Numbers 20:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He is compared to a rock due to the solidity and permanence of His nature, for the divine and supreme essence is firmly rooted in its own perfections. They struck Him with two blows: first, they extinguished the Prince of Life, and then, paired with the first strike, they aimed to prove that He remained lifeless. Yet Christ rose again, having triumphed over death. Subsequently, when the soldiers, appointed as guardians of the tomb, came, they boldly encouraged each other to proclaim that He had been clandestinely taken away by His disciples, thus disrespecting the sacred nature of the Resurrection. Therefore, He received a double strike. Nevertheless, the Rock poured forth abundant waters, despite Israel's rage against Him. He provided sustenance to the entire multitude and filled the world with His holy and divine streams. This was promised through the prophet, saying, ‘Behold, I will send peace like a river, and the riches of the nations’ (Isaiah 66:12). David also declares, ‘The streams of the rivers make glad the city of God’ (Psalm 45:5). In a similar way, to the heavenly Father and God Himself: ‘How precious is Thy mercy, O God! The children of men take refuge in the shadow of Thy wings; they feast on the abundance of Thy house, and You give them drink from the river of Your delights, for with You is the fountain of life’ (Psalm 35:8-10).

Yet, through the grace of repentance, they can rediscover the stone they abandoned, reopen the stream of living water, and satisfy their thirst anew with the life-giving moisture offered by that stone. This is for those who believe that the gaze of Jesus is more reliable than that of those who oppose Him; who gazes upon the Throne, who suffered for us, expunging our transgressions, and who has once more made the stone provide water for His followers.

Because he failed to speak to the stone as God had directed—focusing instead on his indignation and carelessness—he faced consequences from God. The Lord said to Moses and Aaron that since they did not trust Him enough to honor Him before the Israelites, they would not lead this congregation into the Promised Land He had given them. Moses's outburst stemmed from the pain caused by the Israelites' constant complaints against him, which led him to neglect the command God had given. His divided speech reflects the uncertainty in his belief that water would surely flow from the rock, perhaps doubting due to the people's previous ingratitude to God, who had favored them greatly.

Moses lamented his situation, saying to the Israelites, "And the Lord God was angry with me because of your words, and swore that I would not cross this Jordan, nor would I enter the land which the Lord your God would give you for an inheritance" (Deuteronomy 4:21). He also spoke, "And the Lord despised me because of you, and Hearkened not unto me; and the Lord said unto me, It is enough for thee; thou shalt not speak any more such words unto me" (Deuteronomy 3:26). This serves as a warning to the Israelites about the severity of their actions. If the lawgiver was not spared for his wrongdoing, they should consider the consequences of continuing in their sinful habits. It illustrates that even someone who commits a grave offense in secret, without leading others astray, may face lighter punishment than one who sins openly and leads many to sin.

Basil remarked on the gravity of Moses’s situation, noting that he was barred from entering the Promised Land solely for saying, "Shall I draw water for you from this stone?" This was a significant promise for the Jews, yet he received no forgiveness. Basil reflects, along with the Apostle, on the severity of God's judgment, affirming that if the righteous are scarcely saved, what will happen to the wicked and sinful? The Creator of the universe, while seemingly punishing Moses by denying him entry into the holy land, was actually orchestrating a greater good. Understanding the Israelites’ folly, God chose not to fulfill the entire promise through Moses to prevent them from mistakenly elevating him to the status of God. Additionally, He kept the location of Moses's tomb hidden to further illustrate the impermanence of the law.

According to Cyril, Moses symbolizes the law, Aaron represents the priesthood, and Miriam signifies those who serve divine law. Thus, the law, the subordinate priesthood, and symbolic worship cannot lead us into the realm of the holy and the true Land of Promise. Instead, it is through Christ's leadership that we will enter the heavenly city and claim the inheritance of our ancestors, just as the Israelites did under Joshua's guidance.