11<\/strong>. gave them statutes<\/em> ] Reference is to the Sinaitic legislation. The fact of the legislation is, confirmed by the prophet, but his language “statutes and judgments” does not enable us to form an opinion how extensive it was, nor what particulars it embraced besides the law of the sabbath ( Eze 20:12<\/em><\/span>), and of course the law that Jehovah was God alone of Israel, because he uses the phrase “statutes and judgments” very generally, for example of the conduct and principles of the people in the wilderness themselves ( Eze 20:18<\/em><\/span>).<\/p>\n shall even live in them<\/em> ] Or, shall live by<\/strong> them. Obedience to them will issue in “life,” the word being used in its natural sense, Deu 4:40<\/span>, “thou shalt keep his statutes that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the land,” Deu 5:16<\/span> (fifth commandment). The precepts of Jehovah given to the people were such that obedience to them would ensure prosperity and life, while disobedience would cause calamity and death, and this not only in the mere government of them by their God, but because the statutes were in themselves “good,” cf. Eze 20:25<\/em><\/span>; Amo 5:14<\/span>; Hos 8:3<\/span>; Mic 3:2<\/span>; Mic 6:8<\/span>.<\/p>\n 11 17<\/strong>. The people delivered from Egypt and brought into the wilderness. There also Jehovah wrought for his name’s sake.<\/p>\n Verse 11<\/span>. I gave them my statutes<\/B><\/I>] I showed them what they should do in order to be safe, comfortable, wise, and happy; and what they should avoid in order to be uninjured in body, mind, and possessions. Had they attended to these things, they should have lived by them<\/I>. They would have been holy, healthy, and happy.<\/P> <\/p>\n I, <\/B>who spared them in Egypt, had brought them forth, and owned them as the children of Abraham my friend: God gave his law by Moses, and now Israels laws are really of Divine origin, when others did but pretend it. Gave them; appointed and commanded by my authority, and communicated out of my love and kindness to them. <\/P> My statutes; <\/B>the law on Mount Sinai, containing their duty. <\/P> Showed them; <\/B>plainly declared, spake so that they might know. <\/P> My judgments; <\/B>not the terrible executions of his wrath, but judgments here are the rules that God gave them to walk by. <\/P> If a man do; <\/B>if any one, without partiality, whosoever should keep these statutes and judgments with God is no respect of persons. <\/P> He shall live:<\/B> not that any ever did or could by sinless keeping the law attain the eternal blessedness; grace gives that; but it surely points out a future prosperity and flourishing state in this life to all that are careful to keep these statutes and judgments as they can; such should not be cut off, nor brought into captivity, but live and rejoice in their own land. <\/P> In them; <\/B>both in the fruit of them already obeyed, and in the continuance to do them for the future. <\/P> <\/p>\n 11. which if a man do, he shall . .. five in them<\/B>not “by<\/I> them,” as though theycould justify a man, seeing that man cannot render the faultlessobedience required (Lev 18:5<\/span>;Gal 3:12<\/span>). “By them” isthe expression indeed in Ro 10:5<\/span>;but there the design is to show that, if man could<\/I> obey allGod’s laws, he would be justified “by them” (Ga3:21<\/span>); but he cannot; he therefore needs to have justification by”the Lord our righteousness” (Jer23:6<\/span>); then, having thus received life, he “lives,”that is, maintains, enjoys, and exercises this life only in so far ashe walks “in<\/I>” the laws of God. So Deu 30:15<\/span>;Deu 30:16<\/span>. The Israelites, as anation,<\/I> had life already freely given to them by God’s covenantof promise; the laws of God were designed to be the means of theoutward expression of their spiritual life. As the natural life hasits healthy manifestation in the full exercise of its powers, sotheir spiritual being as a nation was to be developed in vigor, orelse decay, according as they did, or did not, walk in God’s laws.<\/P><\/p>\n And I gave them my statutes<\/strong>,…. The precepts of his law, the law on Mount Sinai, of which there were not the like among other nations; nor were they given unto them, but were a special gift unto Israel, and greatly to be valued, De 4:8<\/span>;<\/p>\n and showed them judgments<\/strong>: the nature, use, and excellency of the the necessity and advantage of observing them: the same as before, called “statutes”, because appointed, fixed, and certain, being of inviolable and lasting obligation; and “judgments”, being according to strict justice and equity: these, though they were originally written on man’s heart, yet so obliterated by sin that there was need not only of their being afresh written and published, but of their being taught and made known; or of pointing out the use of them, and obligation to them:<\/p>\n which [if] a man do, he shall live in them<\/strong>; or “by them” g; in the land of Canaan, enjoying all the blessings of a long and happy life: reference seems to be had to Le 18:5<\/span>. The Targum adds,<\/p>\n “in eternal life;”<\/p>\n but eternal life is not to be obtained by the works of the law, since no man can perfectly obey or fulfil it, but is the pure gift of the grace of God.<\/p>\n g “per ea”, Junius Tremellius, Polanus, Piscator “propter ea”, Pagninus.<\/p>\n Here God enlarges upon his favors, since he had given his law to the Israelites, as if he would prescribe to them a certain rule of living. If they had only been brought out of Egypt, that would have been an inestimable benefit: but God was much more generous, since he deigned to rule them familiarly with his doctrine, lest they should wander to one side or the other; and in this way he testified that he would be their God. He adds a promise: for God might precisely enjoin what he wished on the people of his choice; but he spontaneously adopts the method of indulgence by promising them life. Now, then, we understand why this promise is mentioned; for God might simply command anything, and say, this pleases me, and use but a monosyllable, after the manner of kings issuing a command. Since, then, God not only exacted of the Israelites what he might justly require, but, by annexing a promise, enticed them gently to the pursuit of obedience, this was certainly a mark of his fatherly indulgence. Hence he now exaggerates the people’s ingratitude by this circumstances, that neither by commands nor by kindness could he induce these obstinate and perverse dispositions to bend to the yoke. I gave them, therefore, my statutes and my laws; and afterwards, which if a man do, he shall live in them. He thus briefly reminds them, that it was not his fault if the Israelites were not in any sense happy; for when he stipulated with them for the observance of his law, he bound them in turn to himself, that they should want nothing which contributed to a good and happy life; for in the name of life solid happiness is comprehended. <\/p>\n Yet it is here asked how the Prophet testifies that men should live by the works of the law, when the law, on the testimony of Paul, can only bring us death. (Rom 4:15<\/span>; Deu 30:15<\/span>.) He took this testimony from Moses, and we shall see immediately that he cites it in a different sense. Moses there pronounces that the life of man rests on the observance of the law; that is, — life was surely to be expected through satisfying the law. Some think this absurd, and so restrict what is said to the present life, taking he shall live in them politically or civilly: but this is a cold and trifling comment. The reasoning which influenced them is readily answered: they object, that we owe all things to God; that we ourselves and our possessions are all his by the right of possession; so that if we keep the law a hundred times over, still we are not, worthy of such a reward. But the solution is at hand, that we deserve nothing, but God graciously binds himself to us by this promise, as I have already touched upon. And from this passage it is easy to infer that works are of no value before God, and are not estimated for their intrinsic value, so to speak, but only by agreement. Since, then, it pleased God to descend so far as to promise life to men if they kept his law, they ought to accept this offer as springing from his liberality. There is no absurdity, then, if men do live, that is, if they deserve eternal life according to agreement. But if any one keeps the law, it will follow that he has no need of the grace of Christ. For of what advantage is Christ to us unless we recover life in him? but if this is placed in ourselves, the remedy must not be thought anywhere but in ourselves. Every one, then, may be his own savior if life is placed the observance of the law. But Paul solves this difficulty for us when he determines for us a twofold righteousness of the law and of faith. (Rom 10:5<\/span>.) He says that this righteousness is of the law when we keep God’s precepts. Now, since we are far distant from such obedience, nay, the very faculty of keeping the law is altogether defective in us: hence it follows that we must fly to the righteousness of faith. For he defines the righteousness of faith, if we believe Christ to be dead, and to be risen again for our justification. We see, therefore, although God promised salvation to his ancient people, if they only kept the law, yet that promise was useless, since no one could satisfy the law and perform God’s commands. Here another question arises. For if this promise does not take effect, God vainly reckons that as a benefit to the Israelites which we see was offered them in vain: hence no utility or fruit would arise from it. But some one may say that the imagination was fallacious, when God promised life, and now by his Prophet blames the Israelites for despising such a benefit. But the reply is easy: although men are not endued with the power of obeying the law, yet they ought not on that account to depart from the goodness of God; for men’s declension by no means hinders them from estimating the value of so liberal a promise: God is treating with men: he might then, as I have said, imperiously demand whatever he pleased, and exact it with the utmost rigor; but he treats according to an agreement, and so there is a mutual obligation between himself and the people. No one will surely deny that God here exhibits a specimen of his mercy when he deigns thus familiarly to make a covenant with men. “Ah! but this is all in vain: God’s promise is of no effect, because no one is able to keep the law.” I confess it: but man’s declension cannot, as I have said, abolish the glory of God’s goodness, since that always remains fixed, and God still acts liberally in being willing thus to enter into covenant with His people. We must then consider the subject simply, and by itself: man’s declension is accidental. God then put forth a remarkable proof of His goodness, in promising life to all who kept His law: and this will remain perfect and entire. It now follows — <\/p>\n (11) <\/em>He shall even live in them.<\/strong>Comp. Deu. 30:15-20<\/span>. It becomes plain, on a careful perusal of this passage, that what was required was not a mere outward, technical, and perfunctory keeping of certain definite precepts, but a living and loving obedience to Gods will from the heart. The same fundamental principle of life underlies the Old Testament as the New; yet the former is justly regarded, and frequently spoken of in the New Testament, as a covenant of works, because the people were not yet sufficiently educated spiritually to be able to receive the principle of faith, and were therefore placed under a law of many definite precepts, that by keeping these with glad alacrity they might show their readiness and desire to do the Lords will. It is in this sense that a man should live by doing the statutes of the law, and not on the ground of his thereby earning for himself salvation. But even thus, they failed miserably under the test.<\/p>\n 11<\/strong>. <\/strong> Shall even live in them <\/strong> Or, shall live through them <\/em> (Lev 18:5<\/span>). Obedience to the Sinaitic law would have saved them from punishment and death (Deu 13:16-18<\/span>). Obedience prolongs both the individual and national life (Deu 4:40<\/span>; Deu 5:16<\/span>; Amo 5:14-15<\/span>; Mic 6:8<\/span>; Hos 8:3<\/span>). Do the “judgments” refer to the Levitical ordinances or to the laws of justice such as are given in Eze 18:5<\/span>, etc.? Probably to the latter. (See Eze 20:11<\/span>; Eze 20:21<\/span>.) The ancient Chaldee paraphrase expands the last clause: “He shall live in them with eternal life” (Cowles).<\/p>\n Eze 20:11-12<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>I gave them my statutes<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> That is, says Bishop Warburton, he gave them the moral law of the decalogue, in which there was one positive institution, and no more; but this one absolutely necessary to preserve them a select people unmixed with the nations. By the word shabbetotai,<\/em> my sabbaths, <\/em>says Houbigant, are understood those other solemnities, which, no less than the sabbaths <\/em>strictly speaking, were a sign whereby God was known to be the God of Israel. <\/p>\n Eze 20:11 And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which [if] a man do, he shall even live in them.<\/p>\n Ver. 11. And I gave them my statutes.<\/strong> ] Which were far beyond the laws of the twelve tables in Rome, whereof yet Cicero affirmeth that they were far beyond all the libraries of philosophers. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n And shewed them my judgments.<\/strong> ] Statutes and judgments are usually put in Scripture for one and the same, though the lawyers make a difference of them. Prosper’s conceit was, that this people were called Judaei. because they received ius Dei<\/em> the law of God. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Which if a man do.<\/strong> ] But that he can never do exactly; evangelically he may, and that sufficeth to life eternal.<\/p>\n I gave them, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deu 4:8). <\/p>\n statutes . . judgments. Reference to Pentateuch (Deu 4:1). <\/p>\n which if a man do, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Lev 18:5). man. Hebrew. ‘ditto, . App-14. <\/p>\n do = do [them]. <\/p>\n he shall . . . live. See note on Lev 18:5. <\/p>\n I gave: Deu 4:8, Neh 9:13, Neh 9:14, Psa 147:19, Psa 147:20, Rom 3:2 <\/p>\n showed them: Heb. made them to know <\/p>\n which: Eze 20:13, Eze 20:21, Lev 18:5, Deu 20:15, Deu 20:16, Luk 10:28, Rom 10:5, Gal 3:12 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Exo 21:1 – the judgments Deu 4:1 – that ye may Deu 5:31 – General Deu 6:25 – General Neh 9:6 – thou hast Neh 9:29 – which Eze 18:9 – he shall Eze 33:15 – walk Hos 8:12 – written Mat 19:17 – but Mar 12:1 – and set Rom 2:13 – For not Rom 7:10 – General Rom 9:4 – the giving<\/p>\n Eze 20:11, There is very little practical difference between statutes and judgments. The first refers especially to a fixed law to be enforced upon the subjects, the second considers the ability and right of the Lord to decide what is the proper conduct. In the application of them both to man the whole thought is that God knows best what is good for man and has arranged a code of rules for his conduct. The result of such a life will be that man will live in the sense of enjoying the favor and protection of God. The propriety of some Of these laws may be evident to the human mind while others would have to be accepted upon faith in God’s wisdom. <\/p>\n And I gave them my statutes, and showed them my judgments, which [if] a man do, he shall even live in them. 11. gave them statutes ] Reference is to the Sinaitic legislation. The fact of the legislation is, confirmed by the prophet, but his language “statutes and judgments” does not enable us to form … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 20:11”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20917","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20917","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20917"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20917\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20917"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20917"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20917"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"