Ezekiel
Verse 1. Israel. The restoration of the Jews and the redemption of Christ, constitute this fourth division. Worthington.—Edom has seized parts of the country, as if I had abandoned my people for ever.
EXPLANATIONS
Ezekiel 36
Historical chapter commentary
Ezekiel
Verse 2. Heights. Septuagint “deserts.” The mountains are often styled eternal, as being the best symbols of durability. Deuteronomy 33:15.
Ezekiel
Verse 3. Reproach. This God had repeatedly threatened. Deuteronomy 28:37. Calmet. Jeremiah 24:9.—People talked of their distress. Worthington.
Ezekiel
Verse 8. Israel. Some apply what follows to the captives returning; others, perceiving that the expressions were not then literally verified, have recourse to the reign of 1000 years. Others again explain the whole of Christ’s Church. But some expressions refer to it, and others to the captives; which, though mixed together, induce no confusion, as what belongs to the Jews was a figure of what regarded Christ; and the predictions of the Messias might be applied to the Jews in a hyperbolical sense. Saint Augustine Doct. iii. 34. Saint Jerome Menochius. Tirinus. Calmet.
Ezekiel
Verse 11. Greater. Septuagint “similar.” Bible.—It would be difficult to shew that the Jews arrived at greater eminence after the captivity than before, ( Calmet.) though they were less addicted to idolatry. Their kingdom was not independent: they had no prophets, and so forth But the superior numbers and excellence of the Christian Church is manifest.
Ezekiel
Verse 12. Them. Antiochus and the Romans laid waste the country; ( Calmet.) and Adrian would not allow the Jews to come near Jerusalem. Saint Jerome Eus. iv. 6.—The people were not indeed removed together, as they had been. But all this is verified only in the Church, which in the midst of persecutions always subsists. Theodoret thinks these promises were conditional with respect to the Jews.
Ezekiel
Verse 13. Men. This remark was very ancient. Numbers 13:33. Wars had almost always raged in the country. Calmet.
Ezekiel
Verse 15. More. This whole promise principally relates to the Church of Christ, and God’s perpetual protection of her; for to the carnal Jews, they have been removed out of their land these sixteen hundred years. Challoner.
Ezekiel
Verse 18. Blood of their own children, and of the innocent. Calmet. 16:36 and 22:2 and 33:25.
Ezekiel
Verse 20. Land. Yet their conduct was no better than that of infidels. Thus they throw the blame on the law, and upon God himself. Jeremiah 48:9. and so forth Calmet.—The Jews had provoked God to punish them with captivity; and hence the nations took occasion to blaspheme, that he could not protect them.
Ezekiel
Verse 22. Holy, that my attributes of justice and mercy may be confessed. Isaiah 48:2. Daniel 3:49. Judith 8:24.
Ezekiel
Verse 25. Water. R. David and the Chal. explain this of the remission of sin; and all Christians understand it of baptism in water, remitting all offences. Ephesians 5:26. Titus 3:5. Worthington.—He alludes to the purification of the Jews, which prefigured baptism and penance, in which the blood of Christ is applied to our souls. This of course was only fulfilled in his church.
Ezekiel
Verse 26. Flesh. The Jews at their return fell not so often into the sins of idolatry, and so forth of which the prophets complained. But yet they were far from answering this character. Great irregularities prevailed under Nehemias, and in the days of the Machabees the priests publicly worshipped idols. 1 Ezra 9. and 2 Ezra 5. and 8 and 2 Maccabees 4 and 5. Christ enables his servants to act with purity unto the end, by the influence of his all-powerful grace. Calmet.
Ezekiel
Verse 27. Do them. Hence the efficacy of grace appears, (Saint Augustine Bible.) and hereby some keep the commandments. Worthington.—God assists our free-will. Theod. A.Lap. Calmet.
Ezekiel
Verse 37. Find. Hebrew “seek.” I will cause great multitudes to come to the solemn feast. This was seen still more after the conversion of the Gentiles. Calmet.