And did all eat the same spiritual food,

“The divine apostle also, in calling the Lord "spiritual food and drink," suggests that he knows that human nature is not simple, but that there is an intelligible part mixed with a sensual part and that a particular type of nurture is needed for each of the elements in us—sensible food to strengthen our bodies and spiritual food for the well-being of our souls.”

“All those who ate that bread [manna] died in the desert, but this food which you receive, this "living bread which came down from heaven," furnishes the energy for eternal life. Whoever eats this bread "will not die forever," for it is the body of Christ. … That manna was subject to corruption if kept for a second day. This is foreign to every corruption. Whoever tastes it in a holy manner shall not be able to feel corruption. For them water flowed from the rock. For you blood flows from Christ. Water satisfied them for the hour. Blood satisfies you for eternity.”

“"That our fathers," saith he, "were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of a spiritual Rock that followed them: and the Rock was Christ. Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased." And wherefore saith he these things? To point out that as they were nothing profited by the enjoyment of so great a gift, so neither these by obtaining Baptism and partaking of spiritual Mysteries, except they go on and show forth a life worthy of this grace. Wherefore also he introduces the types both of Baptism and of the Mysteries. But what is, "They were baptized into Moses?" Like as we, on our belief in Christ and His resurrection, are baptized, as being destined in our own persons to partake in the same mysteries; for, "we are baptized," saith he, "for the dead," i.e., for our own bodies; even so they putting confidence in Moses, i.e., having seen him cross first, ventured also themselves into the waters. But because he wishes to bring the Type near the Truth; he speaks it not thus, but uses the terms of the Truth even concerning the Type. Further: this was a symbol of the Font, and that which follows, of the Holy Table. For as thou eatest the Lord's Body, so they the manna: and as thou drinkest the Blood, so they water from a rock. For though they were things of sense which were produced, yet were they spiritually exhibited, not according to the order of nature, but according to the gracious intention of the gift, and together with the body nourished also the soul, leading it unto faith. On this account, you see, touching the food he made no remark, for it was entirely different, not in mode only but in nature also; (for it was manna;) but respecting the drink, since the manner only of the supply was extraordinary and required proof, therefore having said that "they drank the same spiritual drink," he added, "for they drank of a spiritual Rock that followed them," and he subjoined, "and the Rock was Christ." For it was not the nature of the rock which sent forth the water, (such is his meaning,) else would it as well have gushed out before this time: but another sort of Rock, a spiritual One, performed the whole, even Christ who was every where with them and wrought all the wonders. For on this account he said, "that followed them." Perceivest thou the wisdom of Paul, how in both cases he points out Him as the Giver, and thereby brings the Type nigh to the Truth? "For He who set those things before them," saith he, "the same also hath prepared this our Table: and the same Person both brought them through the sea and thee through Baptism; and before them set manna, but before thee His Body and Blood." As touching His gift then, such is the case: now let us observe also what follows, and consider, whether when they showed themselves unworthy of the gift, He spared them. Nay, this thou canst not say. Wherefore also he added, "Howbeit with most of them God was not well-pleased;" although He had honored them with so great honor. Yea, it profited them nothing, but most of them perished. The truth is, they all perished, but that he might not seem to prophesy total destruction to these also, therefore he said, "most of them." And yet they were innumerable, but their number profited them nothing: and these were all so many tokens of love; but not even did this profit them, inasmuch as they did not themselves show forth the fruits of love. Thus, since most men disbelieve the things said of hell, as not being present nor in sight; he alleges the things heretofore done as a proof that God doth punish all who sin, even though He have bestowed innumerable benefits upon them: "for if ye disbelieve the things to come," so he speaks, "yet surely the things that are past ye will not disbelieve." Consider, for example, how great benefits He bestowed on them: from Egypt and the slavery there He set them free, the sea He made their path, from heaven he brought down manna, from beneath He sent forth strange and marvellous fountains of waters; He was with them every where, doing wonders and fencing them in on every side: nevertheless since they showed forth nothing worthy of this gift, He spared them not, but destroyed them all.”

“Above he warned them to abstain from things sacrificed to idols: first, on account of avoiding the scandal of weak brothers, chapter VIII; second, on account of his own example, in that he abstains, for the sake of others, from receiving support, chapter IX. Here, third, he warns to the same end from consideration of the punishment of the Jews who worshiped idols in the desert, where, by the example of their punishment, first he warns to abstain from the perpetration of similar sins; second, specially from the eating of things sacrificed to idols, where: "wherefore, my dearest, flee from the worship of idols," etc. In the first part, first he shows what happened to the Jews of old; second, why — because it did not happen for their own sake only, but for our correction — "now these things were done in a figure of us," etc.; third, that they might beware by their example, he concludes, where: "wherefore let him who thinks himself to stand," etc. Therefore the punishment is to be feared, the cause is to be remembered, and caution is to be applied. In the first part, first he sets forth the benefits of grace bestowed on them while they were in Egypt; second, those granted in the desert, where: "and all ate the same food," etc.; third, the scourges inflicted on account of ingratitude, where: "but with most of them," etc. In the first he touches on three benefits: the first, in the protection of the cloud; the second, in the crossing of the Red Sea, where: "and all passed through the sea," etc.; the third, in the cleansing of Baptism, where: "and all in Moses," etc. He says therefore, "I would not have you," etc., as if to say: one must act thus, just as I have warned. For the sacraments of the Church received do not suffice for you if you afterward sin, just as the benefits of God did not suffice for the Jews either, but they were afterward punished. "For I would not have you ignorant," etc. This is read in two ways: in one way, of the good and the evil in common; in another way, of the evil specially. In the first way, thus: "I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers" — the founders of our faith — "all," both good and evil, "were under the protecting cloud." Exodus 13:21: "the Lord went before them to show the way by day in a pillar of cloud," etc. Or "under the cloud," that is, under figure and shadow. Hebrews 10:1: "the law, having a shadow of things to come," etc. "And all passed through the Red Sea," their enemies being submerged, not from one bank to the opposite bank, but to the same bank, whence they crossed a certain gulf of the sea. "And all in Moses," that is, under the leadership of Moses, "were baptized in the cloud and in the sea," that is, by those signs that were seen, cleansed from ignorance; or from vices through faith, namely with the Egyptians submerged. Exodus 14:31: "the people feared the Lord, and they believed the Lord and his servant Moses." Or "they were baptized," that is, they received the sign of Baptism. For Baptism consists of water and spirit. John 3:5: "unless one be reborn of water and spirit." Now the cloud was a symbol of the spirit, and the sea of the water, as Damascene says. Then, when he says "and all ate the same spiritual food," etc., after the benefits shown to Israel as it went out of Egypt, here he touches on the benefits shown in the desert. And first, the benefit of the manna; second, the benefit of the water, where: "and all drank the same drink," etc.; third, the wondrous origin of the drink, where: "for they drank," etc.; fourth, the meaning of that origin, where: "now the rock," etc. He says therefore, "and all ate the same spiritual food," namely the manna from heaven. Now he calls it spiritual, though it was bodily, because it was given miraculously; of this it is said in Wisdom 16:20: "you gave them bread from heaven." "And all drank the same spiritual drink," namely water from the rock. Numbers 20:8: "speak to the rock, and it will give you water." He struck the rock, and waters flowed. "For they drank of the spiritual rock," which is called spiritual on account of the miraculous effect, on account of the sign of what was to come. "The rock following them." "Following" is understood in two ways: that is, satisfying their will. Psalm 77:29: "he brought them their desire." For the waters followed them everywhere. Isaiah 48:21: "he brought forth water for them from the rock," etc. Or "following them," that is, signifying the truth that was to follow. "Now the rock was Christ" — not through substance, but through signification. Matthew 21:42: "this is the stone which they rejected," etc. In another way it is read briefly of the good, thus: "I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers" — the founders of our faith — "all," the good ones, spiritually. Hence he says: "our fathers" — not theirs — "were under the cloud," as before, "and all ate the same spiritual food," that is, the body of Christ understood spiritually in a sign. Hence they ate the same spiritual food, the same, that is, as we, but a different bodily food than we; and this as regards the elders believing in Christ. They ate Christ spiritually, according to that saying: "believe, and you have eaten." "And all drank the same drink," namely the blood of Christ, in a sign. Thus he speaks of the sign and the spiritual drink through faith, not of the bodily one. "For they drank of the spiritual," etc., as before. The food and drink are to be desired, because sufficient; hence he says "all ate" — unfailing, because it is the same; useful, because the drink and food are spiritual: which is noted in the very name "spiritual," etc. Then, when he says "but with most of them," etc., after the benefits he touches on the scourges. And first the offense, second the punishment, where: "for they were laid low." He says therefore, "but with most of them," etc., as if to say: the Jews made use of all these benefits, but "God was not well pleased with most of them" — namely, with those who offended God — but only with two, namely Caleb and Joshua, to whom alone it was granted to obtain the land of promise, Numbers 14:24. Malachi 1:10: "I have no will in you."”

“And did all eat the same spiritual meat Not, as Calvin supposes, the same as we, as though Christians and Hebrews alike feed, not on the Real Body of Christ, but on the typical You will say, perhaps, that S. Augustine {tract. 25 in Johan.) and S. Thomas explain it to be the same as we eat. I reply: They understand " the same ” by analogy, for the Hebrews received typically what we receive really. But this is beside the meaning of the Apostle, who understands the same to refer, not to us but to themselves. All the Hebrews, whether good or bad, ate the same vol. 1. p Digitized by v^,ooQle 226 FIRST EPISTLE TO THE food, that is the same manna. This is evident from the context, “But with many of them God was not well pleased f that is to say, that though all ate the same manna, drank of the same water from the rock, yet all did not please God. As, then, they had one baptism and one spiritual food, so too have we ; and as, notwithstanding, they were not all saved, but many of them perished, so is it to be feared that many of us may perish, although we have the same sacraments common to us all. So Chrysostom, Theophylact, Anselm, and others. And notice with them that manna is here called “spiritual food,” or mystical, or typical, because the manna was a type of the Eucharist. So the water from the rock is called “ spiritual drink," because it was a type of the blood of Christ Others take “spiritual" to mean miraculous, t'.e., not produced by the powers of nature but of spirits, viz., God and the angels; for of this kind was manna, of which the Psalmist says, “ So man did eat angels’ food” (Ps. lxxviii. 25). 1. Manna allegorically stood for Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, as is evident from S. John vL 49, 50. Especially did it represent the contained part, and the effect of the sacrament, as Chrysostom, Theophylact, and Cyril point out at length, in commenting on the passage of S. John just quoted. Hence the Apostle says here: “They did all eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink.” Even Calvin takes this of the Holy Communion, and says that the manna was a type of the body of Christ. From this you may rightly infer that in the Blessed Sacrament the flesh of Christ is truly present, since manna was a symbol of a thing really existing, and not merely imagined; for some of us as well as of the Jews will eat the spiritual meat, />., the typical and symbolical flesh, and will not have more of the truth signified than the Jews, nay, much less; for manna was sweeter than our bread, and far more clearly than dry bread represented the body of Christ A certain minister of this new flock has lately yielded this point as a clear consequence. But who does not see that it is at variance with Holy Scripture and with reason ? For the New Law is more excellent than the Old, and therefore the sacraments of the New surpass Digitized by v^,ooQle MANNA AS A TYPE 22 / those of the Old. Therefore the Apostle says : “ These things were our examples.” But the thing figured is better than the figure, as a body is than its shadow, and a man than his likeness. Therefore the sacraments of the New Law, and especially the Eucharist, as a thing figured, must be more noble than the sacraments of the Old Law, and than the manna itself, which was but a type and figure of our Eucharist Again, in S. John vi., Christ at some length puts His body in the Eucharist before the manna (vers. 48 and 59). The bread that He there speaks of is that which is Divine, consecrated and transubstantiated into the body of Christ. Who does not see that the manna was a better representation of the body of Christ than bread ? It can be shown in many ways. 2. S. Paul has most fittingly compared manna to the body of Christ in the Eucharist, and has most beautifully shadowed it out : (a) The element in the Eucharist and the manna have the same colour ; (£) the taste of both is sweet ; (c) it is not found except by those who have left the fleshpots of Egypt and the lusts of the flesh ; (tf) to the covetous and to infidels both turn to worms and bring condemnation ; ( e ) the manna was not given till after the passing of the Red Sea — the Eucharist is not given till after baptism ; (J) after the manna came, the Hebrews fought with Araalek, but before that God alone had fought for them against the Egyptians. They fought and conquered ; so the obstacles and temptations which beset the heavenly life are allowed by God to trouble those only who are fortified against them, and they are overcome by the power of the Eucharist (g) The manna was bread made by angels, without seed, or ploughing, or any human toil ; so the body of Christ was formed of the Virgin alone by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. (^) Manna gave every kind of sweet taste to those who were good and devout Hence Wisdom (xvi. 20) says of manna: “Thou feddest Thine own people with angels* food, and didst give them bread from heaven prepared without labour, containing in itself ail sweetness and every pleasant taste.” So Christ is milk to babes, oil to children, solid food to the perfect, as Gregory Nyssen says, (j) The manna was small : Christ is contained by a small Host ; (£) the Digitized by v^,ooQle 228 FIRST EPISTLE TO THE manna was beaten in a mortar : Christ was stripped of His mortality in the mortar of the Cross. (/) The faithful wonderingly exclaim, “Man-hu — What is this — that God should be with us!” (m) All collected an equal measure of manna, viz., one omer ; so all alike receive whole Christ, though the species or the Host be greater or smaller, as Rupert says. ( n ) The manna was collected in the wilderness on the six week-days only; so in our eternal Sabbath and Promised Land the veil of the sacrament will be done away, and in perfect rest we shall enjoy the sight of Christ face to face. ( o ) The manna melted under the sun, so is the sacrament dissolved when the species are melted by heat. More will be found in the commentary on Exod. xxi”

“And did all eat the same spiritual meat. Meaning the manna; and which the Jews also call (h) , "spiritual food", as also their sacrifices, (i) , "spiritual bread": not that the manna was so in own nature; it was corporeal food, and served for the nourishment of the body; but either because it was prepared by angels, who are ministering spirits, at the command of God, and hence called angels' food, Psa 78:25 or rather because it had a mystical and spiritual meaning in it; it was not the true bread, but was typical of Christ, who is so: it resembled Christ in its original; it was prepared of God, as Christ is, as his salvation prepared before the face of all his people; it was the free gift of God, as Christ is to the mystical Israel; it came down from heaven, as Christ, the true bread of life did: it answered to him in its nature; it was in form round, expressive of his being from everlasting to everlasting, and of the perfection both of his divine and human natures; it was in colour white, signifying his purity of nature, and holiness of life and conversation; it was in quantity small, setting forth his outward meanness and despicableness in the eyes of men; and in quality it was sweet in taste, as Christ, and all the blessings and fruits of his grace are to believers. The usefulness of the manna was very great, a vast number, even all the Israelites, were supplied with it, and supported by it for forty years together, as all the elect of God, and the whole family of Christ are by the fulness of grace which is in him; and as in order that it might be proper and suitable food, it was ground in mills, or beaten in a mortar, and baked in pans; so Christ was bruised, and wounded, and endured great sufferings, and death itself, that he might be agreeable food for our faith: and as the Israelites had all an equal quantity of this food, none had more or less than others, so all the saints have an equal share and interest in Christ, in his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice; as they have the same like precious faith, they have the same object of it. To say no more, as the manna was the food of the wilderness, or of the people of Israel, whilst travelling in it, so Christ, and the fulness of grace that is in him, are the food and supply of the spiritual Israel, and church of God, whilst they are passing through this world to the heavenly glory. Now, though all the Israelites did not eat of Christ, the true bread, which was typified by the manna; yet they all ate the same food, which had a spiritual meaning in it, and a respect to Christ, but did not all enter into the land flowing with milk and honey. (h) Yade Mose in Shemot Rabba, fol. 109. 3. (i) Tzeror Hammor, fol. 93. 2.”

“Spiritual meat - The manna which is here called spiritual. 1. Because it was provided supernaturally; and, 2. Because it was a type of Christ Jesus, who speaking of it, Joh 6:31, etc., tells us that it was a type of that true bread which came down from heaven, which gives life to the world, Joh 6:33, and that himself was the bread of life, Joh 6:48.”

“All eat the same spiritual food, to wit, the manna, which seemed to come from heaven, and was a figure of the eucharist, the spiritual food of our souls. — All drank the same spiritual drink, and…. rock that followed them, by which is understood the stream of water, that came miraculously out of the rock struck by Moses, and which is said to have followed them, because it ran plentifully through their camp. — And the rock was Christ, a figure of Christ; for all these things (ver. 11.) happened to them in figure. (Witham)”

“same spiritual meat--As the Israelites had the water from the rock, which answered to baptism, so they had the manna which corresponded to the other of the two Christian sacraments, the Lord's Supper. Paul plainly implies the importance which was attached to these two sacraments by all Christians in those days: "an inspired protest against those who lower their dignity, or deny their necessity" [ALFORD]. Still he guards against the other extreme of thinking the mere external possession of such privileges will ensure salvation. Moreover, had there been seven sacraments, as Rome teaches, Paul would have alluded to them, whereas he refers to only the two. He does not mean by "the same" that the Israelites and we Christians have the "same" sacrament; but that believing and unbelieving Israelites alike had "the same" spiritual privilege of the manna (compare Co1 10:17). It was "spiritual meat" or food; because given by the power of God's spirit, not by human labor [GROTIUS and ALFORD] Gal 4:29, "born after the Spirit," that is, supernaturally. Psa 78:24, "corn of heaven" (Psa 105:40). Rather, "spiritual" in its typical signification, Christ, the true Bread of heaven, being signified (Joh 6:32). Not that the Israelites clearly understood the signification; but believers among them would feel that in the type something more was meant; and their implicit and reverent, though indistinct, faith was counted to them for justification, of which the manna was a kind of sacramental seal. "They are not to be heard which feign that the old fathers did look only for transitory promises" [Article VII, Church of England], as appears from this passage (compare Heb 4:2).”