Exodus 15:26Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Though He had shown them many wondrous signs in Egypt, He also led those who followed Him through the sea, aiming to solidify their faith and remind them that He is not like false gods, mere creations of human craft or idols of wood and stone. He, as Lord over all, commands creation effortlessly. To deepen their wonder and strengthen them, He instructed them to proceed with ample supply towards the promised land, guided by the wise Moses. The subsequent events will be articulated further in Scripture. According to accounts, Moses led the Israelites from the Red Sea into the wilderness of Shur; after three days without water, they arrived at Marah but could not drink its water, as it was bitter, hence its name. The people grumbled against Moses, questioning what they should drink. Moses cried out to the Lord, who displayed a tree to him; Moses cast it into the water, and the water turned sweet. There, God provided the people with a statute and a law, testing them. He said, If thou shalt obey the voice of the Lord thy God, and shalt do that which is pleasing in his sight, and shalt heed his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will not bring upon thee any of the diseases which I brought upon Egypt: for I am the Lord thy healer. They then came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; they camped there by the waters (Ex. 15:22-27).

Observe how wisely God prevents them from indulging in immediate joy and idleness after their deliverance, as it could lead to a swift forgetfulness of Him, their true Deliverer, drawing them back into error, reminiscent of the Egyptians. Trials and tribulations guide us toward God. The prophet affirms this when he portrays the Lord, saying, Lord, in his distress he sought Thee; he poured out silent supplications, when Thy chastisement befell him (Isaiah 26:16). Similarly, the Israelites traversed a vast, waterless terrain, lacking essentials for life; after enduring thirst for three days, they eventually discovered only bitter water at Marah, providing no hope of relief. They complained, blaming Moses; meanwhile, he felt sorrow for their plight. God, in His omniscience, directed him to the tree, which, when placed in the water, transformed the streams into sweet, nourishing water. Upon drinking from it, they marveled at the divine miracle and set up camp at the twelve springs, alongside the seventy palm trees, where they enjoyed their respite.

Thus, faith alone is the path to salvation, a lesson God taught through symbols and imagery. For instance, He commanded the lamb to be slain in Egypt, assuring them that those marked by its blood would be spared from the death that struck the firstborn. Some might rightly argue that this served as preparation for faith. Tell me, how could death behold the slaughter of a lamb? This act foreshadowed a greater sacrament. Christ, through His blood, redeems the faithful and grants victory over the decay of death.

The occurrence at Marah can be interpreted as follows: the divine Scripture likens the Divine word to water. Just as physical water revitalizes the body, so the Divine word, when it reaches the mind, bestows great benefit upon it. For this reason, Christ addressed the Jewish crowd, proclaiming, If anyone thirsts, come to Me and drink (John 7:37). Additionally, He informed the Samaritan woman that while everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, whoever drinks of the water He provides will never thirst (Jn. 4:13-14). Thus, after abandoning the God-opposing service of Egypt, the Israelites sought to fulfill God’s will. Yet, lacking spiritual insight and still unaware of the divine waters, they found themselves parched in mind and spirit. Upon reaching Marah, they could not drink the bitter water (Ex. 15:23). Nevertheless, when Moses placed the tree into the water, the bitterness was transformed into sweetness.

What, then, is the meaning of Marah? I might suggest that it represents the law, which can be bitter when it chastises us. Paul elucidated this when he wrote that anyone rejecting the law of Moses, when substantiated by witnesses, faces punishment without mercy, facing death (Hebrews 10:28). This illustrates how even those who strive to uphold the law find it burdensome. The Divine disciples admonished those who, after receiving faith, were persuaded to revert to the law (Acts 15:10). Moreover, blessed Paul described the commandment given by wise Moses as a ministry of condemnation, stating that although the ministry of condemnation is glorious, the ministry of righteousness surpasses it in glory (2 Corinthians 3:9). He also mentioned, The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (v. 6)—referring to the law as a letter and the gospel ministry as the Spirit.

Marah, which signifies bitterness, exemplifies how the law, when purely understood in its types, cannot impart life. It is unnecessary to elaborate, for by the law, no one is justified before God, as it is written (Galatians 3:11). However, the law becomes life-bringing and free from bitterness only when interpreted as a type pointing to the mystery of Christ: the law's culmination is Christ for everyone who believes (Rom. 10:4). The tree symbolizes the Savior's cross, and if embraced by those adhering to the law, they will find sweetness amid bitterness. For believers in Christ, the law shifts from being an accuser and punishing force to a source of life, provided its history is transformed into spiritual reflection, guiding us to Christ, who embodies life. It is then that the law will shape our righteousness and judgments, leading us away from fear of punishment. I will not inflict upon you any of the diseases I brought upon the Egyptians (Ex. 15:26). Thus, for those without the law who have accepted this sacrament, there remains hope of evading punishment. This affirmation resonates with what the Savior declared to the Jewish people: Truly, truly, I say unto you, He who hears My word, and believes on Him who sent Me, has eternal life and will not be condemned but has passed from death to life (John 5:24). Moreover, He added, He who believes in the Son shall not be condemned (John 3:18).

When we embrace Christ's justification, we ascend to Elim, meaning ‘ascent.’ We rise from misunderstanding to clarity of mind, progressing toward the fullness of Christ’s maturity (Eph. 4:13) and delighting in the sources of spiritual waters. The twelve springs symbolize the presence of the holy Apostles, and the seventy palm trees also represent them, recalling that following the holy Apostles, the Lord selected seventy additional followers (Luke 10:1). The true springs, represented by the Divine Disciples, pour forth porridge life-giving words for salvation, leading the justified to embrace the prompt, You shall joyfully draw water from the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3). The psalmist declares of every righteous individual: The righteous flourish like a palm tree (Psalm 91:13). This should come as no surprise, as Christ Himself is symbolically described as such in divine Scriptures. In one instance, the spiritual bride, the Church, speaks of her Bridegroom, stating: I will ascend to the fig tree; I will embrace its heights (Song of Solomon 7:9). This tree remains perpetually fruitful, possessing delightful taste and a strong foundation, just like Christ, through whom and along with whom to God the Father be glory in the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

It would not be imprudent nor unseemly to handle those newly initiated gently, as they are yet not firmly anchored in fervor and may falter as if with unsteady footing, still grappling with their frailties. Conversely, the more experienced must be held to a greater standard, subject to the rigors of discipline and fear, prompting them to endure trials and restrain their impulses, much like a beast under control.

You reason wisely. This matter becomes clearer when we explore how the ancients were educated. It is written: Moses led the Israelites from the Red Sea, and they entered the wilderness of Shur; after three days in the wilderness without water, they reached Marah but could not drink its bitter water (Exodus 15:22-25). Recently freed from the burdens of Egypt, the Israelites hurried to claim the long-promised land. Their first challenge was the scarcity of water, hard to find and bitter in quality, as noted. Yet upon the revelation of the tree, the bitter water transformed sweet, demonstrating God’s instruction in pursuing His path, liberating them from the shackles of passions and the harshness of demonic oppression. They needed to strive with significant effort to earn their crowns of glory while controlling carnal desires through ascetic labor, akin to taming beasts. The initial 'struggle' exists in those pursuing abstinence from bodily impulses. No one can effectively cultivate virtue otherwise. Hence, the thirst experienced by the ancients embodies the prototype of spiritual exertion, with physical hardships indicating the onset of spiritual disciplines.

Also, note how the Israelites did not immediately engage in battle against their spiritual adversaries, as those who are newly initiated into the aspiration for virtue often lack the courage and resolve necessary for combat against these ‘rulers and authorities’ (Eph. 6:12). They are tested through opposition to their bodily desires; God calibrates the difficulty of their trials to match their capacities. That is what Scripture expresses: You have not faced nothing beyond human temptation. God is faithful and will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength, but will provide an escape route with every trial so you can endure it (1 Cor. 10:13). Bitter virtues become sweet and rewarding through Christ, perceived as the tree of life. As noted in the Gospel, Christ spoke, ‘If they do this to the green tree, what will they do to the dry tree?’ (Luke 23:31), referring to Himself as the fruitful tree. God revealed the tree to Moses, signifying that only the Father imparts knowledge of the Son, for "no one knows the Son except the Father" (Luke 10:22). Thus, in Christ, the life-giving tree, bitterness transforms into sweetness, and what was unmanageable becomes manageable, converting what seems harmful into essential sustenance.

K. In what manner? K. If it is true that painful labors can deplete the body yet enrich the soul with eternal life (as Paul stated, 'when I am weak, then I am strong' (2 Cor. 12:10); and again, 'if our outer self wastes away, our inner self is renewed day by day' (2 Cor. 4:16)), who would willingly engage in such arduous tasks without the sweet hope Christ promises? P. Certainly, no one. C. Therefore, reflect on Israel's plight amid thirst in the wilderness; they murmured against Moses, revealing their cowardice and lacking the courage to endure. They were spared condemnation and the repercussions of divine wrath, as God usually judges those found at fault. The novice in virtue is forgiven even if they stumble, while those who later demonstrate extreme cowardice and unrestrained desire exhibit no mercy.

Just as illness is not a creation from God, though it may befall His creation, sin originates from human choice rather than divine will, even if a rational being inclined toward sin does so voluntarily. Bestowed with the gift of free will and the privilege of choosing life, a rational soul would, barring any constraint, experience the joy inherent to its being by fostering a loving bond with God. Conversely, if it turns from this sacred closeness to pursue worldly pleasures, it risks losing its essence of goodness, succumbing to true evil—sin—and thus bringing about its own spiritual death through a conscious separation from life.

As we find ourselves in a similar plight, requiring guidance that serves the common good, we shall now focus on God's revelations. Our aim is to recognize that sin is the source of the widespread afflictions we encounter, prompting us to renounce our inclination towards sin and to align ourselves with what pleases God. Through virtuous actions, may we appease and honor the Divine, transforming any anger directed at us into compassion. For God Himself bears witness, as He conveyed through Moses: ‘If thou shalt hear the voice of the Lord thy God, and shalt do what is acceptable before Him, and shalt instil in thee His commandments, I will not bring any disease upon thee: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.’

“Every sickness that I have brought upon the Egyptians I will not bring upon you.” This pertains to the plagues that the Lord inflicted upon the Egyptians for their refusal to release the Israelites — “I am the Lord who heals you.” The Lord identifies Himself as the healer of the Israelites, meaning that in His mercy and power, He is poised to either entirely eliminate detrimental health conditions or transform them into beneficial circumstances, as exemplified by His intervention with the bitter waters of Marah. According to the psalmist, during their journey through the wilderness, “there was not in their tribes a sore.”