Commentaria in Numeros
Here observe: Although the quantity of this fourth kind of first-fruits was not defined by God, it was nevertheless defined by custom or by the decree of the elders, namely that they should give between the fortieth and the sixtieth part; so that the greatest would be a fortieth part of the fruits, the least a sixtieth, as St. Jerome handed down on Ezech. xlv, and Abulensis on Numbers xvii, Question xiv, and Ribera, bk. iii On the Temple, chap. iii, and as is sufficiently gathered from the chapter Decimam, title On Tithes. Each one, therefore, gave between the fortieth and the sixtieth the part that he pleased.
So tropologically, it befits Christians to offer to God the first beginnings not only of their life and studies, but of their works and single actions. Hence also in olden times the emperors, soon after their accession, offered their service and homage to the Roman Pontiff, as the first-fruits of the empire. Among others the Emperor Justin did this, to whom Pope Hormisdas, replying, said: “You have rendered to the Blessed Apostle Peter the due first-fruits of your empire.”
13. ALL THE FIRST-FRUITS OF THE FRUITS (“first-fruits,” that is, the earliest produce) HE THAT IS CLEAN IN THY HOUSE SHALL EAT THEM—namely if any part of these first-fruits has been immolated and sacrificed to God; for otherwise, if they were offered to the priest alone, they could be eaten by anyone, even the unclean (1).
14. EVERY THING THAT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL RENDER BY VOW SHALL BE THINE—namely if they have vowed it to God, not as to immolation but only as to oblation. This is the fourth gift of the priests, namely vows, that is, things offered by vow.
15. WHATSOEVER FIRST BREAKETH THE WOMB, etc., SHALL BELONG TO THEE.—This is the fifth gift and stipend of the priests, namely the firstborn of animals.
AND EVERY UNCLEAN ANIMAL THOU SHALT CAUSE TO BE REDEEMED.—Understand “unclean” not according to species, as the horse, mule and camel, but by accident, as a bird that is lame, maimed or blind, etc., which therefore cannot be immolated to God; for the Hebrews offered to God the firstborn only of clean animals, namely sheep, oxen and goats, and of man, but not of the unclean, save of the ass alone, as I showed on Exod. xiii, 12 and 13.
16. WHOSE REDEMPTION SHALL BE AFTER ONE MONTH, FOR FIVE SICLES OF SILVER.—“Whose,” namely of man. For the firstborn of other animals could be offered after the seventh day from birth, as is plain from Exod. xxii, 30 and Levit. xxii, 27, and each of these had to be redeemed at a different price according to its value; for a firstborn ox is worth more than a firstborn sheep. Of man alone, therefore, the firstborn was to be offered to God after a month, and redeemed at the appointed price, namely five sicles of silver, that is, five Brabant florins. Hence it is plain that a firstborn infant could be offered to God and redeemed before the purification of the mother (for this took place on the fortieth day after the birth), nay, ought to be offered and redeemed if the mother died in childbirth or soon after. Commonly, however, mothers waited for their purification, that they might offer and redeem their firstborn infants together with it, as the Blessed Virgin did with the child Jesus, Luke ii, 22 (1).
17. BUT THE FIRSTBORN OF AN OX, AND OF A SHEEP, AND OF A GOAT THOU SHALT NOT CAUSE TO BE REDEEMED, BECAUSE THEY ARE SANCTIFIED—because, namely, they are consecrated to God, to be immolated to him according to the law; therefore they cannot be redeemed, as other things are redeemed that are not to be immolated to God. The firstborn of ox, sheep and goat, then, had to be immolated to God, in such wise that their blood was poured upon the altar and their fat burnt to God on the altar, while their flesh fell to the use and food of the priests.
18. AS THE CONSECRATED BREAST—as if to say: As the breast and right shoulder of the peace-offering are so thine that any clean person of thy family may eat of them, so too the flesh of the firstborn immolated to me shall be thine and belong to thee, so that it may be eaten by any clean person of thy family; this is plain from what follows.
19. IT IS A COVENANT OF SALT FOR EVER BEFORE THE LORD, TO THEE AND TO THY SONS—as if to say: These gifts and oblations I give and assign to thee, as by a promise and an everlasting covenant.
Note first: This gift of God is called a covenant because it was conditional and carried a burden for the recipient; for the priests in turn, receiving these gifts, were bound to serve God and the tabernacle.
Note secondly: It is called a covenant of salt, an everlasting covenant, because salt is a symbol of eternity.
20. AND THE LORD SAID TO AARON: YOU SHALL POSSESS NOTHING IN THEIR LAND, (of the Hebrews, your brethren) NEITHER SHALL YOU HAVE A PORTION (of inheritance) AMONG THEM, namely fields, vineyards, meadows, etc.; the Levites nevertheless possessed forty-eight cities, but only to dwell in, and their suburbs, to feed and pasture their cattle, as will appear in chap. xxxv and Josue xxi. Wyclif therefore foolishly strove to prove from this that clerics may not now have any possessions; for this law is ceremonial, and now abolished. Again, the Levites, besides cities and suburbs, had the tenth part of the fruits of the land, though they were scarcely the sixtieth part of the whole people.
I AM THY PORTION AND INHERITANCE IN THE MIDST OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL—that is, I am thy portion, O Aaron, O high priest, O priest, and the lot of thy inheritance which thou shalt have among the children of Israel; that is, as is explained in Josue xiii, 14, the sacrifices, victims and oblations which are offered to me are thy inheritance, and I would not have thee have any other, both because this suffices thee abundantly, and lest thou be entangled in the tilling of fields and vineyards, but spend thyself wholly on me and my ministries. For, as St. Ambrose says, in his book On Flight from the World, chap. ii: “He whose portion is God ought to care for nothing but God, lest he be hindered by the duty of any other necessity; for what is bestowed on other offices is taken from the worship of religion and from this our office,” as if to say: I, your God, O priests, shall be to you fields, vineyards, olive-yards, crops, grapes and olives. Without plough or share, without digging or planting, without any labour or care of yours, I shall bring forth and render to you what the richest soil, the most fertile vine, the most fruitful olive could yield only with great labour and tillage. I shall be to you both field and fruit; I shall ever, and surely, and abundantly provide and bestow on you all necessaries; be of good heart, place all your hopes in me, from me all good things flow; that nothing be lacking to you shall be my care; nay, I shall bring it about that much more shall remain over and abound to you than to your brethren, the other tribes, who shall divide the land; give yourselves therefore to me alone.