Exodus 7:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The reality of this is underscored by the distinction made in Scripture: Moses’ serpent consumed the rods of the magicians. Since the latter only had the semblance of serpents while the former was authentically what it became, he manifested anger and transformed into a creature, relinquishing his former identity as a staff. By a power surpassing that even of a serpent, he devoured them, a miracle accomplished by God.

Furthermore, we should not let the metamorphosis of the rod into a serpent confuse those who cherish the teachings of Christianity, despite the contrary nature of the animal involved. The essence of Truth does not dismiss this symbolism, as evidenced by the Gospel that states: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (John 3:14). This statement is transparent because in the Holy Scriptures, the adversary of sin is referred to as a serpent, and that which originates from the serpent is undoubtedly serpent-like; thus, sin is eternally linked to its progenitor. The apostolic writings affirm that Christ became sin on our behalf (2 Cor. 5:21), embracing our sinful nature. Thus, this association finds its rightful place in relation to the Lord. If sin is likened to a serpent, and the Lord took on sin, then He who embodies sin also becomes a serpent for our sake, to annihilate and consume the Egyptian serpents summoned by the magicians. Once this is achieved, He reverts to the form of a rod, which serves to condemn those who err while providing solace to those who aspire to follow the challenging path of virtue, allowing them to lean on the staff of faith with a trusting heart, as “faith is the assurance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1). Consequently, those who grasp this understanding become adversaries of those who stand against the truth, leaving them bewildered by material temptations and distractions, which lead them to disregard the true essence of Being. As Pharaoh questioned, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice and let the children of Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go” (Ex. 5:2). Those who are devoted to carnal desires recognize only the tangible and fleshly as deserving of honor.

Hence, if anyone is fortified by the radiance of divine enlightenment and gains sufficient strength over their adversaries, they become like an athlete trained in virtue, ready to confront their foes with assurance, wielding the rod of faith—the Word—by which they will triumph over the Egyptian serpents. Therefore, when anyone committed to virtue endeavors to guide those ensnared by falsehood towards a life of freedom and righteousness, they find that the adversary of our souls, as the Apostle declares, utilizes various schemes (Eph. 6:11) to counteract the Divine law with enticing deceptions. This applies to the Egyptian serpents, representing the diverse strategies of wickedness, which are rendered powerless by Moses’ rod, which we have sufficiently discussed. Thus, he who possesses this indomitable rod of virtue, a rod capable of dispelling the most cunning of deceptions, consistently ascends to remarkable feats. These miracles are not intended merely to astonish those who witness them but to benefit those in need of salvation; for through acts of virtue, the obstacles in their path are vanquished, and their kindred are multiplied.

Let us firstly endeavor to grasp the overarching objectives of the miracles, which will allow us to form a clearer understanding of each individual miracle thereafter. The teaching of truth operates differently depending on the readiness of those who receive the message. While the word may reveal blessings or curses to all, those who wholeheartedly embrace it find illumination, whereas those who refuse to direct their inner sight toward the light of truth are ensnared in ignorance. When we examine our understanding of such matters, we find that while overarching themes may hold true, the finer details vary, as demonstrated through careful exploration of the word.

This was evident as the Egyptian ruler, punished by God, remained unrepentant and insisted that the wise men intensify the suffering. Consequently, God also executed judgment through the wise men, illustrating that while they found joy in inflicting punishments, He would teach them through their own servants. However, when the king’s heart was hardened, he ordered the wise men to cease their efforts. Among their failures, despite killing a large creature—a frog—they were unable to eliminate a minor nuisance—a gnats—and referred to their inability as the "finger of God." The Lord afflicted the wise men with painful sores, allowing both them and their foolish king to realize that not only could they not reverse the divine plagues sent by God, but they were also experiencing punishment themselves. Therefore, it is audacious to assert that Moses performed miracles through sorcery when the wise men themselves acknowledged these events as manifestations of divine authority. If Moses had indeed been conjuring illusions, they too should have been able to create a similar illusion and rebuke a mere craftsman like themselves; yet, they boldly proclaimed, "This is the finger of God" (Exodus 8:19).