Numbers 16

Numbers 16:2

Cassiodorus: Their bellies’ fullness was followed by rebellion, which often rouses occasions of destructive danger. We say that a person is provoked when roused to anger by wicked deeds or very harsh words of others. The verse points to the incident when Dathan and Abiram roused strife and sought distinction for themselves. So their punishment ensued; for they provoked the holy men, which led to their own destruction, for they spoke through jealousy, and this is acknowledged to have displeased the Lord. This is aptly mentioned among the Lord’s praises because he is seen to have avenged his servants.As Numbers attests, it is clear that this befell the men who with the poisonous teeth of envy sought the heavenly favor bestowed on Aaron and Moses. Thus Dathan and Abiram wantonly seized for themselves the distinction which had been bestowed by the Lord’s kindness on Aaron and Moses. A similar end came on both of them because their motive in causing division was the same. They were swallowed up by the earth because they were steeped in earthly things, so that the nature of their punishment itself witnesses to their criminal deeds. — EXPOSITION OF THE Psalms 105:16-17

Numbers 16:3

Ambrose of Milan: Let those then who dissent learn to fear to rouse up the Lord, and to appease His priests. What! did not the earthquake swallow up Dathan, Abiron, and Korah because of their dissension? For when Korah, Dathan, and Abiron had stirred up two hundred and fifty men against Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from them, they rose up against them and said: “Let it suffice you that all the congregation are holy, every one, and the Lord is amongst them.”

Whereupon the Lord was angry and spoke to the whole congregation. The Lord considered and knew those that were His, and drew His saints to Himself; and those whom He chose not, He did not draw to Himself. And the Lord commanded that Korah and all those who had risen up with him against Moses and Aaron the priests of the Lord should take to themselves censers, and put on incense, that he who was chosen of the Lord might be established as holy among the Levites of the Lord. And Moses said to Korah: “Hear me, ye sons of Levi: Is this a small thing unto you, that God hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, and brought you near to Himself, to minister the service of the Tabernacle of the Lord.” And farther on, “Seek ye the priesthood also, so that thou and all thy congregation are gathered against the Lord. And what is Aaron that ye murmur about him?”

Considering, then, what causes of offence existed, that unworthy persons desired to discharge the offices of the priesthood, and therefore were causing dissensions; and were murmuring in censure of the judgment of God in the choice of His priest, the whole people were seized with a great fear, and dread of punishment came upon them all. But when all implore that all perish not for the insolence of few, those guilty of the wickedness are marked out; and two hundred and fifty men with their leaders are separated from the whole body of the people; and then the earth with a groan cleaves asunder in the midst of the people, a deep gulf opens, the offenders are swallowed up, and are so removed from all the elements of this world, as neither to pollute the air by breathing it, nor the heavens by beholding them, nor the sea by their touch, nor the earth by their sepulchres. — Epistle 63

Cyprian: Thus Korah, Dathan and Abiram, who tried to assume for themselves in opposition to Moses and Aaron the freedom to sacrifice, immediately paid the penalty for their efforts. The earth, breaking its bonds, opened up into a deep chasm, and the opening of the receding ground swallowed up the standing and the living. And not only did the anger of the indignant God strike those who had been the authors [of the revolt], but also fire that went out from the Lord in speedy revenge consumed 250 others, participants and sharers in the same madness, who had been joined together with them in the daring plan. Clearly [this] warned and showed that whatever the wicked attempt by human will to destroy God’s plan is done against God. — Treatise I. On the Unity of the Church 18

Cyprian: But that they are said to have the same God the Father as we, to know the same Christ the Son, the same Holy Spirit, can be of no avail to such as these. For even Korah, Dathan, and Abiram knew the same God as did the priest Aaron and Moses. Living under the same law and religion, they invoke the one and true God, who was to be invoked and worshipped; yet, because they transgressed the ministry of their office in opposition to Aaron the priest, who bad received the legitimate priesthood by the condescension of God and the ordination of the Lord, and claimed to themselves the power of sacrificing, divinely stricken, they immediately suffered punishment for their unlawful endeavours; and sacrifices offered irreligiously and lawlessly, contrary to the right of divine appointment, could not be accepted, nor profit them. — Epistle LXXV.8

Numbers 16:5

Origen of Alexandria: We say therefore with confidence that according to the Scriptures God does not know all. God does not know sin, and God does not know sinners; those estranged from himself he does not recognize. Hear the Scripture saying: “The Lord has known those who are his, and: let everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” The Lord knows his own, but the wicked and the impious he does not know. Hear the Savior saying: “Depart from me all you workers of iniquity, I have not known you.” And again Paul says: “If anyone among you is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things I write are the Lord’s. But he who is ignorant, is ignored.” But we say these things not perceiving anything blasphemous about God, as you do, nor ascribing ignorance to him, but we understand it thus, that those whose deed is unworthy of God are also deemed unworthy of the knowledge of God. For God does not deign to know him who is turned away from him and is ignorant of him. — HOMILIES ON Genesis 4.6

Numbers 16:26

Cyprian: We find that also made clear in Numbers when Korah and Dathan and Abiram claimed for themselves the liberty of sacrificing in opposition to Aaron the priest. There also the Lord teaches through Moses that the people should be separated from them lest they be bound by the same guilt with the criminals and contaminate themselves by the same crime. “Keep away,” he says, “from the tents of most shameless wicked men, and do not touch anything that is theirs, lest you perish at the same time in their sin.” Because of this, a people who obey the precepts of the Lord and fear God ought to separate themselves from a sinful leader and should not take part in the sacrifices of a sacrilegious bishop, especially since they themselves have the power either of electing worthy bishops or of refusing the unworthy. — Epistle LXVII.3

Numbers 16:32

Augustine of Hippo: Then there were the miracles of the seditious among the people of God. They separated themselves from the divinely ordered community. They were swallowed alive by the earth, as a visible token of an invisible punishment. — City of God 10.8

Basil of Caesarea: In the Old Testament, as, for instance, in the case of Korah and the men who dared to enter the priesthood without being called to it and by the severity of the wrath which came upon them to their utter destruction, we see how grave a thing it is to do that which is unsuitable as regards the person. — CONCERNING BAPTISM, QUESTION 8

Philoxenus of Mabbug: And that He might increase in them this fear, immediately, by the mouth of offence, the rod of His chastisement was revealed, and after the offence the Chastiser gave them no respite, because their servitude was not worthy of His longsuffering. Above their head the rod of justice hung continually, and immediately they committed sin they were chastened, and at the time of their offence they were beaten, and at the entrance of the path of their sins they forthwith received rebuke; for longsuffering teacheth the foolish servant contempt, and in order that that stupid nation, which in the manner of an evil-doing servant, sat in the house of God, might not [learn] contempt, the Chastiser took away longsuffering, especially when they went forth from Egypt. And we must also understand the object of that swift punishment in another way, and that there was not longsuffering as regardeth the correction of their sins; for God the Teacher took the people, like a child, from Egypt their nurse, that He might deliver unto them the doctrine of His knowledge, and might teach them the instruction of His wisdom. But the people, in their ignorance, when instruction had been delivered unto them, forgot it, and they never kept in remembrance the meditation of the commandments of God, and they were frequently punished with severity, so that, if it were only through fear of chastisement, they might lay hold upon the remembrance of instruction. The man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath day was stoned by all the congregation; and the earth opened and swallowed up others who were called by Moses, and who scorned him and came not; and fire went forth suddenly, and burnt up the bodies of others who thought lightly of his priestly office, and who sought honour for themselves; and others, who in the guise of paying honour, brought strange fire out of season, were burnt up by a tongue of fire which went forth from the tabernacle, and they perished; and others, because they asked for flesh and rejected the bread of angels, were tortured by the indigestion which came upon them; and others who went astray as concerning the calf, were pierced through by the swords of the Levites; and others, who were the cause of the revolt at the waters of trial were set apart for destruction; and others who murmured against the Lord perished by fiendish snakes; and likewise they all, because they strove against going into the land of promise, came to an end and were destroyed in the wilderness. To these offences, then, these punishments were united, and together with each act of wickedness a punishment straightway sprang up by its side, so that evil deeds might be suppressed by stripes, and sins by vengeance, and so that the people might be like a child who feareth the teacher who giveth him instruction, and that it might tremble before the Judge who would beat them like a wrongdoing slave. — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 – Second Discourse on the Fear of God

Numbers 16:33

Clement of Rome: Every kind of honour and happiness was bestowed upon you, and then was fulfilled that which is written, “My beloved ate and drank, and was enlarged and became fat, and kicked.” [Deuteronomy 32:15] Hence flowed emulation and envy, strife and sedition, persecution and disorder, war and captivity. So the worthless rose up against the honoured, those of no reputation against such as were renowned, the foolish against the wise, the young against those advanced in years. For this reason righteousness and peace are now far departed from you, inasmuch as every one abandons the fear of God, and has become blind in His faith, neither walks in the ordinances of His appointment, nor acts a part becoming a Christian, but walks after his own wicked lusts, resuming the practice of an unrighteous and ungodly envy, by which death itself entered into the world. [Wisdom 2:24]

For thus it is written: “And it came to pass after certain days, that Cain brought of the fruits of the earth a sacrifice unto God; and Abel also brought of the firstlings of his sheep, and of the fat thereof. And God had respect to Abel and to his offerings, but Cain and his sacrifices He did not regard. And Cain was deeply grieved, and his countenance fell. And God said to Cain, Why are you grieved, and why is your countenance fallen? If you offer rightly, but do not divide rightly, have you not sinned? Be at peace: your offering returns to yourself, and you shall again possess it. And Cain said to Abel his brother, Let us go into the field. And it came to pass, while they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.” [Genesis 4:3-8] You see, brethren, how envy and jealousy led to the murder of a brother. Through envy, also, our father Jacob fled from the face of Esau his brother [Genesis 27:41-45]. Envy made Joseph be persecuted unto death, and to come into bondage. [Genesis 37:18-28] Envy compelled Moses to flee from the face of Pharaoh king of Egypt, when he heard these words from his fellow-countryman, “Who made you a judge or a ruler over us? Will you kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?” [Exodus 2:14] On account of envy, Aaron and Miriam had to make their abode without the camp. [Numbers 12:14-15] Envy brought down Dathan and Abiram alive to Hades, through the sedition which they excited against God’s servant Moses. [Numbers 16:33] Through envy, David not only underwent the hatred of foreigners, but was also persecuted by Saul king of Israel. [1 Samuel 21:10-15] — Clement’s First Letter to the Corinthians, Chapters 3-4

Gregory the Dialogist: For the quick know and feel what is being done about them; but the dead can feel nothing. For they would go down dead into hell if they committed what is evil without knowledge. But when they know what is evil, and yet do it, they go down quick, miserable, and feeling, into the hell of iniquity. — THE BOOK OF PASTORAL RULE, Part 3

Numbers 16:35

Philoxenus of Mabbug: And that He might increase in them this fear, immediately, by the mouth of offence, the rod of His chastisement was revealed, and after the offence the Chastiser gave them no respite, because their servitude was not worthy of His longsuffering. Above their head the rod of justice hung continually, and immediately they committed sin they were chastened, and at the time of their offence they were beaten, and at the entrance of the path of their sins they forthwith received rebuke; for longsuffering teacheth the foolish servant contempt, and in order that that stupid nation, which in the manner of an evil-doing servant, sat in the house of God, might not [learn] contempt, the Chastiser took away longsuffering, especially when they went forth from Egypt. And we must also understand the object of that swift punishment in another way, and that there was not longsuffering as regardeth the correction of their sins; for God the Teacher took the people, like a child, from Egypt their nurse, that He might deliver unto them the doctrine of His knowledge, and might teach them the instruction of His wisdom. But the people, in their ignorance, when instruction had been delivered unto them, forgot it, and they never kept in remembrance the meditation of the commandments of God, and they were frequently punished with severity, so that, if it were only through fear of chastisement, they might lay hold upon the remembrance of instruction. The man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath day was stoned by all the congregation; and the earth opened and swallowed up others who were called by Moses, and who scorned him and came not; and fire went forth suddenly, and burnt up the bodies of others who thought lightly of his priestly office, and who sought honour for themselves; and others, who in the guise of paying honour, brought strange fire out of season, were burnt up by a tongue of fire which went forth from the tabernacle, and they perished; and others, because they asked for flesh and rejected the bread of angels, were tortured by the indigestion which came upon them; and others who went astray as concerning the calf, were pierced through by the swords of the Levites; and others, who were the cause of the revolt at the waters of trial were set apart for destruction; and others who murmured against the Lord perished by fiendish snakes; and likewise they all, because they strove against going into the land of promise, came to an end and were destroyed in the wilderness. To these offences, then, these punishments were united, and together with each act of wickedness a punishment straightway sprang up by its side, so that evil deeds might be suppressed by stripes, and sins by vengeance, and so that the people might be like a child who feareth the teacher who giveth him instruction, and that it might tremble before the Judge who would beat them like a wrongdoing slave. — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 – Second Discourse on the Fear of God

Philoxenus of Mabbug: Now this is the first lust which conquered the world, and because of it the first transgression of the law took place. And because the priests lusted and drank wine, and were confused in the place of propitiation, the fire consumed their bodies. — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 – On Abstinence

Numbers 16:39

Caesarius of Arles: When the divine lesson was read just now, dearly beloved, we heard that our Lord told Moses to forge the censers in which those haughty, rebellious men had offered incense, beat them flat and fasten them to the altar as a sign of the rebellious and proud. “Because the sinners have consecrated the censers at the cost of their lives,” said the Lord, “have them hammered into plates to cover the altar, because in being presented before the Lord they have become sacred.” By this figure it seems to have been shown that those censers which Scripture calls brazen represent the sacred writings. Heretics put strange fire in these writings, that is, they introduce a perverse meaning and a sense that is foreign to God and contrary to the truth, thus offering to the Lord an incense that is not sweet but abominable. If we bring these brazen censers, that is, words of the heretics, to the altar of God where there is divine fire, the true preaching of the faith, the same truth will shine all the better in comparison with what is false. — SERMON 110.1

Origen of Alexandria: With God, as we are given to understand, nothing is useless, nothing idle; but even those things which seem fit to be alienated and cast away by men are found to have some necessary function. This understanding is suggested to us by the present reading, which makes mention of the censers of Korah and of the rest who sinned along with him — that God commands that not even these be thrown away, but that from them beaten plates be made, and that the altar be encircled with them. Scripture therefore relates that, by the command of God, “Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest took,” it says, “the bronze censers, which those who were burned up had offered, and they made of them plates, and set them upon the altar, for a memorial to the children of Israel, that no stranger who is not of the seed of Aaron should draw near to lay incense before the Lord, lest it should happen as with Korah and his conspiracy, as the Lord had spoken by the hand of Moses.” Plainly in a certain place the Lord says through the prophet: “My counsels are not as your counsels, nor my thoughts as your thoughts.” If this case were being judged today among men, and an examination held among the leaders of the churches concerning those men who, teaching things at variance with the churches, endured the vengeance of divine retribution, would it not be judged that whatever they had spoken, whatever they had taught, whatever also they had left in writing, should all alike perish together with their very ashes? But the judgments of God are not as our judgments. For hear how, concerning the censers of those who had risen up against the prophet of God, plates are commanded to be made and to be fastened around the altar. Korah holds the figure of those who rise up against the faith of the Church and the doctrine of the truth. It is written, then, of Korah and of his company that they offered incense of strange fire in bronze censers. The strange fire indeed is commanded by God to be scattered and poured out, but “the censers,” it says, “because they are sanctified, make of them beaten plates, and encircle the altar with them, because they were offered before the Lord and are sanctified.” This therefore seems to me to be shown through this figure: that those censers, which Scripture names as bronze, hold the figure of the divine Scripture. To this Scripture heretics, laying strange fire upon it — that is, introducing a meaning and understanding foreign to God and contrary to the truth — offer to the Lord an incense not sweet but abominable. And therefore a pattern is given to the priests of the churches, that, if ever any such thing should arise, those things indeed which are foreign to the truth should be utterly thrust away from the Church of God; but if any things be found inserted even in the very words of the heretics from the senses of the divine Scripture, these should not be rejected together with those things that are contrary to the truth and the faith; for the things that are brought forth from the divine Scripture are sanctified, and offered to the Lord. But it can also be understood in yet another way, that it is commanded concerning the censers of the sinners that they be joined and associated with the altar. And first this very point, that they are called bronze, will seem not idle. For where there is true faith and the whole preaching of the word of God, they are called either silver or golden, so that the gleam of gold may declare the purity of the faith, and the silver tried by fire may signify words that have been tested. But these, which are called bronze, consist only in the sound of the voice, not in the power of the spirit, and they are, as the Apostle says, like sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. These bronze censers, then — that is, the utterances of the heretics — if we apply them to the altar of God, where there is the divine fire, where there is the true preaching of the faith, the truth itself will shine the better by comparison with what is false. For if, to give an example, I set down the sayings of Marcion or Basilides or of any other heretic whatsoever, and refute these with the discourses of truth and the testimonies of the divine Scriptures as with the fire of the divine altar, will not their impiety appear more evident from that very comparison? For if ecclesiastical doctrine were simple, and were girt about by no assertions of heretical dogmas from without, our faith could not seem so clear and so well tested. But for this reason the attack of gainsayers besets the catholic doctrine, so that our faith may not grow numb in idleness, but may be filed smooth by exercises. On account of this, finally, the Apostle also said: “But there must also be heresies, that they who are approved may be made manifest among you.” This is to say: the altar must be encircled with the censers of the heretics, so that the difference between the faithful and the unfaithful may become certain and manifest to all. For when the ecclesiastical faith has begun to shine like gold, and its preaching has gleamed to those who behold it like silver tried by fire, then with greater foulness and disgrace will the voices of the heretics be sordid in the cheapness of dull bronze. But do you wish to know that the things which are good are known to be good rather from comparison with worse things? Who would know that light is good, unless we felt the darkness of night? Who would know the sweetness of honey, unless he had received a taste of bitterness? Finally, if you were to take away the devil himself and the contrary powers that struggle against us, the virtues of the soul could not shine forth without one who struggles against them. So therefore also the glory of the faithful priests will not be able to shine forth, unless the reprobation and punishment of the unfaithful commend it. But also from those things which we read, each single one of the just is seen to be held more illustrious before God by comparison with the rest. So of Noah it is written that he was “just and perfect in his generation.” In which it is shown that he was not perfect absolutely, but perfect in his generation, and by comparison with the rest was pronounced just. In like manner I think it must be held also of Lot. For by how much worse the Sodomites daily became, by so much did he appear the more just. But also in this very book which we have in hand, when those who had inspected the land had returned, and ten of them had struck despair into the people by their fearful words, while the two remaining — that is, Caleb and Joshua — announced good things and exhorted the people to remain in their purpose, it was not so much their own confession as the fearfulness of their comrades that conferred upon them an immortal merit from the Lord. For the virtue of soul in them would not have shone so magnificently, had not the fearfulness of the base cowardice of the remaining ten lain open to view. These things we have said concerning the censers of those who were condemned, which are commanded to be fastened to the altar: that from comparison with the inferior the just appear more illustrious, and at the same time that an example might be given to those who come after, that no one puffed up with the presumption of a proud spirit should seize upon the office of the pontificate as a gift not given him by God, but that he should yield to that man whom neither human ambition nor corrupt favor has taken up, nor condemnable bribery substituted, but the consciousness of merits and the will of God has taken up. — HOMILIES ON Numbers 9.1

Numbers 16:41

Origen of Alexandria: After these things it is related: “and the children of Israel murmured,” it says, “against Moses and Aaron, saying: you have killed the people of the Lord. And it came to pass, when the congregation rushed upon Moses and Aaron, they fled in the assault to the tabernacle of testimony; and a cloud covered it, and the majesty of the Lord appeared. And Moses and Aaron went in before the face of the tabernacle of testimony.” We do not read before that a cloud covered the tabernacle and the majesty of the Lord appeared and received Moses and Aaron within the cloud, except now, when the people rose up against them and wished to stone them. Let us learn from this how great is the profit in persecutions for Christians, how much of grace is conferred, how God becomes their defender, how abundantly the Holy Spirit is poured out. For then most of all the grace of the Lord is present, when the savagery of men is stirred up; and then we have peace with God, when for the sake of righteousness we endure wars from men. For where sin abounded, grace did more abound. The cloud of the tabernacle therefore covered them, and the congregation rushed upon Moses and Aaron, and the glory of the Lord appeared. However great Moses and Aaron may be by the merit of their life, however mightily they may prevail in the virtues of the soul, yet the glory of God could not have appeared to them, except when they were now set in persecutions, in tribulations, in perils, and in death itself almost at hand. And do you therefore not think that the glory of the Lord can appear to you while you sleep and are idle. Or did not Paul the Apostle also merit to obtain the glory of God in these things? Does he not, above all the rest, enumerate that he had been in tribulations, in necessities, in prisons, thrice beaten with rods, once stoned, that he had suffered shipwreck thrice, perils of the sea, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from false brethren? And the more these things abound, by so much the more do they confer the glory of God upon those who have borne them patiently. — HOMILIES ON Numbers 9.2

Salvian the Presbyter: When their crimes were so great, heavenly solicitude was of no avail. As often as they were corrected, so often amendment did not follow. As we are not corrected, even though soundly scourged, so they, though constantly struck down, did not mend their ways. What is written? “The following day all the multitude of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying ‘You have killed the people of the Lord.’ " What followed? Fourteen thousand and seven hundred men were struck down and consumed by divine fire.Since the multitude all had sinned, why were not all punished, especially since, as I have said, none escaped from Korah’s mutiny? Why did God wish the whole assembly of sinners to be killed on the former occasion but only a portion at the latter time? It is because the Lord is filled with both justice and mercy and in his indulgence he gives way to his love, and in his will to teach a lesson he gives way to his severity. — THE GOVERNANCE OF GOD 1.12.57-58

Numbers 16:44

Origen of Alexandria: And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: “Depart from the midst of this congregation, and I will destroy them at once.” And they fell upon their face. In Sodom, indeed, at the very least, ten were required, through whom those who dwelt in the Pentapolis of the Sodomites could scarcely, if perhaps, be saved; but now even two, if however such be found as Moses was and Aaron, are able to suffice for the whole nation of the Israelites to be saved. What then shall we say is more in these two? What so great a virtue, what merit, whereby six hundred thousand and more are delivered from the destruction of the ravager? I think that in Moses the Law is signified, which teaches men the knowledge and the love of God, and that in Aaron consists the form of supplicating God and of beseeching him. If therefore it should happen at some time that God is angry with us or with the whole people, and if now the sentence of vengeance goes forth from the Lord, but the Law of God returns into our heart, admonishing us and teaching us to turn to repentance, to make satisfaction for our offenses, to supplicate for our faults—the anger will cease at once, the indignation will subside, the Lord will be appeased, as though Moses and Aaron were interceding for us and supplicating for the whole people. But if at some time the indignation of God arises and a fierce correction comes for our sins, and yet our hearts are hardened, so that we do not turn to the Lord nor humble ourselves in his sight, so as by the confession of supplications to soften his emotion and his anger, but on the contrary we say: God has no care for the life of mortals, nor do these things pertain to God, he has long since forsaken us, nor do such matters come to his knowledge—if we think such things in our hearts and these proceed from our mouth, it is certain that Moses and Aaron are not in us, namely the knowledge of the Law and the fruits of repentance, through whom we might be able to escape the destruction of the impending doom. This, I think, happened also to that people who lived before us, when “they all turned aside, together they became unprofitable, and there was none who did goodness, there was not even one.” For if there had been, God would never at all have forsaken them. But let us too fear, lest perchance something similar be found in us; for I fear that sentence in which our Lord and Savior, who foreknows all things, as though in doubt says: “Do you think that the Son of Man, when he comes, will find faith upon the earth?” Moses and Aaron therefore are commanded to go out from the midst of the congregation, that the congregation may be destroyed at once. But let us see what these men do; they are holy, they are perfect, and more, disciples of the Gospel rather than of the Law, and therefore they love even their enemies and pray for their persecutors. For when those men came to slay them, these fell upon their face to the ground. — HOMILIES ON Numbers 9.3

Numbers 16:46

Origen of Alexandria: And Moses said to Aaron: “Take the censer, and put fire upon it from the altar, and cast incense upon it, and carry it swiftly into the camp, and make entreaty for them; for wrath has gone forth from the presence of the Lord, and it has already begun to lay waste the people.” But since we have come to these passages, I wish to admonish the disciples of Christ concerning the goodness of God, lest perhaps any of you be troubled by the heretics, if ever a controversy should arise, when they say that the God of the law is not good, but just, and that the law of Moses does not contain goodness, but justice. Let those, therefore, who alike accuse both God and the law, see how Moses himself and Aaron did earlier that which the gospel afterward taught. Behold, Moses loves his enemies and prays for his persecutors, which indeed Christ teaches to be done in the gospels. For hear how, falling on their faces upon the ground, they pray for those who had risen up to slay them. So, then, the power of the gospel is found also in the law, and the gospels are understood to rest upon the foundation of the law; nor do I call the old testament the law, if I understand it spiritually. Only to those does the law become an old testament who wish to understand it carnally; and of necessity it has become old for them and has grown aged, because it cannot retain its own strength. But for us, who understand and expound it spiritually and in the gospel sense, it is always new; and both are for us a new testament, not by the age of time, but by the newness of understanding. Or does not the Apostle John also feel the same in his epistle, when he says: “Little children, a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another,” though he surely knew that the commandment of love had been given long ago in the law? But since charity never falls, nor does the commandment of charity ever grow old, that which never grows old he declares to be always new; for it always renders those who observe and keep the commandment of charity new in the spirit; but for the sinner, and for him who does not keep the covenants of charity, even the gospels grow old. Nor can the testament be new for him who does not put off the old man and put on the new, who is created according to God. Moses therefore exhorts the great high priest to offer incense in the camp and to make entreaty for the people; for the people, he says, have already begun to be laid waste. In the spirit Moses saw the things that were being done. He saw the power go forth to the camp and lay waste and destroy the sinners; and because of this he exhorts the high priest to take the censer, to put fire from the altar upon it, and, with the incense cast on top, to go out and to stand between the midst of the dead and the living, that the devastation may not proceed further — or rather, as the word of Scripture more truly has it, the breaking. — HOMILIES ON Numbers 9.4

Numbers 16:47

Ambrose of Milan: A man clearly worthy to be proposed that all should follow him was he, for when a terrible death on account of the rebels was spreading over the people, he offered himself between the dead and the living, that he might arrest death, and that no more should perish. A man truly of priestly mind and soul, who as a good shepherd with pious affection offered himself for the Lord’s flock. And so he broke the sting of death, restrained its violence, refused it further course. Affection aided his deserts, for he offered himself for those who were resisting him. — Epistle 63

Caesarius of Arles: Then Moses encouraged the high priest to offer incense in the camp and to pray for the people: “For the people have already begun to be destroyed.” Moses saw in spirit what was happening, and therefore Aaron departed to offer incense for the people. He stood between the living and the dead, and the Lord’s fury was alleviated. If you know the course of history and have been able to perceive with your eyes, so to speak, the priest standing in the middle between the living and the dead, rise now to the loftier heights of these words. See how the true priest, Jesus Christ, took the censer of human flesh, put fire on the altar which doubtless is that splendid soul with which he was born in the flesh, further added incense which is his pure spirit, stood between the living and the dead and did not allow death to proceed any farther. — SERMON 110.2

Origen of Alexandria: But first, if it seems good, let us sketch a picture of the historical event itself, so that, once the appearance of the thing done has become clear, then at last we may also inquire whether there is anything mystical in the passage. Understand, then, that people Israel arranged in the camp by the ranks of their tribes and families, and understand that a certain power sent from God began to lay waste the people with death, not scattered here and there, but beginning from some first portion, and consider the slaughter of death advancing in order; and after this the high priest, clothed in his priestly garment, coming forward and carrying a censer and reaching out with fire and incense toward that place to which death, brought by the destroying angel, had arrived, and standing in that place in which death had made an end of the first and was near to the last. Behold the high priest standing and, by the interposition of himself, as it were, separating the living from the dead; behold that the destroying angel was put to shame by the power of his propitiation and by the mystery of the incense, and that in this death was indeed brought to an end and life restored. If you have understood the order of the history and have been able, so to speak, to behold with your eyes the high priest standing in the midst between the living and the dead: ascend now to the loftier summits of this word, and see how the true high priest, Jesus Christ, having taken up the censer of human flesh and set upon it the fire of the altar—that is, without doubt, that magnificent soul with which he was born in the flesh—and having added also the incense, which is the immaculate spirit, stood in the midst between the living and the dead and did not allow death to rage any longer, but, as the Apostle says, “destroyed him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,” so that whoever believes in him should no longer die, but should live forever. This, then, was the mystery which, though yet to come, that one who was laying waste the people already dreaded even then. For he recognized the figure of the censer and the fire and the incense; and he foresaw what sort of victim was to be offered to God by him who had stood in the midst between the dead and the living. And them indeed the prefigured image saved at that time, but to us the very truth of salvation has come. For that destroying angel would not have been put to shame by garments of the high priest woven of purple and wool and fine linen, but he understood those garments of the great high priest which were to come, and he yielded to those things to which assuredly the whole creation was inferior. But I think that this form was fulfilled not only at the first coming of our Lord and Savior, but perhaps the same will also be preserved at the second. For the Son of Man will come again, and, when he comes, he will without doubt find some indeed dead, but some living. This we can understand in this way, that some are still found in this state of life in which we now are, while many have already gone before in death. But it can also be taken otherwise, so that we understand the dead to be bodies, and the living souls. Yet some of those who before us have interpreted this passage—I remember that they called dead those who by the excess of their crimes are understood to be dead in their sins, but living those who have persevered in the works of life. But in whichever way, this great high priest and our Savior will stand also in the future in the midst between the living and the dead. But then too he is perhaps to be said to stand in the midst between the living and the dead, when he will set the sheep indeed at his right hand, but the goats at his left, and will say to those who are at his right: “Come, blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom which was prepared for you from the foundation of the world,” and the rest; but to those who are at his left he will say: “Depart into the eternal fire, you workers of iniquity, which my Father prepared for the devil and his angels; for I never knew you.” And those indeed who are sent into the eternal fire are the dead; but those who are sent to the kingdom are the living. — HOMILIES ON Numbers 9.5

Origen of Alexandria: “And the plague ceased,” it says, or, as we said is read in other copies, “the breaking,” which also better fits the true interpretation; for a “breaking” is what happens, as it were, in vessels of clay. Sinners, then, become vessels of clay, as the prophet Jeremiah indicates in the Lamentations, saying: “The sons of Zion, who were honorable and lifted up in gold, how are they counted as vessels of clay, the works of the potter’s hands?” And: “In a great house,” says the Apostle, “there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, and some indeed unto honor, but others unto dishonor.” There are, then, vessels of clay unto dishonor, which also can be broken. But let us consider more carefully what the Apostle says in what follows concerning these very vessels of clay: “If anyone,” he says, “shall have cleansed himself from these, he will be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and useful to the Lord, prepared for every good work.” In which he seems to show that both the vessel itself, which is made, and the one by whom it is made, is one and the same man. Understand, therefore, that the purpose of the man is what he works, but the remaining part of the man is the vessel itself, which is made either unto honor or unto dishonor. When, therefore, our sense chooses the things that are good and draws us to a good manner of life, it makes us a useful vessel. But when our purpose has grown neglectful and has fallen away from good things, we are made a vessel unto dishonor. If, therefore, our understanding is of clay and always thinks of clay and of earthly things, we are made a vessel of clay and the work of the potter’s hands. And perhaps for this reason such a man is rebuked by the Apostle, as one who, having a sense of clay and earthly, inquires about great things and about those which he cannot grasp, and says: “Why then does he still complain? For who resists his will?” To whom the Apostle, as to one of clay, replies: “Who art thou, O man, that repliest against God? Does the thing formed say to him who formed it: Why hast thou made me thus?” Moreover, either our body is called a vessel of clay, or also the letter of the law, in that place where the Apostle says: “But having this treasure in vessels of clay”; for both may be taken in this saying: both that the Lord bestows on us, placed in a body, the treasure of grace through the Holy Spirit, and that in the words of the law, which are held cheap and in contempt because they seem polished by no grammatical art, there is stored up the treasure of the wisdom and knowledge of God, so that it may deservedly be said that in them are hidden the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God. Let these things have been said by us concerning the breaking, which is recorded to have ceased; but now let us also discuss a few things concerning the following narrative, in which the mention of the rods is introduced. — HOMILIES ON Numbers 9.6