John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 2:6

"And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house." — Ezekiel 2:6 (ASV)

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.