John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 15

The Prophet’s intention is to humble the foolish confidence of the people, who boasted of the gratuitous kindness of God, as if they were naturally excellent. Hence, their obstinacy against His threats was also very great. For when the prophets reproved them sharply, they boasted of the remarkable gifts with which they were divinely adorned, as if God's benefits had armed them to resist His power; for we know they were so blinded.

Since, then, that disease had attacked the people, it is not surprising that the prophets refute such folly in many places. But the Prophet here uses a simile to show the Jews that their excellence was not intrinsic but only incidental, because God had treated them as worthy of remarkable benefits.

Since this is so, their arrogance is easily refuted when they set up their superiority in opposition to God, as if it were unique to them and not God’s special gift. But we must understand the simile Ezekiel uses: What is the vine more than other trees of the woods? It is true that the vine produces very good fruit and is therefore preferred to other trees; the very flower of the vine has a most delicious scent, but the fruit it produces proves its excellence.

For the wood of the vine is without elegance and shapeless; it does not grow to any thickness; it is slender, pliable, and twisted. In looking at a vine, it seems scarcely worth numbering among shrubs. If compared with trees, it clearly has no value, while the excellence of other trees, which surpasses all vines, is easily acknowledged.

For when we cast our eyes upon a branching tree, we are struck with admiration, while the vine lies at our feet. Therefore, if a tree is compared with the wood of the vine, the tree will be praised for its beauty, while the vine will be despised as a low and insignificant wood.

Hence God concludes that the Jews were in no respect more excellent than others, unless because they were planted by Himself, as He says in many places in Isaiah, O my vine, I have planted thee (Isaiah 5). Then in Psalm 80: He brought His vine out of Egypt, and planted and propagated it even to the sea (Psalms 80:9–12; Jeremiah 2:21).

Now we understand the Prophet’s meaning: namely, that the Jews indeed excelled in privileges, but not in nature, nor by themselves, but by the gratuitous kindness of God. And if other nations were compared with them, those other nations had greater dignity than the Jews.

We know that other nations flourished in arts, wealth, population, warlike valor, and in other respects; the profane nations were like lofty trees that grow up and attract all eyes to themselves.

But the Jews were like a vine that, being planted by God’s hand, deserved more praise than the fruitless trees of the wood. Ezekiel now carries on the comparison at greater length: If the vine is torn up, can its wood, he says, be fitted to any use? It will not make beams, tables, or any vessels; it will not make a peg or a hook on which to hang a hat, a cloak, or anything of the kind.

Since, then, the wood of the vine is useless when torn from the soil and is fit only for burning, the Jews are thus made aware of their condition. Their excellence and worthiness depend on the mere good pleasure of God. For, as He planted them, He can also pluck them up in a moment. And when they have been torn up, they will be altogether useless and will be cast into the fire, while the wood of other trees is of some use.

But the Prophet proceeds another step: If a bundle of twigs were cast into the fire, and its two ends were burnt up while the middle was only dried out, that scorched middle part would be even less useful. For since fire penetrates to the very marrow, wood that is half-consumed is reduced to powder by a mere touch. He afterwards applies what He had said about the vine to the city of Jerusalem. Therefore, let us go on to the rest of the context.

Here the Prophet shows that the citizens of Jerusalem were thrown into a fire, by which they suffered various kinds of death; for although they were not immediately and entirely consumed, yet their extremities were burned off. For the whole region was laid waste all around, and the kingdom of Israel was entirely cut off: Jerusalem remained like the middle portion of the bundle.

But the inhabitants of Jerusalem were so worn down by adversity that they were like a stick burned at both ends. Since this was so, we here perceive their great stupidity in persisting in stubborn resistance, although God had humbled them so in various ways. Now, therefore, we understand the meaning of this point.

But the words of the Prophet must be explained: what shall be, or what is the wood of the vine compared with other wood? Some translate it as "with the palm branch"; others, "with the wild vine"; but both of these are foreign to the Prophet's meaning. Especially, the wild vine can have no place here.

As far as the palm is concerned, what reference is there to the palm branch in the middle of a forest? For palms are not planted in forests amidst lofty trees. But since the word זמורה, zemoreh, signifies branches as well as palms, it agrees best with the meaning to speak of every tree as branching.

What, therefore, is the vine in comparison with every branching tree that is among the trees of the forest? Here the Prophet brings before us fruitless trees, yet those that attract our notice by their beauty. And so he implies, if the Jews wish to compare themselves with the profane nations, they are not superior in any worthiness or elegance that they have naturally and of themselves.

This must be diligently noted: although God sometimes adopts those who excel in ability and learning, in warlike prowess, in riches, and in power, yet He gathers His Church as much as possible from men of humble birth, in whom no great splendor shines brightly, so that they may be objects of wonder to the world.

For what purpose, then, does God do this? For He could fashion His own elect so that they might be completely perfect in every way. But since we are too inclined to pride, it is necessary that our weakness should always be placed before our eyes to teach us modesty. For if nothing in us reminded us of our weakness, our own worthiness would blind us, or turn our eyes away from ourselves, or intoxicate us with false glory.

Therefore, God desires us to be inferior to the profane, so that we may always learn to acknowledge as received from Him whatever He has freely bestowed upon us, and not to claim anything for ourselves when our own lowliness is so plainly set before our eyes.

But as far as the Jews are concerned, they were, as we have said, like a vine, because their excellence was not natural but external. God had fashioned them, as it were, from nothing; and although they were adorned with many remarkable gifts, yet they could claim nothing for themselves.

Shall there be taken, He says, any wood from it to fashion it for any work? God here shows that the Jews were rightly preferred to others because He had planted them with His hand. For if they had been uprooted, He shows that the wood would be useless, since it could not be used for any purpose.

And Christ uses the same analogy (John 15:1–7) when He shows that by nature we have no root in us, nor sap, moisture, or vigor, since we are a vine planted by our heavenly Father. But if He roots us up, nothing remains for us but to be thrown into the fire and utterly burned.

Lastly, God shows that the Jews would be more worthless than the nations if He took away from them whatever He gave them; and He admonishes them that their state has no stability except through His goodwill towards them. For if the Prophet had only said that whatever the Jews had they owed to God, and for this reason were indebted to His generosity, they might still exalt themselves.

But it is added, in the second place, that they remained safe day by day, insofar as God spares them, cherishes, defends, and sustains them.

Therefore, the Prophet means this when he says, Shall it be taken to form any work from it, or will they take it for a peg to hang any vessels upon it? He says, Behold, it was given for consumption, and its two ends were burned up. Here, as I said, he points out various calamities by which the Jews were almost struck down, though not subdued.

For they were hardened in their stubbornness; and although they were like burned and rotten wood, yet they boasted that they were perfect through their adoption and through the covenant that God had made with Abraham. They boasted themselves to be a holy race and a royal priesthood. Yet God reproves their indolence when He says their state was like burned wood, when a bundle of twigs has been thrown into the fire, and there is some remnant so injured by the smoke as to be robbed of its strength.

Behold, He says, when it was whole could it be formed into any work! How much less after the fire has consumed it. Here the Prophet pursues the same sentiment. If anyone should take any part of the bundle after the fire had dried it, could he adapt it for any work?

If he should take the twig when whole, it would not be fit to receive any shaping; how much less could the burned wood be used for a peg or anything else. If, then, not even a peg can be found in the entire bundle when the stem is like an ember from being scorched by fire, how can it be turned to any use?

Now follows the application. He says, As I have given the wood of the vine among woods (literally, "in the wood of the forest"). From this we gather what I previously said about the branch: that it corresponds to trees and is not used for the wild vine or the palm branch.

For he now says, simply, amidst all the wood of the forest. But he says that the wood of the vine was among the wood of the forest—not because vines are merely planted there, but this comparison is used.

That is, among woods, or even among all the woods of the forest, because these trees are felled and destined for buildings, or containers are made from them, and all kinds of wooden furniture, as well as the materials of houses, are taken from trees.

He says, therefore, that the wood of the vine is given among the wood of the forest (that is, among the woods of the forest), since the twigs are burned, as they cannot be made useful to people. So have I given, He says, the citizens of Jerusalem.

Now after we understand the Prophet’s meaning, let us learn that the Holy Spirit so addressed the Jews formerly, that this discourse might benefit us in these days. We must perceive, in the first place, that we are superior to the whole world through God’s unmerited mercy, but naturally we have nothing of our own in which to boast.

But if we behave arrogantly through reliance on God’s gifts, this arrogance would be sacrilege, for we snatch away from God His own praise and clothe ourselves, as it were, in His spoils. But Paul, when he speaks of the Jews, briefly but clearly defines both sides: Do we excel?

Do we excel the Gentiles? he asks (Romans 3:1). By no means! For Scripture denounces us all as sinners—all as accursed. Since, therefore, we are children of wrath, he says, there is nothing we can claim for ourselves over the profane Gentiles.

After he has so humbled all the pride of his own nation, he repeats again: What? Are we not superior to others? Yes, we excel in every way. For the adoption, the worship, the law of God, and the covenant confer upon us remarkable superiority, such that we find nothing like it in the whole world.

How do these things agree? That the Jews excel and are to be preferred to others, and yet that they excel in nothing! Namely, because they have nothing in themselves to cause them to despise the Gentiles or boast themselves as superior; therefore, their excellence is not in themselves but in God.

And so, Paul here does not commend their virtues but says that they excel by unmerited adoption, because God made His covenant with Abraham, and they were to arise from the holy nation, because He established a fixed line of godliness among them by promising Himself to be a Father to them. Indeed, He determined that Christ should spring from them, who is the life and light of the world.

We see, then, the former privileges of the Jews; our situation is the same in these days. As often as we are favored with God’s gifts, by which we draw near to Him and overcome the world, we ought also to remember what we were before God took us up. Then our origin will humble all arrogance and prevent us from being ungrateful to God.

But that is not yet sufficient. We must also come to the second point: that not only has God’s free grace raised us to such a height, but it also sustains us, so that our stability is not founded in ourselves but depends only on His will. Therefore, not only the remembrance of our origin ought to humble us, but also the awareness of our weakness.

From this we gather that we have no perseverance in ourselves unless God daily, indeed, moment by moment, strengthens us and continually shows us His favor. This is the second point. The third is that if God afflicts or chastens us with His rods, we should know that the foolish confidence by which we deceive ourselves is by this means beaten out of us.

Here we ought to consider carefully the meaning of the phrase—the wood of the vine is useless when it is uprooted, and especially when dry.

For although the profane nations perish, yet it is not surprising if God’s judgments are more severe towards the reprobate, who had obtained a place in His Church and who had been enriched with His spiritual gifts. This ingratitude makes us an example to others, so that the whole world may be astonished at seeing in us such dreadful signs of God’s anger.

Hence the Jews were an object of hissing and abhorrence, an astonishment and a curse to the profane nations. Why was this so? They had more grievously provoked God, who had acted so generously towards them, and were not only ungrateful and treacherous but had deliberately provoked Him.

Thus it also happens to other reprobates. So this point should be carefully noted, when the Prophet says that the wood of the vine is thrown into the fire, even though other trees, when cut down, are still useful for building or for furniture.

He confirms what had been said in the last verse and at the same time explains it: as if the citizens of Jerusalem retained some form because they were not reduced to dust, but the fire had burned all around them, as if the flame were licking a bundle of twigs.

While the royal seat remained to them, the name of a people also remained, and therefore an opportunity for their obstinacy. For they were not to be subdued, since they were not entirely consumed.

And now another madness was added: as soon as they had escaped from any misfortune, they thought themselves quite safe — “Oh, now we shall rest,” they said. If the enemy had departed from the city, or if new forces had not arrived against them, or if provisions failed the enemy’s troops, they immediately regained their courage. They not only breathed again but also proudly laughed at God and His prophets, as if they were beyond all danger.

For this reason He now says, I have set my face against them. To set, or, if anyone prefers it, to establish one’s face, is to persist constantly, so as not only to do anything merely in passing, but to remain there until we have accomplished our intention. Thus, those who say, “I have set my face firmly,” are not poor interpreters of the Prophet: they do not translate literally, but according to God’s meaning.

For He often chastises a whole nation or city, and yet He does not “set His face”—that is, He does not stay there, but chastises them lightly and only for a short time, as if passing in another direction. But He means something else here—that He would set His face—that is, He would never desist until the people’s name, as well as their city, was utterly abolished.

For we have said that the prophets speak of the present state of the people when they threaten such destruction. I will set my face, therefore, against them: they shall escape from one fire, and another shall devour them. Here the Prophet strikes down that foolish opinion by which the Jews deceived themselves.

For if they escaped from one danger, they thought it was the last, and from this arose their security and even obstinacy.

But the Prophet says here that after they had escaped from one fire, a new fire to consume them was lit. He means that there were different means in God’s hand by which He destroys and extinguishes a people. As He had previously said that He was armed with pestilence and the sword, famine and wild beasts, so now under the name of fire He comprehends various scourges.

If, therefore, people have escaped the sword, a new attack shall destroy them, since God will press them with famine, or strike them with pestilence, or in other ways. And then, they shall know, says He, that I am Jehovah, when I shall set my face against it. By these words he signifies that His glory could not otherwise remain safe, since impunity blinded the Jews—indeed, hardened them until they became like brutes.

If, therefore, God had spared them, His glory would have been, as it were, buried; and through so long a connivance, He would no longer have been acknowledged as God. There was a real necessity for such rigor: since He would never show Himself to be God otherwise than by destroying the impious who were so stupefied by their sins as long as He tolerated them.

Finally, he adds, I will lay the land waste since they have prevaricated by prevarication. Here, also, God expresses how terrible, yet just, that judgment was, because the Jews were no trifling offenders. They had perfidiously departed from His worship and from the whole teaching of the law, and were obstinate in their ingratitude. Since they were so abandoned, we gather that God was not too severe when He put forth His hand to destroy them utterly.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, since You have not only deigned to separate us from the common mass of people but also to renew Your image in us; and while Your favors towards us are conspicuous, You exhort us at the same time to glorify Your name: Grant that, being mindful of our calling, we may strive to devote ourselves wholly to You and so to extol You with special, true, and rightful praises, that we may finally be partakers of the glory to which You invite us, and which has been acquired for us by the blood of Your only-begotten Son. Amen.