Ezekiel 16:49 Kommentar

Still God is justifying himself in the desolations he is about to bring upon Jerusalem; and very largely, in this chapter, he shows the prophet, and orders him to show the people, that he did but punish them as their sins deserved. In the foregoing chapter he had compared Jerusalem to an unfruitful vine, that was fit for nothing but the fire; in this chapter he compares it to an adulteress, that, in justice, ought to be abandoned and exposed, and he must therefore show the people their abominations, that they might see how little reason they had to complain of the judgments they were under. In this long discourse are set forth, I. The despicable and deplorable beginnings of that church and nation (Eze 16:3-5). II. The many honours and favours God had bestowed upon them (Eze 16:6-14). III. Their treacherous and ungrateful departures from him to the services and worship of idols, here represented by the most impudent whoredom (v. 15-34). IV. A threatening of terrible destroying judgments, which God would bring upon them for this sin (Eze 16:35-43). V. An aggravation both of their sin and of their punishment, by comparison with Sodom and Samaria (v. 44-59). VI. A promise of mercy in the close, which God would show to a penitent remnant (Eze 16:60-63). And this is designed for admonition to us.

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 16 In this chapter the Jewish nation is represented under the simile of a female infant, whose birth, breeding, marriage, grandeur, and conduct, are described, in order to show the wickedness and ingratitude of, his people; who, on account thereof, are threatened with judgments; though mercy is promised to a remnant that should repent. The prophet is directed to make known to Jerusalem her abominable sins, Eze 16:1; and, in order to this, is bid to take up the following parable of a female infant; whose descent, birth, and wretched condition, at the time of it, are pointed at, Eze 16:3; which are expressive of the low and forlorn estate of the Jews originally; and then follow the benefits and blessings of God bestowed upon them, both in their infant and adult state; the preserving them alive in Egypt, and their multiplication there; and afterwards the covenant made with them, when brought out from thence; and the Lord's espousal of them to himself, as his own people, having a strong affection for them, Eze 16:6; the large provision of good things he made for them, both in the wilderness, and especially in the land of Canaan; the riches he bestowed upon them, and the flourishing and prosperous kingdom he raised them to, which made them famous among all the nations round about them, Eze 16:9; and yet, after all this, such was the ingratitude of this people, as to commit spiritual whoredom, that is, idolatry, to a very great degree, Eze 16:15; which is aggravated by their converting and applying the good things which the Lord gave them to idolatrous uses, Eze 16:16; by sacrificing their sons and daughters to idols, which were the Lord's, Eze 16:20; by not calling to mind the former wretched estate out of which they were brought, Eze 16:22; by building high places in every street and way, and there committing idolatries, Eze 16:23; by the various nations, whose examples they followed, and with whom they joined, as the Egyptians, Assyrians, and Chaldeans, Eze 16:26; and by the great difference between them and all other harlots, whom they exceeded, Eze 16:30; wherefore, on account of all this, they are threatened to be dealt with as an adulterous woman; made a spectacle of; condemned to die, to be stripped, stoned, and burned, Eze 16:35; and, that the Lord might appear to be just in executing such judgments on them, they are declared to be as bad as the Hittites and Amorites their parents; and worse than their sisters Samaria and Sodom; and therefore could expect to fare no better than they; and should become proverb and a byword, and bear their sins, shame, and punishment, in the sight of their neighbours, and be despised by them, Eze 16:44; nevertheless, the covenant of grace made with his chosen people among them should stand firm; which being manifested to them, would be a means of bringing them to a sense of sin, shame for it, and an acknowledgment of the Lord's grace and goodness to them Eze 16:60.

And they were haughty,.... Sodom and her daughters, the inhabitants of that place, and the cities adjacent; they lifted up themselves above God and man; they were above regarding the poor and needy; and were elated and swelled with their plenty and prosperity, and behaved very insolently, both to fellow citizens and strangers; see Gen 19:4; and committed abomination before me; perhaps referring to that sin, which has its name from them; a sin abominable to God, and scandalous to human nature; and which they committed openly and publicly, neither fearing God, nor regarding men; and are said to be sinners before the Lord, Gen 13:13; therefore I took them away as I saw good; both as to time and manner, as he in his sovereignty thought most fit and proper, by raining fire and brimstone on them, and setting them forth as an example of the vengeance of eternal fire: or, "when I saw" (c); their sin and wickedness, as soon as he saw it; see Gen 18:20. The Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions render it, "as thou sawest", or "hast seen"; appealing to the Jews themselves, who were very well acquainted with the fact; for the destruction of Sodom was notorious and flagrant. (c) "cum vidi", Cocceius; so some in Vatablus; "postea quam", Tigurine version, Piscator, Starckius.

To know that sins are unequal you only have to look at the teaching of the Scriptures, which will leave you in no doubt.

What then is the sin most great of all sins? It is the one for which the devil fell.… Pride is greater than all sins, and the principal sin of the devil.… Often the reason for pride is for him who disregards having an ecclesiastical dignity.

Often having a fullness and an abundance of bread is the cause of arrogance. But often the sin of pride also arises over spiritual gifts, and discernment is needed to distinguish the one from the other.

Do not ask those things from God that you receive from the devil. For it is God’s part to give a contrite and humbled heart, sober, self-possessed and awestruck, full of repentance and compunction. These are his gifts, since it is these things that we most need.

(Verse 48, 49) I live, says the Lord, that Sodom, your sister herself and her daughters did not do as you and your daughters have done. Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: pride, fullness of bread, abundance, and idleness of herself and her daughters; and they did not strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abominations before me, and I took them away as you saw. And Samaria did not commit half of your sins; but you surpassed her in your wickedness, and you have justified your sisters in all your abominations that you have done. LXX: I live, says the Lord Adonai: this is what your sister Sodom did, and her daughters did the same as you and your daughters. However, the wickedness of your sister Sodom was pride, fullness of bread, and abundance. She and her daughters lived in luxury and had an abundance, but they did not support the poor and needy. They were proud and committed iniquities in my sight, so I took them away as you have seen. And Samaria has not sinned half as much as your sins, and you have multiplied your iniquities upon them; you have justified your sisters in all your iniquities which you have done. What the LXX has placed, she and her daughters also have, but it is not found in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, there is the oath of God: As I live, says the Lord (Num. XIV, 21). But in the New Testament: Truly, truly, I say to you (John XIII, 16). But if this is common with others: God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, He is not the God of the dead, but of the living (Mark XII, 16, 27). And in another place: I will please the Lord in the land of the living (Ps. CXIV, 9): we seek to understand how the common term properly belongs to God. But how is it said, a good tree, and a good man, and a good shepherd, and a good servant (Luke XVIII); for no one is absolutely good, except God alone: so when the angels and other virtues, as well as patriarchs and prophets, and even the apostles, are called living in comparison to almighty God, they are called dead. For what is the man who lives, and does not see death? (Psalm LXXXVIII, 49). Hence, the apostle Paul also said about God: He alone, he said, has immortality and dwells in inaccessible light (I Timothy VI, 16). And about the fountain of life: Our life, he says, is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians III, 3). Therefore, this person who swears and says: As I live, says the Lord, describing the crimes of Sodom and its daughters, established the first pride, the very own of the devil, and the first sin. Wherefore as the same Apostle says: 'Lest being inflated with pride, he fall into the judgment of the devil' (1 Timothy 3:6), on account of which he says: 'And his pride fell from heaven' (Isaiah 14:12). For he had said: 'I will do it in the strength of my hand, and by wisdom of my understanding I will take away the bounds of the people, and I will rob their strength, and I will make their cities desolate: and I will break them asunder, and they shall not be able to stand, nor shall they be able to resist my force' (Isaiah 10:13-14). And: 'God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble' (James 4:6). We also read in another place: 'Why do you boast, O earth and ashes?' And the Gospel tells of the Pharisee's pride overcome by the humility of the tax collector (Luke 18): whose seedbed is the abundance of bread and all things, and leisure; or as the Septuagint translated, the luxury and opulence of delights. That rich man in the Gospel, dressed in purple (Luke 16), is reported to have had no other fault except that, being abundant in wealth and riches, he had burst forth with such pride that he did not reach out his hand to the needy and poor Lazarus: and thus he had forgotten his own condition, to the point that he did not even give this miserable man what was to be thrown away. For what reason and in another place it is written: Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted (Luke XIV, 11). Pride, gluttony, abundance of all things, leisure and indulgence, are sins of Sodom, and because of this, the forgetfulness of God follows, which considers present goods to be perpetual and never in need of necessities. Therefore, it is also commanded by the law: Take care lest, while eating and drinking and being satisfied, you build good houses and possess sheep and oxen, silver and gold, you forget the Lord your God (Deuteronomy VIII, 11). And in another place it is written about Israel: 'He ate and drank, and was satisfied, and grew fat, and kicked' (Deut. XXXII, 15). Knowing this, the wisest of all, Solomon, prays in Proverbs: 'Give me what is necessary and sufficient, so that I may not become full and deny you, saying: Who will see me? Or becoming poor, steal and profane the name of my God' (Prov. XXX, 8, 9). And what follows: 'And you justified your sisters in all your abominations, which you have done, not simply judging Sodom and Samaria to be wicked, but with a comparison to the worse: as the Publican, of whom we have spoken above, is not called absolutely righteous, but in comparison to the worse.' And yet even though Sodom and Samaria were such, they did not even sin half as much as Jerusalem. For the servant who knows his master's will and does not do it, shall be beaten with many stripes (Luke XII, 47). And: The mighty shall suffer torments mightily (Wisdom VI, 7). Furthermore, that which is contained in Hebrew for luxury (or wealth), should be understood to refer to this meaning: In desires is the entire soul idle; that is, that there should always be something to do: lest the field of our heart, with the hand resting, be occupied by the thorns of evil thoughts.

The soul … that devotes herself to the recollection of profitable things finds rest in her freedom; her cares are small, and she repents of nothing. She takes forethought for virtue, she bridles the passions, she keeps guard upon excellence, and thus she enjoys growth [that is unhindered], joy free of solicitude, a good life and a perilless haven.

In this chapter the mercy of God to Jerusalem, (or the Jewish Church and nation), is set forth by the emblem of a person that should take up an exposed infant, bring her up with great tenderness, and afterwards marry her, Eze 16:1-14. She is then upbraided with her monstrous ingratitude in departing from the worship of God, and polluting herself with the idolatries of the nations around her, under the figure of a woman that proves false to a tender and indulgent husband, vv. 15-52. But, notwithstanding these her heinous provocations, God promises, after she should suffer due correction, to restore her again to his favor, Eze 16:53-63. The mode of describing apostasy from the true religion to the worship of idols under the emblem of adultery, (a figure very frequent in the sacred canon), is pursued with great force, and at considerable length, both in this and the twenty-third chapter; and is excellently calculated to excite in the Church of God the highest detestation of all false worship.

This was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom - If we are to take this place literally, Sodom was guilty of other crimes besides that for which she appears to have been especially punished; in addition to her unnatural crime, She is charged with pride, luxury, idleness, and uncharitableness; and these were sufficient to sink any city to the bottomless pit.

DETAILED APPLICATION OF THE PARABOLICAL DELINEATION OF THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER TO JERUSALEM PERSONIFIED AS A DAUGHTER. (Eze. 16:1-63) cause Jerusalem to know--Men often are so blind as not to perceive their guilt which is patent to all. "Jerusalem" represents the whole kingdom of Judah.

pride--inherited by Moab, her offspring (Isa 16:6; Jer 48:26), and by Ammon (Jer 49:4). God, the heart-searcher, here specifies as Sodom's sin, not merely her notorious lusts, but the secret spring of them, "pride" flowing from "fullness of bread," caused by the fertility of the soil (Gen 13:10), and producing "idleness." abundance of idleness--literally, "the secure carelessness of ease" or idleness. neither did she strengthen . . . the poor--Pride is always cruel; it arrogates to itself all things, and despises brethren, for whose needs it therefore has no feeling; as Moab had not for the outcast Jews (Isa 16:3-4; Jer 48:27; Luk 16:19-21; Jam 5:1-5).