John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 8:12

"Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in his chambers of imagery? for they say, Jehovah seeth us not; Jehovah hath forsaken the land." — Ezekiel 8:12 (ASV)

Again God questions His servant: we have explained the reason—that He may pass sentence as a judge on His own people, from which it may be more clearly evident that those who had provoked God were unworthy of any pardon. Thou seest, He says, what the elders do? Through a feeling of honor He does not here name these elders of the house of Israel, but rather reproves their ingratitude, because they so drive others with them into alliance with their impiety.

For elders ought to show the way to others. Since, therefore, the profanation of the worship of God took its origin from them, their disgrace is increased, and they were worthy of greater reproach. Seest thou, He says, what they do in darkness? From this word I gather that the place was remote from public observation, for there were near the floor of the Temple many cells and many chambers, as we see in Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:2; 1 Kings 6:5).

Since, then, the elders had their apartments there, it is not surprising that a place was shown to the Prophet which they had so stained with their paintings. But He says that they did it in darkness, because they kept secret their sacred rites, just as there were mysteries among profane nations, which were not open to any but the initiated.

Since, therefore, the multitude was not considered worthy of those mysteries, it is probable that the place among the Jews of which the Prophet speaks was like a small chapel, which the elders, and those who had authority among the people, retained for themselves. He adds, each within the recesses—some translate this as "in the chambers of their painting." But I take the word משכית , meshkith, for imagination, as it is also taken in other places.

It properly signifies painting, but its meaning is also transferred to human thoughts. Therefore, when He speaks of recesses or hidden places, I do not interpret this as literal chambers, though I acknowledge He may allude to those special places by which prominent individuals, as a mark of honor, separated themselves from the multitude.

Meanwhile, He equally reproves those tortuous and perverse counsels that the elders of the people inwardly cherished. For those who think themselves wiser than the common people often harbor hidden pride and swell with concealed haughtiness. Thus, Isaiah says of them that they dig for themselves hiding-places to escape from God, all while they consider themselves cunning (Isaiah 29:15).

Now, therefore, we see in what sense the Prophet mentions hiding-places of their imagination: namely, because they consider such pictures the mark of the greatest and rarest prudence. This was again shocking, that the elders so gave themselves up to foul defilements. For among pagan nations, religion did not truly bind the leaders and heads of the people.

We do not find, either among the Greeks or the Latins, any of the higher classes and chief governors involved in the errors of the common people; instead, they feigned piety so that they might keep others in obedience. They instituted, indeed, great pomp and pretended no small degree of reverence; but when they spent their time as friends in private, they laughed at all these trifles.

Since, therefore, all the ceremonies of the Gentiles were a laughing-stock to sensible people, it was indeed an abhorrent anomaly that the elders of the people of Israel, in a secret place, in the very recesses of their thoughts, fabricated idols for themselves. Now the cause is expressed why they heaped up for themselves that multitude of gods: namely, because they thought that God no longer regarded them. This passage is poorly explained when interpreters think that the elders were Epicureans, who dreamed that God enjoyed ease and indulgence in heaven.

They bring forward other passages which seem similar but in words only, as where, in the book of Job, when the impiety of the multitude is described, it says they think that God walks upon the hinges of heaven (Job 22:14). But the Prophet speaks more precisely. Therefore, those who interpret this passage generally diminish the force of the doctrine that ought to be derived from these words.

Why, then, had the Jews fabricated so many idols for themselves? Because they thought that God no longer regarded them, as I have already explained; and this was the sign of their gross depravity. For God had chastised them in various ways: they ought to have returned to the way, yet they were so far from repenting that they instead champed the bit and thus persuaded themselves to seek other deities.

And this impiety has occurred in all ages. At this time it clearly appears in the Papacy; indeed, even the blind can feel it with their hands. For when God afflicts these wretched people, at first they humbly ask for pardon; but when He presses upon them more severely, then they begin to rage and look here and there, and have a common proverb: “I know not to what saint I ought to pay my vows.” Boys learn this proverb in the Papacy, and old men always have it on their lips in perplexity.

Therefore, Ezekiel reproves this fault when he gives this as a reason for the aged heaping up this multitude of deities: that they thought themselves overlooked by God. Jehovah, they say, does not see us here. They do not speak simply of God’s providence, but indignantly complain of His disregard, because He did not relieve their miseries and had deserted the land, as they afterwards explain themselves.

For they immediately assert that God had deserted the land. We see, therefore, that they did not speak simply against God’s providence, as if He despised human affairs, but that they were inflamed with fury because God’s hand pressed them heavily, and they did not feel any help from Him. Consequently, they descended to brutes, reptiles, various paintings, and all kinds of abomination, because they thought that they were worshipping the one true God in vain.