Moses

Also known as: Moyses
Dates: c. 1393–c. 1273 BC (traditional)
Role: Prophet, lawgiver, leader of the Israelites; author of the Pentateuch

Prophet, lawgiver, and leader of the Israelites. Author of the Pentateuch. The central typological figure of Lapide's dedicatory letter, where both Basil the Great and Van der Burch are compared to Moses at length.

Preliminaries

Title Page — Work described as "the Literal and Moral Exposition upon the Pentateuch of Moses"
"Containing the Literal and Moral Exposition upon the Pentateuch of Moses"
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI. — Lapide calls his commentary "this Moses of mine" and says it was destined for Van der Burch
"this Moses of mine — destined for you from its very first conception and indebted to you on many counts — was brought into the light."
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI. — Extended comparison: Moses formed, ruled, and directed the Church of the Hebrews; established Church by ceremonial precepts, Commonwealth by judicial precepts; in Moses both supreme powers (prince and priest) were held; transferred priesthood to Aaron; was a shepherd first of sheep then of men
"just as Moses formed, ruled, and directed the Church of the Hebrews no less than their Commonwealth"
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI. — Van der Burch exhorted to be "our Moses of the Low Countries"
"Be therefore, Most Illustrious Lord, our Moses of the Low Countries"
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI. — Basil "learned to act like Moses from Moses himself"; Basil's Hexaemeron composed as commentary on the Genesis of Moses
"he learned to act like Moses from Moses himself"
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI. — Basil and Gregory devoted thirteen years to reading Moses and the Sacred Scriptures; Van der Burch and Lapide would read ten or twelve chapters of Genesis at a meal
"they devoted thirteen years to reading and meditating upon Moses and the Sacred Scriptures"
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI. — Born of noble lineage of the Patriarchs; genealogy: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac Jacob, Jacob Levi, Levi Caath, Caath Amram, Amram Moses
"Moses was born of the noble lineage of the Patriarchs, and was a great-great-grandson of Abraham."
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI. — Ascended by degrees: first forty years at Pharaoh's court; second forty years tending sheep in contemplation; at eighty took up pastorate
"Moses did not spring at once to power, but ascended to leadership by degrees."
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI. — Declined God's call three and four times; made excuses provoking God's anger
"Moses, called by God to take up the leadership a third and fourth time, declined, making excuses to the point of provoking God's anger"
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI. — Scripture says he was the meekest of all mortals
"Holy Scripture bestows this praise upon Moses: that he was the meekest of all mortals."
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI. — Bore a motherly love; prayed to be blotted out of the book of life; fed his people for forty years on manna; laboured to inflame their souls
"Moses bore a motherly love toward his hard-hearted people"
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI. — Instituted the Nazirites and dictated laws in Numbers v
"Moses instituted the Nazirites and dictated laws for them in Numbers v."
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI. — Withstood Pharaoh and his Magicians with marvellous constancy
"Moses withstood Pharaoh and his Magicians with marvellous constancy"
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI. — Departing to his fathers, left immense longing among the people; children of Israel wept for him thirty days
"Moses, departing to his fathers, left an immense longing for himself among the people"
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI. — Van der Burch exhorted to "Imitate Moses in all things"
"Imitate Moses in all things; express Basil."
DECREES OF THE COUNCIL OF TRENT (SESSION IV). — "the five books of Moses" listed first among Old Testament canonical books
"the five books of Moses, to wit, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy"

Pope Clement VIII, Jerome's Prefaces, On Worship

I. THE HELMETED PROLOGUE. — The Samaritans write the Pentateuch of Moses with the same number of letters as the Hebrews
"The Samaritans also write the Pentateuch of Moses with the same number of letters"
I. THE HELMETED PROLOGUE. — The five books of Moses are properly called Torah, the Law
"These are the five books of Moses, which they properly call Torah, that is, the Law."
II. JEROME TO PAULINUS. — The five words of Moses with which the Apostle boasts to speak in the Church
"Thus far Moses, thus far the Pentateuch, with whose five words the Apostle boasts he would rather speak in the Church."
ON THE WORSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE SCRIPTURES. — Lacordaire discusses the books of Moses and the historical books as the most ancient monuments of the human mind
"When I read the Scriptures for the first time, I did not have faith"
ON THE WORSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE SCRIPTURES. — Lacordaire praises the books of Moses; compares them favorably to Homer; describes Moses as having "founded in the desert, fighting and dying, a nation that was to last four thousand years"
"the books of Moses surpass them not only by the antiquity of their composition, but by the simplicity of the narrative"
ON THE WORSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE SCRIPTURES. — Lacordaire urges the reader to read the books of Moses
"Read, then, the books of Moses and the historical books of the Old Testament"

Preface and Praise of Sacred Scripture

Section One — Marveled at God's condescension in giving Israel the law, quoting Deuteronomy 4:7
"This is what Moses, about to dictate the law of God to Israel, marveled at this, Deuteronomy 4:7"
Section One — Jews store the law of Moses magnificently in a tabernacle
"the Jews in their synagogues store the law of Moses, as an oracle, magnificently in a tabernacle"
Chapter IV: The Judgments and Examples of the Fathers — Hebrew tradition: received on Sinai not only the law but also the explanation of the law; commanded to write the law but reveal mysteries to Joshua
"Moses received on Mount Sinai from God not only the law but also the explanation of the law"
Chapter IV: The Judgments and Examples of the Fathers — Repeatedly in Deuteronomy directed doubtful questions to priests
"For this reason Moses repeatedly — especially in Deuteronomy — directed that every doubtful and difficult question"
Section Three: Who, and How Great, Was Moses? — Section heading: "Who, and How Great, Was Moses?"
"Who, and How Great, Was Moses?"
Moses's Three Periods of Forty Years — Three periods of forty years: royal court, Midian contemplation, leadership; supreme pontiff, commander, lawgiver, teacher, prophet, type of Christ
"Truly I say, for many thousands of years the sun has not looked upon a greater man"
Moses's Three Periods of Forty Years — Led three million people through arid deserts for 40 years; fed with manna; maintained in peace and justice
"he led three million people... through arid deserts for 40 years"
The Virtues of Moses — Musician and psalmist; Jerome testifies he composed eleven psalms (89–100); received tablets of the law from God
"You would marvel at the innumerable virtues of Moses"
The Virtues of Moses — Guide on journey was pillar of cloud/archangel; twice fasted 40 days on Sinai; horns of light; called God's secretary of secrets
"Moses had as his guide on the journey a pillar of cloud"
The Virtues of Moses — Excellent political prudence; charity for people; devoted himself as expiatory offering
"Who does not see the excellent political and domestic prudence of the best prince"
Moses's Humility and Meekness — Profound humility and meekness despite being assailed by murmuring; Numbers 12:3: "the meekest man upon the face of the earth"
"I marvel most of all at his profound humility and meekness"
Moses and the Beatific Vision — Many hold he was granted the beatific vision in this life
"many hold that Moses was granted in this life the vision of the divine essence"
Moses and the Beatific Vision — Buried by angels on Mount Abarim; no man knew his sepulchre; Michael disputed with devil about his body
"Moses, having died, was buried by angels on Mount Abarim"
Praises of Moses from Scripture and the Fathers — Sirach praises Moses as beloved of God and men; glorified in sight of kings
"Beloved of God and men was Moses, whose memory is in blessing"
Moses and Christ: Nineteen Parallels — Express type of Christ; like sun/moon comparison; nineteen parallels listed
"Moreover Moses was an express sign and type of Christ"
Moses as the Most Ancient Theologian, Philosopher, Poet, and Historian — Eupolemus and Artapanus say Moses transmitted letters to Egyptians; called Mercury; worshipped as a god
"Moses transmitted letters to the Egyptians"
Moses as the Most Ancient Theologian, Philosopher, Poet, and Historian — More ancient than all sages of Greece; wrote Pentateuch as diary; Joshua arranged it
"Moses was more ancient, and preceded by a great span of time all the sages of Greece"
Moses as the Most Ancient Theologian, Philosopher, Poet, and Historian — Learned partly by tradition, partly by divine revelation, partly by eyewitness
"Moses learned and received these things partly by tradition, partly by divine revelation"
Moses as the Most Ancient Theologian, Philosopher, Poet, and Historian — Martyrdoms and miracles illustrated veneration for his books
"this veneration was illustrated both by martyrdoms and by miracles"
Prayer to Moses — Addressed in prayer: spectator of glory on Sinai and Tabor; asked to extend hand, channel rivers of wisdom
"Look upon us, we beseech you, holy Moses"
Peroration and Conclusion of Section One — Named as one of Lapide's patron saints
"my patrons, the Virgin Mother of eternal Wisdom, St. Jerome, and Moses"
Arguments for the Old Testament — Deuteronomy 17:8 quoted as authority for resolving controversies
"With Moses, Deuteronomy 17:8"
VI. The Old Testament as Forerunner to the New — Christ appeals to Moses: "The law was given through Moses" (John 1:17)
"For this reason Christ so often appeals to Moses"
Sacred Writers as Pens of the Holy Spirit — Same truth, authority, reverence must be attributed to Moses as to Paul; both are pens of the Holy Spirit
"the same truth, authority, reverence, zeal, and diligence must be attributed to Moses as to Paul"

Commentary on the Pentateuch of Moses

Argumentum — Named in the heading as author of the Pentateuch
"which were thus divided and named not by Moses, as Philo holds, but by the Seventy Translators"
Argumentum — Identified as the author of the Pentateuch, as taught by Greeks, Latins, and Christ
"The author of the Pentateuch is Moses: so teach all the Greeks and Latins, indeed Christ himself"
Argumentum — More ancient than all the sages of Greece; wrote the Pentateuch in the manner of a diary or annals; his death was added by Joshua or another
"Moses was more ancient and preceded by far in time all the sages of Greece and the Gentiles"
Argumentum — Learned things by tradition, divine revelation, and personal observation
"Moses learned and received these things partly by tradition, partly by divine revelation, and partly by personal observation"
Argumentum — Said to have written Genesis while in Midian or after the departure from Egypt; described as leader, high priest, prophet, teacher, and lawgiver
"both Genesis and the four following books were written by Moses after the departure of the Hebrews from Egypt, when he himself was occupied in the wilderness as a leader, high priest, prophet, teacher, and lawgiver"
Canons Bearing a Torch Before the Pentateuch — Uses prolepsis or anticipation, calling places by later names
"Moses often uses prolepsis or anticipation"
Canons Bearing a Torch Before the Pentateuch — Scripture imposes a new name; references to God speaking to Moses
"he who appeared to Moses and said, 'I am the God of Abraham,' was an angel"
Canons Bearing a Torch Before the Pentateuch — Clement says Moses used Egyptian hieroglyphic method in his laws
"Moses, says Clement (Stromata, book 6), because he was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians"
Canons Bearing a Torch Before the Pentateuch — Acts as historian, lawgiver, and prophet in the Pentateuch
"Moses in the Pentateuch acts first as a historian, second as a lawgiver, third as a prophet"
Canons Bearing a Torch Before the Pentateuch — God says to Moses "What is it that you hold in your hand?"
"God says to Moses: "What is it that you hold in your hand?""
Canons Bearing a Torch Before the Pentateuch — In Deuteronomy 18:18 promises a Prophet after himself, understood as both any prophets and Christ
"So Moses in Deuteronomy 18:18, by the Prophet whom he promises after himself, understands both any prophets and properly Christ."

Chapter I (The Six Days of Creation)

Introduction — Named as the author whose narrative encompasses 2,310 years
"For it narrates the generation, that is, the creation or birth of the world and of man, his fall, propagation, and deeds, especially of the Patriarchs Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph."
He Created — His choice of "created" vs. "said" explained
"Why then does Moses not say here that God said: Let there be heaven, as he says He said: Let there be light?"
God (Elohim): Thirteen Definitions — His use of the name Elohim explained
"Moses uses this name Elohim here"
God (Elohim): Thirteen Definitions — God revealed the name Jehovah to Moses
"God revealed to Moses His name Jehovah. Before Moses, therefore, God was called Elohim."
Heaven and Earth: Four Interpretations — His omission of the creation of angels explained
"Moses does not mention the creation of the angels, because he was writing for uneducated and dull Jews"
Verse 5: And He called the light Day — His way of naming the day by its terminus (Evening and Morning) explained
"For Moses here names the day and night by their terminus"
Verse 5: And He called the light Day — His six-day narrative contrasted with Augustine's view
"the simple and historical narrative of Moses entirely proves it."
Verse 31: And God Saw All Things That He Had Made, and They Were Very Good — His comprehensive statement after completing creation
"Moses, in a comprehensive statement embracing all things, says"