Neither let us test Christ, as some of them also tested him, and were destroyed by serpents.
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Ambrosiaster
AD 400
The Jews were putting Christ to the test, because it was he who spoke to Moses. Paul is warning us here not to do the same as they did. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
Neither let us tempt Christ by disbelieving His promises, as some of the Corinthians were doubting of the resurrection, as is seen in chap. xv. See 2 Peter 3:4.
As some of them also tempted. The reference is to Num. xxi5. The words there, "against God," S. Paul here applies to Christ; therefore Christ is God. Hence the Greek Fathers say that the angel who appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and led the Hebrews out of Egypt, was a type of Christ to come in the flesh, i.e, of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.
And were destroyed of serpents. See Num. xxi6. These fiery serpents are not so called because they were of a fiery nature, for this is repugnant to their true nature, but from the effect of their bite and the heat of their breath: these caused such a heat in those who were bitten that they seemed to be burning, These snakes are called by the Greeks by names (Praester and Canso), which denote burning, and are found in Libya and in Arabia, through which the Hebrews were ...
By this he again hints at another charge which he likewise states at the end, blaming them because they contended about signs. And indeed they were destroyed on account of trials, saying, when will the good things come? When the rewards? Wherefore also he adds, on this account correcting and alarming them,
