Ezekiel 40:14 Komentář

The waters of the sanctuary which this prophet saw in vision (Eze 47:1) are a proper representation of this prophecy. Hitherto the waters have been sometimes but to the ankles, in other places to the knees, or to the loins, but now the waters have risen, and have become "a river which cannot be passed over." Here is one continued vision, beginning at this chapter, to the end of the book, which is justly looked upon to be one of the most difficult portions of scripture in all the book of God. The Jews will not allow any to read it till they are thirty years old, and tell those who do read it that, though they cannot understand every thing in it, "when Elias comes he will explain it." Many commentators, both ancient and modern, have owned themselves at a loss what to make of it and what use to make of it. But because it is hard to be understood we must not therefore throw it by, but humbly search concerning it, get as far as we can into it and as much as we can out of it, and, when we despair of satisfaction in every difficulty we meet with, bless God that our salvation does not depend upon it, but that things necessary are plain enough, and wait till God shall reveal even this unto us. These chapters are the more to be regarded because the last two chapters of the Revelation seem to have a plain allusion to them, as Rev 20:1-15 has to the foregoing prophecy of Gog and Magog. Here is the vision of a glorious temple (in this chapter and ch. 41 and 42), of God's taking possession of it (ch. 43), orders concerning the priests that are to minister in this temple (ch. 44), the division of the land, what portion should be allotted for the sanctuary, what for the city, and what for the prince, both in his government of the people and his worship of God (ch. 45), and further instructions for him and the people, ch. 46. After the vision of the holy waters we have the borders of the holy land, and the portions assigned to the tribes, and the dimensions and gates of the holy city, ch. 47, 48. Some make this to represent what had been during the flourishing state of the Jewish church, how glorious Solomon's temple was in its best days, that the captives might see what they had lost by sin and might be the more humbled. But that seems not probable. The general scope of it I take to be, 1. To assure the captives that they should not only return to their own land, and be settled there, which had been often promised in the foregoing chapters, but that they should have, and therefore should be encouraged to build, another temple, which God would own, and where he would meet them and bless them, that the ordinances of worship should be revived, and the sacred priesthood should there attend; and, though they should not have a king to live in such splendour as formerly, yet they should have a prince or ruler (who is often spoken of in this vision), who should countenance the worship of God among them and should himself be an example of diligent attendance upon it, and that prince, priests, and people, should have a very comfortable settlement and subsistence in their own land. 2. To direct them to look further than all this, and to expect the coming of the Messiah, who had before been prophesied of under the name of David because he was the man that projected the building of the temple and that should set up a spiritual temple, even the gospel-church, the glory of which should far exceed that of Solomon's temple, and which should continue to the end of time. The dimensions of these visionary buildings being so large (the new temple more spacious than all the old Jerusalem and the new Jerusalem of greater extent than all the land of Canaan) plainly intimates, as Dr. Lightfoot observes, that these things cannot be literally, but must spiritually, understood. At the gospel-temple, erected by Christ and his apostles, was so closely connected with the second material temple, was erected so carefully just at the time when that fell into decay, that it might be ready to receive its glories when it resigned them, that it was proper enough that they should both be referred to in one and the same vision. Under the type and figure of a temple and altar, priests and sacrifices, is foreshown the spiritual worship that should be performed in gospel times, more agreeable to the nature both of God and man, and that perfected at last in the kingdom of glory, in which perhaps these visions will have their full accomplishment, and some think in some happy and glorious state of the gospel-church on this side heaven, in the latter days. In this chapter we have, I. A general account of this vision of the temple and city (Eze 40:1-4). II. A particular account of it entered upon; and a description given, 1. Of the outside wall (Eze 40:5). 2. Of the east gate (Eze 40:6-19). 3. Of the north gate (Eze 40:20-23). 4. Of the south gate (Eze 40:24-31) and the chambers and other appurtenances belonging to these gates. 5. Of the inner court, both towards the east and towards the south (Eze 40:32-38). 6. Of the tables (Eze 40:39-43). 7. Of the lodgings for the singers and the priests (Eze 40:44-47). 8. Of the porch of the house (Eze 40:48, Eze 40:49).

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 40 This and the eight following chapters contain a vision of a city and temple herein described, and are thought to be the most difficult part of the whole Bible. The Jews forbid the reading of it till a man is arrived to thirty years of age; and then he must expect to meet with things in it he does not understand, and which must be left until Elijah comes to explain them. Many Christian commentators have omitted the exposition of these chapters; and all acknowledge the difficulties in them. Something however may be got out of them, relating to the Gospel, and Gospel church state, which I am fully persuaded is intended by the city and temple; for that no material building can be designed is clear from this one observation; that not only the whole land of Israel would not be capable of having such a city as is here described built upon it, but even all Europe would not be sufficient; nor the whole world, according to the account of the dimensions which some give of it. The circumference of the city is said to be about eighteen thousand measures, Eze 48:35; but what they are is not certain. Luther makes them to be thirty six thousand German miles; and a German mile being three of ours, the circuit of this city must be above a hundred thousand English miles; and this is sufficient to set aside all hypotheses of a material building, either of city or temple, the one being in proportion to the other. The Jews dream of a third temple to be built, by their vainly expected Messiah; but nothing is more clear than that the true Messiah was to come into the second temple, and by that give it a greater glory than the former ever had; as is evident from Hag 2:6 and, according to Malachi, he was to come suddenly into his temple, which could be no other than the then present one, Mal 3:1, and into which Jesus came, and where he often appeared and taught, as well as entered into it with power and authority, as the Lord and proprietor of it; by which he appeared to be the true Messiah, as by many other characters; see Luk 2:22. There are some who think that Solomon's temple, as it was before it was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, and as it was rebuilt by Zerubbabel, is here described; and that partly to let the Jews know what a glory to their nation they lost by their sins; and partly that they might have a complete pattern for the rebuilding of it, as well as to comfort them under its present ruins; but there is no agreement between them. This temple was to be built at a distance from the city, several miles; according to some ten, others twenty, and by the best account twenty seven miles; see Eze 45:1, whereas Solomon's temple, and that built by Zerubbabel, were in the city of Jerusalem: nor from either of these flowed waters, which rose up to a river, on the bank of which were many trees for food and medicine, and whose waters were healing, and quickened wherever they came, as from this, Eze 47:1, nor do we ever read of the east gate of these temples always shut, as this, Eze 44:2, and besides, both these temples were profaned and destroyed; whereas this shall never be, but God will dwell in it forever, Eze 43:7, neither place, structure, nor worship, agree. Nor is this city here the same with the New Jerusalem John had a vision of; for though he borrows some of his expressions to describe it from hence; and in some things there is an appearance of agreement, as of the river of water of life, and the tree of life on both sides of the river, Rev 22:1, yet the description agrees not, either with respect to its gates, or its compass; and though there was no temple in that John saw, as there was none in this, it being without the city; yet here is a temple in this vision, and the greatest part of it is taken up in the description of it. It remains that this must be understood mystically and figuratively of the Gospel church, which is often spoken of as a city and temple, Heb 12:22 and which began to have its accomplishment in the first times of the Gospel, immediately after the death and resurrection of Christ; when his disciples had a commission to preach the Gospel to all nations; and who accordingly did, even before the destruction of Jerusalem, and of the material temple, so that Gospel churches were planted in all parts of the world; and especially this was the case, when the Roman empire, called the whole world, became Christian: though the further and greater accomplishment of this vision will be in the latter day; when the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea; when Jews and Gentiles will be converted, and Gospel churches be set up everywhere; so that the Gospel church state, or kingdom of Christ, signified by the great mountain in Dan 2:35, and by this large city here, will fill the whole earth: and the rather this may be thought to be the design of this vision to represent it, as it follows the prophecies of the Jews' settlement in their own land; and of the destruction of Gog, or the Turk, attempting to dispossess them; of which in chapters 37-39. In this chapter are first an account of the vision in general, the time, manner, and place of it, Eze 40:1, a description of the person, the builder and owner of the house; and by whom the prophet is shown each of the parts and dimensions of it, whom he calls to him for that purpose, Eze 40:3, and then a particular account is given, which begins with the outward wall around the house, Eze 40:5, then the east gate, with its posts, porch, and chambers, and the outward court with its chambers, Eze 40:6, then the gate of the outward court to the north, with its chambers, and the gate of the inner court over against that, Eze 40:20, then the gate to the south, with its posts, arches, and chambers, Eze 40:24, then the inner court to the east, its gate, chambers, and arches, Eze 40:32, then the north gate, with its posts, chambers, and arches, Eze 40:35, in the porch of which are the tables, on which the sacrifices are slain, Eze 40:39, after which are described the chambers for the singers and the priests, Eze 40:44, then the inner court and altar in it; and the chapter is concluded with the dimensions of the porch of the house, Eze 40:48.

He made also posts of threescore cubits,.... Jerom thinks, that between the outward wall which surrounded this building, and the building itself, these posts or pillars were placed for ornament, which took up the space of sixty cubits; but rather these design the posts or columns of the gate, which supported the arch over it, on which were rooms or stories, and these were sixty cubits high; for of their height is this measure to be understood. So the Targum, "and he made posts, sixty cubits was their height;'' in the Targum, in the Polyglot Bible by Montanus, it is, "and he made sixty posts, their height a cubit:'' and to this agree Jarchi and Kimchi; these were thirty five yards high, the height of the temple ordered to be built by Cyrus, Ezr 6:3. The man that measured is said to "make" these posts, he being the builder as well as the measurer of this edifice; and might be said to make these as, by measuring, he pointed out the size and proportion of them: these posts may design the true members of Gospel churches, such who are pillars in the house of God; of which see more on Eze 40:16, compare the phrase of "making" these posts or pillars with Rev 3:12, even unto the post of the court round about the gate; that is, there was the same measure to every post or pillar in every court, at every gate round about; at the southern and northern gates, as at this eastern one; they were all exactly of the same measure as the posts in this; so Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it.

(Verse 14 and following) He made fronts for sixty cubits, and the courtyard of the gate had a surrounding circuit. And before the face of the gate, which reached up to the face of the interior vestibule gate, there were fifty cubits, and oblique windows in the chambers, and in their fronts which were inside the gate all around. Similarly, there were windows in the vestibules all around inside: and before the fronts, there was a depiction of palms. LXX: And under the sky was the court of the gate sixty cubits, and the threshold of the court of the gate all round. And under the sky of the court outside was the gate of the inner court fifty cubits, and windows screened with palm trees, and also the threshold of the gate within the court round about. And similarly the gate chambers, and windows all around inside, and the thresholds of the gates were palm trees on both sides.\" Symmachus interpreted this passage as follows: And he made circuits, which we can call surroundings: for which in Hebrew he has Elim (), which Aquila interpreted as κρίωμα, and we translate as frontiers. Again, where the Seventy placed the entrance of the atrium, in Hebrew it has El () in the singular number, which Symmachus translated as near the entrance, Aquila as κρίωμα, that is, the front of the atrium. Also, under the open sky, Aquila, before the face of the gate's posts; Symmachus, opposite the face of the gate's vestibule, translated. The hidden windows called Atemoth in Hebrew, Symmachus translated as τοξικὰς. And where the Seventy said above the entrance and above the gate's post, Symmachus placed the posts and the surroundings; Aquila, the chambers, and their fronts: for which it is written in Hebrew Theim and Ele. Moreover, Elamoth, which Septuagint and Theodotion also translated similarly; Symmachus translated circumstantias [circumstances], Aquila translated frontes [fronts]. But Aelam, for which it is written El in Hebrew ((Mss. Ul)), is called ostium [door] or porticus [porch]. Also, for palmis [palms], it is written in Hebrew as Thamarim [plural number]: because in the singular number, it calls palmam [palm], Thamar. I know that these things will be annoying to a fastidious reader: but I wanted to show briefly how much the ancient translation differs from the Hebrew truth due to the length of time, or rather the fault of the scribes, and, to speak more openly, our lack of knowledge of Hebrew: especially in Hebrew names, which we have translated from other editions into the Latin language, indicating not so much an explanation of the words as our simple suspicion. However, I think that around the wall of the temple on the outside, and the temple itself in the courtyard, that is, in the middle, there were certain things placed for decoration, which Symmachus interprets as surroundings, that is, certain standing structures, raised high from the ground, and these occupied a space of sixty cubits. And again, as one went out from the inner gate to the front of the vestibule, which faced the outer gate, there were fifty cubits of space, in which there were oblique windows, which Seventy called 'toxicas'. And in these windows were in the chambers, that is, in each room, and in the porticoes that extended before the rooms, measuring fifty cubits. These windows were slanted or arched, therefore they were called 'sagittae', which means 'arrows', because they allow a narrow light to enter the house, like arrows, and expand inward: and all around they were full of such windows. And in front of the facades of the porticoes, he says, there were paintings or carvings of palm trees, through which it is shown at the entrance of the gate, and immediately upon entering, a wall measuring sixty cubits with various ornaments meets, which refer to the condition of the world, so that the Creator may be understood through His creations: and everything in order and with reason, show the variety of the world, which among the Greeks is called 'kosmos', derived from adornment: and it was made in six days, so that each day, ten decades are reckoned, which we have mentioned above as the perfect number. After this, as we enter the inner atrium, we come across before us the vestibule of the inner gate of the bedroom, with oblique windows, occupying a space of fifty cubits, which itself is a sacred number. And after seven full weeks of festivity and joy, the first day of the Octave begins, which is the Day of Resurrection, and it brings us close to the temple. For when we have done all things, repenting for our previous errors, then we become neighbors and close to God, so that in the outer atrium, the order of creatures teaches us knowledge of the Creator with constancy, and in the inner [atrium] true jubilation, in which all our debts are forgiven, instructs us in the theology, and introduces us to the Holy of Holies. It is also worth noting that the inner courtyard has several windows, which are not direct and equal, but rather oblique and narrow on the outside, and widening inward, so that we can penetrate the interior through small openings and reach the fullness of the brightest light, which is present in the temple. Finally, after sixty and fifty cubits, and chambers, and porticoes, and the facades of the porticoes, and numerous windows all around, the carving or painting of palm trees is shown to us, so that as victors of the world, we may become worthy to see the palm trees of virtues.

And he made fronts of sixty cubits, and to the front of the gate was the court on every side round about. We have often said that perfection of good work is signified by the number six, not following what the wise men of this age have striven to establish, saying that the number six is perfect because it is completed when counted in its own order, as when one, two, three are said, the number six is filled up; or because it is divided into three parts, that is, a sixth, a third, and a half, namely into one, two, and three; but we say that the number six is perfect because, as was said a little before, God completed all His works on the sixth day. Since indeed He gave the law to sinful man, which is written in ten precepts, and six times ten makes sixty, rightly through sixty cubits the perfection of good works is signified. This the Lord also clearly indicates in the Gospel, who, when He was explaining the parable of the sower, said: "Other seed fell on good ground, and yielded fruit that sprang up and increased, and brought forth one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred." For the fruit of good ground brings forth thirty when the mind has conceived the perfection of faith, which is in the Trinity. It brings forth sixty when it has produced perfect works of a good life. But it brings forth a hundred when it has advanced to the contemplation of eternal life. For our left hand is the present life, but the right hand is the life to come. And rightly through the number one hundred the contemplation of eternal life is signified, because when after thirty and sixty we arrive by counting at the number one hundred, that same hundredth number passes to the right hand. Faith and works are still on the left hand, because while we are still placed here, we both believe what we do not see, and we work so that we may see. But when the soul has already raised itself to the contemplation of eternal life, the counting, as it were, reaches the right hand. Therefore he made the fronts sixty cubits long. For since perfection is signified by the number sixty, what is signified by the fronts of the building but the very works that are seen outwardly? For to give the word of preaching, to give food to the hungry, clothing to those who are cold, and to endure adversities patiently for the sake of good work—what else are these but the fronts of the heavenly building? Because the beauty of outward works adorns the dwelling place of God, which still lies hidden within. But these fronts have a court all around on every side, because works are great in this regard, if the breadth of charity enlarges them in the mind. Concerning charity it is written: "Your commandment is exceedingly broad." Concerning this the Psalmist again says: "You have set my feet in a spacious place." But behold, while I speak, it occurs to my mind how broad charity is. If God is reached through charity, and Truth says of itself: Enter through the narrow gate. And again I hear the Psalmist saying: Because of the words of your lips I have kept hard ways. And in the Gospel the Lord says: For my yoke is sweet, and my burden is light. How then is charity broad, if the gate is narrow? Or how is the yoke sweet and the burden light, if in God's precepts the ways that are kept are hard? But charity itself quickly resolves this question for us, because the way of God is narrow for those beginning, and broad for those already living perfectly. And the things we spiritually propose to our mind against habit are hard, and yet God's burden is light, after we have begun to bear it, so that for love of him even persecution is pleasing, and all affliction for his sake comes with sweetness of mind, just as the holy apostles also rejoiced when they endured scourges for the Lord. Therefore that narrow gate becomes broad for those who love, those hard ways become soft and level for those running spiritually; for when the mind knows it will receive eternal joys for temporal pains, it begins to love even that by which it is afflicted. Therefore the court before its front is the breadth of love in perfection of work. And it should be noted that it says "on every side round about," so that a man through everything he does may always expand himself in the breadth of charity, lest either fear or hatred constrain him. If therefore someone speaks the word of God, and does not keep in his mind the charity which he preaches, he has the front of the building, but does not have the court before the front. If someone bestows alms upon the needy, and through this perhaps is lifted up in heart, and does not relieve the want of his neighbor out of charity, but exalts himself with silent pride, he indeed shows the front in the building, but has not made a court beside the front. If someone endures insults inflicted by a neighbor, and silently bears the evils cast at him, great is the patience which he demonstrates, but only if he does not hold pain in his heart, if he seeks to win even the one who had offended him to the tranquility of meekness. For if while outwardly showing patience he inwardly holds pain, and does not love him whom he endures, he indeed has the front in the building, but does not have the court before the front, because he who has subjected himself to the constraint of hatreds has surely lost the breadth of charity. For as we have already said in the earlier part, that patience is true which also loves the one whom it bears. For to tolerate but to hate is not the virtue of meekness, but a veil for fury. And it should be noted that this same court is called the court of the gate. For our gate is the entrance to the kingdom. And to love God and neighbor perfectly is already to stretch toward the entrance of the kingdom. For insofar as anyone loves, to that extent he draws near to the entrance. But insofar as he neglects to love, to that extent he refuses to enter, because he does not strive to see what he desires. Therefore we have the court of the gate when from the breadth of charity we already enter through desire into the heavenly life which we are not yet able to attain. And so when a good work is done toward a neighbor, it remains that the intention of that same good work be discerned: whether it does not seek the repayment of present favor, but the soul directs its hope toward the future promise, so that from temporal things it may hope for eternal, from earthly things heavenly. For the hope of heavenly things makes the mind firm, lest it be shaken by the waves of earthly tumults. Concerning which it is also said through Paul: "Which we have as an anchor of the soul, safe and firm, and entering into the interior of the veil."

THE REMAINING CHAPTERS, THE FORTIETH THROUGH FORTY-EIGHTH, GIVE AN IDEAL PICTURE OF THE RESTORED JEWISH TEMPLE. (Eze. 40:1-49) beginning of the year--the ecclesiastical year, the first month of which was Nisan. the city . . . thither--Jerusalem, the center to which all the prophet's thoughts tended.