Genesis 29:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

We should recall that Moses, fleeing from Egypt, arrived in the land of Midian, where he met shepherds who had driven away the daughters of Jethro, thus making himself known through similar acts of compassion. Scripture recounts, “Moses fled from Pharaoh, and dwelled in the land of Midian, and sat down by a well. The priest of Midian had seven daughters…. They came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock…. But the shepherds came and drove them away. And Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. And when they came to their father Reuel, he said, ‘How is it that you have come so soon today?’ And they said, ‘An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds; and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.’ And he said unto his daughters, ‘And where is he? Why is it that ye have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.’ And Moses was content to dwell with the man” (Exodus 2:15-21).

Here we can see the similarities in the thoughts and actions of both Jacob and Moses. It was indeed Moses who, by removing the aggressiveness of the other shepherds, drew water and quenched the thirst of Jethro's flocks. Likewise, Jacob single-handedly rolled away the stone, a task typically requiring the effort of many, thus providing water for Laban’s livestock. The strength and superiority of the apostles can likewise be observed; for if the stone at the tomb was exceedingly heavy, making it difficult to move even with a large group, yet James alone accomplished this task.

What, then, do the treasure-house and the stone symbolize? We will now examine these concepts as best we can, as this inquiry will reveal both the varying powers of the shepherds and the distinct advantage of Christ's disciples. Scripture often compares the knowledge of God to water. Jesus affirms this life-giving nature by stating, “And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent” (John 17:3). To the Samaritan woman at the well, He remarked, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water” (John 4:10). In essence, He refers to His word and teachings as life-giving. The Lord also called to the Jews, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37).

Moreover, through the prophet, He chastised those who, after receiving instruction from the law, foolishly turned away from other teachers and instead embraced human doctrines and commandments. He declared: “Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and be horrified, be desolate, says the Lord. For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and hewed for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:12-13). Thus, the life-giving water represents the Divine word, which resides in the depths; it is arduous for anyone to attain without sustained effort. It cannot be claimed easily, as if a heavy stone were placed over it, symbolizing the obscurity that surrounds the word of God, which often overwhelms the limitations of human understanding.

For those who tend to spiritual sheep, considerable effort is required to illuminate the word of God from its obscurity, drawing forth water from the depths to present it clearly and offer it for a life-giving experience. However, many of the philosophers and elite thinkers of the Hellenes, with their divergent doctrines about God, push against the truth. They fail to convey a correct understanding of His nature, instead misrepresenting the majesty of the Godhead. Even a single shepherd of Christ can displace the burden of the heavy stone, symbolizing the misconceptions about God’s nature, thereby revealing the truth to the nations and presenting the one true God.

Thus, the blessed Paul, upon reaching Athens, provided living water for the intellectuals there, asserting, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious,” and further, “For as I passed by and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown God.’ Whom therefore you ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you” (Acts 17:22-23). Observe how these leaders of the nations, who regarded themselves as shepherds and educators, struggled to move the heavy stone blocking the tomb, all the while believing they were fulfilling their pious duties by revering the divine, yet remained distant from the truth. They erected an altar, inscribing it with “To the unknown God,” which implies a lack of true knowledge.

The divine Paul expertly interprets this inscription, skillfully guiding them toward enlightenment by proclaiming that the God they do not recognize is, in fact, Christ. “Whom,” he states, “you honor without knowing, I preach unto you” (Acts 17:23). This illustrates how he opened the treasure-house, rolled away the stone, and unveiled the life-giving knowledge. Herein lies an incomparable distinction between the discernment of shepherds; while one group, despite their multitude, possesses no genuine understanding of God—drawn instead to their preferred doctrines—the other stands alone, yet offers the truth. For Jacob similarly acted alone in rolling away the stone and providing water for Rachel’s flock.