Testimonia — Early Christian Bible Commentary
Ezekiel 36 · World English Bible
1You, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, “You mountains of Israel, hear the LORD’s word.
2The Lord GOD says: ‘Because the enemy has said against you, “Aha!” and, “The ancient high places are ours in possession!”’
3therefore prophesy, and say, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Because, even because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that you might be a possession to the residue of the nations, and you are taken up in the lips of talkers, and the evil report of the people;”
4therefore, you mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD: The Lord GOD says to the mountains and to the hills, to the watercourses and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes and to the cities that are forsaken, which have become a prey and derision to the residue of the nations that are all around;
5therefore the Lord GOD says: “Surely in the fire of my jealousy I have spoken against the residue of the nations, and against all Edom, that have appointed my land to themselves for a possession with the joy of all their heart, with despite of soul, to cast it out for a prey.”’
6Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and tell the mountains, the hills, the watercourses and the valleys, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my wrath, because you have borne the shame of the nations.”
7Therefore the Lord GOD says: “I have sworn, ‘Surely the nations that are around you will bear their shame.’
8“‘“But you, mountains of Israel, you shall shoot out your branches and yield your fruit to my people Israel; for they are at hand to come.
9For, behold, I am for you, and I will come to you, and you will be tilled and sown.
10I will multiply men on you, all the house of Israel, even all of it. The cities will be inhabited and the waste places will be built.
11I will multiply man and animal on you. They will increase and be fruitful. I will cause you to be inhabited as you were before, and you will do better than at your beginnings. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
12Yes, I will cause men to walk on you, even my people Israel. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance, and you will never again bereave them of their children.”
13“‘The Lord GOD says: “Because they say to you, ‘You are a devourer of men, and have been a bereaver of your nation;’
14therefore you shall devour men no more, and not bereave your nation any more,” says the Lord GOD.
15“I won’t let you hear the shame of the nations any more. You won’t bear the reproach of the peoples any more, and you won’t cause your nation to stumble any more,” says the Lord GOD.’”
16Moreover the LORD’s word came to me, saying,
17“Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and by their deeds. Their way before me was as the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity.
18Therefore I poured out my wrath on them for the blood which they had poured out on the land, and because they had defiled it with their idols.
19I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries. I judged them according to their way and according to their deeds.
20When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name, in that men said of them, ‘These are the LORD’s people, and have left his land.’
21But I had respect for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.
22“Therefore tell the house of Israel, ‘The Lord GOD says: “I don’t do this for your sake, house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went.
23I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am proven holy in you before their eyes.
24“‘“For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.
25I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
26I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
27I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes. You will keep my ordinances and do them.
28You will dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. You will be my people, and I will be your God.
29I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and will multiply it, and lay no famine on you.
30I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field, that you may receive no more the reproach of famine among the nations.
31“‘“Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
32I don’t do this for your sake,” says the Lord GOD. “Let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, house of Israel.”
33“‘The Lord GOD says: “In the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited and the waste places will be built.
34The land that was desolate will be tilled instead of being a desolation in the sight of all who passed by.
35They will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden. The waste, desolate, and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.’
36Then the nations that are left around you will know that I, the LORD, have built the ruined places and planted that which was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it.”
37“‘The Lord GOD says: “For this, moreover, I will be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them: I will increase them with men like a flock.
38As the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts, so the waste cities will be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”
World English Bible · World English Bible; source eBible.org.
Notes on Ezekiel 36
1885 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)
Ezek. xxxvi. 12.
Editorial footnote · Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter CXXIII.—Ridiculous interpretations of the Jews. Christians are the true Israel., editorial note cite_note-485 · Original source
1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)
Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26.
Editorial footnote · The Epistles of Cyprian, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Part 75, editorial note cite_note-27 · Original source
1894 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)
Ezek. xxxvi. 25.
Editorial footnote · S. Cyril, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Lecture 3, editorial note cite_note-69 · Original source
Date uncertain | Cyprian of Carthage
12. You have asked also, dearest son, what I thought of those who obtain God’s grace in sickness and weakness, whether they are to be accounted legitimate Christians, for that they are not to be washed, but sprinkled, with the saving water. In this point, my diffidence and modesty prejudges none, so as to prevent any from feeling what he thinks right, and from doing what he feels to be right. As far as my poor understanding conceives it, I think that the divine benefits can in no respect be mutilated and weakened; nor can anything less occur in that case, where, with full and entire faith both of the giver and receiver, is accepted what is drawn from the divine gifts. For in the sacrament of salvation the contagion of sins is not in such wise washed away, as the filth of the skin and of the body is washed away in the carnal and ordinary washing, as that there should be need of saltpetre and other appliances also, and a bath and a basin wherewith this vile body must be washed and purified. Otherwise is the breast of the believer washed; otherwise is the mind of man purified by the merit of faith. In the sacraments of salvation, when necessity compels, and God bestows His mercy, the divine methods confer the whole benefit on believers; nor ought it to trouble any one that sick people seem to be sprinkled or affused, when they obtain the Lord’s grace, when Holy Scripture speaks by the mouth of the prophet Ezekiel, and says, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit will I put within you.” Also in Numbers: “And the man that shall be unclean until the evening shall be purified on the third day, and on the seventh day shall be clean: but if he shall not be purified on the third day, on the seventh day he shall not be clean. And that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of sprinkling hath not been sprinkled upon him.” And again: “And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: thou shalt sprinkle them with the water of purification.” And again: “The water of sprinkling is a purification.” Whence it appears that the sprinkling also of water prevails equally with the washing of salvation; and that when this is done in the Church, where the faith both of receiver and giver is sound, all things hold and may be consummated and perfected by the majesty of the Lord and by the truth of faith.
Source passage · edition’s verse reference · The Epistles of Cyprian, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Part 75, source paragraph 15 · Original source
Date uncertain | Cyril of Jerusalem (historical attribution)
16. Be of good courage, O Jerusalem; the Lord will take away all thine iniquities. The Lord will wash away the filth of His sons and of His daughters by the Spirit of judgment, and by the Spirit of burning. He will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be cleansed from all your sin. Angels shall dance around you, and say, Who is this that cometh up in white array, leaning upon her beloved? For the soul that was formerly a slave has now adopted her Master Himself as her kinsman: and He accepting the unfeigned purpose will answer: Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair: thy teeth are like flocks of sheep new shorn, (because of the confession of a good conscience: and further) which have all of them twins; because of the twofold grace, I mean that which is perfected of water and of the Spirit, or that which is announced by the Old and by the New Testament. And God grant that all of you when you have finished the course of the fast, may remember what I say, and bringing forth fruit in good works, may stand blameless beside the Spiritual Bridegroom, and obtain the remission of your sins from God; to whom with the Son and Holy Spirit be the glory for ever. Amen.
Source passage · edition’s verse reference · S. Cyril, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Lecture 3, source paragraph 22 · Original source