Caesarius of Arles

In his own words on Exodus

• Exodus 1:7

  We have heard in the lesson which was read, dearly beloved, that "when Joseph was dead, the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful and prolific, and they sprang up like grass." What does this mean, brethren? As long as Joseph lived the children of Israel are not recorded to have increased or multiplied very much, but after he died they are said to have sprung up like the grass. Surely they should have increased and multiplied more when they were under the patronage and protection of Joseph. These words were prefigured in that Joseph, dearly beloved; but in our Joseph, that is, in Christ the Lord, they were fulfilled in truth. Before our Joseph died, that is, before he was crucified, few people believed in him, but after he died and rose again throughout the world the Israelites, that is, the Christian people, increased and multiplied. Thus even the Lord himself says in the Gospel: "Unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it brings forth much fruit." After the precious grain of wheat died and was buried through the passion, from that one grain a harvest of the church sprang up throughout the world. Not as formerly was "God renowned in Judah" alone, nor is "his great name" worshiped only "in Israel"; but "from the rising of the sun unto the going down" his name is praised.

  SERMON 94.1

• Exodus 3:2

  It was not without reason, beloved brethren, nor without the signification of some mystery that there was a flame in the bush: "And the bush was not consumed." Indeed, the bush was a genus of thorns. What the earth has produced for sinful man cannot be put in any kind of praise, for it was first said to man when he sinned: "Thorns and thistles shall the earth bring forth to you." The fact that the bush was not burned, that is, was not seized by the flames, is understood to signify no good. In the flame is recognized the Holy Ghost; in the bush and thorns is represented the hard, haughty Jewish people.

  SERMON 96.1

• Exodus 3:5

  Finally see what the Lord said to Moses and Joshua: "Remove the strap of your shoe, for the place where you stand is holy ground." Can this be understood according to the letter, beloved brethren? How could that ground upon which they trod be holy, since doubtless it was like the rest of the earth? However, notice carefully what was said: "For the place whereon you stand is holy ground." That is to say, Christ, whose figure you bear and of whom you seem to be a type, is holy ground. True holy ground is the body of our Lord Jesus Christ through whom everything heavenly and earthly is sanctified.

  SERMON 96.4

• Exodus 4:2-3

  That staff, dearly beloved, prefigured the mystery of the cross. Just as through the staff Egypt was struck by ten plagues, so also the whole world was humiliated and conquered by the cross. Just as Pharaoh and his people were afflicted by the power of the staff, with the result that he released the Jewish people to serve God, so the devil and his angels are wearied and oppressed by the mystery of the cross to such an extent that they cannot recall the Christian people from God's service.

  SERMON 95.5

• Exodus 4:21

  Now let no one along with pagans or Manichaeans dare to censure or blame the justice of God. It is to be believed as most certain that not the violence of God but his own repeated wickedness and indomitable pride in opposition to God's commands caused Pharaoh to become hardened. What does that mean which God said, "I will make him obstinate," except that when my grace is withdrawn from him his own iniquity will harden him? In order that this may be known more clearly, we propose to your charity a comparison with visible things. As often as water is contracted by excessive cold, if the heat of the sun comes upon it, it becomes melted; when the same sun departs the water again becomes hard. Similarly the charity of many men freezes because of the excessive coldness of their sins, and they become as hard as ice; however, when the warmth of divine mercy comes upon them again, they are melted.

  SERMON 101.4

• Exodus 9:27

  Moreover, as we are wont to sing in the hymn, "God is faithful, without deceit." For this reason, as I mentioned above, we should believe without any doubt concerning Pharaoh that he became hardened because of God's patience rather than his power. This fact we know clearly from his own admission, for when he was being punished he confessed in this way as justice compelled him: "The Lord is just; it is I and my subjects who are at fault." With what feelings then does a Christian complain that God is unjust, when even a wicked king admits that he is just?"

  SERMON 101.5

• Exodus 12:13

  Original sin could not have easily been forgiven, if a victim had not been offered for it, if that sacred blood of propitiation had not been shed. Even then the words in Exodus were not vainly said of our Lord: "I shall see the blood and shall protect you." That figure of the lamb represented this passion of Christ our Lord. Blood is given for blood, death for death, a victim for sin, and thus the devil lost what he held.

  SERMON 11.5

• Exodus 14:16

  Moses performed no sign without the mysterious wood, for he received from the Lord a rod to work wonders and prodigies in Egypt. Moreover, as a sign that he had heard things divinely, it was said to him, "Lift up your staff." God, of course, did not need the assistance of a staff. But it was raised so that we might know how great was the mystery of that future wood which was prefigured by the shadow of this staff.

  SERMON 112.4

• Exodus 15:4

  "The elite of his officers, who were standing three deep, he submerged in the Red Sea." Who are the elite of his officers? Surely those chosen by the devil for luxury, wickedness and pride, the source of all evil. Moreover, these, standing three deep, occupy those three ways in order to subvert man to evil deeds, to tempt him to evil speech or to win him to evil thoughts.

  SERMON 97.4

• Exodus 16:15

  Manna is interpreted as "What is this?" See whether the very power of the name does not provoke you to learn it, so that when you hear the law of God read in church you may always ask and say to the teachers: What is this? This it is that the manna indicates. Therefore if you want to eat the manna, that is, if you desire to receive the word of God, know that it is small and very fine like the seed of the coriander.

  SERMON 102.3

• Exodus 17:3

  What then does Scripture mention in what follows? "In their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses." Perhaps this word that he said may seem superfluous, that the people thirsted for water. For since he said, "In their thirst," what need was there to add "for water"? Thus indeed the ancient translation has it. Why did he add this, except because they thirsted for water when they should have thirsted for justice? "Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice"; and again, "thirst is my soul for the living God." Many people are thirsty, both the just and sinners; the former thirst after justice, the latter after dissipation. The just are thirsty for God; sinners for gold. For this reason the people thirsted after water when they should have thirsted after justice.

  SERMON 103.2

• Exodus 17:6

  Then the Lord said to Moses, "Take the staff and strike the rock, that it may produce water for the people." Behold, there is a rock, and it contains water. However, unless this rock is struck, it does not have any water at all. But when it has been struck, it produces fountains and rivers, as we read in the Gospel: "He who believes in me, from within him there shall flow rivers of living water." When Christ was struck on the cross, he brought forth the fountains of the New Testament. Therefore it was necessary for him to be pierced. If he had not been struck, so that water and blood flowed from his side, the whole world would have perished through suffering thirst for the word of God.

  SERMON 103.3

• Exodus 19:16

  When Abraham offered his son Isaac, he was a type of God the Father, while Isaac prefigured our Lord and Savior. The fact that he arrived at the place of sacrifice on the third day is shown to represent the mystery of the Trinity. That the third day should be accepted in the sense of a promise or mystery of the Trinity is found frequently in the sacred books. In Exodus we read, "We will go a three days' journey into the wilderness." Again, upon arriving at Mt. Sinai it is said to the people, "Be sanctified, and be ready for the third day." When Joshua was about to cross the Jordan, he admonished the people to be ready on the third day. Moreover, our Lord rose on the third day. We have mentioned all this because blessed Abraham on the third day came to the place which the Lord had shown him.

  SERMON 84.2

• Exodus 20:1

  We should also know that the ten commandments of the law are also fulfilled by the two gospel precepts, love of God and love of neighbor. For the three commandments which were written on the first tablet pertain to the love of God, while on the second tablet seven commandments were inscribed, one of which is "Honor your father and your mother." Doubtless all of the latter are recognized as pertaining to love of neighbor. The Lord said in the Gospel: "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." Likewise we read what the apostle James said: "But whoever offends in one point has become guilty in all." What does it mean to offend in one point and lose all, except to have fallen from the precept of charity and so to have offended in all the other commands? According to the apostle, without charity nothing in our virtues can be shown to avail at all.

  SERMON 100A.12

• Exodus 20:8

  The third precept is "Remember to keep holy the sabbath day." In this third commandment is suggested a certain idea of freedom, a repose of the heart or tranquility of the mind which a good conscience effects. Indeed, sanctification is there because the Spirit of God dwells there. Now look at the freedom or repose; our Lord says, "Upon whom shall I rest but upon the man who is humble and peaceable, and who trembles at my words?" Therefore restless souls turn away from the Holy Ghost. Lovers of strife, authors of calumnies, devotees of quarrels rather than of charity, by their uneasiness they do not admit to themselves the repose of a spiritual sabbath. Men do not observe a spiritual sabbath unless they devote themselves to earthly occupations so moderately that they still engage in reading and prayer, at least frequently, if not always. As that apostle says, "Be diligent in reading and in teaching";31 and again, "Pray without ceasing." Men of this kind honor the sabbath in a spiritual manner.

  SERMON 100.4

• Exodus 23:5

  You are commanded to pull out the ass or the ox which is lying in the mud. Do you then see a Christian like yourself, who was redeemed by the blood of Christ, lying in the sewer of drunkenness and wallowing in the mud of dissipation and remain silent? Do you pass by and not stretch forth the hand of mercy by shouting to him or rebuking him or instilling fright in him? If he neglects to listen to you, mention it to the priest somewhat secretly, in order that he may accomplish by his authority what you were unable to obtain by your humble admonition. Know for a most certain fact that unless you first in secret and with great love admonish sinners and later publicly do so if you have been rejected, that sentence must be directed at you: "If you do not warn the wicked man about his wicked conduct," it exclaims to careless bishops, "I will hold you responsible for his death."

  SERMON 225.4

• Exodus 32:27

  Behold true and perfect charity: he ordered the death of a few people in order to save six hundred thousand, with the women and children excepted. If he had not been aroused with zeal for God to punish a few men, God's justice would have destroyed them all.

  SERMON 40.1

• Exodus 34:12

  When the Lord handed over to you the land of the Canaanites, he said, "Take care, therefore, not to make a covenant with these inhabitants of the land that you are to enter; else they will immediately become a snare among you." Now we believe that by the grace of baptism all sins and offenses have been banished from us. If we afterward make a covenant with those same sins and vices, doubtless this covenant will become a snare for us because of our consent to avarice or dissipation.

  SERMON 81.4