an<l Elijah, he was transferred to the Ver. B.-The people mourned for Moses im·isible' world without seeing corrupt.ion. thirty days, as they did for Aaron (Numb. Bence hie appenmnee along with Elij1>h in xx. 29). bn<lily form on the Mnunt of the Tl'R,;Bfigu- Ver. 10.-{Cf. Exod. :nxiil. 11.) Whom ration ; and hence also, perhaps, the tra- the Lord knew. "For the Lord wo.s revealed dition of tlw <'Ontest for the body of Moses to him face to face" (Onkelos). The know- hetween Michael and Satan (Jude 0). If the ledge here referred to was not merely that body of I\Ioses wns actually buried, the oon- cognizo.ncc which God as the Omniscient ceolment of his grave so that no man knew has of all men, but that special knowledge of it may be justly regnrded as " the first by which men, being known of God, are instance on record of the pro"ridrnlial made to know him (cf. I Cor. viii. 3). The obliteration, BO remarkably c:i.emplified statement in this verse could only ho.ve afterw1>rds in the gospel history, of the been inserted some time after the death ot • holy places' of Pakstiue; the pro"ridential Moses, and after the people bad had ma.ni- safe~uard against their elevation to a festa.tions of God's presence with them, both sanctity which might endan~er the real by communications from him through the holiness of the history and religion which prophets and by the successes which he had they scned to commemorate" (Stanley). given them over their enemies. But it is The rcvNcnce which the Jews paid to not necessary to suppose that a. long period graves sliows that there was no small danger during which a lengthened succession of of their coming under a superstitious regard prophets had arisen had elapsed. "Moses to that of J\foses had it been known. was the founder and mediator of the old Ver. 7.-Though Moses had reached the covenant. As long as this covenant waa to age of a hundred 11.nd twenty years, his eye last, no prophet could arise in Isro.el like harl not become dim, nor were the juices of unto Moses. There is but One who is his bod, dried. Natural foroe. The word worthy of greater honour than Moses, so rend~red ('}~) occurs only here; but it namely, the Apostle and High Priest of our is doubtlcEs the subst. connected with the profession, who is placed a.s a Son over all the house of God, in which Moses was found adj. ;+; moist, fresh (cl". Gen. xxx. 37; Numb. faithful as a. servant (comp. Heh. iii. 2-6 vi. 3), and properly means moistw·e, fresh- with Numb. xii. 7), Jesus Christ, the Founder ness. It is used here of the natural juices and Mediator of the new and everlasting of the body. oovenant " (Keil),
BOMILE'l'ICS. Vers. 1-9.-Tl,e last journey. (For other aspects of the death of Moses, see Homily on eh. xxxiL 48-52.) We have come at last to the closing scene. It is evidently recorded by other hands; for "Dan" (ver. 2) did not exist by that name till a much later period (see Judg. xviii. 1,- 27-29). Vers. 10-12 indicate, more- over, a period later still; vrry possibly, it may have been as far on as the time or Ezra when those verses were added. And whoever will make use of the formula,- " early authorship, late editorship," as applicable to the Book of Deuteronomy, will have in his hands a key which will enable him to unlock many of the intricacies with which unbelieving writers seek to worry us. In all probability there was an ample supply of men in the later schools of the prophets who would be quite equal to editurial work; and most assw·edly, Ezra would not be lacking in fitness for such service. It is altogether gre.tuiton~ ,i.nd unnecessary to attempt to lower the value of the book in the eyes of others on at:cuuut of the manifest touches of a later age. The reviRion of an ancient book, freeing it from archaisms, and, as we should say, "posting it up to date," would increase, not diminish its value. By whomsoever written, this closing chapter is a fitting appendix to the words of the lawgiver himself. For homiletic use it is exceedingly suggestive. I. MosEs HAS TO TAKE A REMARKABLE JOURNEY. (Vers. I, 6.) He has to go up and die. In one sense this is true of us all. We are all on a pilgrimage, at the close of which, on its earthly side, there must be the act of dying. But in two respects there is e. notable element in the journey of the aged lawgiver: in one of these it was unique. 1. His act of dying was, as much as his acts in life, one of conscious and intentional obedience to the will of God, He knew that he held his life absolutely at the disposal of another, and he would not, if he could, have prolonged it beyond its appointed time, OIi. XXXIV, 1-12.) THE BOO.It OF DEUTERONOMY. 669
In this respect beli~vers now a.re in full sympathy e.nd accord with him. For them to live is Christ. Their supreme desire is that Christ may be magnified in their body, whether by life or by death. They desire to honour their Saviour in their dying as well ns in their living work. "Whether" they "live" they "live unto the Lord; and whether" they "die" they "die unto the Lord; whether" they "live therefore or die," they "e.re the Lord's." 2. Moses, however, takes e. journey, knowing just when and where he should die. It is not easy for us to enter into his feelings then. The time and place of our death are entirely unknown to us. How could we bear it if it were otherwise? Or if we could, how could our fondest ones on earth? We are often glad to throw ourselves anew on God, in thankfulness at the uncertaint7 which shrouds the future. We cheerfully say- " Lord, it belongs not to our cue Whether we die or live,"