Numbers 20
ECFNumbers 20:1
Cassiodorus: Next comes “And the Lord shall shake the desert of Kadesh.” This still refers to the spirit of piety. The account in Numbers carefully explains this reference when it tells how the people of Israel came to Kadesh and were suffering from excessive thirst because of the aridity of that place. Moses struck a rock at the Lord’s command and suddenly provided an abundance of water for them. In a remarkable way the earth, which lay foul with unwatered dustiness, was irrigated. By this comparison the prophet says that the most obdurate hearts of sinners can be liquefied into waters of wisdom. The example of Kadesh must be reenacted in human hearts. The term desert is often used of places where unfaithful people are known to gather, as the Gospel says: “The voice of one crying in the desert.” John could not have preached in the desert where none could hear. Rather, “desert” is used to describe those who had not as yet apprehended the gifts of faith. — EXPOSITION OF THE Psalms 28:8
Numbers 20:10
Basil of Caesarea: The people were murmuring because there was no water. Moses merely had said to his people, “Can we bring you forth water out of this rock?” Thus he wavered only slightly, yet for this alone he immediately received the threat that he should not enter into the land of promise, which was at that time the chief of all the promises made to the Jews. When I behold this man asking and not obtaining pardon, when I see him not deemed worthy of forgiveness because of those few words, even in consideration of so many righteous deeds, truly I discern, in the words of the apostle, “the severity of God.” I am fully persuaded that these words are true: “If the just man shall scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” — PREFACE ON THE JUDGMENT OF GOD
Numbers 20:11
Augustine of Hippo: The rock is Christ in a sign, the true Christ in the Word and in the flesh. And how did they drink? The rock was struck twice with a rod. The double striking prefigures the two pieces of wood on the cross. — TRACTATE ON THE GOSPEL OF John 26.12.2
Augustine of Hippo: We recognize that we are taking a trip in a wasteland. If we recognize ourselves in a wasteland, we are in a wasteland. What does it mean, in a wasteland? In a desert. Why in a desert? Because in this world, one thirsts on a waterless road. But let us thirst that we may be filled. For “blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice; for they shall have their fill.” And our thirst is filled from a rock in the wasteland. For “the rock was Christ.” And it was struck with a rod that water might flow. But that it might flow, it was struck twice; for there are the two pieces of wood on the cross. — TRACTATE ON THE GOSPEL OF John 28.9.4
Caesarius of Arles: “Therefore Moses struck the rock twice with his staff.” What does this mean, brethren? I do not think it is without mystery. What does it mean that the rock was not struck once but twice with the staff? The rock was struck a second time because two trees were lifted up for the gibbet of the cross: the one stretched out Christ’s sacred hands, the other spread out his sinless body from head to foot. — SERMON 103.3
Jerome: Priests also must take care lest they be insincere, lest they doubt the power of God. If Aaron and Moses (who seemed to waver at the waters of contradiction) did not deserve to enter the Promised Land, does it not stand to reason that we, bent under the burden of sin, shall be far less able to cross the river Jordan and reach Gilgal, the place of circumcision, if we shall cause one of these little ones to sin? — HOMILY 90
Richard Challoner: The rock: This rock was a figure of Christ, and the water that issued out from the rock, of his precious blood, the source of all our good.
Numbers 20:12
Richard Challoner: You have not believed: The fault of Moses and Aaron, on this occasion, was a certain diffidence and weakness of faith; not doubting of God’s power or veracity; but apprehending the unworthiness of that rebellious and incredulous people, and therefore speaking with some ambiguity.
Numbers 20:13
Richard Challoner: The Water of contradiction: Or strife. Hebrew, Meribah.
Numbers 20:17
Gregory of Nazianzus: So in the case of one of us, if he leans to either side, whether from vice or ignorance, no slight danger of a fall into sin from vice or ignorance, no slight danger of a fall into sin is incurred, both for himself and those who are led by him. But we must really walk in the king’s highway and take care not to turn aside from it either to the right hand or to the left, as the Proverbs say. For such is the case with our passions, and such in this matter is the straight path of the good shepherd, if he is to know properly the souls of his flock, and to guide them according to the methods of a pastoral care which is right and just and be worthy of our true Shepherd. — ORATION 2 (IN DEFENSE OF HIS FLIGHT TO PONTUS) 34
Numbers 20:26
Ambrose of Milan: But what does this signify, that after Aaron was dead, the Lord commanded, not the whole people, but Moses alone, who is amongst the priests, to clothe Aaron’s son Eleazar with the priest’s garments, except that we should understand that priest must consecrate priest, and himself clothe him with the vestments, that is, with priestly virtues; and then, if he has seen that nothing is wanting to him of the priestly garments, and that all things are perfect, should admit him to the sacred altars. For he who is to supplicate for the people ought to be chosen of God and approved by the priests, lest there be anything which might give serious offence in him whose office it is to intercede for the offences of others. For the virtue of a priest must be of no ordinary kind, since he has to guard not only from nearness to greater faults, but even the very least. He must also be prompt to have pity, not recall a promise, restore the fallen, have sympathy with pain, preserve meekness, love piety, repel or keep down anger, must be as it were a trumpet to excite the people to devotion, or to soothe them to tranquillity. — Epistle 63