Exodus 4:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He demonstrated this in the healing of Moses’ leprous hand, proclaiming to the Israelites that despite enduring the heavy burden of slavery under the wicked Egyptians—akin to suffering from a grave disease—they had an adept healer capable of swiftly dispelling the direst afflictions. Indeed, as soon as Moses placed his hand back into his cloak, he was freed from the disease.

This situation serves as a reminder that many Israelites, having lived for too long in Egypt, strayed from the faith passed down from their ancestors, becoming enmeshed in local customs and increasingly distant from divine principles, ultimately serving the created rather than the Creator (Rom. 1:25; cf. Ps. 105:20). They fell into various forms of impurity, reaching a state akin to death and lifelessness. Nevertheless, this miracle discreetly guided them towards recognizing their moral impurity as insurmountable, enabling them to discard the filth stemming from spiritual lifelessness. This parallels the resurrection of Christ, evident in Moses' affliction and healing.

The divine Evangelist John clearly affirms that all things were made through the Son, and without Him, nothing was created (John 1:3). The Father accomplishes all through Him, which is why the Scriptures refer to the Son as the hand, the arm, and the right hand of the Father. The prophet Isaiah expresses this when he asks, "Who has believed what we have heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" (Isaiah 53:1). The Jews in their disobedience were hardened in their hearts. David remarked that the heavens were established by the Lord's word (Psalm 32:6). God affirmed through the prophets, saying, "My hand shall establish the heavens" (Isaiah 48:13), and elsewhere He reassured, "I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10). Thus, Scripture commonly designates the Son as the hand.

Observe how Moses' hand was concealed in his bosom, revealed in leprosy, and then restored to health upon returning to his bosom. Through contemplation of this miraculous event and its symbolism, we discern profound truths about the Incarnation. The Son was in the heart of the Father, through whom all creation came to be; He embodies divine strength—the mighty hand and glorious right hand. When He assumed humanity’s form, taking on our weaknesses per the prophet's declaration (Isaiah 53:4), He became vulnerable to suspicion of impurity. Humanity is deemed unclean before God, as expressed by Isaiah: "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). The All-Pure One humbled Himself to our fallen nature, facing accusations of uncleanness. The misguided Jews even labeled Him a glutton (Matt. 11:19), a Samaritan (John 8:48), illegitimate (v. 41), and a sinner, as evidenced when they urged a blind man, "Give glory to God; we know this man is a sinner" (John 9:24). Had they truly recognized His divine nature, they would not have spoken so exceedingly against Him.

Yet, after accomplishing the work of our redemption, the one who was deemed unclean as a human ascended back to the Father, dispelling all suspicion of shared mortality and impurity. He is uplifted as God, honored as Lord, the Holy One, and the source of enlightenment, empowering humanity against that which defiles. The Son embraced human existence in accordance with creation for our sake, lived under the law, and was counted as lawless; yet He ascended to the honor and majesty that are rightfully His from the beginning. He testified to the Father, saying, "Glorify Me, Father, with Yourself, with the glory I had with You before the foundation of the world" (John 17:5). This signifies His liberation from temporal concerns and the enthusiastic return to divine glory.

Therefore, as the blessed Paul conveys, "If we once knew Christ from a fleshly perspective, we no longer regard Him in that way" (2 Corinthians 5:16), due to His resurrection and ascension to the Father in the flesh. We do not know Him merely in a way that succumbs to natural urges, for prior to His sacred sacrifice, He experienced hunger (Matthew 4:2), fatigue (John 4:6), sorrow (Matthew 26:38), and ultimately endured death upon a cross for our sake. Yet, we now no longer recognize Him in those conditions. Once He died, He cannot die again (Rom. 6:9). For Christ is incorruptible; He is life in essence and the bestower of life, having originated from the life of the Father.

The transformed hand and the rod that became a serpent illustrate profound wonders, symbolizing the divine mystery revealed to humanity through the flesh of the Lord—wherein the downfall of the oppressor is achieved, and the deliverance of those under his control is realized.

This understanding aligns with the messages conveyed by both the Evangelical and prophetic voices; as the Prophet states, ‘the right hand of the Most High is changed’ (Psalms 76:11). Although Divine essence is often viewed as immutable, it has graciously conformed to our frail human nature, taking on our image and form. Just as the hand of the lawgiver, when immersed, altered in appearance to an unnatural hue before regaining its original beauty upon reemergence, so too did the only-begotten God, who resides in the heart of the Father—He is the right hand of the Most High. When He manifested to us from the depths, He became like us; and after bearing our weaknesses, He returned to the Father, His human nature restored yet unchanged. In this way, He did not alter His impassible essence through suffering, but instead transformed our mutable, suffering nature into the unchanging through His divine union.

Therefore, He caused the hand of the lawgiver to be afflicted with leprosy, instructing those who had received His teachings that nothing of this sort is inherently unclean. The hand that had accomplished numerous miracles, though leprous at first, later became the instrument for divine wonders and the alteration of natural elements. In this way, God also reminds the lawgiver to maintain humility and to understand his own mortal condition, keeping in mind the leprous hand.