Numbers 23:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Consider the words of the Evangelist concerning Caiaphas, the Jewish high priest: He did not speak these things from his own accord; rather, as the high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation and not only for the nation but also to gather the dispersed children of God (John 11:51-52). A similar event occurred with Balaam, who, when summoned to curse the Israelites, instead prophesied remarkable and glorious truths not only concerning that nation but also regarding the coming of the Messiah.

Why do both Balaam and Caiaphas deliver prophecies? It is because they guided individuals who followed them; one as a spiritual leader and the other as a sage. The basis for this is not the righteousness of the spirit or the illumination of the intellect that seeks God and finds strength in Him, but rather the message relayed to them, not in accordance with their worthiness, but in response to the needs of the moment.

In the Book of Numbers, when king Balak summoned the prophet Balaam to bring a curse upon Israel as he was preparing for conflict, Balaam was immediately empowered by the Spirit. Instead of delivering the curse he had been requested to utter, he proclaimed the blessing that the Spirit had inspired in him at that moment. He had already communicated to the king’s messengers that he would only speak the words that God placed in his mouth.