Rahab receives and hides two Israelites.
Faith in God’s promises ought not to do away, but to encourage our diligence in the use of proper means. The providence of God directed the spies to the house of Rahab. God knew where there was one that would be true to them, though they did not. Rahab appears to have been an innkeeper; and if she had formerly been one of bad life, which is doubtful, she had left her evil courses. That which seems to us most accidental, is often overruled by the Divine providence to serve great ends. It was by faith that Rahab received those with peace, against whom her king and country had war. We are sure this was a good work; it is so spoken of by the apostle, [Jas 2:25]; and she did it by faith, such a faith as set her above the fear of man. Those only are true believers, who find in their hearts to venture for God; they take his people for their people, and cast in their lot among them. The spies were led by the special providence of God, and Rahab entertained them out of regard to Israel and Israel’s God, and not for lucre or for any evil purpose. Though excuses may be offered for the guilt of Rahab’s falsehood, it seems best to admit nothing which tends to explain it away. Her views of the Divine law must have been very dim: a falsehood like this, told by those who enjoy the light of revelation, whatever the motive, would deserve heavy censure.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-7
1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there. 2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country. 3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country. 4 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they [were]: 5 And it came to pass [about the time] of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. 6 But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. 7 And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
 | Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source: Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry |
“Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men to spy secretly, saying, ‘Go view the land, especially Jerich’“
If Joshua represents Jesus, the incarnate Word of God; Who then, would be the two spies whom he sent out to the land and Jericho, to gain Rahab the harlot as a believer, who opened her house for them and her heart for their God; and requested from them a token of truthfulness, for her safety and that of her household?
(1) If Joshua represents our Lord Jesus Christ, the two spies he sent out, most probably represent the two missions sent out by the Lord to the world; namely, the twelve apostles and the seventy disciples; Those who started by calling the Jews to faith, and consummated by the Gentiles. The Gentile nations received their message in their hearts, as a secret of their salvation.
St. Jerome believes that the two spies represent the two apostles Peter and Paul, having been the ministers to the circumcised and the Gentiles; saying: [Intending to lead His people to the gospel, He secretly sends out two men to Jericho; one of them to the circumcised and the other to the Gentiles -- Peter and Paul. While Jericho sought to kill them, the harlot took them in; representing the collective Church from all nations, that believed in Jesus; Although a harlot, she took them in peace on her roof, hid them there, where her exalted faith is; among the stalks of flax].
(2) Bishop Caesarius believes that they refer to the two commandments of love: Love of God and love of fellow men; saying: [Joshua sent out two spies, because the true Joshua sends two commandments of love. What are the men, sent out by the true Joshua, proclaiming to us, but the love of God and that love of men ? ! ]. If the ultimate goal of preaching the gospel is to receive the Lord Jesus Christ; we receive Him to dwell in us, to grant us His attributes working in us: His love of the Father, and His love of mankind!
The two spies and Rahab the harlot:
Rahab became a living example of the faith working in us. When St. Ambrose intended to persuade the virgins not to despise the married women believers, and even the harlots, if they come back and live in purity, he said: [Rahab was a harlot, but believed in God, to find salvation]. St. John Chrysostom speaks of that active faith saying: [If she would have contemplated: How can those fugitives, who lead a nomadic life (without cities), overcome us, who live in fortified cities with walls and towers ? ! She would then, have perished ! ].
Rahab the harlot, as all the inhabitants of Jericho, and those of the whole region, heard of what the Lord has done with His people 40 years before;: how He dried up the water of the Red Sea for them when they came out of Egypt, and what He did to the two kings of the Amorites, Sihon and Og, whom He utterly destroyed [Josh 2:10]; Yet she was the only one who believed in God, opened her house to the spies, and testified to the Lord, saying:
“I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you ... And as soon as we heard these things our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is the Lord in heaven above and on earth beneath” [Josh 2:9-11]
(1) If Joshua represents our Lord Jesus Christ, the two spies he sent out, most probably represent the two missions sent out by the Lord to the world; namely, the twelve apostles and the seventy disciples; Those who started by calling the Jews to faith, and consummated by the Gentiles. The Gentile nations received their message in their hearts, as a secret of their salvation.
St. Jerome believes that the two spies represent the two apostles Peter and Paul, having been the ministers to the circumcised and the Gentiles; saying: [Intending to lead His people to the gospel, He secretly sends out two men to Jericho; one of them to the circumcised and the other to the Gentiles -- Peter and Paul. While Jericho sought to kill them, the harlot took them in; representing the collective Church from all nations, that believed in Jesus; Although a harlot, she took them in peace on her roof, hid them there, where her exalted faith is; among the stalks of flax].
(2) Bishop Caesarius believes that they refer to the two commandments of love: Love of God and love of fellow men; saying: [Joshua sent out two spies, because the true Joshua sends two commandments of love. What are the men, sent out by the true Joshua, proclaiming to us, but the love of God and that love of men ? ! ]. If the ultimate goal of preaching the gospel is to receive the Lord Jesus Christ; we receive Him to dwell in us, to grant us His attributes working in us: His love of the Father, and His love of mankind!
The two spies and Rahab the harlot:
Rahab became a living example of the faith working in us. When St. Ambrose intended to persuade the virgins not to despise the married women believers, and even the harlots, if they come back and live in purity, he said: [Rahab was a harlot, but believed in God, to find salvation]. St. John Chrysostom speaks of that active faith saying: [If she would have contemplated: How can those fugitives, who lead a nomadic life (without cities), overcome us, who live in fortified cities with walls and towers ? ! She would then, have perished ! ].
Rahab the harlot, as all the inhabitants of Jericho, and those of the whole region, heard of what the Lord has done with His people 40 years before;: how He dried up the water of the Red Sea for them when they came out of Egypt, and what He did to the two kings of the Amorites, Sihon and Og, whom He utterly destroyed [Josh 2:10]; Yet she was the only one who believed in God, opened her house to the spies, and testified to the Lord, saying:
“I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you ... And as soon as we heard these things our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is the Lord in heaven above and on earth beneath” [Josh 2:9-11]
 | Author: Tadros Yacoub Malaty Rank: Monk Posted on: 2022-11-10 |
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
