Exodus 34:28Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When the time arrives, approach it with joy and gladness, as articulated by the blessed Paul: “If our outer man smolders, our inner man is renewed from day to day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). Truly, fasting nurtures the soul, and just as physical nourishment may dull the body, fasting invigorates the spirit, enabling it to soar and contemplate higher realities, lifting it above the fleeting pleasures of this life. Like light vessels that swiftly navigate the seas, fasting lightens the mind, facilitating the journey across the tumultuous waters of earthly existence and aspiring toward the heavenly and eternal, dismissing the present as mere shadows and dreams. Conversely, indulgence and excess weigh down the mind and dull the body, ensnaring the soul and burdening it in every direction, preventing it from making sound judgments and causing it to stumble into perilous paths, jeopardizing its own salvation. Let us, beloved, be diligent in safeguarding our spiritual well-being, recognizing the many evils that arise from recklessness, and striving to evade its detrimental effects. Excess is admonished not only in the New Testament, where there is a higher call for wisdom, greater feats, significant labor, numerous rewards, and indescribable crowns, but it was also disallowed in the Old Testament, where we remained under the shadow, used the lamp, and were gradually nurtured like children who are fed with milk.

The Savior, who was baptized for our benefit and retreated into the wilderness, first engaged in fasting, thereby establishing the foundation for the signs—not because he required fasting for himself, but to instruct us in its practice. Therefore, since the Old Covenant is initiated through fasting and the groundwork for the New Covenant is similarly laid through fasting, let us not presume to view fasting as a wrong.

However, dear brethren, with steadfast courage, devotion, and faith, we must overcome this snare. Just as the earth yields no fruit without diligent cultivation, so too the soul requires spiritual exertion to bear fruit pleasing to God and conducive to salvation. While cultivating the land may be challenging, every intelligent soul inherently leans towards virtue. Bound by the original condemnation to labor through life, let us engage in the virtuous acts we are called to, offering to God what flows from us naturally as a voluntary gift. In exchange for our efforts, we shall inherit eternal joy, for through our present virtuous labor, we shall certainly gain the promised rest in the age to come. Faithful is He who made the promise, and He stands ready to assist all who willingly pursue the path of virtue; with His powerful aid, nothing will be impossible.

Yet, as we diligently strive to perform virtuous works, the evil one, aware that true goodness is only found when performed rightly, seeks to lead us astray. His deception aims to shift our focus from acting out of love for God to seeking the approval of men, thereby robbing us of divine recompense and spiritual gifts. Nevertheless, we will recognize the futility of his attempts by reflecting on the immeasurable blessings that await those who live in a manner pleasing to God, in contrast to the triviality of human accolades, which are not worthy of the sacrifice of our integrity or effort.

Even after prevailing against him, this wicked entity continues to plot against us, enticing us toward pride—the most treacherous pitfall—and urging us to take credit for our virtuous actions as if accomplished by our own strength and wisdom. We must remember the truth that affirms, "without Me you can do nothing" (Jn. 15:5), and thus evade the various snares of the evil one, doing good humbly and righteously. Just as precious ointment spoiled by waste becomes worthless, so too does virtue tainted by neglect or corruption lose its value.

During this fasting period, I urge you to remain steadfast and pure of heart. The Pharisee, despite his fervent fasting, gained nothing for himself, as his pride and contempt for others contaminated his efforts. This is not to suggest that fasting lacks merit; rather, its efficacy is exemplified by Moses, Elijah, and our Lord Himself. For Moses, who fasted for many days, experienced divine visions and dialogue with God, who spoke to him as a friend. He was taught by God and acted as a teacher to all, proclaiming that God is the Perfect Sovereign who calls forth existence from non-existence, creating all things by His singular will. Thus, dear brethren, let us strive towards the heavenly ascent promised to us through righteousness and devotion.

By the end of verse 28, it may seem that the writing on the tablets pertains to Moses himself, despite the clear statement that God authored the commandments.

To address the complexities herein, it is essential to distinguish between the general and specific meanings. The general meaning captured in these verses undoubtedly aligns with the interpretation presented in the epistle to the Hebrews, specifically Hebrews 9:19, which recounts the proclamation of all commandments according to the law through Moses to the people. The specific interpretation suggests that the command detailed in verse 27 implies Moses was to record all the words that God spoke—encompassing all laws, statutes, and ordinances essential for establishing God’s covenant with Israel, including the Ten Commandments, within a dedicated book for ongoing reference by the Jewish community. This is supported by Exodus 17:14 and similar instances. That all these records were indeed fulfilled by Moses is noted in Exodus 24:4, where it states, “And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord,” with such details meticulously captured in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

Thus, any interpretation that narrowly confines the writing to the tenth commandment alone misrepresents the text; while the covenant of God is addressed in this context, as stated in verse 28, the term “covenant” encompasses the moral law along with further elaborations regarding ceremonial and judicial laws. Consequently, it can be concluded that the label of God’s covenant, mentioned in both instances, does not signify the same concept, as clarified in verse 10 of this chapter.

Regarding the second issue, the forty-day fast should be attributed solely to Moses’ initial ascent up the mountain, as evidenced in Exodus 24:18. At the time of Moses’ second ascent to Mount Sinai, there is no record of a further forty-day fast. However, it is noteworthy that Moses undertook a similar fast a second time, as he records in Deuteronomy 9:18, “And I prayed before the Lord for the second time, as I did for the first time, and I did not eat bread or drink water for the sake of your sins, which you committed in doing evil before the Lord,” as mentioned in Deuteronomy 10:10 concerning the idolatry of the people. A third instance of fasting occurred during the people's murmuring and rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea, as stated in Deuteronomy 9:25.

Against the third conjecture, it is clear that the depiction of the Ten Commandments on the tablets is not attributed to Moses, as all actions performed by him are distinctly articulated with notable differentiation from those attributed to others.