Ezechiele 40:20 Commento

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.

And the little chambers thereof were three on this side, and three on that side,.... As in the eastern gate, and the measures the same, Eze 40:7. Gospel churches in the latter day will be all on the same plan, and modelled according to the same pattern, and be in just the same order, one as another: and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, were after the same measure of the first gate; the eastern gate: believers will be all pillars in the church of God, and partakers of the same like precious faith: the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits; see Eze 40:13.

(Verse 20, 21.) He also measured the gate of the outer court that faced north, both in length and width. It had three rooms on each side, and its front and vestibule were the same size as those of the gate that faced east. The gate was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide, and its windows, vestibule, and carvings were all the same size as those of the gate that faced east. There were seven steps in its ascent, and a vestibule before it. And there was a gate of the inner court opposite the gate to the north and east. And it was measured from gate to gate, one hundred cubits. Seventy: And he brought me to the north gate and behold, a gate facing the outer court. And it was measured, its length and its width, with its three sides here, and three there, and its threshing floor, and its rooms (which it did not have in Hebrew) and its palm tree. And it was made in the measurement of the gate facing east: its length was fifty cubits, and its width was twenty-five cubits. And its windows and palm trees were like the gate that faced east. And it had seven steps leading up to it, with palm trees on the inside. And the inner gate of the courtyard faced the gate of the north (which is not mentioned in Hebrew, like the gate that faces east). And the courtyard was measured from gate to gate, a hundred cubits. What the Hebrew words "thee," "elau," and "elamoth" mean, we have already explained in more detail. But our translation will teach you their meaning in the present context. However, there was a man whose cord was in his hand, and also the gate of the outer court of the north, or he brought the prophet through the gate of the north to the outer court. In which it is to be considered that it is first introduced through the gate of the north, secondly, through the gate of the south, thirdly, through the gate of the east. For from the north evil flames are kindled upon the inhabitants of the earth. And it is clear that the one who dwells on the earth, and is not a stranger or a foreigner, is exposed to the spears of him who comes from the north, whose spears are on fire, which, according to the Apostle, are extinguished by the shield of faith. And towards the North, the outer courtyard is called; but towards the South, that is, towards the South, it is not outside, but inside. For the Scripture says: And he brought me to the inner court by the South gate, which is also found written in the Eastern courtyard. For the first one entered with power, trampling underfoot the North, and by the fiftieth and twenty-fifth number, reached the top of the hundredth; then he was brought in to the South side, and expelled the cold of the North: and then he reached perfect power, that is, the Eastern gate, where the sun of justice rises, and through which only the high priest enters. And this must be noted, that while there are four cardinal directions, the western gate is not mentioned, about which it is written in the beginning of the sixty-seventh psalm: Make a way for Him who ascends in the West, the Lord is His name (Psalm 7:5); so that after we prepare a way for the Lord and fulfill what John the Baptist proclaims in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight His paths (Matthew 3:3), we may be able to hear what is said in the last part of the same psalm: Sing to God, sing praises to the Lord, who ascends above the highest heavens to the East (Psalm 68:33). But what is said about the three chambers in this passage, three on one side and three on the other, teaches us that both the letter and the spirit, as well as understanding in both literal and figurative sense, pertain to the sacraments of the Trinity. And what is said about the front and the vestibule according to the measurement of the previous gate signifies the Eastern gate, which is called 'first' not in order but in merit. And it had, it says, fifty cubits in length and twenty-five in width, so that eternal rest might be demonstrated after fifty weeks following seven weeks: extending during the day of resurrection to the kingdoms of heaven, in which true rest is found. But in twenty-five, of which number we spoke earlier, let the measurement of the five senses be preserved through the five orders of the square, of which one is adapted to length and another to width, so that in length there may be rest and delight of a more sacred knowledge; in width, a demonstration of present things that pertain to the senses. And it is inferred: And its windows, and vestibules, and sculptures, or as the Seventy added, palm trees, were according to the measurement of the gate that looked towards the East, this is subtly indicated, that whoever is positioned at the entrance of virtues, enters three and three chambers, recognizes the front and vestibule of the measurement of the previous gate, comes to them, and sees what has been most abundantly received in the Eastern gate. Furthermore, what follows: And there was a seven-step ascent, and a vestibule before it, or within it, this has the meaning that through the seven steps of the week, and the lamps that are lit from the face of the North, and the Jewish ceremonies to which God gave commandments that are not good, and the justifications in which they do not live, we ascend to higher things and to its vestibule, that is, to the gates, for which the Seventy Elamites translated. The vestibule before the gate is both interior and exterior. Not only is there one gate to the North, which is called the outer gate, but there is also another inner gate, which resembles the Eastern gate, as the Seventy have clearly stated. And the inner gate of the court faces the gate to the North, just as the gate that faced the East. And the distance from the outer gate to the inner gate of the same North is one hundred cubits, so that by means of these steps and measurements, we may be able to reach the inner gate by departing from the outer gate, as has been said in the explanation of the numbers.

Readers must exercise great discernment, so that when any single word is used in sacred Scripture, it is not believed to always signify one and the same thing—just as sometimes "sun" is taken in a good sense, and sometimes in a bad sense. For by the name of sun, sometimes our Redeemer Himself is signified, and sometimes persecution. For as the Book of Wisdom attests, the impious in hell will say: "We have erred from the way of truth, and the sun of justice has not shone upon us." And concerning the seeds that were cast, the Lord says: "When the sun rose, they withered"—because, that is, when persecution arose, the words of preaching dried up in the hearts of the reprobate. Likewise, "lion" signifies the Lord. Hence it is written: "The lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered." Yet by the name of lion, the likeness of the devil is also expressed, as is said by the first pastor: "Your adversary the devil, like a roaring lion, goes about seeking whom he may devour." Likewise, by the name of ox, a wise person is designated. Hence it is written: "You shall not yoke together an ox and a donkey"—that is, you shall not join a wise person with a fool in preaching. Yet by "ox" a fool is also figured, as is said of one who has been captured in shameful love: "Immediately he follows her, like an ox led to slaughter"—that is, like a fool being dragged to death. I have said these things, therefore, lest—because I have explained that a gate can signify the Lord, or preachers, or sacred Scripture, or faith—wherever "gate" is read henceforth in this prophet, it be believed that it cannot signify something else. For when the prophet was speaking of one gate, faith was rightly understood, because there is one faith of all the elect. But when other gates are named, the mouths of preachers can be understood, through which true life is known, and through which one ascends to the knowledge of spiritual sacraments. For regarding the gate by which we said faith is signified, we should note that it is called "lower." For while we are in this life, we are held as if placed in the depths, still kept below. And rightly is the lower gate faith, because it opens to us, placed on earth, the knowledge of God. Of the gate which looked toward the way of the North of the outer court, those same things are repeated which were already said above concerning the other gate, and other things are added which the prophet had passed over in silence concerning the aforesaid gate. Therefore, in order that we may discuss more fully those things which have not yet been examined, we ought to repeat briefly what has already been said. For the gate looks toward the way of the North when any preacher recognizes the life of a sinner and opens to him the interior things of life through the word of preaching. This gate is called the gate of the outer court. For the outer court is the present life, in which everything that is done bodily is also seen bodily. This gate is measured both in length and in breadth, because when a sinner is led to the faith, it is necessary that his teacher consider how much he advances in the length of hope or how much in the breadth of charity from his admonition. For he who is converted to God, if he still hopes for the good things of the present life, does not have length, because the life in which he has placed his hope is short. If he is confined by the desire for earthly things and still by hatred of his neighbor, he does not have breadth, because he does not know how to despise passing things or to expand himself in love of neighbor. But when anyone who has been converted hopes with longsuffering for the joys of eternal life, bears the troubles of his neighbors with charity, and despises coveting what he does not have—the gate has length and breadth, because the glory of the preacher is the progress of the hearer. Whence it is said to certain ones through the great preacher: "My joy and my crown." And again: "Behold, now I live, if you stand in the Lord." And again: "What is our hope or joy? Is it not you before the Lord?" Therefore the length and breadth of the gate is that which looks toward the North, because when a preacher has converted to the faith any unbeliever who was torpid in the coldness of his sin, through the fact that he stretches him out in the length of hope and expands him in the amplitude of charity, he makes his glory his own.

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.

The different approaches corresponded in plan. In the case of these two other gates, however, no mention is made of a building with thirty chambers such as was found on the east side. Only one was needed, and it was assigned to the east as being the sacred quarter, and that most conveniently situated for the officiating priests.

The North Gate and the South Gate of the Outer Court (1 Plate I A) The description of these two gate-buildings is very brief, only the principal portions being mentioned, coupled with the remark that they resembled those of the east gate. The following is the description of the north gate. - Eze 40:20. And the gate, whose direction was toward the north, touching the outer court, he measured its length and its breadth, Eze 40:21. And its guard-rooms, three on this side and three on that, and its pillars and its wall-projections. It was according to the measure of the first gate, fifty cubits its length, and the breadth five and twenty cubits. Eze 40:22. And its windows and its wall-projections and its palms were according to the measure of the gate, whose direction was toward the east; and by seven steps they went up, and its wall-projections were in front of it. Eze 40:23. And a gate to the inner court was opposite the gate to the north and to the east; and he measured from gate to gate a hundred cubits. - With the measuring of the breadth of the court the measuring man had reached the north gate, which he also proceeded to measure now. In Eze 40:20 the words והשּׁער to החיצונה are written absolutely; and in Eze 40:21 the verb היה does not belong to the objects previously enumerated, viz., guard-rooms, pillars, etc., but these objects are governed by ויּמד yb denrevog e, and היה points back to the principal subject of the two verses, השּׁער: it (the gate) was according to the measure... (cf. Eze 40:15 and Eze 40:13). For the use of ב in definitions of measurement, "25 בּאמּה" (by the cubit, sc. measured), as in Exo 27:18, etc., see Gesenius, 120. 4, Anm. 2. The "first gate" is the east gate, the one first measured and described. In Eze 40:23 the number of steps is given which the flight leading into the gateway had; and this of course applies to the flight of steps of the east gate also (Eze 40:6). In Eze 40:22, כּמדּת is not to be regarded as doubtful, as Hitzig supposes, or changed into כּ; for even if the windows of the east gate were not measured, they had at all events a definite measurement, so that it might be affirmed with regard to the windows of the north gate that their dimensions were the same. This also applies to the palm-decorations. With regard to the אלמּים (Eze 40:21), however, it is simply stated that they were measured; but the measurement is not given. לפּניהם (Eze 40:22, end) is not to be altered in an arbitrary and ungrammatical way into לפנימה, as Bttcher proposes. The suffix הם refers to the steps. Before the steps there were the אילמּים of the gate-building. This "before," however, is not equivalent to "outside the flight of steps," as Bttcher imagines; for the measuring man did not go out of the inside of the gate, or go down the steps into the court, but came from the court and ascended the steps, and as he was going up he saw in front (vis--vis) of the steps the אילמּים of the gate, i.e., the wall-projections on both sides of the threshold of the gate. In Eze 40:23 it is observed for the first time that there was a gate to the inner court opposite to the northern and the eastern gate of the outer court already described, so that the gates of the outer and inner court stood vis--vis. The distance between these outer and inner gates is then measured, viz., 100 cubits, in harmony with Eze 40:19. In Eze 40:24-27 the south gate is described with the same brevity. Eze 40:24. And he led me toward the south, and behold there was a gate toward the south, and he measured its pillars and its wall-projections according to the same measures. Eze 40:25. And there were windows in it and its wall-projections round about like those windows; fifty cubits was the length, and the breadth five and twenty cubits. Eze 40:26. And seven steps were its ascent and its wall-projections in the front of them, and it had palm-work, one upon this side and one upon that on its pillars. Eze 40:27. And there was a gate to the inner court toward the south, and he measured from gate to gate toward the south a hundred cubits. - This gate also was built exactly like the two others. The description simply differs in form, and not in substance, from the description of the gate immediately preceding. כּמּדּות האלּ, "like those measures," is a concise expression for "like the measures of the pillars already described at the north and east gates." For Eze 40:25, compare Eze 40:16 and Eze 40:21; and for Eze 40:26, vid., Eze 40:22. Eze 40:26 is clearly explained from Eze 40:16, as compared with Eze 40:9. And lastly, Eze 40:27 answers to the 23rd verse, and completes the measuring of the breadth of the court, which was also a hundred cubits upon the south side, from the outer gate to the inner gate standing opposite, as was the case according to Eze 40:19 upon the eastern side. Hvernick has given a different explanation of Eze 40:27, and would take the measurement of a hundred cubits as referring to the distance between the gates of the inner court which stood opposite to each other, because in Eze 40:27 we have משּׁער in the text, and not מן השּׁער; so that we should have to render the passage thus, "he measured from a gate to the gate toward the south a hundred cubits," and not "from the gate (already described) of the outer court," but from another gate, which according to the context of the verse must also be a gate of the inner court. But it is precisely the context which speaks decidedly against this explanation. For since, according to Eze 40:18, the measuring man did not take the prophet into the inner court, for the purpose of measuring it before his eyes, till after he had measured from (a) gate to the south gate of the inner court, the distance which he had previously measured and found to be a hundred cubits is not to be sought for within the inner court, and therefore cannot give the distance between the gates of the inner court, which stood opposite to one another, but must be that from the south gate of the outer court to the south gate of the inner. This is the case not only here, but also in Eze 40:23, where the north gate is mentioned. We may see how little importance is to be attached to the omission of the article in משּׁער from the expression משּׁער אל שׁער in Eze 40:23, where neither the one gate nor the other is defined, because the context showed which gates were meant. Hvernick's explanation is therefore untenable, notwithstanding the fact that, according to Eze 40:47, the size of the inner court was a hundred cubits both in breadth and length. - From the distance between the gates of the outer court and the corresponding gates of the inner, as given in Eze 40:27, Eze 40:23, and Eze 40:19, we find that the outer court covered a space of two hundred cubits on every side, - namely, fifty cubits the distance which the outer court building projected into the court, and fifty cubits for the projection of the gate-building of the inner court into the outer court, and a hundred cubits from one gate-porch to the opposite one (50 + 50 + 100 = 200). Consequently the full size of the building enclosed by the wall (Eze 40:5), i.e., of the temple with its two courts, may also be calculated, as it has been by many of the expositors. If we proceed, for example, from the outer north gate to the outer south gate upon the ground plan (Plate I), we have, to quote the words of Kliefoth, "first the northern breadth of the outer court (D) with its two hundred cubits; then the inner court, which measured a hundred cubits square according to Eze 40:47 (E), with its hundred cubits; and lastly, the south side of the outer court with two hundred cubits more (D); so that the sanctuary was five hundred cubits broad from north to south. And if we start from the entrance of the east gate of the court (A), we have first of all the eastern breadth of the outer court, viz., two hundred cubits; then the inner court (e) with its hundred cubits; after that the temple-buildings, which also covered a space of a hundred cubits square according to Eze 41:13-14, including the open space around them (G), with another hundred cubits; and lastly, the גּזרה (J), which was situated to the west of the temple-buildings, and also covered a space of a hundred cubits square according to Eze 41:13-14, with another hundred cubits; so that the sanctuary was also five hundred cubits long from east to west, or, in other words, formed a square of five hundred cubits."