Ezekiel – 14:1-11
Cases of Casuistry – 14:1-11 probably belong to chapter 13, speci cally concerning prophecy. 14:12-23 connect with Israel and chapter 15. Chapter divisions are arbitrary. But, all of chapter 14 is reminiscent of case law in the Torah (laws of casuistry.) Canon law would be the ecclesiastical counterpart. Remember that Israel was a theocracy, both church, and state simultaneously. See the casuistic laws of the “Book of the Covenant” (Ex 20:22–23:19). There is also much in common with the “Holiness Code” (Leviticus 17–26), an obvious in uence on the language of Ezekiel, who had been trained for the priesthood. Casuistic law is given in the third person with the hypothetical “if/ when a man, etc.” “If,” “when,” and “or” are used depending on the context. And then follows the consequences. 14:1-5 – “Men from the elders of Israel.” “Israel” is the proper term for the theocracy and is named eight times in vv.1-11. Yahweh has read their minds and sees that their hearts are full of idolatrous thoughts, including at least a partial faith in their “fecal deities.” The implied answer to God’s rhetorical question to Ezekiel is that He will not hear their prayer or respond to their inquiry. Then Ezekiel is directed to answer the elders with the formula, “Thus says the Lord Yahweh,” and the casuistic law of the Torah (especially Lev 17). The use of legal language transforms the scene, as they must now answer Yahweh rather than He they. The real problem is in the straying hearts of the elders and of the people they represent. Human laws cannot adjudicate people’s hearts, but God’s laws do, e.g., “you shall not covet” (Ex 20:17). See also Jesus’ explanation of the Decalogue in terms of what is in the heart (Mt 5–6). The prophetic Word exposes the deities in the idolaters’ hearts so that God “may seize the house of Israel by their heart.” 14:6 “Therefore… repent!” – All descendants of Adam are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph 2:1) and cannot by themselves repent, turn away from their idols, and turn back to God and thus live. For the Israelites, the new life normally began with circumcision on the eighth day, just as for the NT believer at Baptism. In some cases, Israelites rst heard God’s Word, which led to circumcision, just as the NT story has conversion through hearing the Gospel, which…