Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 3:27
But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they [are] a rebellious house.
27. Eventually the prophet’s mouth will be opened, his word will be confirmed, and he will no more have to speak to incredulous ears. (Comp. ch. Eze 29:21). During the existence of the kingdom all the prophets from Amos downward had stood in opposition to the mass of the people. Their teaching whether on religion or on policy ran counter to the inclinations of the multitude. The fall of the state, however, which they had so unanimously predicted gave them consideration in the eyes of the people, and led even the unthinking masses to feel that they were true interpreters of the mind of God and of his government. Passages like ch. Eze 33:10, “Our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we pine away in them; how then should we live?” shew the change taking place in the people’s thoughts, and how they were coming round to take that view of their history which this prophet, as well as his predecessors, had so persistently inculcated. It is not easy to form any clear conception of the prophet’s ministry during the years preceding the fall of the state, but such passages as the above suggest the kind of thoughts which he expresses under the symbols of “dumbness” and “opening of the mouth.” It is unnecessary to say that the “binding” of the prophet here ( Eze 3:25), which continues till the fall of Jerusalem, is quite different from the binding in ch. Eze 4:8, which lasts only for a period of days, and is a symbol of Israel bearing its iniquity in exile.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He that heareth … – The judicial blindness of which Ezekiel speaks had already fallen upon the great body of the nation (Eze 14:4. Compare Rev 2:7; Rev 22:11).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 27. I will open thy mouth] When it is necessary to address them again, thou shalt sum up what thou hast said in this one speech: Thus saith the Lord, “He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear.” Let him who feels obedience to the voice of God his interest, be steadfast. Let him who disregards the Divine monition go in his own way, and abide the consequences.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
When I speak with thee; whenever I shall reveal any thing to thee; or, when I shall have discovered all to thee which thy people should be informed in; then I will open thy lips, and loose they tongue, and give thee power to speak.
Thou shalt say unto them; in point of duty thou must tell them what I speak, and tell them as from me, who am eternal and sovereign Lord of heaven and earth: and in this style the Lord speaks above eighty times in this prophecy.
Let him hear; it is his duty and safety, and I propose it to his consideration, let him think what he hath to do herein.
Let him forbear; it is at his own peril, thou hast warned him, and now trouble not thyself, neither be grieved much at it. They, a rebellious house, act like themselves in sinning, and thou hast acted like thyself, a faithful admonisher; I will act like myself in punishing and giving them up into the hands of cruel, ravenous, and devouring enemies, who shall destroy them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
27. when I speak . . . I will openthy mouthopposed to the silence imposed on the prophet, topunish the people (Eze 3:26).After the interval of silence has awakened their attention to thecause of it, namely, their sins, they may then hearken to theprophecies which they would not do before.
He that heareth, let him hear. . . forbearthat is, thou hast done thy part, whether theyhear or forbear. He who shall forbear to hear, it shall be at his ownperil; he who hears, it shall be to his own eternal good (compare Re22:11).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But when I speak with thee,…. Either when I have made an end of speaking to thee, when I have told thee all my mind, and have given thee all the instructions and prophecies thou art to deliver out; or when I shall speak to thee again, and give thee orders to speak:
I will open thy mouth; loose thy tongue, cause thee to break silence, and thou shall speak freely and fully all that I command thee; fulness of matter, and freedom of speech, are both from the Lord; liberty and opportunity of speaking are at his pleasure; and when he speaks his servants must prophesy, Am 3:8;
and thou shalt say unto them, thus saith the Lord God; so and so, whatsoever he is pleased to order to be spoken; not that the following words are what were to be said to the people; but they are said to the prophet for his own use, that he might not be uneasy at the unfruitfulness and failure of his ministry:
he that heareth, let him hear; if any will hearken to what is sent to them, as few of them will, it is very well:
and he that forbeareth, let him forbear; or, “he that ceaseth, let him cease” y; he that ceaseth from hearing, let him do so, do not mind it, or be discouraged at it:
for they [are] a rebellious house; [See comments on Eze 2:5]. The Targum is,
“he that receiveth, let him receive instruction; and he that ceaseth, let him cease from sinning, for it is a rebellious people.”
y “et qui cessat cesset”, Pagninus, Tigurine version, Starckius; “qui desistere volet desistat”, Piscator; “qui desistit [audire], desistet”. So some in Vatablus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
After a silence, God shows by what commands he wishes to instruct his servant, namely, by such as would exasperate the people, as we have formerly seen. His embassy therefore was hateful, since the Prophet begins with this insult — “If ye wish to hear, hear; but if not, I am not concerned.” Those who are sent as ambassadors are usually ordered to try whether they can conciliate, by courteous and friendly discourse, those with whom they have to deal. But God here follows a method completely the contrary. For what is the meaning of these words, He who hears, let him hear: he who desists, let him, desist? namely, that the Israelites may understand that the Prophet was sent to them, not because there was any hope of their becoming wise again, since they had borne witness by experiments sufficiently numerous that they were altogether desperate: but the Lord sends the Prophet, that he may strike and wound them further, and at length inflict a deadly blow. Now, therefore, we see that confirmed which the Prophet previously brought forward, that the office of teaching was enjoined upon him, not because his labor would be useful and fruitful with reference to the common people, but that he might inflame the Israelites to madness, if they were unwilling to grow wise again, that he might break them if they would not bend, and if they rejected him, that he should accuse them before God, who would be their judge, and in the meanwhile the course of Prophetic teaching would be free, however pertinaciously they might resist it. Now we understand the intention of the Prophet. Hence also we collect what I have lately touched upon: that God deals with the reprobate in various ways. Sometimes he makes it doubtful whether they be curable, and destines Prophets for them, who should exhort them to repentance. But when he sees them in their ingratitude burying all the light, then he deprives them of all doctrine; afterwards it shines forth again: at length other and denser darkness succeeds: therefore let us hasten, as long as the doctrine of salvation shines upon us, lest God darken all our minds and senses, and deprive us of that singular benefit, when the image of his paternal favor is engraven on us, as we have said. Let us go on —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(27) When I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth.To this Ezekiel evidently refers in Eze. 24:27; Eze. 33:22, when, after the destruction of Jerusalem, his mouth should no longer be shut. But until then, although he should be greatly restrained in his ordinary utterances by the opposition of the people, yet there would be times when God would give him a message with such power that he would be constrained to declare it, whether the people would hear or whether they would forbear. Such messages are those contained in this book, which at this point begin to be recorded. By all this the difficulties and trials under which the prophet must exercise his office are clearly and strongly set before him. (See Excursus I., On the Figurative and Symbolical Language of Ezekiel.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
27. Ezekiel will some day be able to speak, but when he does he will not speak of his own power; he will not speak his own words. (Compare Mat 11:15; Mat 13:9.)
He that forbeareth, etc. The Septuagint translates, He that is disobedient, let him be disobedient. (Compare Rev 22:2.)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Eze 3:27. He that heareth, let him hear, &c. See Eze 3:11 and ch. Eze 2:5. “Hear who will, and he who will not, let him forbear.” These are the strongest marks of the indignation of the Lord; “The hardness of Israel is such, that they do not deserve to be spoken to again. Say to them for the last time, If they will hear, let them hear if not, I give them up.”
REFLECTIONS.1st, This is a continuation of the vision of the foregoing chapter.
1. The prophet eats the roll at the divine command; not literally a real roll, but figuratively, or in vision: he must read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the prophetic word sent him, filling his head with the knowledge, and his heart with the love of it; and, not disobedient to the heavenly vision, he opened his mouth, and the Lord caused him to eat the roll; gave him understanding of his message, and inclination and ability to discharge his office; and he found it in his mouth as honey for sweetness: whatever mourning and woe it contained to the impenitent, there were great and precious promises therein respecting Christ and his salvation, on which his soul fed with great delight. Note; (1.) God’s word is the bread of life, every day to be fed upon by all his people, deeply to be received into the heart, and universally to be embraced and obeyed. (2.) They who minister to others in holy things, are especially bound to meditate on their subject, and make solemn and serious preparation before they presume to speak God’s word. (3.) All our sufficiency is of God: though we had the greatest human ability, and the most intense application, unless he cause us to eat the roll, and bestow a spirit of wisdom and understanding, we shall know nothing as we ought to know. (4.) They who make God’s word their daily meditation, will find it sweeter than honey or the honey-comb.
2. He is sent as before to the rebellious house of Israel. When he had thoroughly learnt and digested the roll, he must go and faithfully deliver it, careful to speak God’s words; not his own, or the enticing word’s of man’s wisdom, but those which the Holy Ghost teacheth; for thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech, but to the house of Israel, for whom he ought to have a tender concern, and from whom he might expect, as he spoke to them in their own tongue, and with the most convincing arguments, attention and obedience. Or this is mentioned to upbraid their impenitence and obstinacy in rejecting him; for had he been sent to the most barbarous nations, whose language he could not understand, and must have spoken by an interpreter; yet would his preaching have been more effectual to them than it will now be to his own countrymen, whose hardened hearts would be deaf to the plainest admonitions, and inattentive to the most awful warnings: nor need the prophet wonder if they refused to hearken to him, when they had rejected God himself. Nevertheless he must go; and God engages to endue him with such invincible courage and unshaken intrepidity, that he shall be able to face, yea, to confound the boldest, most impudent, and daring sinners among them; and therefore, whatever dangers threatened, he need not fear or be dismayed, but go and utter all God’s words; receiving them into his own heart and ears, without exception or disputing against them, and delivering them without reserve in God’s name, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear. Note; (1.) They who have the word of God clearly set before them, and wilfully reject the counsel of God against their own souls, are without excuse. (2.) They who have impudent sinners to deal with, need a forehead of adamant, not to be abashed or disconcerted by their mockery or insults. (3.) When we are called out to hard services, we shall be furnished for our place and station; as our day is, our strength shall be. (4.) Though we should not see the happy fruit of our labours which we could wish, we must not be discouraged from persevering zeal in the discharge of our ministry.
3. The Spirit of God with a holy violence sets him on his work. He lifted me up, and took me away, as Philip, Act 8:39 carrying him through the air from the place where he was, to another company of the captives seated at a distance on the same river Chebar; and I heard behind me, as he went, a voice of a great rushing, proceeding from the living creatures and the wheels, saying, Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place; which may be considered as an ascription of praise offered to God by all his saints, whether ministers or people, proceeding from his church militant out of his temple on earth, or from his church triumphant out of heaven, on account of his glorious perfections, and all his righteous works and ways. Or it may be a sigh of lamentation after the blessed glory of the Lord removing out of his place, forsaking his temple. I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures, who clapped them when they praised God; that touched one another, or, literally, kissed a woman her sister, uniting in true love to God and one another, and joining in this doxology; and the noise of the wheels over against them, actuated by the same Spirit, and giving the same glory to God; and a noise of a great rushing, as before; and I went in bitterness, grieved at the people’s wickedness, and affected with the doleful tidings that he carried; in the heat of my spirit, moved with indignation, or fretting at the disobedience foretold, and reluctant to go on so unwelcome an errand: but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me; constraining him to the work, and mightily supporting him to go through with it. Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, the Jews who were fixed there, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, another colony on the same river; and I sat where they sat, attentive to their discourse, or waiting the prophetic impulse; and remained there astonished among them seven days, as Job’s friends, Job 2:13 overwhelmed with grief on beholding their misery, or overpowered with the weight of the awful message that he brought them. Note; (1.) If God did not use a kind of holy but loving constraint with our reluctant hearts, we should be ready at times to desert our ministerial post. (2.) There may be many struggles of fear and unbelief where grace in a measure reigns: and, though it is with trembling, yet such dare go at God’s bidding. (3.) Nothing is more discouraging to a minister’s spirit, than to see a hardened people unaffected under his discourses. (4.) Great griefs are often silent, too big for utterance, and far beyond tears.
2nd, After seven days God sends his word to him: probably this was a sabbath, and he will thus honour his day by especial manifestations of himself.
1. God tells him his office. Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; to watch over their souls, to warn and guard them against their spiritual enemies; for which purpose, sharp discernment, sleepless vigilance, and courageous fidelity, are needful. Note; They whom God appoints for watchmen on the walls of his Zion, the church, must shun no toil; desert their post for no danger; watch always; and pray for a better guard than their own; conscious that without the divine benediction and care, the watchman waketh but in vain.
2. The duty of his office is set before him, the blessings of fidelity, and the curse of unfaithfulness. He must speak according to the divine word communicated to him. Hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me; and as the characters of men are different, he must distinguish between the precious and the vile, and give to each their due portion.
[1.] He must address the wicked, to warn him of his danger, and lead him to repentance. (1.) While he persists in his sins he is a damned soul, and eternal death is his portion. (2.) If he repent, and turn from his wickedness, he shall save his life, God being ready to pardon and receive every returning sinner. (3.) Though the minister be negligent, that will be no excuse; for the sinner shall perish in his iniquity. Yet, (4.) God will require at the watchman’s hands the souls that are lost through his carelessness and unfaithfulness; and a terrible reckoning will this prove in a judgment-day for all unfaithful and negligent ministers. (5.) If they have been faithful, though unsuccessful, God will approve their conduct, and they shall at least deliver their own souls.
[2.] He must address the righteous; either those who are such professionally, or those who are so in sincerity and truth. (1.) Some are only externally righteous, delivered from grosser excesses, and observant of the forms of godliness merely. These easily turn from their righteousness, and commit iniquity: they have no inward principle to support them, and therefore in the time of temptation apostatize from the little profession that they have made. In the way of such God lays stumbling-blocks, (Eze 3:20.) to make manifest the secret wickedness which reigns within; that is to say, he delivers them up to themselves and the enemy of their souls. These will die eternally, and all their good deeds and duties, on which they trusted, will stand them in no stead; unless the Lord vouchsafe to them another call, and they repent. Of this he must assure them, at the peril of his own soul, chargeable with their blood if he neglect his office; not that his neglect will be their exculpation; they shall notwithstanding perish in their apostacy. (2.) Some are righteous in sincerity and truth, justified by Christ Jesus, and sanctified by his Spirit, yet these need warnings. These must be warned that they sin not; for the most holy need continually to watch and pray against sin; the effect of which will be, that he sin not, receiving and improving under the word of exhortation. Persevering in this way he shall surely live, and finally be saved, the path of holiness being the way to glory; the warning through divine grace being in this case effectual, and the fidelity of the minister approved: thus he shall save his own soul, and those who hear him, 1Ti 4:6.
3rdly, We have a repetition of the former glorious vision made to the prophet in the plain, whither at the divine command he had gone forth, vouchsafed to him probably to confirm his faith, and overcome the reluctance that he might feel to undertake the prophetic office.
1. He is commanded to go and shut himself up in his house, there to wait farther instructions from God; or, as withdrawing himself from a people unworthy of the divine notice; or, as others with probability suggest, as a figure of Jerusalem closely besieged by the Chaldeans, so that none might go forth. Note; (1.) It is a heavy judgment on a people, when God shuts up and removes from them their faithful reprovers. (2.) Ministers have need of retirement, to learn themselves of God what they must declare unto others. There is little prospect of profitable preaching, without previous meditation and prayer.
2. He is warned of the insults which they would put upon him. They shall put bands upon thee, either as a disturber of the peace, as a false prophet, or a mad enthusiast; with all which characters the faithful and zealous ministers of God are often branded: or this may be understood figuratively, either of the obstinate disobedience of the people, which shut his mouth; or of the divine order to retire, which tied up his hands from labouring among them. Therefore,
3. He must be silent, neither go among them, nor speak to them as a reprover; but leave them to their hard and impenitent hearts, as a rebellious house, till God shall take off the interdict; and, having communicated to the prophet all his mind concerning them, shall open his mouth, and authorize and enable him to speak, whether they will hear and be reformed, or forbear at the peril of their eternal ruin. God’s mercy will thus be glorified in the salvation of the repentant sinner, or his justice in the damnation of the obstinately rebellious.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
REFLECTIONS
How few, how very few would rush into the ministry unsent, uncalled, unanointed; did they but study the commission of Ezekiel closely, and well ponder over what the Lord here saith to him, of demanding the blood of souls at his hand, if found negligent and unfaithful! Surely it is enough to make the heart of the most upright and conscientious minister to tremble, lest after all his diligence, somewhat should he overlooked; some precious souls should be forgotten; or through ignorance or inattention, that which is lame should be turned out of the way. And what tremendous judgments must be in the final issue of that man’s ministry, whose sole object is not to win souls, but the world; and like the unworthy descendants of the old Eli, desire to be put into the priest’s office only that they might eat a piece of bread. Gracious High Priest and Bishop of thy Church and people! do thou send forth faithful men in thy service, and give, as thou hast promised, Pastors to thy sanctuary, after thine own heart and mind, that shall feed thy people with understanding and knowledge! Lord! make them what thou wouldest have them to be, and take both ministers and people, under thine own divine teaching, that they may be found faithful, when thou comest to take home thy Church, in the great day of account.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Eze 3:27 But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they [are] a rebellious house.
Ver. 27. But when I speak with thee. ] As speak I will with thee again, by prophetic revelation, ere long be.
He that heareth, let him hear.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
I will: Eze 11:25, Eze 24:27, Eze 29:21, Eze 33:32, Exo 4:11, Exo 4:12, Luk 21:15, Eph 6:19
Thus: Eze 3:11, Eze 2:5, Mat 11:15, Mat 13:9, Rev 22:10, Rev 22:11
for they: Eze 3:9, Eze 3:26, Eze 12:2, Eze 12:3
Reciprocal: Psa 51:15 – open Isa 30:1 – the rebellious Isa 56:10 – they are all dumb Jer 1:7 – for thou shalt Eze 2:6 – though they Eze 11:5 – the Spirit Eze 20:27 – speak Eze 33:2 – speak Eze 33:22 – and my Eze 44:6 – thou shalt say Dan 10:16 – touched Luk 1:64 – his mouth Act 6:10 – able
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 3:27. Doubtless the Lord had in mind some future date when a shall number of the Jews would listen to instruction. When that tithe came He would open the mouth of the prophet, which means he would au- thrize him to speak. When that was done there would be some who would hear and profit thereby. But before such an event occurs the prophet was to be given a serieB of revelations, some of which would be in the form of personal acting; see the comments oifered on that interesting subject at 1Ki 20:35 in volume 2 of this Commentary.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Finally the Lord would enable Ezekiel to speak again. He would announce a message from the Lord. Some of his hearers would listen, but others of them would refuse to listen because they were rebels against the Lord. Nevertheless, regardless of their response, the hearers would be personally responsible for their response (cf. Mat 11:15; Mat 13:10-17; Rev 2:7; Rev 13:9; Rev 22:11; et al.).
Evidently Ezekiel’s muteness lasted for several years, until the fall of Jerusalem (cf. Eze 1:1-3; Eze 24:25-27; Eze 33:21-22). [Note: Block, The Book . . ., p. 151.] He was not entirely silent during this several-year period, from the present until Jerusalem fell, but he only spoke to the people when God gave him special messages to deliver (cf. Eze 11:25; Eze 14:1; Eze 20:1). Rather than speaking publicly from time to time as he lived among the people, as other prophets normally did, Ezekiel remained at home except to deliver special messages from the Lord (cf. chs. 4-5). Thus Ezekiel spoke less publicly and led a more reclusive life than the Lord’s other prophetic spokesmen. Another view is that Ezekiel’s period of silence ended with the conclusion of his commissioning. [Note: Chisholm, p. 235.]
"From that moment onwards, Ezekiel was to be known as nothing but the mouthpiece of Yahweh. When he spoke, it was because God had something to say; when he was silent, it was because God was silent." [Note: Taylor, p. 74.]
"His speech is to be intermittent and limited to judgment oracles." [Note: Allen, p. 63.]
"Ezekiel . . . has to experience the inability to speak . . . as a forceful experiential reminder of the fact that he has no authority to make up on his own what he says to his fellow Israelites. Rather, only God can, as it were, loose his tongue. He must let God speak through him, and not invent anything himself or take his message from anyone else. Originality is usually prized among writers and speakers. Yet there was to be no originality in Ezekiel’s doctrine. In all five commissions [Eze 2:1 to Eze 3:27] he is reminded that his job is to convey and not to create." [Note: Stuart, p. 37.]
We have the same duty (Mat 28:19-20).