THEOSISJerome of Stridon
It is now time to champion the purity of Christ. The Scriptures mention that Moses had a wife, and our Lord alongside the Apostle links him with the Law: Moses and the prophets (Luke 16:29). From Adam to Moses, death held sway over those who did not transgress in the same manner as Adam (Romans 5:14). There is no doubt that both references point to Moses as representing the Law. So, if we see that Moses, that is, the Law, had a wife, can anyone demonstrate that Joshua had a spouse or children? If proven, I will concede defeat. In the allotment of land among the Israelites, Joshua claimed the most honorable territory and did not perish in the number twenty—often regarded unfavorably in Scripture, which records Jacob as enslaved and Joseph sold.
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This number is favored by Esau, who receives some blessings associated with it, but instead falls within the number ten, a quantity we have often praised, buried in Thamnath-sar—symbolizing an ideal principality. This is akin to the new covering, representing the multitude of virgins sheltered by the Savior in Mount Ephraim, the fruitful mountain safeguarded against the northern winds of Mount Gaas, a term signifying movement. For Mount Zion, the fortress of the north, withstands adversity and, after every tribulation, declares, My feet in little shall not move (Psalms 72:2).
While the burial of Jesus brings a close to the book bearing his name, the book of Judges portrays Him as alive and risen again. It succinctly preaches of His deeds, stating: ‘Jesus let the people go, and the Israelites departed for their own inheritances to occupy the land,’ and “the people served the Lord all the days of Jesus.” It then mentions, And Jesus the son of Naveen died, the servant of the Lord, one hundred and ten years old (Hab. 24:29). Furthermore, Moses only glimpsed the promised land but never entered it; ‘he died in the land of Moab, and the Lord buried him in the valley of Moab opposite the house of Phogor, with no one knowing his grave even to this day.’
Let us juxtapose the burials of these two figures. Moses died in Moab, while Jesus died in the land of the Jews. Moses was interred in a valley near the house of Phogor, a term signifying reproach, as Phogor is identified with Priapus in Hebrew; Jesus, however, was laid to rest in Mount Ephraim, north of which lies Mount Gaas (Hab. 24:30). The plain text of the Scriptures often contains deeper meanings. Among the Jews, having children was esteemed and equated with honor—‘cursed is the barren woman who bears no seed in Israel, and blessed is she whose children inhabit Zion, whose kin are in Jerusalem,’ and the greatest blessing posits, ‘Your wife shall be as a fruitful vine within your house; your children as fresh shoots of olive around your table’ (Psalms 127:3). Thus, Moses' burial is depicted in the valley adjacent to the idol’s house, which stands for sensuality.
As followers of Jesus, we remain unaware of Moses' burial place, for we shun Phogor and all his ignominies, understanding that those who live according to the flesh cannot please God. Even prior to the flood, the Lord declared: My Spirit shall not abide in these men, for they are flesh (Genesis 6:3). This illustrates why the Israelites mourned Moses at his passing, while Jesus, who possesses eternal life, is not mourned. Marriage concludes with death, while virginity receives its laurel at that very hour.
You might wonder why I am discouraged from mourning. After all, Jacob, who was dressed in his robes, grieved for Joseph and refused any comfort from his relatives, exclaiming, “I will go down to my son, weeping into hell” (Genesis 37:35). Similarly, David wept for Absalom, covering his head in sorrow, and lamented, “My son, Absalom, my son, Absalom, would that I had died instead of you, my son, Absalom” (2 Sam. 18:33). Is it not true that we annually commemorate the mourning for Moses, Aaron, and other saints? The rationale for this is quite straightforward.
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Jacob mourned for his son, whom he believed to be dead, lamenting that he would descend into the realm of the dead, for at that moment, Christ had not yet opened the gates of heaven; His sacrifice had not yet pacified the fierce and turning swords of the cherubim guarding the entrance. It is also recorded that Abraham was in a place of comfort in the underworld alongside Lazarus. It makes sense that David expressed grief for Absalom, yet did not plead for life for his other infant son, recognizing that he was blameless. Likewise, it’s unsurprising that ancient tradition commanded mourning for Moses and Aaron; in fact, the Acts of the Apostles recounts that the brethren in Jerusalem mourned greatly for Stephen (Acts 8:2). In Scripture, such profound mourning does not indicate cowardice, as some may assume, but rather signifies the dignity of the funeral and the multitude in attendance.
Regarding Jacob's burial, Scripture relays: “Joseph went up to bury his father; and all the servants of Pharaoh, and the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, and all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, gathered with him.” A bit further on it states: “and the chariots and the horsemen went up with him, and there was a very great company.” Moreover, “they wept for him with a great and sorrowful weeping” (Genesis 50:7ff.). Such solemn weeping does not imply that the Egyptians mourned Jacob for an extended period, but rather reflects the grandeur of the burial. Certainly, Aaron and Moses were mourned similarly. The mysteries of Scripture are profound, and I am amazed by the divine significance found in the straightforward narratives. Why is there a commemoration of mourning for Moses, yet in the account of Joshua’s burial, there is no mention of his being mourned? This is because in Moses, representing the old covenant, humanity faces condemnation, and hence tears belonged to those destined for the underworld, as the Apostle wrote: “death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned” (Romans 5:14). But with Jesus, representing the gospel, the opening of paradise transforms the experience of death into one of joy.
Even today, Jews mourn their dead, sitting on ashes and walking barefoot, dressed in somber attire. In an act of superstitious custom, they initiate their mourning with lentils, reflecting on the food through which they forfeited their birthright. In truth, lacking faith in the resurrection, they prepare for the arrival of the Antichrist. Yet we, having clothed ourselves with Christ and become a chosen and holy nation as stated by the Apostle (1 Pet. 2:9), should not mourn for the departed. As Moses instructed Aaron and Eleazar and Ithamar, his surviving sons, “Do not uncover your heads or tear your garments, lest you die, and wrath come upon the whole congregation” (Lev. 10:6). This prohibition against torn garments and pagan lamentation serves as a reminder that our death is the result of sin.