Exodus 5:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

At the outset, when divine truth detaches the human spirit from shameful deeds, a powerful yearning emerges, compelling us toward those very deeds while simultaneously refraining from leading us to blame the one who established the law. This is illustrated, almost as if in a shadow, by the overseers of the Israelites. They were burdened by demanding tasks and felt incapable of fulfilling them due to a lack of resources. They vehemently reproached Moses and Aaron, claiming they had caused their suffering and that their situation had worsened only because a desire for liberation had been ignited by the encouragement of Moses and Aaron's words. Palladius, do you not acknowledge that their (the overseers') claims hold truth?

Moses and Aaron represent the Law and the Prophets. It often appears that the frail spirit within protests against sacred discourse, as once it receives the divine message and begins to heed it, the resistance from the ruler of Egypt intensifies, signifying temptation from the malevolent spirit. Thus, the guide of the soul, aiming for triumph, must remain watchful, anticipating the temptations that lie ahead, enabling it to prepare with diligence against the schemes of the adversary.

Moses could not appeal to Pharaoh's sense of justice regarding the burdens imposed by labor, as he had been entrusted with the mission of liberating the people entirely from the toil of Egypt. Consequently, neither he nor his brother approached Pharaoh directly; instead, they remained at a distance, anxiously awaiting the outcome of the envoys' complaints. Understandably, Moses was aware that the Lord had hardened Pharaoh's heart, yet he likely anticipated the resolution of the grievances expressed in these passages. The subsequent verses, however, clearly reflect his profound sorrow.