in peace.” At any rate, it indicates prosperity, as if He had said that Phinehas, together with his posterity, should prosperously carry out the priestly office.

¹⁸⁶ Added from Fr.

¹⁸⁷ Margin, A.V., ““Heb., with my zeal.”., with my zeal.”

¹⁸⁸Psalms 106:30A.V., “Then stood up Phinehas, and ., “Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment;” in the English Prayer-book, the Chaldee, Syriac, and other versions, “and in the English Prayer-book, the Chaldee, Syriac, and other versions, “and prayed;” with this, however, with this, however, C., in his Commentary, does not agree: “Some render the word in his Commentary, does not agree: “Some render the word פלל, , pillel, to pray, (he says; ) but the other rendering, to (he says; ) but the other rendering, to execute justice, is more in accordance with the context.” — Cal. Sec. Edit., vol. 4, p. 230is more in accordance with the context.” — Cal. Sec. Edit., vol. 4, p. 230