Commentaria in Exodum
Alphonsus, king of Aragon, said that he valued wisdom more than wealth and kingdom: for it is the daughter of God, and alone of all things immortal, and of every kind of living creature granted to man alone. Panormitanus is witness in his Life.
Thales, being asked “how one might live wisely and best?” said: “If he himself does not do what he blames in others.” So Laertius, book 1.
Charles V, fortunate and wise, relied in wars on piety and God, and added that the sinews of war are money, provisions, soldiers: but if any of these had to be lacked, he would choose a veteran soldier, by whose industry and valour he trusted he could obtain the other two from the enemy. Hence he used to say that in raising an army he took the head from the Italians, the arms and hands from the Spaniards, the breast from the Germans, the belly and feet from the rest of the crowd of nations.
Socrates said, “the mind of the wise man is a temple, and his mouth the door.” For as when the door of a temple is open the most beautiful images are seen, so from the mouth of the wise man the illustrious images of his soul are plainly seen.
Philo, book On Abraham: “As,” he says, “the pilot in a ship, the magistrate in a city, the general in an army, the soul in the body, the mind in the soul: so in truth the wise man is first in the human race,” and is as the sun in the world.
Now take the proofs and signs of wisdom. First, as the world, rounded and smooth on every side, is consistent with itself: so the wise man seeks nothing outside himself, content with himself. Again, as the halcyons, according to Pliny, book 10, chap. 31, even in the middle of winter make the sea calm, not for themselves only, but for others also: so the wise man, in the most troubled affairs, will not only keep his own tranquillity of mind, but will also compose and calm others who are agitated.
Secondly, as, according to Pliny, book 11, chap. 2, in the gnat there is no less wonderful power than in the elephant: so wisdom shows a great man in the greatest and the smallest affairs alike; for the force of genius shines even in a trifling and humble subject. For as a good artist fashions an image out of any material, so the wise man administers any fortune wisely.
Thirdly, as snails, according to Pliny, book 9, chap. 31, advance slowly, and touch nothing, nor move anywhere, unless they have first felt with their horns: so the wise man ought to be deliberate, and not at all hasty, and to proceed step by step, having first taken a kind of taste. For as the north wind, violent at first, ends gentler; the south wind, on the contrary, gentler at first, ends more violent: so those who hastily undertake something with great impetus grow cold in the progress; on the contrary, those who undertake something with counsel are more and more kindled by the progress of the work.
Fourthly, as the more directly the sun strikes us with its rays, the smaller is our shadow; the more obliquely, the more the shadow of the body grows: so the more a man has attained of true wisdom, the less magnificently he thinks of himself; the farther he is from it, the more he swells with a most foolish persuasion of wisdom.
Fifthly: “As,” says Pliny, book 37, chap. 15, “the adamant has an untamable force, whence also it took its name, so that it neither grows hot in the fire nor yields to iron, nay it so rejects the blow that the iron and the anvils fly asunder:” so the mind of the wise man is unconquered against every assault of raging fortune. As hail dashed against roofs leaps back with great crash indeed, but without harm: so the insults of fortune can do nothing against the wise man. Hence the ancients, as they painted fortune standing on a round stone, so set wisdom on a square one: signifying by this hieroglyph that fortune is changeable, but wisdom firm and unshaken. So Pierius, Hieroglyph 39.
Sixthly, as God, most wise and understanding, speaks least: so the wise man will speak only what is necessary. The Gentiles, as thou seest, reader, I cite from time to time, not so much by my own mind and wish as by that of some others, especially seculars, who lack books and time; because Plato and the Stoics, whom Aristotle, Seneca, Cicero, Philo and the other philosophers followed, drew their wisdom from Moses. Hence Plato was called an Attic Moses. To Moses, therefore, let the maxims of the Gentiles be restored, as received from him, and therefore due to him. Preachers, however, and those who treat of sacred things, should use them discreetly and soberly, with a grain of salt, lest by rashly mixing sacred things with profane they vilify and profane the same.
21. IN WHICH THOU SHALT PUT THE TESTIMONY.—That is, the law, namely the tables of the law. See what is said on verse 16.
22. THENCE WILL I GIVE ORDERS, AND WILL SPEAK TO THEE OVER THE PROPITIATORY.—Hence it is plain that Moses, the leader and lawgiver of the people, often entered the Holy of Holies, to consult God in doubtful matters, or to hear there God warning and commanding, as is here said. Wherefore what God commands, Lev. chap. 16, that the pontiff should enter the Holy of Holies only once a year, does not touch Moses, who was not a pontiff, but the legate and internuncio of God.
23. THOU SHALT MAKE ALSO A TABLE OF SETIM WOOD.—Note: This table was made to receive the twelve loaves to be set before God; hence this table was before the Holy of Holies, in the Holy Place, near the altar of incense: the Holy Place had these three things, namely the altar of incense, which on the north or left side had this table, but on the south or right side had the candlestick.
Hence the table is called in Hebrew shulchan, as it were a sending or sending-in, because in it loaves were sent in to God. By a similar play on the name, says Villalpando, the Latins perhaps called the table mensa as if missa, because dishes were sent in on the table; whence they called the first course the first table, and the second the second table, and the dishes themselves missus;
Verse 22. For I will give orders and will speak, etc. the Hebrew has: I will meet thee, to converse with thee.
though Varro thinks the table was called mensa as if mesa, because it was set between two. Secondly, it was made of setim wood overlaid with gold. Thirdly, it was two cubits long, one cubit wide, a cubit and a half high: hence it is plain that the table was not round, but rectangular. Fourthly, this table had a lip, that is, a golden border round about; on the lip itself was a polished crown of four fingers, on which another smaller crown was set for ornament, and that the crown might be higher and better keep the loaves from falling off. Fifthly, this table had four feet, and at the top of each foot a golden ring, so that through the four rings, set in the sides not of the length but of the breadth, two staves were put, by which the table was carried on the shoulders of four priests. So from Josephus, Ribera.
Allegorically, the Holy Place is the Church militant on earth, tending to the Holy of Holies, that is, to heaven: in which some give themselves to alms and works of charity: these this table of loaves signifies; others give themselves to doctrine and holy life: these the candlestick signifies; others give themselves to prayer, the praise of God and contemplation: these the altar of incense signifies; the table has a crown, to signify that the merciful and almsgivers are blessed by God not only in heaven but also on earth, and crowned with glory and honour. See Ribera, book 2 On the Temple, chap. 11. As this table was in the Holy Place near the Holy of Holies, in which was the throne of God, so “alms,” says St. Chrysostom, hom. 9 on Matt., “stands as the friend of God, and is always near to Him: for whomsoever she wills, she easily obtains the gift, she herself looses the bonds of sins, puts darkness to flight, puts out the fire: to her, with great confidence, the gates of heaven are opened, and as when a queen enters none of the doorkeepers, none of the guards who stand by dares to say: Who art thou, or whence? but all receive her straightway. She is a virgin having golden wings, adorned with every comeliness, yet girt up, with a bright and gentle countenance, winged and light, and always stands before the royal throne.” Rightly the Poet:
O what folly it is! God buys servants with His blood: and we grudge to buy God with a little coin.
Amadeus, Duke of Savoy, being asked by certain ambassadors whether he had hunting dogs, assented, that they should return the next day. When they were present, Amadeus showed them from a gallery a great multitude of beggars sitting at table together. And: “These,” he said, “are my dogs, whom I feed daily, and with whom I hope to hunt heavenly glory.” Of alms I shall say more on Deut. chap. 26, at the end.
Again this table signifies the table of the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist. So Rupert, book 4, chap. 14, and Cyril, Catech. 4, Mystagog. Of this table the Psalmist sings, Psalm 115:12: “What shall I render to the Lord for all the things that he hath rendered to me? I will take the chalice of salvation; and I will call upon the name of the Lord.” And Psalm 22:5: “Thou hast prepared a table before me against them that afflict me. Thou hast anointed my head with oil; and my chalice which inebriateth me, how goodly is it!” And Zach. chap. 9, verse 17: “For what is the good thing of him, and what is his beautiful thing, but the corn of the elect, and wine springing forth virgins?”