John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 2

Here the Prophet narrates that he was chosen by the command of God. For God never prostrates his people so as to leave them lying on the earth, but continually raises them afterward. As for the reprobate, they are so frightened at the sight of God that they utterly fall and never rise again.

But it is different with the faithful, because the pride of the flesh is corrected in them; then God stretches out his hand to them and restores them, as it were, from death to life. And this difference we must note carefully, because we see the impious often dread the voice of God.

But if they disdainfully despise him when he speaks, they are frightened by his hand when some signs of his wrath and vengeance appear; yet they remain lifeless. Similarly, the faithful dread the voice of God, but the result is altogether different, as we see here: because after God has humbled them, he commands them to be of good courage and shows that he intended nothing else but to establish them by his power.

At the same time, the Prophet teaches that nothing was accomplished by this voice until the Spirit was added. God indeed works effectively by his own words, but we must hold that this efficacy is not contained in the words themselves but proceeds from the secret prompting of the Spirit.

The Prophet therefore shows us both truths. On one side he says, I heard the voice of God, so that I stood on my feet: God thus wished to animate his confidence; but he adds that he was not raised up by the voice until the Spirit placed him on his feet.

This work of the Spirit, then, is joined with the word of God. But a distinction is made so that we may know that the external word is of no effect by itself, unless animated by the power of the Spirit. If anyone should object that the word was useless because it is not efficacious by itself, the solution is at hand: that if God uses this method of acting, there is no reason why we should object to it.

But we have an even clearer reply: since God always works in human hearts by the Spirit, yet his word is not without fruit; because, just as God enlightens us by the sun (and yet he alone is the Father of Lights, and the splendor of the sun is profitless unless God uses it as an instrument), so we must conclude concerning his word, because the Holy Spirit penetrates our hearts and thus enlightens our minds.

All power of action, then, resides in the Spirit himself, and thus all praise ought to be entirely referred to God alone. Meanwhile, what objection is there to the Spirit of God using instruments?

We hold, therefore, that when God speaks, he adds the efficacy of his Spirit, since his word without it would be fruitless; and yet the word is effectual, because the instrument ought to be united with the author of the action.

This doctrine, thus briefly expounded, may suffice to refute foolish objections, which are always on the lips of many who worry about human free will: they say that we can either pay attention to the word which is offered to us or reject it. But we see what the Prophet says.

If any of us is fit to render obedience to God, the Prophet certainly excelled in this disposition. Yet the word of God had no efficacy in his case until the Spirit gave him strength to rise upon his feet.

Hence we conclude that it is not in our power to obey what God commands us, unless this power proceeds from him.

The Prophet now more clearly explains the object of the vision which he has previously mentioned, namely, that being armed with authority he might more freely discharge the office of Prophet among the Israelites. For we know that God claims this honor to himself alone, that he should be head in his Church, and deservedly so, for he is not called our Lawgiver in vain (Isaiah 33:22; James 4:12), and our wisdom consists in nothing else but in attending to his instructions.

Since, therefore, God alone is to be heard, every mortal, whatever he professes to be, must be rejected, unless he comes in the name of God, can prove his calling, and really convince men that he does not speak except by God’s command. Therefore, so that Ezekiel might not labor in vain, he ought to prove himself divinely inspired, and this was done by the vision. Now he more clearly explains that object of the vision.

Here it may be remarked that figures are illusory without an explanation. If the vision only had been offered to the eye of the Prophet, and no voice of God had followed, what would have been the advantage? But when God confirmed the vision by his word, the Prophet was enabled to say with advantage, "I have seen the glory of God." And this can also be transferred to sacraments, because if signs only are presented to our eyes they will be, as it were, dead images. The word of God, then, throws life into the sacraments, as has been said concerning visions.

Since Ezekiel so often uses this form of speech, saying that he was called Son of man, I do not doubt that God wished to prevent the people from despising him as one of the common herd. For he had been dragged into exile not without ignominy: since he then differed from ordinary people in no outward appearance, his doctrine might be despised and rejected.

God, therefore, raises him up and, by way of concession, calls him Son of man. So, on the other hand, he signifies that the teaching ought not to be estimated by outward appearance, but rather by his calling. It is quite true that his language was then more wordy, and we see how our Prophet differs from the rest.

For his language evidently has a foreign tinge, since those who are in exile naturally contract many faults of language, and the Prophet was never anxious about elegance and polish; but, as he had been accustomed to plain language, so he himself spoke. But I have no doubt that God wished purposely to select a man from the multitude who was contemptible in outward appearance, and then to raise him above all mortals by dignifying him with the gift of prophecy.

We must now see how God prepares him for the discharge of his duties. I send you, he says, to the children of Israel, a rebellious race, that is, disobedient and revolting. Hearing this, the Prophet might well have shrunk from the odious duty assigned to him, for its difficulty alone would frighten him.

But a double trial was added when he saw himself engaged in a contest with countless enemies. He, as it were, challenged to a conflict all the Israelites of his day, and this was a most grievous trial. But another trial was not only that he perceived himself beating the air—to use a common proverb—but he must have felt it a profanation of heavenly doctrine to address it to impious men, and that too only for the purpose of exasperating them still further.

We see, then, that the Prophet had no inducement of earthly gratification to urge him to undertake his duty. If God wished to use his agency, he ought to have afforded him some hope of success, or, at least, he ought to have left it sufficiently uncertain to urge him to make every effort. But when in the first instance this difficulty occurs—that he has to deal with a perverse and stubborn generation; next, that he is drawn into a hateful contest; thirdly, that he is advised to cast what is holy before dogs and pearls before swine, and thus, as it were, to prostitute the word of God—surely his mind must have despaired a hundred times when he pondered these things within himself. Hence it was God’s plan to arm him with unconquerable constancy, so that he might go forward in the course of his calling.

We must bear in mind, then, this principle: when God wishes to stir us up to obedience, he does not always promise a happy result of our labor. But sometimes he so puts our obedience to the test that he wishes us to be content with his command, even if our labor should be deemed ridiculous before men. Sometimes, indeed, he indulges our infirmity, and when he orders us to undertake any duty, he at the same time bears witness that our labor will not be in vain, and our industry without its recompense; then indeed God spares us. But he sometimes tests his people, as I have said, it being sufficient for them to obey his command, whatever the result of their labors.

And from this passage we readily gather that our Prophet was thus dispirited. And we read the same of Isaiah; for when he is sent by God, he is not only told that he must speak to the deaf, but what God proposes to him is still harder. Go, says he, render the eyes of this people blind, and their ears dull, and their heart obstinate (Isaiah 6:9–10).

Therefore, not only does Isaiah see that he would be exposed to ridicule, and so lose the fruit of his labor, but he sees that his address has only one tendency: the blinding of the Jews, indeed, even their threefold destruction—though even one destruction is enough. But, as I have already said, God sometimes so wishes his servants to acquiesce in his government that they should labor even without any hope of fruit; and this must be diligently noted.

For as often as we are called by God, before we apply ourselves to our work, these thoughts come into the mind: “What will be the result of this?” and “What will I obtain by my labor?” And then, when the event does not turn out according to our wish, we despond in our minds; but this is wresting from God a part of his government.

For although our labor should be in vain, yet it is sufficiently pleasing to God himself; therefore let us learn to leave the event in the hand of God when he enjoins anything upon us. And although the whole world should deride us, and despair itself should render us inactive, yet let us be of good cheer and strive to the utmost, because it ought to suffice us that our obedience is pleasing to God.

For this reason Paul says (2 Corinthians 2:15–16) that the gospel, although it is a savor of death unto death, is yet a sweet savor unto God. When it is said that the gospel brings death, our judgment might immediately suggest to us that it would be better to abandon it.

Therefore Paul addresses this and says we ought not to judge the gospel by its success. Although, therefore, men not only remain deaf but even become worse and rush headlong in fury against God, yet the gospel always retains its sweet savor before God. The doctrine of the Prophet is the same.

Now, if anyone objects that God acts cruelly when he so purposely blinds men that those who are already sufficiently lost perish twice or thrice over, the answer is at hand.

God offers his word indiscriminately to the good and bad, but it works by his Spirit in the elect, as I have already said. As for the reprobate, the doctrine is useful, first, as it renders them without excuse. Second, it serves so that their obstinacy may be broken down—for since they refuse to yield willingly to God, it is necessary that they yield when conquered. When, therefore, God sees the reprobate thus broken down, he strikes them with the hammer of his word.

At length, he takes away all excuse of ignorance because, being convicted by their own conscience, whether they are willing or not, they become their own judges, and their mouth is stopped. Although they do not cease their rebellion against God, they are nevertheless subject to his judgment.

Although, therefore, this may seem absurd that God should send his Prophets to render the people blind, yet we must reverently submit to his counsel, even if the cause is unknown to us for a time. But, as I have said, we do understand, to a certain extent, why God thus strives with rebellious and obstinate men.

Now, therefore, since at the very beginning Ezekiel is informed of the result, it is hardly doubtful that God wished to prepare him to undertake the discharge of his duty without yielding to any obstacles.

For some who seem to be sufficiently ready to obey, yet when difficulties and obstacles occur, desist in the middle of their course, and many retreat altogether. Indeed, we see some who have renounced their vocation because they had conceived great and excessive hopes of success; but when the event does not answer their expectations, they think themselves discharged from duty, and even murmur against God, and reject the burden, or rather shake off what had been imposed upon them.

Because, then, many retreat from the course they had undertaken when they do not experience the success they had imagined or presumed in their minds, therefore, before Ezekiel begins to speak, God sets before him trials of this kind and informs him that he would have to deal with a rebellious people.

He says, the children of Israel are a revolting nation; for מרד, mered, signifies to rebel or resist, and the noun “rebellious” is suitable enough. Therefore, I send you to the rebellious nations, because directly after follows the word מרדו, merdo, which means who have rebelled against me. We know that among the Jews this is a word of reproach, for they often call us גוים, goim, “Gentiles,” as if they called us “profane,” “rejected,” and altogether alienated from God.

Lastly, this word goim means with them pollution and abomination; we are to the Jews like dung and the off-scouring of the world, because we are goim. And there is no doubt that this pride filled the minds of the people in the days of the Prophet; God therefore calls them unbelieving nations.

I confess, indeed, that this term is sometimes used in a good sense; but because the Scriptures more usually call foreigners goim who are not partakers of God’s covenant, it therefore became a mark of disgrace and reproach among the Jews.

It is hardly doubtful, then, that God wished to abolish the honorable title which he had assigned to them, for it was a holy nation and a priestly kingdom. When, therefore, God calls them goim, it is just as if he should say that they were cut off from all that dignity in which they formerly excelled, and differed in nothing from the profane and rejected nations, as we have a similar description in Hosea.

There the Prophet is ordered to take a harlot to wife (Hosea 1). He says that he begot a son and a daughter, and that he called the son לאעמי, Lo-ammi, that is, “not God’s people.” Then he called his daughter “not beloved.” By this vision the Prophet shows that the Jews were rejected, so that God no longer thinks of them as sons, but repels them as foreigners.

So also in this place rejection is denoted when the Prophet, as the mouth of God, calls them Gentiles. The plural number is used so that he may better express the defection which pervaded the whole people. If only a few were like this, the Prophet might still feel encouraged. But God here pronounced the severest sentence, because the whole people, taken both as a whole and individually, was rebellious; and this is the reason why the plural number is used.

If it is then asked whether a single individual remained who would embrace the Prophet’s doctrine, the answer is easy. The discourse does not relate to individuals but to the whole people; for the Prophets often use similar language, as when they call the Israelites degenerate and spurious, then sons of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the offspring of Canaan; they inveigh against the multitude indiscriminately, for they had in fact a few disciples who could not be classed in that order (Isaiah 1:10; Isaiah 8:16; Isaiah 57:3; Ezekiel 16:3).

But we must hold to what is said in Isaiah 8—Bind my testimony upon my disciples. There the Prophet is ordered from above to address the faithful, of whom a small number remained, and so to address them as if the letter were folded and sealed.

But he spreads this discourse abroad among the whole people. So also when God pronounces the sons of Israel to be rebellious nations, he looks to the body of the people; at the same time, there is no doubt that God always preserved a seed to serve him, although hidden from man. Daniel was then in exile with his colleagues, and he surely was not a rebel against God; but as I have already said, enough has been brought forward to show that the whole people were impious.

God says that he had previously tested what the people were like—They have rebelled, he says, against me; by which words he signifies that he was not making an experiment as if they were previously unknown. He says that he had already found out their perverseness by many trials.

And yet he says that he sends to them, because he wished, as I have already said, to render their ignorance perfectly inexcusable, and then he wished to break down their contumacy, which was otherwise untamable.

He says, they and their fathers have behaved themselves treacherously against me even to this very day. He does not extenuate their crime when he says that they imitated the example of their fathers, but he rather increases their own impiety when he says they were not the beginners of it but were born of impious parents, as if he should say, according to the common proverb, “a chip of the old block.” Hence it appears that there is no pretext for the error when we use the fathers as the Papists do, who oppose them as a shield against God; for while they have the fathers on their tongue, they esteem this a sufficient defense for every impiety.

But we see that God not only reckons this as nothing, but that the crime of the children is aggravated when they plead the evil example of their fathers as the cause of their own obstinacy. Now, not only does the Prophet desire to show this to be a frivolous excuse, if the Jews should object that they framed their life in imitation of their fathers, but as we see, it shows them doubly condemned, because they did not desist from provoking God from the beginning, and so by a continual succession, impiety and contempt of heavenly teaching prevailed through all ages, even to their own.

Besides, this passage warns us against abusing the long-suffering of God; for when he sent his Prophet, we see the purport of his doing so—the people were now on the brink of utter destruction, but God wished to plunge them deeper into the lowest abyss. Let us take care that a similar punishment does not befall us if we remain obstinate. When, therefore, God sends some Prophets to one people and some to another, it ought to recall us to penitence and to caution us, so that the word which is specially destined for the salvation of men does not become for us a savor of death unto death, as it was for the ancient people.

God proceeds in the same discourse, but expresses in other words the great rebellion of the people, for they were not only obstinate and unbending in heart, but also of a defiant countenance; therefore, He places hardness in their face as well as in their heart. The words indeed are different, קשי keshi, and חזקי chezki, "of brazen countenance," for we may translate “winked” and “contumacious,” because this disposition appears in the countenance; nor is it objectionable to render it “impudent.” But propriety of speech must be retained. For we must speak of the strong of heart as “broken down,” or if the allusion seems more fitting, we must render it "of broken countenance," then of “broken spirits,” as we call the wicked “brazen-fronted.” The meaning is that the Jews were not only rebellious against God and puffed up with proud contempt, but their impiety was so desperate that they openly opposed God, as if they were horned oxen or furious bulls.

We know that hypocrisy often lies hidden in the mind, and although men swell with malice, they do not betray what they inwardly harbor. But the Prophet here signifies that the Israelites were so immersed in impiety, that they displayed themselves as open enemies of God in their very faces.

The result is that the Prophet, while he applied himself to perform the commands of God, ought to resolve, when he approached the people, that his teaching would not only be useless to them, because it would not be received with the reverence it deserves, but would even be exposed to many reproaches. This was because the Israelites were not only filled with a hidden contempt for God, but they openly showed their ferocity, so to speak, since they were of so brazen a front that they would undoubtedly reject the Prophet intentionally.

They are hard-hearted children, etc., yet I send you to them. Here, again, God sets His own command in response, as the Prophet simply acquiesces in this word alone, “I have a divine mission.” If he displeases men, he is content for his labor to be approved by God. This is the meaning of the phrase, now repeated a second time: I send you to them. For the Prophet might object: What can I do? For if they have a brazen heart and an iron front, I will labor in vain.

But God answers in return that the Prophet need not be anxious; it is enough to have a command. Just as a prince might not explain all his counsel to his ambassador, yet still orders him to carry out his mission, so God acts towards His servant.

We see then how God here magnifies His authority, and we must note this diligently, so that we do not always wish to bargain with Him, as we are accustomed to do. For unless God shows us the immediate fruit of our labor, we languish, and so we try to turn back and withdraw from His authority. But God counters with this single sentence: Behold, I send you. The rest I will leave until tomorrow.

Prayer:

Grant, O Almighty God, since You have counted us worthy of enjoying the privilege of daily listening to Your word, that it may not find our hearts of stone and our minds of iron, but may we so submit ourselves to You with all due teachableness, that we may truly perceive You to be our Father, and may be confirmed in the confidence of our adoption, as long as You persevere in addressing us, until at last we enjoy not merely Your voice, but also the sight of Your glory in Your heavenly kingdom, which Your only-begotten Son has acquired for us by His blood. — Amen.

[Exposition continues from previous day's lecture]

After God has admonished His servant about the difficulty of his mission, He now strengthens him and exhorts him to unconquered boldness. You shall say, He says, Thus says the Lord, as if He meant to say, this alone is sufficient for overcoming all obstacles: that he has to take up God’s business. For even here God does not give specific commands, which He will do later in its proper place, but the observation is general. Thus says Jehovah: that is, I bring forward nothing of myself, but faithfully relate what God has commanded. We see then the Almighty’s purpose here: namely, to set His name against the obstinacy of the people, and He orders the Prophet, when instructed by His authority, to be of a brave and fearless disposition, even though he has stern and hard-hearted enemies. Afterwards He adds, Whether they will hear or whether they will forbear, yet they shall acknowledge that a prophet has been among them.

Here, again, God exhorts His servant to persevere whatever the outcome of his labor, for if we do not succeed according to our desires, we are inclined to despair. But God wants us to continue in the course of our duty, even if all things turn out contrary to our wishes.

But He shows that there will be some fruit from our labor, even though the people, through their own depravity, reject what has been said to them. For it breaks the spirits of God’s servants when they do not perceive the usefulness of their labor, because we always desire to accomplish something worth the effort we put into it.

God therefore indicates here that He has some other purpose in view than the salvation of men: namely, to remove all pretext for error and to strip away every disguise of impiety with which men willingly clothe themselves. For even hypocrites, though they perish knowingly and willfully, still think themselves excusable unless God provides them with the light of His doctrine.

The meaning, therefore, is that although the Prophet’s teaching would not benefit the Israelites, it would still be useful in another way: namely, that they may perceive that there has been a prophet among them. In this way, there is no deficiency, although some think the Prophet's words are abrupt. For an important word seems to be missing when he says, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, because they are a rebellious house, and they shall know, etc.

For we have said that the connecting word should be understood as an adversative particle: because even then they shall know: for their perverseness will not prevent their being convinced by God. We may learn then from this passage that although the impious furiously try to reject the doctrine of God, they achieve no other outcome than the more complete manifestation of their own wickedness.

Hence, also, we may learn that God’s doctrine is precious to Himself, and that He cannot bear for us to despise it. The wicked, then, can never escape punishment when they treat the divine teaching with contempt, for it is as if they trampled upon inestimable treasure.

Those who are left without the law and the prophets will not escape God’s hand, because their conscience is sufficient to take away all excuse (Romans 2:12). But when God invites men to Himself, approaches near them, and offers Himself to them in a special way as their Father and Teacher, if they reject so remarkable a benefit, truly their ingratitude is worthy of the utmost severity.

For as often as God raises up prophets for us and faithful ministers of His doctrine, let this which has just been said come into our minds: unless we embrace such a benefit, we at last will know that a prophet has been among us, because God will exact fearful vengeance for the contempt of His great loving-kindness.

Here God again commands His servant to speak out boldly, even if the people deny him all access through their malice and wickedness. But because we often fail through terror, God arms His Prophet with unshakeable confidence against the people's threats and then against all kinds of arguments.

He brings forward no other reason than they are a rebellious house, or a rebellious and perverse nation. For we have said, though at first glance it might seem insufficient, it is enough to encourage God's servants to know that He commands nothing rashly. When they acknowledge that God is pleased by them speaking to those who will not hear, they still do not cease to carry out their duty, although they tire themselves in vain as far as the world is concerned.

But now when this thought is added—that God will take care of His own servants—it doubles their confidence and good spirits. Thus it happens that, despising all threats and terrors, they carry out their duty boldly. For this reason He now says, you, son of man, do not be afraid of them, nor be terrified at their words. By "words," I do not understand simply threats but slanders by which we know God's servants are oppressed.

For hypocrites rise up with great confidence, complain of the injury done to them, and then presumptuously take God's name upon themselves. Just as in our time, the Papists not only spew out threats by which they disturb us but also haughtily boast themselves to be the Church, confirming this by perpetual succession. Then they say that the Church is never without the Holy Spirit, and therefore it cannot happen that God should ever desert them.

We see, therefore, that God's domestic enemies not only use threats against His servants but at the same time bring forward many false pretenses by which they burden the true and faithful Prophets with envy and hatred. But, however, such slanders may have some appearance of truth when God's enemies unjustly pressure us, God orders us to proceed with unconquered fortitude.

Do not be afraid, therefore, He says, of either them or their words. And since the same phrase is repeated shortly afterwards, from this we infer that it has no ordinary meaning. It is therefore worthy of observation that God, once, yes twice, declares that we ought not to fear the words of those who boast themselves to be the Church of God and do not hesitate to petulantly make that sacred name a laughing-stock by their use of it.

Since, therefore, God allows us to despise language of this kind, there is no reason why the Papists of this day should intimidate us when, with puffed-up cheeks, they thunder out the name of the Church and Apostolic authority. For proper honor is not attributed to God unless every lofty thing in the world is compelled to obey Him, so that the doctrine alone may shine forth which comes directly from the mouth of God.

Now He adds, because (or although, for this causal particle can be interpreted in an opposing sense), however rebellious they may be, and like thorns, however you may dwell among scorpions, yet do not fear their words, and do not be broken down by their appearance. חתת, chetheth, signifies to be rubbed and broken, and it is here transferred to the mind and is to be metaphorically understood as being broken in spirit, as if it had been said, be intrepid in receiving all threats and slanders, because they are a rebellious house. This passage teaches us that no one is fit to undertake the prophetic office unless they are armed with fortitude and perseverance, whatever may happen, so that they do not fear any threats, nor hesitate or waver when oppressed by unjust calamities.

So Paul says (2 Corinthians 6:8) that he persevered through both evil report and good report, although he was unworthily slandered by the wicked. Whoever, therefore, wishes to prepare himself faithfully for undertaking the office of a teacher should be endowed with such constancy that he may oppose, as it were, an iron front to all slanders and curses, threats and terrors.

We cannot doubt that the Israelites were greatly enraged when they heard themselves called thorns and scorpions. But they ought to be stung in this way, since if they had been attacking only a mortal man, they would conduct themselves far more insolently. But when God pronounces them scorpions and thorns, and they see the Prophet carrying out commands of this kind fearlessly and without hesitation, they are necessarily driven to either fury or silence.

But when they have striven to the very end in their obstinacy and hardness of heart, God at last causes them to yield through shame, because truth has prevailed—truth of which the Prophet was a minister endowed with such great fortitude of mind. We also perceive from this passage that the Prophets often spoke with great harshness when the wickedness of those with whom they had to deal required it; yet they were not carried away into any excess or driven by a lack of restraint against their adversaries.

But they could not in any other way defend their doctrine against the wicked, who, driven by a diabolical fury, contended even with God Himself. We must hold, therefore, that although they were harsh and severe in language, they breathed pure humanity from the heart. For our Prophet was not a barbarous man who, stirred by indignation, spewed out coarse reproaches against his own people; rather, the Spirit of God dictated, as we see, what might seem too severe to soft and delicate ears.

Again he repeats what he had said, with only a few words changed, yet the meaning is the same: that the Prophet should not stop in the middle of his course if he saw that he did not achieve what he wished and hoped for. For when we devote ourselves to what God commands, we should be encouraged and expect that some fruit of our labor may appear.

We may, therefore, indulge both hopes and wishes, but if things turn out differently than we anticipated, we should still leave the outcome in God's hands and continue to the end in fulfilling our duty. This is the aim of this sentence: you, he says, shall utter my words, or pronounce my words, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear. This means that even if you sing a song to the deaf, as the proverb says, you still must not stop uttering my words. And he adds the reason: because they are a rebellious house. God warns his servant in advance that there was no reason for him to turn back, even if he should see no fruit from his labors, because he should be convinced of this in his mind: although they have no ears, he must still speak in God’s name.

It is certain, as we mentioned yesterday, that there were some, though few in number, to whom his teaching was useful, but he is speaking here about the people as a whole. We must learn, therefore, when God calls us to the office of teaching, not to be swayed by people's reactions. For if God chooses to test us while we strive with the rebellious and stubborn, God’s word must still be spoken, because he commands it.