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Translation
King James Version
In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger.
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KJV (with Strong's)
In their setting H5414 of their threshold H5592 by my thresholds H5592, and their post H4201 by H681 my posts H4201, and the wall H7023 between me and them, they have even defiled H2930 my holy H6944 name H8034 by their abominations H8441 that they have committed H6213: wherefore I have consumed H3615 them in mine anger H639.
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Complete Jewish Bible
or by placing their threshold next to my threshold and their door-frames next to my door-frames, with only a common wall between me and them. Yes, they defiled my holy name by the disgusting practices they committed; which is why I destroyed them in my anger.
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Berean Standard Bible
When they placed their threshold next to My threshold and their doorposts beside My doorposts, with only a wall between Me and them, they defiled My holy name by the abominations they committed. Therefore I have consumed them in My anger.
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American Standard Version
in their setting of their threshold by my threshold, and their door-post beside my door-post, and there was but the wall between me and them; and they have defiled my holy name by their abominations which they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger.
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World English Bible Messianic
in their setting of their threshold by my threshold, and their door post beside my door post, and there was a wall between me and them; and they have defiled my holy name by their abominations which they have committed: therefore I have consumed them in my anger.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Albeit they set their thresholdes by my thresholdes, and their postes by my postes (for there was but a wall betweene me and them) yet haue they defiled mine holy Name with their abominations, that they haue committed: wherfore I haue consumed them in my wrath.
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Young's Literal Translation
In their putting their threshold with My threshold, And their door-post near My door-post, And the wall between Me and them, And they have defiled My holy name, By their abominations that they have done, And I consume them in Mine anger.
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Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Ezekiel 43:8 delivers a profound indictment against ancient Israel, condemning their audacious spiritual compromise and defilement of God's sacred presence. It highlights how their idolatrous practices, symbolized by placing pagan altars and symbols immediately adjacent to the holy Temple, blurred the lines between the sacred and the profane, thereby dishonoring God's holy name. This egregious disregard for divine holiness directly provoked God's righteous anger, culminating in the judgment of exile and the destruction of Jerusalem, serving as a stark reminder of the severe consequences of spiritual rebellion and the desecration of that which is set apart for God.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is situated within Ezekiel's grand vision of the new Temple, beginning in Ezekiel 40. Following the detailed architectural descriptions of the future sanctuary and the glorious return of the Lord's presence to it in Ezekiel 43:1-5, God immediately pivots to address the historical sins that necessitated the destruction of the first Temple and the subsequent exile. This abrupt shift serves to underscore the radical holiness of the divine presence and the absolute incompatibility of unholy practices with God's dwelling. The Lord's declaration in Ezekiel 43:7 explicitly states His intention to dwell among the Israelites forever, but this promise is immediately qualified by the need for repentance from past defilement, setting the stage for the specific accusations in verse 8.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The historical backdrop is the Babylonian exile, a direct consequence of Judah's persistent idolatry and moral corruption. The First Temple, built by Solomon, had become a site not only of Yahweh worship but also, tragically, of syncretistic practices where pagan deities were honored, and abominable rituals were performed within its very precincts, as detailed in Ezekiel 8. The "thresholds" and "posts" refer to the physical entry points and structural elements of the Temple, implying that idols or their altars were erected in such close proximity to God's sanctuary that the distinction between sacred and profane was virtually erased. This was a direct affront to the Mosaic Law, which strictly commanded separation from pagan practices and the exclusive worship of Yahweh, as seen in Deuteronomy 12:2-4. The people's actions reflected a profound misunderstanding or willful rejection of God's unique holiness and His demand for exclusive devotion.
  • Key Themes: Ezekiel 43:8 powerfully articulates several core themes central to the book of Ezekiel and biblical theology. Firstly, it highlights the absolute holiness of God and the severe consequences of its defilement. The Lord's name, representing His very character and reputation, was "defiled" by their actions, emphasizing that sin is not merely a violation of rules but a direct assault on God's nature. Secondly, the verse underscores the theme of spiritual compromise and syncretism. The proximity of "their threshold by my thresholds" vividly portrays the blurring of boundaries between true worship and idolatry, a recurring problem in Israel's history, as warned against in Exodus 34:15-16. Thirdly, it reinforces the principle of divine judgment as a just consequence of sin. The phrase "wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger" directly links the national catastrophe of exile and destruction to their specific acts of defilement, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to justice and holiness, a theme echoed throughout the prophetic books, such as in Jeremiah 7.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • defiled (Hebrew, ṭâmêʼ, H2930): This primitive root (H2930) signifies being foul, especially in a ceremonial or moral sense, implying contamination. Here, it describes the act of rendering God's holy name impure and polluted through their abominable practices. It's not merely a minor offense but a profound desecration that makes something holy unclean and unacceptable, ultimately making it "utterly" polluted.
  • thresholds (Hebrew, çaph, H5592): Derived from a root meaning to contain or limit, this word (H5592) refers to a vestibule, a door-post, or a threshold. In this context, it denotes the very entry points or foundational structures of the Temple. The juxtaposition of "their threshold by my thresholds" emphasizes the audacious act of bringing pagan elements into the immediate, sacred space of God's dwelling, blurring the physical and spiritual boundaries of holiness.
  • posts (Hebrew, mᵉzûwzâh, H4201): This term (H4201) specifically refers to a door-post, often prominent. Its inclusion alongside "thresholds" reinforces the idea of the structural elements of a doorway or entrance. The Israelites placed their "posts" (likely associated with idolatrous symbols or altars) directly beside God's "posts," indicating a complete disregard for the sacred demarcation of His sanctuary.
  • abominations (Hebrew, tôwʻêbah, H8441): This term (H8441), a feminine active participle, literally means "something disgusting" or "an abhorrence." It is frequently used in the Old Testament to describe practices utterly detestable to God, particularly idolatry (including idols themselves), sexual perversions, and unjust acts. Its use here highlights the extreme repugnance of their actions in God's sight, especially when committed in the vicinity of His holy presence.
  • consumed (Hebrew, kâlâh, H3615): This primitive root (H3615) means to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be finished, perish) or transitive (to complete, prepare, consume). In this context, it signifies God's decisive and complete action of destroying or bringing to an end the nation's well-being and presence in the land due to their sin. It reflects the severity and finality of divine judgment.
  • anger (Hebrew, ʼaph, H639): Derived from the word for "nose" or "nostril" (H639), which can signify rapid breathing in passion, this term refers to divine wrath or ire. It describes God's righteous and intense indignation as a response to the profound dishonor and rebellion of His people. This is not a capricious emotion but a holy reaction to the defilement of His character and covenant.

Verse Breakdown

  • "In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts": This clause vividly describes the physical and spiritual proximity of the Israelites' idolatrous worship to God's holy Temple. "Thresholds" (H5592) and "posts" (H4201) refer to the very entrance and structural elements of the sanctuary. The imagery suggests that pagan altars, idols, or symbols were placed so close to the Temple's sacred boundaries that the distinction between the pure worship of Yahweh and detestable pagan practices was obliterated. This was an act of profound disrespect and spiritual syncretism, a deliberate "giving" (H5414, nâthan) or placing of their profane objects next to God's holy ones.
  • "and the wall between me and them": This phrase, often interpreted as an ellipsis, refers to the "wall" (H7023, qîyr) that should have existed as a separation between God's holiness and human sin, or the wall that was between God and the people due to their sin. In context, it emphasizes that they deliberately broke down the necessary barrier of separation, allowing the profane to invade the sacred, thereby removing the distinctiveness of God's dwelling. This implies a willful obliteration of the divinely ordained boundaries of holiness.
  • "they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed": This is the core accusation. Their actions, specifically the "abominations" (H8441, tôwʻêbah – idolatry and related detestable practices that they "committed" or "did" (H6213, ʻâsâh)), directly dishonored and polluted (H2930, ṭâmêʼ) God's "holy" (H6944, qôdesh) "name" (H8034, shêm). God's name represents His character, reputation, and very being. By bringing defiling practices into His sacred space, they publicly misrepresented and desecrated His absolute purity and distinctness, making Him appear no different from the pagan deities.
  • "wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger": This final clause states the direct consequence of their defilement. "Wherefore" establishes a clear cause-and-effect relationship. God's "anger" (H639, ʼaph) is a righteous and holy response to such profound dishonor and rebellion. The "consuming" (H3615, kâlâh) refers to the severe judgment already experienced by Israel: the destruction of Jerusalem, the Temple, and the Babylonian exile, a demonstration of God's unwavering justice against those who profane His holiness.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 43:8 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message. Symbolism is prominent, with "thresholds" and "posts" representing the very entry points and boundaries of sacred space. Their placement of "their threshold by my thresholds" powerfully symbolizes the audacious spiritual compromise and syncretism, blurring the lines between the holy and the profane. The "wall between me and them" functions as a symbol of the necessary separation between God's absolute purity and human sin, which Israel willfully dismantled. Anthropomorphism is evident in the phrase "consumed them in mine anger," attributing human emotion (anger) to God, conveying His righteous indignation and the intensity of His judgment. The phrase "defiled my holy name" also employs metonymy, where "name" stands for God's entire character, reputation, and being, emphasizing that their actions were not just against a physical structure but against God Himself. Furthermore, the passage uses juxtaposition to highlight the stark contrast between God's holiness and Israel's defilement, intensifying the sense of outrage at their actions.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 43:8 profoundly underscores the biblical theme of God's absolute holiness and His demand for purity in worship and life. The defilement of God's name through spiritual compromise is a grave offense, as it misrepresents His character to the world and undermines the very foundation of the covenant relationship. This passage serves as a stark warning against syncretism—the blending of divine truth with worldly practices—and highlights that God's presence, while gracious, is also consuming for those who refuse to honor His distinctness. The judgment described is not arbitrary but a just consequence of persistent rebellion against His sacred standards, demonstrating that true worship requires exclusive devotion and a reverent separation from all that is profane.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezekiel 43:8, though rooted in ancient Israel's context, carries profound contemporary relevance for believers. It challenges us to examine our own lives for any areas where we might be "setting our threshold by God's thresholds"—that is, allowing worldly values, practices, or allegiances to creep into the sacred spaces of our hearts, minds, and worship. As New Testament believers, our bodies are declared to be temples of the Holy Spirit, and the church is the dwelling place of God. This calls for a vigilant commitment to spiritual purity, ensuring that our devotion to Christ remains uncompromised and our lives reflect His holiness. We are to be distinct from the world, not conforming to its patterns but being transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that our lives genuinely honor God's holy name and bear witness to His unique glory. This passage compels us to consider how our actions, attitudes, and choices either uphold or diminish the holiness of God in the eyes of a watching world, urging us to live lives that truly set Him apart as uniquely glorious and worthy of all worship.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what areas of my life might I be inadvertently "setting my threshold by God's thresholds," blurring the lines between sacred and profane?
  • How does my understanding of God's absolute holiness impact my daily choices, my worship, and my commitment to spiritual purity?
  • What "abominations"—whether overt sins or subtle compromises—do I need to identify and remove from my life to truly honor God's name?

FAQ

What does "their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts" literally mean?

Answer: This phrase refers to the physical proximity of pagan altars, idols, or symbols to the sacred structures of God's Temple in Jerusalem. "Thresholds" and "posts" denote the entryways and foundational elements of a building. The accusation is that the Israelites erected their detestable objects of worship so close to the Lord's dwelling place that the boundary between the holy and the profane was effectively erased. It implies a blatant disregard for God's unique holiness and a shocking act of spiritual syncretism, where paganism was brought into the very precincts of Yahweh's sanctuary. This is vividly illustrated by the abominations Ezekiel witnessed within the Temple courts, as described in Ezekiel 8:5-18, where idols were worshipped even at the entrance of the Lord's house.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Ezekiel 43:8, with its indictment of Israel for defiling God's holy name by bringing the profane into the sacred, finds its ultimate resolution and fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The Old Testament Temple, though holy, was merely a shadow of the true dwelling place of God. Jesus declared Himself to be the ultimate Temple, stating, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up," referring to His body. Through His perfect life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection, Christ cleansed the ultimate "threshold" between God and humanity, removing the "wall of hostility" that sin had erected (Ephesians 2:14). He did not merely separate the profane from the sacred; He bore the full weight of humanity's defilement on the cross, becoming sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21) so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Now, through Christ, believers are made holy and are themselves living temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), called to worship God in spirit and truth, with no compromise between His holiness and the world's defilement. The judgment of God's anger for defilement, which consumed ancient Israel, was fully poured out on Christ, allowing those who believe in Him to enter into a reconciled relationship with a holy God, no longer defiling His name but glorifying it through their consecrated lives, which are now a dwelling place for His Spirit.

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Commentary on Ezekiel 43 verses 7–12

God does here, in effect, renew his covenant with his people Israel, upon his retaking possession of the house, and Ezekiel negotiates the matter, as Moses formerly. This would be of great use to the captives at their return both for direction and encouragement; but it looks further, to those that are blessed with the privileges of the gospel-temple, that they may understand how they are before him on their good behaviour.

I. God, by the prophet, puts them in mind of their former provocations, for which they had long lain under the tokens of his displeasure. This conviction is spoken to them to make way for the comforts designed them. Though God gives and upbraids not, it becomes us, when he forgives, to upbraid ourselves with our unworthy conduct towards him. Let them now remember therefore, 1. That they had formerly defiled God's holy name, had profaned and abused all those sacred things by which he had made himself known among them, Eze 43:7. They and their kings had brought contempt on the religion they professed, and their relation to God, by their spiritual whoredom, their idolatry, and by worshipping images, which they called their kings (for so Moloch signifies) or lords (for so Baal signifies), but which were really the carcases of kings, not only lifeless and useless, but loathsome and abominable as dead carcases, in their high places, set up in honour of them. They had defiled God's name by their abominations. And what were they? It was in setting their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, that is, adding their own inventions to God's institutions, and urging all to a compliance with them, as if they had been of equal authority and efficacy, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men (Isa 29:13); or, rather, setting up altars to their idols even in the courts of the temple, than which a more impudent affront could not be put upon the divine Majesty. Thus they set up a separation wall between him and them, which stopped the current of his favours to them and spoiled the acceptableness of their services to him. See what an indignity sinners do to God, setting up their walls in opposition to his, and thrusting him out from what is his right; and see what injury they do to themselves, for the nearer any come to God with their sins the further they set him at a distance from them. Some give this sense of it: Though their houses joined close to God's house, their posts and thresholds to hi, so that they were in a manner his next neighbours, there was but a wall between me and them (so it is in the margin), so that it might have been expected they would acquaint themselves with him and be in care to please him, yet they were not so much as neighbourly. Note, It often proves too true, The nearer the church the further from God. They were, by profession, in covenant with God, and yet they had defiled the place of his throne and of the soles of his feet, his temple, where he did both reside and reign. Jerusalem is called the city of the great king (Psa 48:2) and his footstool, Psa 99:5; Psa 132:7. Note, When God's ordinances are profaned his holy name is polluted. 2. That for this God had had a controversy with them in their late troubles. They could not condemn him, for he had but brought upon them the desert of their sins: Wherefore I have consumed them in my anger. Note, Those that pollute God's holy name fall under his just displeasure.

II. He calls upon them to repent and reform, and, in order to that, to be ashamed of their iniquities (Eze 43:9): "Now let them put away their whoredom; now that they have smarted so severely for it, and now that God is returning in mercy to them and setting up his sanctuary again in the midst of them, now let them cast away their idols and have no more to do with them, that they may not again forfeit the privileges which they have been taught to know the worth of by the want of them. Let them put away their idols, those loathsome carcases of their kings, far from me, from being a provocation to me." This was seasonable counsel now that the prophet had the model or pattern of the temple to set before them; for, 1. If they see that pattern, they will surely be ashamed of their sins (Eze 43:10): when they see what mercy God has in store for them, notwithstanding their utter unworthiness of it, they will be ashamed to think of their disingenuous conduct towards him. Note, The goodness of God to us should lead us to repentance, especially to a penitential shame. Let them measure the pattern themselves, and see how much it exceeds the former pattern, and guess by that what great things God has in store for them; and surely it will put them out of countenance to think what the desert of their sins was. And then, 2. If they be ashamed of their sins, they shall surely see more of the pattern, Eze 43:11. If they be ashamed of all that they have done, upon a general view of the goodness of God, let them have a more distinct particular account of the temple. Note, Those that improve what they see and know of the goodness of God shall see and know more of it. And then, and not till then, we are qualified for God's favours, when we are truly humbled for our own follies. "Show them the form of the house; let them see what a stately structure it will be; and withal show them the ordinances and laws of it." Note, With the foresights of our comforts it is fit that we should get the knowledge of our duty; with the privileges of God's house we must acquaint ourselves with the rules of it. Show them these ordinances, that they may keep them and do them. Note, Therefore we are made to know our duty, that we may do it, and be blessed in our deed.

III. He promises that they shall be such as they should be, and then he will be to them such as they would have him to be, Eze 43:7. 1. The house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name. This is pure gospel. The precept of the law says, You must not defile my name: the grace of the gospel says, You shall not. Thus what is required in the covenant is promised in the covenant, Jer 32:40. 2. Then I will dwell in the midst of them for ever; and the same again Eze 43:9. God secures to us his good-will be confirming in us his good work. If we do not defile his name, we may be sure that he will not depart from us.

IV. The general law of God's house is laid down (Eze 43:12), That, whereas formerly only the chancel, or sanctuary, was most holy, now the whole mountain of the house shall be so; the whole limit thereof, including all the courts and all the chambers, shall be as the most holy place, signifying that in gospel-times, 1. The whole church shall have the privilege of the holy of holies, that of a near access to God. All believers have now, under the gospel, boldness to enter into the holiest (Heb 10:19), with this advantage, that whereas the high priest entered in the virtue of the blood of bulls and goats, we enter in the virtue of the blood of Jesus, and, wherever we are, we have through him access to the Father. 2. The whole church shall be under a mighty obligation to press towards the perfection of holiness, as he who has called us is holy. All must now be most holy. Holiness becomes God's house for ever, and in gospel-times more than ever. Behold this is the law of the house; let none expect the protection of it that will not submit to this law.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 7–12. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Chapter 43, verses 1 onwards) \"And he brought me to the gate that faced east. And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his majesty. And I saw a vision like the vision that I had seen when he came to destroy the city. And the vision that I saw was like the vision that I had seen by the river Chebar. And I fell on my face.\ And the majesty of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east. And the spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house. And I heard someone speaking to me from the house. And the man standing beside me said to me, 'Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever. And the house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, they and their kings, by their whoring and by the dead bodies of their kings at their high places, by setting their threshold by my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them. They have defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed, so I have consumed them in my anger.' So now they shall put far from themselves their fornication and the ruins of their kings from me, and I will dwell in their midst forever. LXX: And he brought me to the gate, which looked toward the East, and he led me out; and behold the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the East, and the voice of the camp was like the voice of many waters, and the earth shone with the brightness of the glory on every side. And the vision that I saw was like the vision that I saw when I entered to anoint the city. And the vision of the chariot that I saw was like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar, and I fell on my face. And the glory of the Lord entered the house through the way of the gate that faced east. And the spirit took hold of me and brought me into the inner court, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house. And I stood, and behold, a voice from the house speaking to me, and a man stood beside me and said to me: Have you seen, son of man, the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where my name shall dwell in the midst of the house of Israel forever. And they shall no longer defile the house of Israel with their idols and with their detestable things and with all their transgressions, but I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. » First, about the variety of translation, it must be said that what the Septuagint put: 'And he led me out' is not found in the Hebrew. For if he had been led to the gate facing East, why was it necessary for him to be led out, since he was brought in to see what was being done at the Eastern gate? Then, where it is said: 'The voice was to him,' no doubt it is a voice of God, like the sound of many waters, which John also confirms in his Apocalypse, the Septuagint put: 'And the voice of the camp, like the voice of many geminators' (Apoc. XIV). In the third place, it is written in Hebrew: I saw a vision according to the appearance that I had seen when he came to destroy the city. But that one came, who at the beginning of this prophet was clothed in linen, and had an ink horn at his waist, along with six others, to destroy the city, not to anoint, which the Seventy translated as: And the vision of the chariot that I had seen, which is not found in Hebrew. Let us speak separately about each one, to the extent that the difficulty of explanation allows: lest while we strive for brevity, the veil remain not only on Moses, but also on Ezekiel the prophet in us, who desire to contemplate the revealed truth of the Lord (Exod. 34; 2 Cor. 3). Therefore the glory of the God of Israel enters by the eastern way, by which it had also departed when the city of the Lord was struck by fury. It enters, or rather returns to it, because it had shown the temple of the Lord built on the mountain. And yet there is much more that is said in what follows: The spirit lifted me up and brought me into the outer court, and behold the glory of the Lord filled the house. For here is where only the glory of the God of Israel enters; but there it is said that the fullness of the glory of the Lord was in the temple, as Isaiah also writes: I saw the Lord sitting on a high and lofty throne, and the house was full of his glory (Isaiah 6:1); when we contemplate the revealed face of the glory of the Lord, we are transformed into the image of the Creator. There was also the voice of God, like the voice of many waters, that is, of all the peoples in the whole world, as John the Evangelist explains (Apoc. XIV): or like the voice of armies, and like the voice of many praising God, that the army of God might know the sacraments. Jacob, understanding this, called the name of that place Camp (Genes. XXXII). And elsewhere it is written: The chariots of God are multiplied by ten thousand, thousands of rejoicers (Ps. LXVII, 18). But one voice is said to be of the camp and the multitude, because of the unanimous praise of God. And the voice of those singing is doubled for the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit: Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts, the earth is full of his glory (Isa. VI, 3). It follows: And the earth shone with his majesty (Psalm XVIII). Which properly happened at the coming of Christ; when the sound of the apostles went out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world (Rom. XVIII): and it is fulfilled daily in believers, and will be fulfilled completely, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality (I Cor. XV). But the following is added: 'And I saw a vision in the likeness of the vision which I had seen when he came to destroy the city.' For which the Seventy have rendered: 'When I went in to anoint the city,' since it is clear contrary to the Hebrew; but according to the LXX it is very dark. How Ezekiel went in to anoint the city, and what was the purport of his prophecy, we have stated, unless we say, of course, that the prophet’s representation means the anointing of the city, and that the anointing with oil of joy is sacerdotal and regal, and that they become anointed of the Lord who willingly receive and hear Him to whom it is written: 'Do not touch My Christs;' and to those who touch them: 'My prophets, do not harm.' (Ps. 104:15). But he can anoint the city according to the anagoge, of which it is written: Glorious things are said of you, O city of God (Psalm 86:2); he who saw the vision of the chariot and the mysteries of God, which Ezekiel witnessed by the river Chebar, which signifies the burden and weight. For what is heavier than the Babylonian rivers, over which David sat and wept when he remembered Zion? Of which it is written: For the form of this world is passing away (Psalm 136). And I think that there is nothing perpetual in the confusion of this world, but everything passes and flows (1 Corinthians 7:31). Whoever considers this will fall on their face, understanding how far they are from the majesty of God, and will bow their knees to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. And when, he says, I had fallen, the majesty of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east, and immediately the spirit lifted me up (for I could not go on lying down), and he led me into the court of annihilation, for I had fallen outside; and behold, I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east, and I saw the glory of the Lord filling his house, and I heard a voice speaking to me from inside the house. What this is spoken about, the Scripture does not narrate, unless perhaps that of the Apostle: And I heard unspeakable words, that it is not lawful for a man to utter (2 Corinthians 12:4). But the man, he says, who stood beside the prophet, said to him: whom we clearly understand to be the Lord. For who else could it befit what follows: Son of man, the place of My throne, and the place of the soles of My feet, where I dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever, except those who dwell in the Church in the midst of the children of Israel who behold God, and dwell forever, not according to the temple of Solomon for a time? And his place is the one about which it is written: And his place became peaceful (Psalm 75:2), which surpasses all understanding. And the place of his footsteps, as the Apostles say: Let us worship in the place where his feet stood (Psalm 31:7). And beautifully it is said, they stood: for the feet of the Lord stand in the Church, they walk in the synagogue and pass by. But in order that we may know that this is said about the Church, it is joined: And they will no longer defile my holy name, the house of Israel: which properly belongs to those who dwell in holy conversation in the Church. However, those who have defiled the holy name of God are more clearly specified: both their kings and their people, as well as their priests, in their own acts of fornication, through which they have fornicated with God; and in the ruins of their kings, who in vain, through pride, assume the royal name. Finally, it follows: And in high places. For an arrogant mind offends God; a humble one incites mercy. These people, after pride, or rather through pride, have fashioned their threshold next to the threshold of God, and their doorposts next to His doorposts. Let these women burdened with sins, carried about by every wind of doctrine, always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; having a form of godliness but denying its power, turn away from such people. For among them are those who creep into households and captivate weak-willed women weighed down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was. And the Apostle also says: But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup (I Cor. XI, 28). And to make what he said more serious, he follows it with the verse: And there was a wall between me and them; so that a very short wall would separate the priestly sacrifices and the places of the sacraments of the body and blood of Christ. And they have polluted, he says, my holy name, in the abominations which they have committed. What is the advantage of dwelling near, and a wall, the wall of the Lord's altar, between our cell and the altar of the Lord, when in those things which we do in secret, and which it is even shameful to speak of, the name of the Lord is defiled and polluted? I think this, that the name of the Lord is not polluted, except by the one who has seen his name and believed, and is considered in his name. And just as he who previously believed in Christ pollutes the name of God, so also the one who previously accepted his name in faith pollutes it. Otherwise, the Gentile and the Jew, although they are defiled and contaminated, indeed contamination itself and pollution, cannot pollute and defile the name of God: what they pollute is attributed to them, to whom it is said, 'My name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you' (Rom. 2:24). Therefore, because of these reasons, I consumed them in my anger, because they did the things we have mentioned. And yet the merciful Lord again commands the prophets to tell them to remove their former fornications from themselves and to abandon the ruins of their kings and rulers, and to not only reject them from themselves, but also from God. And he immediately promises rewards for good deeds, saying: \"And I will dwell among them,\" as it is written in the Gospel: \"There stands among you one whom you do not know\" (John 1:26). And he will dwell not for a short time, like in the Synagogue, but forever, as is confirmed in the Church of Christ.
JeromeAD 420
COMMENTARY ON EZEKIEL 13:43.1-9
There is a wall between me and them, so that a very short wall divides the sacrifices of the priests and the place for the mystery of the body and blood of Christ.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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