John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 13:20

"Wherefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make [them] fly, and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make [them] fly." — Ezekiel 13:20 (ASV)

Here Ezekiel begins to threaten those women with what would shortly happen, namely, that God would not only render them contemptible but also ridiculous before the whole people, so that their delusions and impostures might sufficiently appear. This is the Prophet’s intention, as we will later see; but the Prophet is verbose in this denunciation.

God therefore says, that He is an enemy to those cushions, that is, to those false ceremonies which were like cloaks to deceive miserable people; for this reason He says that those souls were a prey. He uses the comparison from hunting: you have hunted, says He, the souls of my people.

And this is the meaning of the word used immediately afterwards, for flying. This word פרח, pherech, also signifies “to flourish;” but I willingly subscribe here to the opinion of all who interpret it to mean flying; unless the paraphrast is right in translating it “to perish;” for he thought the Prophet was speaking metaphorically, as if he meant that those souls were ensnared and so vanished away.

But I do not think this is quite suitable, since it is more probable that the Prophet is speaking of their lofty speculations. For we know that false prophets boasted in this artifice, when they either raise, or pretend to raise, people’s minds aloft, and curious people desire only this; and for this reason it happens that the doctrines of the Law and the Gospel are insipid to them, because subtleties alone delight them.

And we see today how many embrace the follies of Dionysius about the celestial hierarchy, who treat all the prophets, and even Christ Himself, as of no value. Therefore the Prophet says, that these women hunted the souls of the people, because they had snares prepared in which they entangled all who were subject to their impostures and fallacies.

Yet, in my opinion, He also alludes to birds. Therefore, when He has said that all impostures were Satan’s method of hunting souls, He now obliquely adds another simile: that all false prophecies are so many allurements to catch birds. The sense of the passage now appears clear.

Behold, therefore, says He, God will arise against your cushions, by which you have hunted birds to make them fly. This means that when you promised wonderful revelations, those wretched dupes, urged on by their own curiosity, were deceived by such enticements.

Later He adds, I will free them from your arms, and I will let go the souls which you have hunted to make them fly, says He. He repeats what we have already said about deep speculations, by the sweetness of which false prophets are accustomed to entice all fools who cannot be content with true doctrine, nor be wise with sobriety.

Meanwhile, it is by no means doubtful that God here speaks particularly of His elect, who were left among the people. For although they were few, God was unwilling for them to perish; and for this reason He announces that He would be their avenger and undeceive them, whether they had been already entrapped or were just surrounded by these allurements.

Since, then, He uses the same word, we gather from this that the phrase cannot be used indiscriminately. For God allows many to perish, as He says by the Prophet Zechariah, Let what perishes perish (Zechariah 9:9); but meanwhile He rescued a small number as the remnant of His choice, as Paul says (Romans 11:5).

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, since You show us that our salvation is so precious in Your sight, that through our ingratitude we may not cast away this testimony of Your favor, but be anxious to listen to Your instructions. Grant also, that being gifted by You with the spirit of discretion, we may not be exposed to capture as a prey; but may we be so ruled by the light of Your word that we may hold on in the right way, until after our allotted time is finished we may arrive at that happy repose which is laid up for us in heaven through Christ our Lord. Amen.