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To: annalex


Saint Clare and sisters of her order

San Damiano, Assisi

10 posted on 08/11/2020 6:36:37 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: annalex
Navarre Bible Commentary (RSV)

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From: Ezekiel 2:8—3:4

The Prophet’s mission
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[2:8] ”But you, son of man, hear what I say to you: be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth, and eat what I give you.” [9] And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and, lo, a written scroll was in it; [10] and he spread it before me; and it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe.

[3:1] And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is offered to you; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. [3] And he said to me. “Son of man, eat this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.” Then I ate it; and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey.

[4] And he said to me, “Son of man, go, get you to the house of Israel, and speak with my words to them.

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Commentary:

2:1-3:3. The vision by the river Chebar is all about the grandeur and glory of God, who is sovereign over all things; whereas the account given of the call of Ezekiel tells us about the prophet and about the people of Israel, for whom the message is meant. The prophet is described as a son of man, whom the Spirit moves, a prophet among the people; and they are a rebellious people. The account takes the form of an address by the Lord containing a command to pass his word on to the people (2: 1-7) and a symbolic action in which Ezekiel eats the scroll given to him by God (2:8-3:3).

2:8-3:3. The action of eating the scroll symbolizes to the people that the prophet is faithfully passing on the word of God, and therefore that they should not neglect to take on board anything he says or try to tone it down. It also shows the positive attitude of the prophet himself: he eagerly “fills his stomach” with the words of the Lord even though they are severe. Commenting on this passage, Pope St Gregory the Great points out: “The Holy Scriptures are food and drink to nourish us [....]. The obscure pages, which cannot he understood unless further explanation be provided, are food, because everything must be explained in order to be properly understood, just as everything must be chewed in order to be swallowed. We do not chew what we drink: when the teaching is clear, we swallow it whole, because we are in need of no further explanation. The prophet Ezekiel will hear difficult and obscure words, so he is told to eat the scroll, not to drink it, as if to say, ‘Meditate on this teaching and understand it well’’’ (Homiliae in Ezechielem prophetam, 1,10, 3).

A “written scroII” (2:9): in ancient times books were written on rolls of parchment or on papyrus (see also Jer 36:4).

11 posted on 08/11/2020 6:49:48 AM PDT by fidelis (Zonie and USAF Cold Warrior)
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