Commentary on Genesis Part 39

* Why Moses said so much about their leaving the ark 44.

2. Noah's sacrifice proves Moses did not originate the idea of sacrifice 45-46.

3. Why Noah's sacrifice was pleasing to G.o.d 47-48.

* The meaning of "sweet savor" 47-48.

4. How it can be said G.o.d "smelled the sweet savor", and why this form of speech used 49-50.

B. NOAH'S SACRIFICE.

39. The objection under consideration can be invalidated by the rejoinder that Noah did have a command to erect an altar and offer sacrifices. G.o.d approved the rite of sacrifice by ordering that more of the clean animals--suitable for sacrifice--should be taken into the ark. Nor was Noah permitted to cast aside the office of the priesthood, which had been established by the Word before the flood and had come down to him by the right of primogeniture. Adam, Seth, Enoch and others had been priests. From them Noah possessed the office of the priesthood as an inheritance.

40. Therefore Noah, as priest and prophet, was not only at liberty to offer sacrifice, but he was under obligation to do so by virtue of his calling. Since his calling was founded on G.o.d's Word, in harmony with that Word and by G.o.d's command he built an altar and offered sacrifices. Therefore let a monk prove it is his office and calling to wear a cowl, to worship the blessed Virgin, to pray the rosary and do like things, and we will commend his life. But since the call is lacking, the Word is not the authority and the office does not exist, the life and works of the monks in their entirety stand justly condemned.

41. Finally, even if all other arguments should fail, this argument, according to which man judges the cause by the effect, remains; namely, that G.o.d expresses approval of Noah's deed. Although such reasoning from effect to cause may not be una.s.sailable, it yet is not without value in respect to such heroic and uncommon men, who meet not with rejection but approval on the part of G.o.d, although they appear to do what they have not been expressly commanded. They possess the inward conviction that they are guilty of no transgression, though the disclosure of this fact is delayed until later G.o.d expresses his approval. Such examples are numerous and it is noteworthy that G.o.d has expressed approval even of the acts of some heathen.

42. Let this maxim, then, stand, that everything must be done by the command of G.o.d in order to obtain the a.s.surance of conscience that we have acted in obedience to G.o.d. Hence they who abide in their divinely a.s.signed calling, will not run uncertainly nor will they beat the air as those who have no course in which they have been commanded to run, and in consequence may not look forward to a prize. 1 Cor 9, 24.

But I return to the text. Noah, with his sons and the women, is commanded to leave the ark, and to lead forth upon the earth every species of animals, that all his works may be sanctified and found in keeping with the Word. Concerning the animals Moses now expressly states:

Vs. 17-19. _Be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him: every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, whatsoever moveth upon the earth, after their families, went forth out of the ark._

43. The Lord speaks of the propagation of Noah and his sons in the ninth chapter and that, I believe, is the reason why he speaks here only of the propagation of the animals. From the expression here used, Lyra foolishly concludes that cohabitation had been forbidden during the flood and was now again permitted after the departure from the ark, since G.o.d says, "Go forth, ... thou and thy wife." Such thoughts belong to monks not to G.o.d, who plans not sinful l.u.s.t, but propagation; the latter is G.o.d's ordination, but l.u.s.t is Satan's poison infused into nature through sin.

44. Moses here uses many words to ill.u.s.trate the overflowing joy of the captives' souls, when they were commanded to leave their prison, the ark, and to return upon the earth now everywhere open before them.

In recounting the kinds of animals, however, he arranges them in a different order, distinguishing them by families, as it were, to let us see that only propagation was G.o.d's aim. It must have been a glad sight when each one of the many beasts, after leaving the ark, found its own mate, and then sought its accustomed haunt: the wolves, the bears, the lions, returning to the woods and groves; the sheep, the goats, the swine, to the fields; the dogs, the chickens, the cats, to man.

V. 20. _And Noah builded an altar unto Jehovah, and took of every clean beast, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt-offerings on the altar._

45. This text shows conclusively that Moses was not the first person to introduce sacrifices but that, like a bard who gathers chants, he arranged and cla.s.sified them as they had been in vogue among the fathers and transmitted from the one to the other. Thus also the law of circ.u.mcision was not first written by Moses but received from the fathers.

46. Above (ch 4, 4-5), where Moses mentioned the sacrifice of Abel and Cain, he called it _minchah_, an offering; here, however, we find the first record of a burnt-offering, one entirely consumed by fire. This, I say, is a clear proof that the law of sacrifices had been established before the time of Moses. His work, then, consisted in arranging the rites of the forefathers in definite order.

V. 21. _And Jehovah smelled the sweet savor._

47. It is set forth here that Jehovah approved Noah's sacrifice which he offered by virtue of his office as a priest, according to the example of the fathers. However, the differences of phraseology is to receive due attention. Of the former sacrifice he said that Jehovah "had respect" to it; here he says that "Jehovah smelled the sweet savor." Moses subsequently makes frequent use of this expression. The heathen also adopted it; Lucian, for example, makes fun of Jove who was conciliated by the odor of meats.

48. The word in the original, however, does not properly signify the "savor of sweetness," but "the savor of rest", for _nichoach_ meaning "rest", is derived from the verb _nuach_, which Moses used before, when he said that the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat.

Therefore it is the "savor of rest," because G.o.d then rested from his wrath, dismissing his wrath, becoming appeased, and, as we commonly say, well content.

49. Here the question might be raised why does he not say, Jehovah had respect to Noah and his burnt offering, rather than, Jehovah smelled the savor of rest, which latter certainly sounds shocking, as though he were not commending the man for his faith, but merely for his work.

This objection is usually answered by saying that the Scriptures speak of G.o.d in human fashion. Men are pleased by a sweet savor. But it seems to me there is still another reason for this expression, namely, that G.o.d was so close at hand that he noticed the savor; for Moses desires to show that this holy rite was well-pleasing to G.o.d: Solomon says (Prov 27, 9) that perfume rejoiceth the heart. Physicians sometimes restore consciousness by sweet odors. On the other hand, a violent stench is extremely offensive to our nature, and often overpowers it.

50. In this sense, one may say that G.o.d, having been annoyed by the stench of wickedness, was now refreshed, so to speak, when he saw this one priest girded himself to perform holy rites in order to give proof of his grat.i.tude, and to manifest by some public act he did not belong to the unG.o.dly, but that he had a G.o.d whom he feared. This is the real meaning of a sacrifice. As it had pleased G.o.d to destroy mankind, he is now delighted to increase it. Moses uses this expression for our sake, that we, through the experience of G.o.d's grace, may learn that G.o.d delights to do us good.

C. G.o.d'S RESOLVE NOT TO CURSE THE EARTH AGAIN.

1. G.o.d solemnly and earnestly means it 51.

* How understood "it repented G.o.d that he had made man" 52-54.

* Experiences in spiritual temptations and how G.o.d helps us to bear them 54.

2. The meaning of "G.o.d will not again smite the earth" 55.

C. G.o.d'S RESOLVE NOT TO CURSE THE EARTH AGAIN.

V. 21b. _And Jehovah said in his heart._

51. Moses points out that these words were not spoken by G.o.d without heart and feeling, but from his very vitals. This is the meaning of the Hebrew text which has it that G.o.d spoke to his own heart.

V. 21c. _I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake._

52. G.o.d speaks as if he were sorry for the punishment inflicted upon the earth on account of man, just as formerly he expressed regret for his creation, reproving himself, as it were, for his fury against man.

This must not, of course, be understood as implying that G.o.d could possibly change his mind; it is written only for our consolation. He accuses and blames himself in order to rouse the little flock to the certain faith that G.o.d will be merciful hereafter.

53. And their souls stood in real need of such consolation. They had been terrified as they witnessed G.o.d's raging wrath, and their faith could not but be shaken. So now G.o.d is impelled to so order his acts and words that these people might expect only grace and mercy.

Accordingly he now speaks with them, is present at their sacrifice, shows that he is pleased with them, blames his own counsel, and promises that he will never do anything like it in the future. In brief, he is a different G.o.d from what he had been before. While G.o.d, indeed, does not change, he wants to change men, who have become altogether habituated to thoughts of wrath.

54. They who have experienced trials of the spirit, know full well how much the soul then stands in need of sure and strong consolation to induce it once more to hope for grace and to forget the wrath. One day, a whole month, perhaps is not enough for this change. Just as it takes a long time to recover from bodily disorders, so such wounds of the soul cannot be healed at once, or by one word. G.o.d sees this, and tries by various means to recall the terrified souls to a certain hope of grace; he even chides himself, speaking to his own heart, as in Jeremiah 18, 8, where he promises to repent of the evil he thought of doing, if the offenders also repent.

55. It should furthermore be noted that he says, "I will not again curse the ground." He speaks of a general destruction of the earth, not of a partial one, as when he destroys fields, cities, or kingdoms.

The latter instances are for a warning; as Mary says, "He hath put down princes from their thrones." Lk 1, 52.

III. MAN'S NATURAL DEPRAVITY AND HIS NATURAL POWERS.

1. Natural depravity crops out in infancy 56.

2. It is seen as the years advance 57-58.

3. Whether those who would drown it have reason for doing so 59-60.

4. There is none untainted by it 61-62.

5. The G.o.dless yield to it, believers resist it 62.

* Can G.o.d be charged with being changeable 63-64.

6. The knowledge of natural depravity is very necessary 65.

7. What moves sophists to ignore natural depravity 65-66.

8. How to view those who lightly regard natural depravity, and how to refute them 68-69.