Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 44:3
[It is] for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of [that] gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.
3. The only exception is in favour of the prince. He shall eat bread in this gate, i.e. partake of the sacrificial meal there. Though not expressly stated it is implied that the meal shall be partaken of in the porch of the gate, which looked into the outer court. The statements in ch. 46 make it probable that even the prince did not enter through the E. gate from the outside, but passed into the outer court through some other gate, and entered the porch from the court.
Eze 44:4-9. The former practice of employing uncircumcised foreigners to minister and to keep the charge of the house shall absolutely cease.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The prince – Foretold under the name of David Eze 34:24. The rabbis understood this to be the Messiah.
To eat bread – See Lev 2:3; Lev 24:9; according to the old Law these feasts belonged only to the priests; none of the rest of the congregation, not even the king, might partake of them. The new system gives to the prince a privilege which he did not before possess; the prince, as the representative of the Messiah, standing in a higher position than the kings of old. To eat bread may also include participation in the animals sacrificed, portions of which were reserved for those of the people who offered them.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
For the prince; for the king, say some; if so, then the door shut was the door, not of the temple, but of the east gate of the priests court. The high priest, and the second priest, say others, and indeed this is most likely.
He shall sit: the king might sit before the Lord, others might not, and the priests stood ministering, as Heb 10:11. Perhaps the high priest might have some privilege to sit, when others might not.
To eat bread: if understood of the king, it was his eating of the sacrifice, that part of it which was allowed to the offerer. If this prince be the high priest, this bread was the show-bread, which it seems he might sit and eat in or near the porch of the gate, whereas other priests were bound to eat in the common refectory, as appears, Eze 42:13.
He shall enter; he may, it is his privilege; or he shall, that is, it is his duty to enter at this, and to come out at it, that the people may know which way to look, when they would see their high priest enter to make atonement: which may be mystical, and include our looking to the great High Priest.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. the princenot KingMessiah, as He never would offer a burnt offering for Himself, as theprince is to do (Eze 46:4). Theprince must mean the civil ruler under Messiah. His connection withthe east gate (by which the Lord had returned to His temple) implies,that, as ruling under God, he is to stand in a place of peculiarnearness to God. He represents Messiah, who entered heaven, the truesanctuary, by a way that none other could, namely, by His ownholiness; all others must enter as sinners by faith in His blood,through grace.
eat bread before the Lordacustom connected with sacrifices (Gen 31:54;Exo 18:12; Exo 24:11;1Co 10:18).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
It is for the prince: the prince shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord,…. Or, “as for the prince, the prince shall sit in it” e; in the gate which is shut to others: not the high priest, as Jarchi, though he might have a particular seat in the temple, as Eli had in the tabernacle, 1Sa 1:9, where he might eat the bread and flesh of holy things: nor the political prince, the king of Israel, though he might have a place in the temple peculiar to himself; see 2Ch 6:12
2Ch 24:31, and the Jews say only the kings of the house of David were allowed to sit in the sanctuary: but the King Messiah, as Kimchi and Ben Melech rightly interpret it, is here meant; who before, in this prophecy, is called David a Prince, Eze 34:24, he who is the Prince of peace; Michael the great Prince; the Prince of life, and the Prince of the kings of the earth; the Messiah the Prince. Such who interpret the gate of the gate of heaven understand this of Christ’s sitting down there at his Father’s right hand, on the same throne with him, having done his work, and being at ease, and in honour; and of his enjoyment of glory there, as the heavenly glory is sometimes signified by a feast, by sitting down at a table, and eating bread in the kingdom of God, Mt 8:11, and so it may intend his being in the presence of God with the utmost delight and joy; having that glory he had with him before the world was, and all power in heaven and in earth; dispensing gifts and grace to men, and receiving honour and glory from them, and seeing the travail of his soul with satisfaction: but why may it not be understood, more consistent with the scope of the vision, of his sitting in his church, at his table there with his saints, eating with them, and they with him, in his word and ordinances before the Lord? see So 1:12,
he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same; which some explain of Christ’s ascension to heaven, and descent from thence in the same way; he went up to heaven in the eastern part of the world, from the mount of Olives, to the east of Jerusalem; and in like manner shall he descend, and his feet shall stand on that mount, Ac 1:11, but it may be interpreted of his going in and out of his church at his will and pleasure; and affording his gracious presence and fellowship with himself in his house and ordinances,
e “veruntamen ad principem quod attinet, princeps ipse inquam”, c. Piscator “quantum ad principem”; “princeps sedebit in ea”, Noldius, Ebr. Part. Concord. p. 120.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(3) The prince.The Rabbis understood this to refer to the Messiah, and unquestionably the same person must be meant as by David in Eze. 34:23-24; Eze. 37:24. This gives another and a conclusive reason for regarding the sacrificial worship of Ezekiel 46 as symbolical.
To eat bread before the Lord.This is the common scriptural expression for partaking of the sacrifices (see Gen. 31:54; Exo. 18:12), and there is no reason for restricting it to the shew-bread and other unbloody offerings. The eating of the latter was an exclusively priestly prerogative, and the prince of Ezekiel, though greatly distinguished, is not in any way endued with priestly functions. He is to partake of his sacrificial meals within this highly-honoured gate, while the people eat in the outer court. There has been much discussion as to whether the prince was to go in and out by this gateway, or only, having entered by one of the others, to eat in this. The language here seems sufficiently plain, and if there could be any doubt, it would be removed by Eze. 46:1-2; Eze. 46:8; Eze. 46:10; Eze. 46:12. It appears there that the prince is always to enter and leave by this gate except in the solemn feasts; then he is to enter in the midst of the people, by either the north or the south gate, and go out by the opposite one.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
“As for the prince, he will sit in it as prince to eat bread before Yahweh. He will enter by the way of the porch of the gate, and will go out by way of the same.”
This gateway was henceforth to be so holy that only ‘the prince’ could enter it, although he could not use the gate itself. He had to enter the gateway from within (from the outer court) for sacred communion and a sacral feast with Yahweh. This is speaking of the Davidic prince, God’s shepherd and servant (Eze 37:24). It was a reminder that although he was not a sacrificing priest, he was recognised as having special sacred duties and responsibilities, and had a sacred place reserved for himself. He was a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek, a royal priest (Psa 110:4). It indicated the favoured place that a Davidic prince would have for ever in the eyes of God.
The lesson would seem to be that a special place, a very holy place, should be reserved for each Davidic prince to enable him to commune with God and plead for the people, having regard to his sacral status (see 2Sa 21:1 ; 2Sa 24:17; 2Sa 24:25), a place which would be seen as sacred because it represented that heavenly east gate which had been entered by the manifested presence of God. It was a way of glorifying the final Davidic prince who would one day come to mean so much to Israel and the world. And it confirmed his royal priesthood.
The first reference of this must be to the Spirit empowered Zerubbabel (Zec 4:6), who was responsible for the day of small things (Zec 4:10) which would eventually shake the world (Hag 2:21-23). But it also certainly pointed higher to the coming of the Messianic prince Himself, of whom Zerubbabel was only a pale reflection. A place, a very holy place, was to be reserved, where he could eat bread before Yahweh, and this place would ever be a reminder of that glorious day when Yahweh had returned to the land in His glory, and it would contain a promise of the going forth of future blessing.
It may well be that when Jesus used to go aside into a quiet place to commune with His Father He saw Himself as entering the east gate of the heavenly temple on ‘the mountain’ (Mat 5:1; Mat 8:1; Mat 14:23; Mat 15:29; Mat 17:1; Mar 3:13; Mar 6:46; Mar 9:2; Luk 6:12; Joh 6:3; Joh 6:15). He alone had unique entry into God’s presence. For He knew more than any other that the earthly temple was rejected, because it had rejected Him, but that God still dwelt among His true people in the heavenly temple. The Kingly Rule of God was there. He had not totally deserted them. And He knew that from that temple, finally embodied in the lives of His people, His word would go forth into the world as Isaiah had promised (Isa 2:3). It was from the east gate that rivers of living water would flow out to the world (Ezekiel 47), and this represented the Holy Spirit Whom the Messianic prince would abundantly give (Eze 39:29; Joh 7:37-39; Joh 15:26; Joh 20:22).
Whether such a sacred private place was ever set aside for Zerubbabel we do not know, but it is very probable simply because of who he was, the potential Messianic prince, with a special and unique priesthood. This was thus symbolised here. It may not have been in the east gate, (or it may have been, we do not know), but the east gate of the earthly temple had not been entered by Yahweh. But the place would certainly represent the east gate of the heavenly temple. If it was not in the east gate then the fact that no attempt was made to make the east gate a forbidden and holy place would stress that the people in those days recognised that the sacred east gate spoken of by Ezekiel was in the heavenly temple of which the earthly was but a vague copy, and that no attempt needed to be made to copy it exactly.
After all we must remember that they did hope that what they were building would be the Messianic temple (Haggai 2), and they certainly hoped, and had every right to hope, that the glory of God would fill the holy of holies (Hag 2:7), for that temple was built under God’s instructions. We may dismiss it as ‘the second temple’, a fact of history about which we know little, but to them it was the focus of all their hopes and beliefs, and the arbiter of their future. Thus we can be sure that they did all that they felt necessary to make it so.
We have no knowledge of what happened in the end to Zerubbabel, and the Davidic princeship seems to have quickly slipped into the background to await another day (whether immediately or not we do not know). His position would be taken by the High Priest. But certainly there were great expectations to begin with.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 44:3 [It is] for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of [that] gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.
Ver. 3. It is for the prince. ] For “Messiah the Prince”; so Christ is called in Dan 9:25 ; or for the chief priest, who, as he had a singular privilege herein above other priests, so hath Christ, the high priest of the Church Christian, singular privileges above all his brethren.
He shall sit in it to eat bread.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
It is for the prince; the prince. Hebrew The Prince: as prince: i.e. the risen David, the vice-regent of the Messiah (Eze 34:23, Eze 34:24; Eze 37:24, Eze 37:25); or, the Messiah Himself. See note on “man”, Eze 44:2.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
for: Eze 46:2, Eze 46:8, 2Ch 23:13, 2Ch 34:31
the prince: It is probable that the prince mentioned here and elsewhere, does not mean the Messiah, but the ruler of the Jewish nation for the time being. For it is not only directed where he should sit in the temple, and eat his portion of the sacrifices, and when and how he should go out; but it is also ordered – Eze 45:22, that at the passover he shall offer a bullock, a sin offering for himself and the people; and to guard him against any temptation of oppressing the people, he had a provision of land allotted to him – Eze 45:8, out of which he is to give an inheritance for his sons – Eze 46:18. These appear plainly to be political rules for common princes, and for a succession of them; but as no such rules were observed under the second temple, the fulfilment of it must still be future. Eze 34:24, Eze 37:25, Zec 6:12, Zec 6:13
to eat: Gen 31:54, Exo 24:9-11, Deu 12:7, Deu 12:17, Deu 12:18, Isa 23:18, Isa 62:9, 1Co 10:18-33, Rev 3:20
he shall enter: Eze 40:9, Eze 46:2, Eze 46:8-10
Reciprocal: 1Ki 10:5 – cupbearers 2Ki 11:5 – the watch 1Ch 9:18 – the king’s 2Ch 9:4 – ascent 2Ch 23:5 – the king’s house Eze 46:12 – open him
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 44:3. This gate was for the special use of the prince which would mean whoever was a leading man or one in a leading position among the people of Israel.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eze 44:3. It is for the prince The words, It is, are not in the Hebrew, which is only, For the prince; and therefore the meaning seems to be, that this gate should, in general, be shut for, or to the prince, as well as to private persons; even he should not have the liberty of entering in at it, except at certain seasons. Dr. Waterland translates the clause thus: As to the prince, since he is prince, he shall sit, &c. The kings of Judah had a distinguished place in the temple; a kind of tribunal placed opposite the eastern gate: see Eze 46:12; 2Ch 6:12-13. By the prince here is probably meant the chief governor of the Jews after the captivity, such as were Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, for Sheshbazzar, or Zerubbabel, is called the prince of Judah, Ezr 1:8. The prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord To eat part of the peace-offerings which were provided at his charge: see chap, Eze 46:2. Bread stands for all sorts of entertainments, and particularly for a religious feast made of the remainder of a sacrifice: see the margin.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
A prince (king) who would rule over the Israelites would sit in this gate complex and eat sacrifices to the Lord there (cf. Eze 34:24; Eze 37:25; Eze 46:2; Eze 46:8-10). Jesus Christ will be the King of Kings. He will rule over many kings including this king (prince). The city gate was a place of civil and judicial business in the ancient world (cf. Rth 4:1-11). It was where the elders of the city assembled to discuss and transact important matters. Therefore sitting in this gate pictures the prince as an administrator of the temple area. He would go in and out of the gate complex by way of the vestibule at its west end, but no one would be able to enter or exit the outer court through the gate at the east end of this structure.
This prince (Heb. nasi) is not Messiah. This becomes clear later when the writer described him as presenting a sin offering for himself, something that it is impossible to imagine Jesus Christ doing (Eze 45:22; cf. Heb 4:15; Heb 9:22-28). Furthermore, this leader will produce natural children, another extremely unlikely action for Messiah (Eze 46:16). Third, he is not a priest and exercises no priestly rights, whereas Jesus Christ is now and ever will be our great high priest. Ezekiel mentioned no high priest in his revelation of the millennial priests. Jesus Christ will fill that role (Heb 5:6; Heb 5:10; Heb 6:20; Heb 7:3; Heb 7:17; Heb 8:1). Rather, this prince will function in an intermediate status between the priests and the people (cf. Eze 45:13-22; Eze 46:2; Eze 46:10; Eze 46:18; Eze 48:21-22). The exact identity of this leader is presently unknown, but he will apparently function as Messiah’s administrative representative in charge of certain affairs in the Millennium. [Note: See E. A. Speiser, "Background and Function of the Biblical Nasi," Catholic Biblical Quarterly 25 (1963):111-17; and J. D. Levenson, Theology of the Program of Restoration of Ezekiel 40-48, pp. 61, 67.] Some believe he will be King David resurrected. [Note: E.g., Dyer, in The Old . . ., p. 696. See my comments on 34:24 and 37:24-25.] This person appears in every chapter in Ezekiel that follows except chapter 47.