Translated by Claude.
Then the rock was struck and poured forth water, which signifies Christ — for Christ, struck on the cross, poured out the washing of grace for those who thirsted. "The rock, however," says the Apostle, "was Christ" (1 Corinthians 10:4). Now the fact that the thirsty people murmur against Moses and he shows them the rock from which they may drink signifies that if anyone murmurs against Moses — that is, if the law as understood according to the letter displeases him — that same law shows him the rock, that is, Christ, so that he may drink from him.
The place where the rock was struck is called "Temptation" (Exodus 17:7: Massah and Meribah), and at the place of the Passion a great temptation arose, when all his disciples abandoned him and fled (Matthew 26:56).
After this, Moses ascended the mountain while Jesus fought against Amalek (Exodus 17:8–13). What is signified by this except that Moses — that is, the law — could not defeat the adversaries impeding our journey? For "the law brought nothing to perfection" (Hebrews 7:19), but Jesus, who is our Saviour, fought and conquered.
Moses stood on the summit of the hill — that is, the law rises up into spiritual understanding — and sat upon a stone — that is, it rests in the Church. The words that follow, "the hands of Moses were heavy" (Exodus 17:12), signify that the law did not carry those who sinned with mercy, but struck them with severe strictness.
Aaron and Hur, however, supported his hands (Exodus 17:12). Aaron is interpreted as "mountain of strength," Hur as "fire." The mountain, then, which signifies strength, is Christ himself — for he is the mountain from which a stone was cut without hands, which grew into a great mountain (Daniel 2:34–35, 45). Fire, however, signifies the Holy Spirit, of whom it is said, "I came to cast fire upon the earth" (Luke 12:49). Aaron and Hur support the hands of Moses because the mediator of God and men (1 Timothy 2:5), coming with the fire of the Holy Spirit, showed us that the heavy commandments of the law, which could not be borne according to the flesh, are made more bearable through the spiritual sense.
Of great wonder, moreover, is Moses, full of God, who spoke with God face to face (Exodus 33:11; Numbers 12:8).
A few notes: this passage is characteristic of Bede's allegorical exegesis, reading the events of Exodus typologically as prefigurations of Christ, the Church, and the Christian life. The identification of the rock with Christ follows Paul directly, while the battle against Amalek becomes a contrast between the insufficiency of the Mosaic law and the saving work of Jesus — a theme drawn heavily from the Letter to the Hebrews.
CONTINUE
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