2. The second is the matter or quality of their sin, which is re- ferred unto two heads:—(1.) Their provocation, “In the provocation, in the day of temptation.” (2.) Their tempting of him, “ They tempted me, and proved me,”
“(1L.) Their sin consisted in their provoking. It seems not to be any one particular sin, but the whole carriage of the people in the actions reflected on, that is intended; and that not at any one time, but in their whole course. The word in the original, as was de- clared, signifies “to chide,” “to strive,” “to contend,” and that in words: Isa. xly, 9, D¥Ns F7 i9,—“ Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker!” And how doth or may he do it? “ Shall the clay say to him that made it?” etc. It is hy “ saying,” by speaking against him, that he may so strive with him. But the apostle hath expressed it by a word denoting the effect of that chiding, that is exacerbation or provocation. The expression of the actions here intended, in the places before mentioned, Exod. xvii. Num. xx. 13, the chiding of the people, as we observed before, is directly said to be with Moses, as their tempting afterwards is of the Lord. Thus Moses says unto them, “Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lorp?” Exod. xvii. 2. But it is also said expressly, “They strove” (the same word) “with the Lorp,” Num. xx.13. The meaning is, that “striving” or “chiding” (72%, from =) being properly an altercation with or
54 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. III.
in words, Moses, and not God, was the immediate object of their chiding; but because it was about and concerning the works of God, which Moses had no relation unto but as he was his minister, ser- vant, and employed by him, the principal object of their chiding, as formally a sin, was also God himself. In striving with Moses they strove with him, and in chiding with Moses they chode with him. This expression, then, in general compriseth all the sinful actions of that people against God under the ministry of Moses.
There are two things to be considered in this matter of provo- cation ;—[1.] The sin that is included in it; [2.] The event or conse- quent of it,—God was provoked. The former seems firstly intended in the Hebrew word, the latter in the Greek.
[1.] For the sin intended, it is evident from the story that it was unbelief acting itself by murmuring and complaints; the same for the substance of it by which also they tempted God. This the apostle declares to have been the great provoking sin, verse 19: “So we see that they could not enter in, by reason of unbelief.” That was the sin which so provoked God as that “ he sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest.” Yet it is not their unbelief ab- solutely considered that is intended, but as it brought forth the effects of chiding with Moses and murmuring against God, which on all occasions they fell into. Though unbelief itself, especially in such a season, be a provoking sin, yet this murmuring and chiding so added unto its provocation that it is directly laid on their ac- counts. But they also, as the apostle says, are to be resolved into their spring or cause,—that is, unbelief. They are but an especial sign, circumstance, or effect of their unbelief.
[2.] The effect of this sin was the provocation or exacerbation of God. The Hebrew word which the apostle here expresseth by rapa- ainpoowos, is DY2; which sometimes is taken actively, for “provoking,” “ inciting,” “ stimulating,’ “imbittering ;” sometimes passively, for “indignation,” “perturbation,” “sorrow,” “ grief,” “trouble.” In the whole it includes the imbittering of the mind of its object, with an excitation unto anger, displeasure, and wrath. Now, these things are ascribed unto God only by an anthropopathy. Such effects being usually wrought in the minds of the best men when they are unjustly and ungratefully dealt withal, God, to show men the nature of their sins, ascribes them unto himself. His mind is not imbit- tered, moved, or changed; but men have deserved to be dealt withal as if it were so. See Jer. viii 19; 2 Kings xxi. 15; Isa. Ixv. 3; Jer. xxv. 7, xxxii. 29; 2 Chron. xxviii. 25.
Now, this provocation of God by their unbelief, acting itself in murmuring, chiding, and complaining, is further expressed from the season of it,—it was in the “day of temptation,” the day of Massah. The denomination is taken from the name of the place where they
VER, 7-11.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 55
first murmured for water, and tempted God by the discovery of their unbelief. As it was called Meribah from the contention, chiding, and provoking, so it was called Massah from the tempting of God there,—the “ day of temptation.” In this expression, not the addi- tion of a new sin to that of provocation is intended, but only a de- scription of the sin and season of that sin. It was in the “day of temptation” that God was so provoked by them. How also they tempted him we shall see afterwards. Now, as this day signally began upon the temptation at Meribah, so it continued through the whole course of the people’s peregrination in the wilderness,—their multi- plied tempting of God made this whole time a “ day of temptation.”