Commentary on Ezekiel Chapters 1-20 John Calvin (continued)
EZEKIEL
to the causes of others, that no one should turn aside from right and equity through private friendship. Afterwards it follows, if he has walked in my statutes and kept my judgments, in acting with truthfulness. Again, the Prophet returns to general remarks: for he has recorded certain kinds of justice, as we said yesterday, whence its nature may be more clearly perceived. Besides, because God's law contains within it more than the prophet has thus far mentioned; hence it was necessary to add this clause, who has walked in my decrees, says he. It is too cold to restrict this to ceremonies, as is sometimes done; hence I interpret it of edicts or decrees. The metaphor of walking does not require a long explanation, as it is very common in Scripture. Hence, to walk in God's precepts is nothing else than to form his life and morals according to the rule which has been prescribed by God; or, what is the same thing, so to conduct oneself, that in desiring to be deemed just a man should attempt nothing but what is agreeable to God's precepts. But since the observance of the law is difficult, first, because we are not only of a frail disposition, but prone to sin; hence the word ``serving'' is added, by which the Prophet commends diligence. Whoever wishes to direct his life according to God's precepts should attentively keep them, since nothing is more natural than to transgress and fall. He now adds, for acting truthfully. Integrity is here denoted by the word truthfulness. We gather, then, from this word the fruitful teaching, that the object of God's whole law is to conduct ourselves without deceit or fraud, and study to assist one another in simplicity, and to conduct ourselves with sincerity in every duty. If any one, then, asks the object of the law, the Prophet here describes it to us --- the performance of truth; and this is said rightly of the second table. But this may be adapted to the former table, since the Scripture teaches us that no dissembling can be pleasing to God. And we see also what Paul says when he briefly defines the end of the law to be charity out of any pure heart, and faith unfeigned. (1 Timothy 1:5.) But the word truth in this passage is, in my judgment, referred to that sincerity which we must cultivate, so that no one should deceive another, nor act fraudulently or knowingly, but be really simple and sincere. He adds, he is just, and in living he shall live, says the Lord Jehovah. At length he pronounces, as we said, that he is just who has faithfully observed God's law; then that a recompense is prepared for all the just who thus sincerely worship
God. Now let us come to the second example.
Ezekiel 18:10-13
10. If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things,
10. Et genuerit filium praedonem, 484 qui sanguinem effundit, et facit fractri: 485 fratri (ergo) unum ex his. 486
11. And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife, 484Or, "a destroyer:" {,{פרףpheretz, signifies to corrupt, destroy; whence, ,{}פרציןpher-tzim, means thieves who dig through the walls of houses. But that derivation seems to me forced: I rather interpret the word as ``a violent man,'' and one who breaks through all rectitude. --- Calvin.
485So I interpret it: others read "one thing;" but we shall afterwards see that the word brother is better. — Calvin.
486That is, "any one." — Calvin. Three manuscripts with the Syriac version omit the word {,{אחach, brother; but the Chaldee, and Houbigant, with Archbishop Newcome, all agree with Calvin in inserting it.