John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 10:8

"And there appeared in the cherubim the form of a man`s hand under their wings." — Ezekiel 10:8 (ASV)

I will now pass rapidly over what I explained more fully in the first chapter, to avoid burdening you with useless repetition. I said that hands appeared under the wings, so that the Prophet might understand the great vigor of angels for action; but in the meantime, it marked the agreement of their movement with the obedience that they offer to God.

For undoubtedly, wings in angels represent direction, by which God testifies that the angels have no motion of their own or independent motion, but are governed by His secret guidance; for wings signify something earthly and human. And it is clear that when wings were given to angels, by this symbol God’s secret governance was pointed out (Colossians 1:16), for they are not only called principalities, but also powers.

Since God governs angels by His own will, He therefore wishes them to be represented in the sanctuary as winged (Exodus 25:20 and Exodus 37:9).

Now, because there is no action without hands, the Prophet says that human hands appeared under the wings. This is as if he were saying that this readiness was not without effect, because it was joined with action, for we know that the term "hands" often designates all functions in Scripture.

Thus, it is as if he were saying that the angels were winged, since they were animated by the secret power of God and had no motion of their own; and also that they were able and fit for exercising the functions committed to them, because they were endowed with hands.

But he says that those hands lay hidden under their wings, because angels do not undertake anything rashly, as humans often act vigorously but without discretion. Therefore, he says that their hands were covered by the wings, because angels undertake nothing rashly or without consideration, but their every action depends on that secret governance of God of which I have spoken.