From Nave’s Topical Bible
Brazen Serpent
Every passage the 1896 Nave’s Topical Biblegathers under this heading, in Nave’s own arrangement and then in Bible order. MannaFest has not written this page — it is the older index, transcribed, with the Word travelling beside each reference.
- 4Passages listed
- 3Books of the 66
- 1896Nave's edition
How Nave’s arranged it
- Made by Moses for the healing of the IsraelitesNumbers 21:9
- Worshiped by Israelites2 Kings 18:4
- A symbol of ChristJohn 3:14John 3:15
The passages, in Bible order (4)
The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 4 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.
- Numbers 21:9
So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. If anyone who was bitten looked at the bronze snake, he would live.
Commentary on Numbers 21:92 voices
Many things were done in figure which were done in former times. For when he said that the fathers who were bitten by serpents in the desert could not be healed in any other way except that Moses hung up a brazen serpent, and when this was seen, those deadly bites and injurious effects of the poison were cured, he added: But these things were done in figure to instruct us (1 Corinthians 10:6).
Ambrose of Milan· Apology for the Prophet David, Chapter III, 397Patristic
That brazen serpent was hung up as a remedy for the biting serpents, not as a type of him that suffered for us but as a contrast. It saved those that looked upon it, not because they believed it to live but because it was killed, and killed with it were the powers that were subject to it, being destroyed as it deserved. And what is the fitting epitaph for it from us? "O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?" You are overthrown by the cross.
Gregory of Nazianzus· ORATION 45.22, 390Patristic
- 2 Kings 18:4
He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He also demolished the bronze snake called Nehushtan that Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had burned incense to it.
Commentary on 2 Kings 18:42 voices
Brake in pieces the brazen serpent - The history of this may be seen in Num 21:8 (note), Num 21:9 (note). We find that this brazen serpent had become an object of idolatry, and no doubt was supposed to possess, as a telesm or amulet, extraordinary virtues, and that incense was burnt before it which should have been burnt before the true God. And he called it Nehushtan - נהשתן. Not one of the versions has attempted to translate this word.
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible, 1832Evangelical
But in process of time, when they began to worship the creature more than the Creator, those that would not worship images borrowed from the heathen, as some of their neighbours did, were drawn in by the tempter to burn incense to the brazen serpent, because that was made by order from God himself and had been an instrument of good to them.
Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1710Puritan
- John 3:14
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
Commentary on John 3:142 voices
Yet was the warrant in both cases to expect a cure equally rational and well grounded. As the serpent was God's ordinance for the cure of every bitten Israelite, so is Christ for the salvation of every perishing sinner--the one however a purely arbitrary ordinance, the other divinely adapted to man's complicated maladies.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown· Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 1871Reformed
It was good that the Lord ordained that, by the lifting up of the brazen serpent, the wounds of those who were bitten should be healed; for the brazen serpent is a type of the cross.… In the same way, the world was crucified in its allurements. Therefore not a real but a brazen serpent was hung. This is so because the Lord took on himself the likeness of a sinner in his body but, in actuality, was without sin.
Ambrose of Milan· On the Holy Spirit 3.8.50, 397Patristic
- John 3:15
that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
Commentary on John 3:152 voices
That whosoever - He must be lifted up, that hereby he may purchase salvation for all believers: all those who look to him by faith recover spiritual health, even as all that looked at that serpent recovered bodily health.
John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament, 1755Evangelical
Yet was the warrant in both cases to expect a cure equally rational and well grounded. As the serpent was God's ordinance for the cure of every bitten Israelite, so is Christ for the salvation of every perishing sinner--the one however a purely arbitrary ordinance, the other divinely adapted to man's complicated maladies.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown· Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 1871Reformed