Hesekiel 3:11 Kommentar

In this chapter we have the further preparation of the prophet for the work to which God called him. I. His eating the roll that was presented to him in the close of the foregoing chapter (Eze 3:1-3). II. Further instructions and encouragements given him to the same purport with those in the foregoing chapter (Eze 3:4-11). III. The mighty impulse he was under, with which he was carried to those that were to be his hearers (Eze 3:12-15). IV. A further explication of his office and business as a prophet, under the similitude of a watchman (Eze 3:16-21). V. The restraining and restoring of the prophet's liberty of speech, as God pleased (Eze 3:22-27).

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 3 This chapter contains a further account of the prophet's call and mission; of his preparation of him for is work; of, the persons to whom he was sent; of what happened to him upon this; of the nature of his office, and the work of it; and of what followed upon the renewal of his call. His further preparation for prophesying is in Eze 3:1; where he is bid to eat the roll showed him, which he did, and found it in his mouth as honey for sweetness; and then he receives fresh orders to go to the people of Israel, and prophesy to them, Eze 3:4; and, that he might not be discouraged, an account is given beforehand of the people to whom he was sent; of their language, behaviour, and disposition; by which he could not expect success, Eze 3:5; and, for his further encouragement, strength, boldness, resolution, firmness, and presence of mind, are promised him, Eze 3:8; also a revelation of mere things to him; all which he should hear, receive, and speak, whether the people would attend to them or not; which ought to be no discouragement to him, since it was not regarded by the Lord, Eze 3:10; then follows an account of his being lifted up by the Spirit from the earth, when he heard a voice, which is described by the manner and matter of it; and a noise, both of the living creature's wings, and of the wheels he had seen in a former vision, Eze 3:12; and next of his being carried away by the same Spirit; and of the condition he was in, in his own spirit, as he went; and of the strength he received from the Lord; and of the place to which he, was carried; and his state and circumstances, and time of continuance there, Eze 3:14; where, after a time mentioned, he has a fresh call to his office, under the character of a watchman, whose business was to hear Christ's words, and warn the house of Israel from him; and who are distinguished into wicked and righteous; and whom the prophet was to warn at his own peril, Eze 3:16; and the chapter is concluded with a narration of various events which befell the prophet; he is bid by the Lord to go into the plain, which he did, and there saw the glory of the Lord, as he had before seen it at the river Chebar; which so affected him, that he fell upon his face, Eze 3:22; the spirit entered into him, let him on his feet, and spake with him; ordered him what he should do himself, that he should shut himself up in his house, Eze 3:24; informed him what the people would do to him; bind him with bands, that he should not come forth, Eze 3:25; and what Christ would do to him; strike him dumb in judgment to the people, that he might not be a reprover of them, Eze 3:26; but he is told that, when the Lord spoke to him; his mouth should be opened, and he should declare what was said to him, Eze 3:27.

And go, get thee to them of the captivity,.... Not in the times of Hoshea king of Israel, by Shalmaneser king of Assyria, for these were placed in the cities of the Medes, Kg2 17:6; but in the times of Jeconiah king of Judah, Eze 1:2; unto the children of thy people; the Jews, which were in the land of Chaldea: and speak unto them, and tell them: the words the Lord spoke to him: thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: See Gill on Eze 2:5.

We must note that the teaching of God must first be fashioned in our heart and heard and understood carefully, and only then can it be laid before the people.

(Verse 11.) Go, enter into the exile (or captivity), to the sons of your people, and speak to them, and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: perhaps they will listen and be still. And our Lord came to the people of the Jews, sent by the Father, to proclaim remission to the captives, and to fulfill what is written: Ascending on high, he led captivity captive: he gave gifts to men (Psalm 67:19).

"And go, enter in to the captivity of the children of your people." But as for the fact that the prophet is sent to admonish the people concerning their transmigration, not only should that transmigration be understood which was of that people in body, but also that which had occurred in mind. For they had come from Jerusalem to Babylon. And what is Jerusalem called but "vision of peace," what is Babylon called but "confusion"? But whoever falls from right works into perverse deeds, since he slips from good zeal into vices, comes as it were from Jerusalem to the city of Babylon. For he has abandoned the height of good contemplation and lies in the transmigration of confusion. This often tends to happen to those who, when they do good things, glory in their own virtue in these matters. Hence the Psalmist, lest he should migrate as a captive from the vision of peace, that is, from good deeds, to Babylon, supplicating the Lord, says: "My helper, I shall not migrate." For if he had trusted in himself, he would have migrated by falling from works of righteousness. But neither should those who have fallen from a state of righteousness into wicked action be despaired of, because behold, the prophet is sent to the captivity of Babylon. And through another prophet the Lord says: "And you shall come even to Babylon, and there you shall be delivered." For often someone, after falling into the confusion of vices, blushing at the evils he has committed, returns to repentance and raises himself from his falls by living well. What then is this except that he came even to Babylon and was delivered there? He who, after committing perverse acts with a confused mind, blushing at those very evils he did, raises himself against himself and by working good returns to a state of righteousness. Therefore he was delivered in Babylon, who through divine grace is shown to have been saved even from confusion. The prophet therefore speaks to the captivity when he rebukes those who have fallen by migrating from a state of righteousness to the vices of error.

"And you shall speak to them, and you shall say: Thus says the Lord God: if perhaps they may hear and be still." That the difficulty of hearing is repeated so many times in the divine words, so that it is said, "If perhaps they will hear," what else is designated but the hardness of the exiled people? In these words there is great consolation for us, because if almighty God, sending a prophet, declares that His words are heard with difficulty by a perverse people, why should we wretches be saddened when we are often despised by our brothers in our admonition? For frequently we address those who transgress, often we rebuke them, frequently we deal with them with gentle words, and yet if one hears, another disdains to hear; one partially receives the word of exhortation, and partially refuses to accept it; so that we seem to see daily fulfilled what the Lord narrates through another prophet about what He did in anger, when He says: "I rained upon one city, and upon another I did not rain. One part was rained upon, and the part that was not rained upon dried up." For when one mind receives the words of holy exhortation while another refuses to receive them, the Lord rains upon one city and does not rain upon another. But when even the same neighbor who hears corrects himself from some vices and disdains to amend himself from others, one and the same city is both partly rained upon and partly remains dry, in which it repels from itself the rain of preaching. For there are some who do not hear the words of exhortation at all; these completely refuse to receive the rain. And there are some who hear but nevertheless do not follow it from the depths of their heart, because they cut off some vices in themselves but persist gravely in others. For often we see some who through the word of preaching repel from themselves the heat of avarice, and not only no longer seize what belongs to others but also distribute their own possessions to the needy; yet they do not tame the stings of anger, nor preserve the restraints of patience through tranquility of mind. And often others, at the word of exhortation, now overcome in themselves the uncleanness of the flesh, guard the body in chastity, yet still do not incline their spirit toward their neighbors as they ought, but through the rigidity of pride they exalt themselves in their thoughts. In these, one part has been rained upon because it has borne fruit, and the part that was not rained upon has dried up, because not fully receiving the word of exhortation, it has remained barren of good work.

This chapter contains more particular instructions to the prophet. It begins with repeating his appointment to his office, Eze 3:1-3. Ezekiel is then informed that his commission is, at this time, to the house of Israel exclusively, Eze 3:4-6; that his countrymen would pay little regard to him, Eze 3:7; that he must persevere in his duty notwithstanding such great discouragement; and he is endued with extraordinary courage and intrepidity to enable him fearlessly to declare to a disobedient and gainsaying people the whole counsel of God, Eze 3:8-11. The prophet is afterwards carried by the spirit that animated the cherubim and wheels, and by which he received the gift of prophecy, to a colony of his brethren in the neighborhood, where he remained seven days overwhelmed with astonishment, Eze 3:12-15. He is then warned of the awful importance of being faithful in his office, Eze 3:16-21; commanded to go forth into the plain that he may have a visible manifestation of the Divine Presence, Eze 3:22; and is again favored with a vision of that most magnificent set of symbols described in the first chapter, by which the glorious majesty of the God of Israel was in some measure represented, Eze 3:23. See also Isa 6:1-13; Dan 10:5-19; and Rev 1:10-16; Rev 4:1-11, for other manifestations of the Divine glory, in all of which some of the imagery is very similar. The prophet receives directions relative to his future conduct, Eze 3:24-27.

EZEKIEL EATS THE ROLL. IS COMMISSIONED TO GO TO THEM OF THE CAPTIVITY AND GOES TO TEL-ABIB BY THE CHEBAR: AGAIN BEHOLDS THE SHEKINAH GLORY: IS TOLD TO RETIRE TO HIS HOUSE, AND ONLY SPEAK WHEN GOD OPENS HIS MOUTH. (Eze. 3:1-27) eat . . . and . . . speak--God's messenger must first inwardly appropriate God's truth himself, before he "speaks" it to others (see on Eze 2:8). Symbolic actions were, when possible and proper, performed outwardly; otherwise, internally and in spiritual vision, the action so narrated making the naked statement more intuitive and impressive by presenting the subject in a concentrated, embodied form.

thy people--who ought to be better disposed to hearken to thee, their fellow countryman, than hadst thou been a foreigner (Eze 3:5-6).