Table of Contents:
The Authorized (King James) Version:
“And God spake all these words, saying, …”
(A French Reformed Lausannian Genevan Protestant Reformer)
An Exposition of the Ten Commandments of the Law, as they are written in the Second Book of Moses, called Exodus, the Twentieth Chapter:
“God spake all these words, saying, …”
Or, God began thus, or, spake these words after this manner, &c. Forasmuch as, in two places and after two divers manners, Moses showeth in the fourth and fifth chapters of Deuteronomy the necessity of obedience to such or the like words, when, rehearsing to the Israelites how God had given them His Law in Horeb, he saith, “The LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire,” &c. The Hebrew word signifieth both Words and Things, and may, in this place, be understood of Commandments; for Moses calleth the Ten Commandments of the two tables, “the Ten Words.” The Hebrew verb is of the same root, wherefore it may also signify “to command.”
Now, as to this verse, it is of the words of Moses, and appertaineth not to the two tables; but, Moses thus speaking, showed unto the Israelites (which we ought also to take to ourselves) with what reverence they ought to hold these Ten Commandments. For he assured them that they contained not a human doctrine, but a Divine. Now, the Holy Ghost witnesseth to us, that God gave the Law by the ministry of His angels. Wherefore, we must understand that the angels uttered it in the name and person of God, being herein His ambassadors and lieutenants: which was the cause why Moses saith, that God did say and pronounce.
Yet, that which is here said, that God spake these words, may well be understood of the Son of God. For many among the learned judge that St Paul showeth that He, accompanied with the angels, was the chief in this embassy, when he saith that the Law was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. For by “mediator” they understand the Son of God, who is the eternal Word of the Father. And indeed, God from the beginning hath ever manifested Himself to men by this Word.
Therefore, that which the angels uttered these words, is to be taken as by the commandment of the Son of God (that which Saint Paul seemeth to intend by “the hand of the mediator”), who is the eternal God, equal with His Father. Thus the Son of God is by Moses called God, forasmuch as He truly is God.
After this manner may that Chaldaean translation of Jerusalem be understood, which oft repeateth, “And the Word of the Lord spake all the glory of these words, saying.” Albeit, I desire not to dwell thereupon, inasmuch as the Chaldee translators were Jews; so much that it seemeth they had no regard to Christ, but that the author of that translation would signify that God did form words by His Divine power, to manifest His will.
But it seemeth more meet to understand that the Apostle speaketh of Moses, by whose hand (that is, by whom, or by whose ministry) God by His angels delivered His Law unto the Israelites.