Ezekiel 44:31 Komentář

In this chapter we have, I. The appropriating of the east gate of the temple to the prince (Eze 44:1-3). II. A reproof sent to the house of Israel for their former profanations of God's sanctuary, with a charge to them to be more strict for the future (Eze 44:4-9). III. The degrading of those Levites that had formerly been guilty of idolatry and the establishing of the priesthood in the family of Zadok, which had kept their integrity (Eze 44:10-16). IV. Divers laws and ordinances concerning the priests (Eze 44:17-31).

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 44 This chapter treats of the eastern gate of the temple being appropriated to the use of the prince, Eze 44:1, of the sin of the Lord's people, in admitting strangers and unholy persons into the sanctuary, either to officiate or communicate there, Eze 44:4 of the degrading of the Levites, that went astray, assigning them inferior posts and service in the house of God, Eze 44:10 and of the establishment of the sons of Zadok in their ministry, who were faithful, Eze 44:15, then follow various laws relating to their garments; shaving of their heads; drinking wine; their marriage; performance of their ministerial work; their regard to the dead, and their food and maintenance, Eze 44:17.

The priests shall not eat of anything that is dead of itself, or torn,.... They shall have no need to eat of such things, being plentifully provided for with better; nor will it become them so to do through avarice, not allowing themselves to enjoy what is liberally given them. Here the Jewish doctors (t) observe that it is said, the priests shall not eat of these things, suggesting that Israelites might; this puzzles them, therefore they say, Elijah will explain this verse; and the gloss says, till Elijah comes, and explains it to us, we know not how to explain it. In the mystic sense it may signify, that the priests of the Lord should have no communication with such as are dead in sin, or are given to rapine and violence, and should abstain from everything of this kind themselves. Whether it be fowl or beast; whether Pharisees and high flown professors of religion, or earthly and worldly persons, and such that are immersed in carnal pleasures, in sensual and brutish lusts. The allusion is to the law in Lev 17:15, which was common to all Israelites, priests and people. (t) T. Bab. Menachot, fol. 45. 1. Next: Ezekiel Chapter 45

(Verse 31) Every dead body and every animal caught by a beast, whether birds or livestock, the priests shall not eat. And according to the letter, this command applies to every chosen people, the royal and priestly, which properly applies to Christians who are anointed with spiritual oil, as it is written: 'God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions' (Psalm 45:7). These commandments are appropriate so that the priests do not eat any dead bodies, whether from birds or livestock, whose blood has not been properly drained, as mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as being strangled; and these things must necessarily be observed, as the Epistle of the Apostles from Jerusalem reminds us (Acts 15). And every animal caught by a beast, because it is likewise strangled, condemns those priests who do not refrain from consuming things like thrushes, figpeckers, dormice, and other such things out of the desire of gluttony. But we can say, according to the mystical interpretation, that the dead body represents the soul, and Nabal imitates the foolishness of Carmel, which means foolish. And hearing of David's anger, he trembled with fear, and his heart died within him (1 Samuel 25). But captured by beasts, so as not to be torn apart by their bites, the prophet sighs, saying: Do not deliver the soul of your confessor to beasts (Psalm 73:19). He should be called the one who is devoured by the bites of the lion and the leopard that does not change its spots, and by the she-bear that rages against its stolen cubs, and by the wolves of Arabia, and by the other beasts that we perceive in the diversity of demons. But we say that birds are those that place their mouth in the sky, and those animals that lean forward towards the ground serve only their belly and the things that are under the belly.

This chapter gives an account of the glory of God having returned to the temple, Eze 44:14. The Jews reproved for suffering idolatrous priests to pollute it with their ministrations, Eze 44:5-8. Ordinances respecting the conduct of the priests, and the maintenance due to them, vv. 9-31.

ORDINANCES FOR THE PRINCE AND THE PRIESTS. (Eze. 44:1-31) shut . . . not be opened-- (Job 12:14; Isa 22:22; Rev 3:7). "Shut" to the people (Exo 19:21-22), but open to "the prince" (Eze 44:3), he holding the place of God in political concerns, as the priests do in spiritual. As a mark of respect to an Eastern monarch, the gate by which he enters is thenceforth shut to all other persons (compare Exo 19:24).