Ver. 1. And the Lord spake] Befeore the slaughter of the firstborn, yea, before that plague was threatened. See Mr Torshel’s design for harmonising the Bible.
Ver. 2. This month.] Called Abib in Exodus 13:4; with us called March or April; when the day lengthening, and the sun ascending, each thing begins to revive. To show, saith one, that by the true Passover, Christ Jesus, not only is our time and all other things sanctified, but also that we should in recent remembrance of that benefit of our redemption, all our days and years be thankful to our gracious Redeemer, and that by his death, true life and reviving came unto mankind. It shall be the first month,] viz., In respect of sacred, not civil affairs, as Junius here proveth out of Josephus. The jubilees began in September. (Leviticus 25:8 Exodus 23:16) The creation of the world began then, as some will have it: but Luther and others think it was in the spring rather. Antiq., lib. i. cap. 4.
Ver. 3. In the tenth day.] The paschal lamb was taken up the tenth day, but not sacrificed till the fourteenth, that they might “so kill the passover” as first to “sanctify themselves and prepare their brethren.” (2 Chronicles 35:6) For which cause also it was a received tradition among the Jews, that during those four days the lamb was tied to their bedposts. Hospin., De Orig. Fest., cap. 5.
Ver. 4. Shall make your count,] sc., Of communicants; that the whole may be eaten up, and every one have enough. Spiritual blessing may be divided in solidum: one may have as much as another, and all alike. The Gentiles also are called to fruition and feeding on the Lamb.
Ver. 5. Without blemish.] Christ, that immaculate Lamb of God, was hereby typified, (1 Peter 1:19) [See Trapp on “1Pe 1:19”] From the sheep, or from the goats.] A lamb; to show Christ’s innocency, meekness, patience, profitableness. Or a kid; to show that he was a sinner; (1.) By imputation, for “the Lord made our sins to meet upon him”; (Isaiah 53:6) (2.) By reputation, for “he made his grave with the wicked.” (Isaiah 53:9)
Ver. 6. Until the fourteenth day.] [See Trapp on “Ex 12:3”] In the evening.] Christ came in the evening of the world; (Hebrews 1:2) in “the last hour” (εσχατη ωρα, 1 John 2:11); when all lay buried in darkness; in the eventide of our sin and death.
Ver. 7. And strike it on the two sideposts.] Not on the threshold. We may not “tread under foot the Son of God, or count the blood of the covenant an unholy thing,” (Hebrews 10:29) but get “our hearts sprinkled” tberewith by the hyssop branch of faith “from an evil conscience, that we may serve the living God.” (Hebrews 9:14)
Ver. 8. In that night.] By candle light. So must we feed upon Christ, lumine supernaturali. “By his knowledge doth God’s righteous servant justify many.” (Isaiah 53:11) Roast withfire.] Not raw: we may not grossly conceive of Christ, nor rashly receive him. Not boiled, but roast: to show that Christ was roasted in the fire of his Father’s wrath: et sicut tostis cibariis non adhibentur alia, ut in elixis fieri consuevlt: ira solum Christum debemus apprehendere fide, saith an interpreter. And unleavened bread,] [See Trapp on “1Co 5:7”] [See Trapp on “1Co 5:8”] And with bitter herbs.] To teach that, “looking upon Christ whom they have pierced,” men must be “in bitterness,” (Zechariah 12:10) and feel what “an evil and bitter thing sin is,” (Jeremiah 2:19) being ready to suffer hardship with Christ, though he should feed us to the full with bitter herbs, and “make us drunken with wormwood.” (Lamentations 3:15) Alsted. l Ver. 9. His head with his legs.] To let us see our need of whole Christ, and our most perfect communion with him.
Ver. 10. And ye shall let nothing of it remain.] We may not presume to sin in hope of pardon. Christ will not stand us for a sinning stock.
Ver. 11. With your loins girded.] As pressed and intent to the service. So we should be at all times, but especially when to depart out of the Egypt of this life, and to take heaven by force. Then, if ever, we should hoc agere, ” gird up the loins of our minds,” &c. (1 Peter 1:13) And ye shall eat it in haste.] As not doubting of deliverance, and waiting a call out of life. It is the Lord’s Passover.] A sacramental expression, like that of our Saviour, “This is my body”. (Matthew 26:26) [See Trapp on “Mt 26:26”] The sacraments of the Old Testament were both sacraments and types: but those of the New, are sacraments only.
Ver. 12. And I will smite all the firstborn.] This crosseth not that in Ezekiel 18:20, “The son shall not bear the iniquity of his father”; for God never punisheth the innocent, because all are guilty before him. These Egyptians had slain Israel, God’s firstborn. And it is the observation of Theodoret, that when God smote Pharaoh’s firstborn, he drew blood of the arm for the cure of the head: which, because it mended not thereupon, came also to confusion. And against all the gods of Egypt.] As he did here upon the Popish idols in the beginning of the Reformation, by detecting their vanity, and laying their honour in the dust.
Ver. 13. I will pass over you.] Or, overlook you. So he dealeth oft by his, who should therefore keep a passover for our safety.
Ver. 14. By an ordinance for ever.] Till “Christ our passover” should be “sacrificed for us”; (1 Corinthians 5:7) and then the Christian passover was to succeed.
Ver. 15. Ye shall put away leaven.] All unsoundness in point of faith, and insincerity in point of practice. [See Trapp on “1Co 5:7”] The Jews, at this day, on the night before their passover, search and sweep every mouse hole for crumbs of leaven with wax candles. If they find none, they purposely fling down some, that they might not seem to have prayed and laboured in vain.
Ver. 16. A holy convocation.] This same word, in the Hebrew, signifieth the Holy Scripture; to teach us, saith one, that the Scriptures ought to be read in the congregation and holy assemblies. (Nehemiah 8:9)
Ver. 17. In this selfsame day.] Heb., In the body, or strength, of this day: so the midday is called. Art thou delivered, helped? write up the time and place.
Ver. 18. Until the one and twentieth day.] As Augustine said of the feast of pentecost, might these of the passover, may we of the Gun Powder Plot; Gaudet produci haec solemnitas. It were well if this holiday were a double day.
Ver. 19. No leaven found.] [See Trapp on “Ex 12:15”] Shall be cut off.] For a small fault, as it may seem to some: but the less the matter the greater is the contempt in denying to do it. Keep therefore God’s commandment as the sight of thine eye. Look to those minutula legis, that ye may live.
Ver. 20. Ye shall eat nothing leavened.] Watch carefully against corruption in life and doctrine: be punctual in your preparation to and participation of the Christian passover.
Ver. 21. All the elders of Israel.] The masters of families, who in this family service were to kill and eat, and set before the rest of the household, as priests at home; and to show them the meaning of that mystery.
Ver. 22. A bunch of hyssop.] A herb of a purging property. See 1 Corinthians 6:11. The blood that is in the bason.] The remembrance of Christ’s bloody passion must be kept fresh in our hearts. Strike the lintel.] Profess Christ crucified; honour him by a holy conversation; mind trim in your outgoings and incomings. None of you shall go out.] Be not “of those that withdraw to perdition, but of them that believe to the salvation of the soul.” (Hebrews 10:39) Mingle no more with the Egyptians. Tam recens mihi nunc Christus, ac si hac hora fudisset sanguinem. -Luth.
Ver. 23. Will not suffer the destroyer.] Angels delight to be executioners of God’s judgments, and saviours of his people.
Ver. 24. For ever.] [See Trapp on “Ex 12:15”]
Ver. 25. Ye shall keep this service.] Yet with some variation of circumstance.
Ver. 26. When your children.] Children are to be carefully catechised and informed. (Ephesians 6:4) [See Trapp on “Eph 6:4”] Luther scorned not to profess himself discipulura catechism, a catechism scholar.
Ver. 27. Bowed the head.] In token of submission to the command, and thankfulness for such a salvation.
Ver. 28. Went away, and did, &c.] They that will not timeously obey God’s sweet precepts, shall one day have no other command to obey but that bitter, Ite maledicti, ” Go, ye cursed,” &c.
Ver. 29. From the firstborn of Pharaoh.] See Exodus 12:12.
Ver. 30. For there was not a house.] Neither is there a house amongst us, hardly, where not one but many are “dead in trespasses and sins.” Our land even stinks again with such, as Egypt did with the frogs.
Ver. 31. And he called for Moses.] That is, He sent them to be packing. See Exodus 10:29.
Ver. 32. Bless me also.] So Maximinus, the persecutor, being sorely diseased, sent to beg the prayers of the Church. “In their month you shall find” these wild asses. (Jeremiah 2:24)
Ver. 33. We be all dead men.] Quis autem vult mori? prorsus nemo. Everything makes much of life, from the highest angel to the lowest worm. Ζωον φιλοζωον ο ανθρωπος.— Aristot.
Ver. 34. Took their dough, &c., upon their shoulders.] Not upon their camels, which, saith Aben Erza, were laden with the precious things borrowed of the Egyptians. Rab. Solomon saith, it was to show their cheerfulness in obeying the command of God. See a better reason afterwards, in Exodus 12:39.
Ver. 35. And they borrowed.] For their use at that solemn feast they were to keep in the wilderness. The Egyptians denied them nothing; as willing to be rid of them upon any terms. Pons aureus fugienti hosti extruendus
Ver. 36. Spoiled the Egyptians.] [See Trapp on “Ex 8:2”]
Ver. 37. About six hundred thousand.] So that promise to Abraham was fulfilled, in Genesis 15:14; and that to Jacob, in Genesis 46:3.
Ver. 38. And a mixed multitude.] Of strangers, that “took hold of the skirts of these Jews, and said, We will go with you,” (Zechariah 8:23) but afterwards turned tippet, (Numbers 11:4) lusted greatly and greedily, and made Israel to sin. Coals touched will either burn or sully us.
Ver. 39. And they baked unleavened cakes.] A memorial of which sweet mercy they kept on foot by that yearly feast of unleavened cakes. (Deuteronomy 16:3)
Ver. 40. Was four hundred and thirty years,] sc., From the time that Abraham began to sojourn in the land of Canaan, and to pass into Egypt. (Genesis 12:10) See Galatians 3:17, [See Trapp on “Gal 3:17”]
Ver. 41. Even the selfsame day.] God, saith one, had well nigh forfeited his bond; but ere the sun went down he payed the debt. His premises are good surehold. At midnight the firstborn were slain, because then exactly the four hundred and thirty years were expired.
Ver. 42. This is that night.] That, with an accent. God expects our returns should be answerable to our receipts. God’s blessings are binders; and of all things he can least abide to be forgotten.
Ver. 43. There shall no stranger, &c.] Strangers are excluded; to show that the faithful only have fellowship with Christ; contra quam Lutherani ineptiunt, saith one.
Ver. 44. When thou hast circumcised him.] And so adinitted him into the fellowship of the faithful. A man must live before he can be nourished; bred before be can be fed.
Ver. 45. A foreigner.] Unless a proselyte.
Ver. 46. In one house.] To teach them unity; which, indeed, is not anywhere found but in the Church. “My dove is but ore.” (Song of Solomon 6:9)
Ver. 47. Shall keep it.] Or perish for their neglect. Aut faciendum, aut patiendum; either men must do it, or die for it.
Ver. 48. No uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.] The Chaldee hath it, No profane person. So God saith, “No stranger uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary.” (Ezekiel 44:9)
Ver. 49. And unto the stranger.] The proselyte, who is Peregrinus iustitiae, non solum peregrinus portae, as the Rabbins distinguish,
Ver. 50. So did they.] Very submissive they were at first; but it lasted not long, as the story showeth and the psalmist oft complaineth.
Ver. 51. The selfsame day.] See on Exodus 12:41 God is very precise and punctual. We have a saying much like ourselves, A day breaks no square. But it is not so with God.