John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 3:10-11

"Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thy heart, and hear with thine ears. And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear." — Ezekiel 3:10-11 (ASV)

This is a repetition of the same doctrine, for we have said that our Prophet is more verbose than Isaiah, and even than Jeremiah. Because he had accustomed himself to the form of speech that was then customary among the exiles, he is not, therefore, either so restricted or so polished. We must understand that he accommodated his language to learners, because he had to deal with a people not only unrefined and dull, but also obstinate.

Furthermore, they had degenerated as much from the purity of their language as from that of their faith; for this reason, the Prophet purposely avoids elegant language. Whatever repetition he might use with people so dull and lazy, it was not superfluous. He says, therefore, what we have previously seen, that he was commanded to speak all the words, but he first says, that he was commanded to receive them in his heart, and to perceive them with his ears. The order is inverted, because we must perceive with the ear before we receive in the heart.

And those who say that interior hearing comes first, arguing that the ears are struck by sound in vain unless the heart was already receptive, philosophize with more cleverness than truth. For although God prepares His elect for hearing and gives them ears for that purpose, His teaching does not penetrate their minds before it has been received by the ear.

There is no doubt, then, that here one thing is put before the other, by what we call a ὕστερον πρότερον. The result is that the Prophet, as he is sure of his calling, hears God speaking to him. But this was not said for his sake, but so that he might confidently affirm himself to be a servant of God, and bring forward nothing but what he had heard from the mouth of God Himself.

Therefore, with this confidence, as he was to contend against the people’s impiety, he was commanded to hear the words of God. We hear, then, a repetition of what we have previously seen: namely, that the Prophet freely affirms that he did not bring forward merely empty rhetoric, as profane men do, who have no other object than to obtain the applause of men.

The Prophet, therefore, here says that he was commanded to receive the words of God in his heart.

Now it is added, that he should go to the exiles, to the children of his own people. We see, then, that God’s concern is not so much for the Prophet as for the Israelites, because they had never willingly yielded to the Prophet when he brought a message that was by no means pleasing.

For nothing could be more grievous and hateful to them than to hear threats and curses. Because, then, they had never willingly submitted to obedience, he is sent with the testimony that he had learned what he spoke in God’s school; then, that he had so learned from God that he adds nothing of his own; lastly, that he speaks in such a way that the obstinacy of the people is not overcome: Whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, do thou nevertheless go forward. Why?

Thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord. We have already explained the meaning of this phrase: namely, when we are convinced that our labor is pleasing to God, although it is useless to men, yet this should be enough for us, that God has sent us. Then He wishes to test our constancy, so that when we see ourselves laboring in vain, we do not stop on that account, but instead are prepared to obey, whatever may happen.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, since You desire that the teaching of Your Prophet should be set before us, so many ages after his death, that we may not be either obstinate or rebellious; but may we submit ourselves to You in all fitting reverence and obedience, so that the labor which ended in the condemnation of Your ancient people, through their stubborn disobedience, may this day be beneficial to us. May we so follow what You teach through him, that we may strive for the goal to which You call us, until after finishing our course with perseverance, we may at last be gathered together within Your celestial kingdom, through Christ our Lord. — Amen.