Exodus — Chapter 23

If thou meet the ox of thy enemy or his ass going astray, bring it back to him. The Old Law's command to return a lost animal even to an enemy anticipates Christ's commandment of love for enemies. Lapide notes that this precept goes beyond mere justice (which would require only that you not steal the enemy's ox) to active charity. He cites Chrysostom: \"If the Law commands us to return the ox of our enemy, what does grace command? To love him, to pray for him, to do good to those who hate us.\"

Three times every year you shall celebrate feasts to me. The three pilgrimage feasts—Passover, Pentecost (Weeks), and Tabernacles—structure Israel's liturgical year. Lapide notes that these three feasts correspond to the three principal mysteries of the New Testament: Passover to the death and resurrection of Christ (Easter), Pentecost to the descent of the Holy Spirit, and Tabernacles to the eschatological gathering of the redeemed (the Church's final Advent). The entire Christian liturgical year is the fulfillment of the Mosaic festal calendar.

Behold, I will send my angel who shall go before thee, and keep thee in the way, and bring thee into the place that I have prepared. Lapide identifies this angel with the Second Person of the Trinity, citing Malachi 3:1 (\"the angel of the covenant\") and the Fathers. He notes that the promise \"I will not pardon his transgression, for my name is in him\" (vers. 21) cannot be said of a mere created angel, whose name is not the divine Name. This is the Logos, who later became incarnate.