Scripture Reading: Exodus chapter 6, 7
Brief outline of Exodus 6, 7:
In Exodus 6, God reassures Moses of His covenant with the patriarchs
and His commitment to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. God reveals
His name, Yahweh, and reiterates His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Despite Moses’ doubts, God promises deliverance and the future possession of
Canaan. A genealogical record of Moses and Aaron is also listed.
In Exodus 7, God instructs Moses and Aaron to confront Pharaoh and
demand the release of the Israelites. Moses and Aaron perform the first miracle
by turning Aaron's staff into a serpent, which swallows the serpents conjured
by Pharaoh's magicians. Despite this, Pharaoh's heart remains hardened. God
then commands Moses and Aaron to turn the Nile's water into blood, causing the
fish to die and the water to become undrinkable. Pharaoh's magicians replicate
this miracle, and Pharaoh's heart remains unyielding. Seven days pass after
this first plague. [The commentary from St. Gregory chiefly focuses on the
events in chapter 7]
Lessons from St. Gregory of Nyssa (‘Life of Moses’):
Moses and
Aaron went to Pharaoh to ask for the deliverance of Israelites out of Egypt.
The sign performed by Moses and Aaron (Aaron throws down his staff and it
becomes a snake) is also performed by the sorcerers of Pharaoh however Aaron’s
staff devours the other snakes. St
Gregory draws a parallel here with a journey of a Christian towards a virtuous
life and whose life inspires others to follow suit. St. Gregory says whenever
someone who excels in virtue inspires others to break free from the vicious
circle of worldly focused life, the evil one introduces various schemes and
trickeries to resist us from getting out of this ‘rat race’ and pursuing the
virtuous life. St. Paul in various instances has called out the deceits of the
evil one [“Satan disguises himself as an angel of light-2 Cor. 11:14; “..take
the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows
of the evil one”- Eph 6:16].
The
"Egyptian serpents" and "rods of magic" are metaphors for
the various tricks and deceits that evil uses to lead people away from God. The
"rod of Moses," which destroys these tricks, represents the power of
virtue and faith.
St. Gregory
emphasizes that the spiritual intent behind miracles, represented by the
marvels of virtue, is not to instill fear but to fortify the faithful and combat
evil. Spiritual teachings and true doctrine harmonize with the mindset of the
recipient, reflecting their inner spirit. Those who are inclined to accept the
gospel will be enlightened by these teachings, while ignorance persists among
those who stubbornly reject the truth.
The analogy of
the Hebrews living among foreigners and remaining unaffected by the plagues is
used to symbolize leading a virtuous life amidst worldly temptations. The
magicians of Egypt also changing the river water to blood (v.22) symbolizes the
efforts of the evil one to corrupt the faith and doctrine with deception and
lies. St. Gregory assures that even though the evil one may cause distortion in
the true faith, he cannot completely corrupt or obliterate it. The ‘Hebrew’ or
the virtuous soul/true believer will hold onto the true faith even amongst
these deceptive tactics.
Questions for Personal Reflection:
1. Reflect on the miracles or blessings in my life. How have they strengthened my faith and helped me overcome difficulties? How do I maintain my faith and virtue while living in a world with conflicting beliefs and values? What can I do to deepen my understanding and commitment to the Orthodox faith?
2. Have I inspired others to pursue a virtuous life through my own actions and example? What steps can I take to strengthen my own virtues?
3.Moses remained faithful to God’s commands despite Pharaoh’s hardened heart. How do I respond to people who are resistant or hostile to my faith?
In Christ,
Rincy
Ref: Gregory of Nyssa, Saint. The Life of Moses. Translated by A.J. Malherbe and E. Ferguson, HarperCollins, 2006, pp. 48-49. HarperCollins Spiritual Classics series. (Original translation published by Paulist Press, 1978)
Disclaimer: The content presented here is a
paraphrased summary based on my reading and understanding of the book cited
above and is intended solely for educational and devotional purposes during
Lent. They are not intended to replace the original work or represent the views
of the author or publisher. Readers are encouraged to refer to the original
book for a comprehensive understanding.
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