“Son of man, behold, I will take away from you the desire of your eyes with a stroke: yet you shall neither mourn nor weep, neither shall your tears run down. Sigh, but not aloud. Make no mourning for the dead. Bind your headdress on you, and put your sandals on your feet. Don’t cover your lips, and don’t eat mourner’s bread.”
So I spoke to the people in the morning; and at evening my wife died. So I did in the morning as I was commanded.
The people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things are to us, that you do so?”
Then I said to them, “Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, ‘Speak to the house of Israel, “The Lord Yahweh says: ‘Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pities; and your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind will fall by the sword. You will do as I have done. You won’t cover your lips or eat mourner’s bread. Your turbans will be on your heads, and your sandals on your feet. You won’t mourn or weep; but you will pine away in your iniquities, and moan one toward another. Thus Ezekiel will be a sign to you; according to all that he has done, you will do. When this comes, then you will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.’ ” ’ ”
“You, son of man, shouldn’t it be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their heart, their sons and their daughters, that in that day he who escapes will come to you, to cause you to hear it with your ears? In that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped, and you will speak, and be no more mute. So you will be a sign to them. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.”
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 18, 21, 25 Meaning, his wife, in whom he delighted, as verse…
Meaning, his wife, in whom he delighted, as verse 18.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv16–27 Eze 24:16 Son of man, behold, I take away…
Eze 24:16 Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.
Ver. 16. Behold, I take from thee the desire of thine eyes,] i.e., Thy wife, who is impendio dilecta et visu pergratiosa, thy dearly beloved and greatly delighted in.
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With a stroke.] With pestilence, palsy, or some similar sudden death. This was no small trial of the prophet’s patience and obedience. Let us learn to hang loose to all outward comforts.
Yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep.] Which, might he have done, would have been some ease to him; {a} for
“ Expletur lachrymis, egeriturque dolor. ”
As hinds by calving, so do men by weeping, cast out their sorrows. {Job 39:3}
{a} Est quaedam flere voluptas. - Ovid. Fletus aerumnas lennet. - Sen.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 Behold; consider what I tell, and will do.
Behold; consider what I tell, and will do.
I take away from thee; by death I take from thee, but it is I the Lord, and I take her to myself, though from thee.
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The desire of thine eyes: whether it refer to the beauty of her person or no, it certainly refers to the amiableness of her disposition, and the agreeableness of her to the prophet.
With a stroke; a sudden stroke, whether pestilence or what else is not so much as hinted at; I think it was God’s own immediate hand.
Neither shalt thou mourn; make no solemn mourning for her, though it will look only in the sight of thy people.
Nor weep; let no lamenting voice be heard from thee, cry not out in bewailing thy loss.
Neither shall thy tears run down; neither let thy eyes pay any tribute to her, forbear even tears also, at least, let them not run down; if one chance to drop, check the rest.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv16–26 Forbear to cry,.... Groan or howl, or make any…
Forbear to cry,.... Groan or howl, or make any doleful noise: or, "be silent" (x): which the Talmudists (y) interpret of not greeting any person:
make no mourning for the dead; use none of those rites and ceremonies commonly observed for deceased relations and friends, particularly and especially for a wife; who is one of the seven persons for whom mourning is to be made, according to the Jewish canons (z); and which the ties of nature, nearness of relation, and especially mutual and cordial affection, where that has taken place, require; and though a wife is not expressly mentioned among those, for whom a priest might defile himself by attending their funerals, yet must be included among those akin to him, if not solely designed, as Jarchi thinks; whose note on Lev 21:2, is, there are none his kin but his wife; so that Ezekiel, though a priest, was not exempted from the observation of funeral rites, but obliged to them, had he not been forbid by a special order from the Lord: the particulars of which follow:
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bind the tire of thine head upon thee; cap or turban, wore on the head, as a covering of it, and ornament to it, as the word used signifies; and the priests' bonnets were for glory and beauty, Exo 28:40, and such was the tire about the prophet's head, since he was a priest; and which, in time of mourning, was taken off, and it was customary for mourners to be bare headed; and though the high priest might not uncover his head and rend his clothes for the dead, Lev 21:10, yet other priests might, unless they had a particular and special prohibition, as Ezekiel here; see Lev 10:6 and yet it seems, by some instances, particularly that of David's mourning for Absalom, that the head was covered at such a time, Sa2 19:5 and Kimchi on the place expressly says, that it was the way and custom of mourners to cover themselves; and certain it is, that in later times, however, it has been the usage of the Jews to cover their heads in mourning; for this is one of the things expressly forbid in the Jewish canons, as Maimonides (a) says, to be used in mourning for the dead, namely, making bare the head; and covering the head is what mourners are obliged to (b); this Gejerus (c) reconciles, by observing, that at the first of the mourning they used to take off of their heads what they wore for the sake of ornament, such as the tire, or bonnet here; but after a while covered themselves with veils when they went abroad, or others came to them. Jarchi interprets this of the "tephillim", or phylacteries the Jews wore about their heads; and so the Talmud (d); and the Targum is,
"let thy "totaphot" or frontlets be upon thee;''
of which interpretation Jerom makes mention; but these things do not appear to be in use in Ezekiel's time:
and put on thy shoes upon thy feet: which used to be taken off, and persons walked barefoot in times of mourning, Sa2 15:30, and this custom continues with the Jews to this day; and which they say is confirmed by this passage. One of their canons (e) runs thus,
"they do not rend garments, nor pluck off the shoe for any, until he is dead;''
which supposes they do, and should do, when he is dead: and this is one of the things, their writers (f) say, is forbidden a mourner for the dead, namely, to put on his shoes; and they ask, from whence it appears that a mourner is forbid to put on his shoes? the answer is, from what is said to Ezekiel, "put on thy shoes upon thy feet": which shows that in common it was not right nor usual to do it; and it is their custom now for mourners, when they return from the grave, to sit seven days on the ground with their feet naked (g):
and cover not thy lips; as the leper did in the time of his separation and distress, who put a covering upon his upper lip, Lev 13:45 and as mourners did, who put a veil upon their faces:
and eat not the bread of men: of other men; or "of mourners" (h), as the Targum; such as used to be sent to mourners by their friends, in order to refresh and revive their spirits; and who, they supposed, through their great grief, were not careful to provide food for themselves; and this they did to comfort them, and let them know that, though they had lost a relation, there were others left, who had a cordial respect for them, and heartily sympathized with them: and, according to the traditions of the Jews (i), a mourner might not eat of his own bread; but was obliged to eat the bread of others, at least his first meal, and on the first day of his mourning; though he might on the second, and on the following days; and this they endeavour to establish from this place of Scripture. What their friends used to send them at such a time were usually hard eggs and wine. Eggs, because round and spherical, and so a proper emblem of death, and might serve to put in mind of it, which goes round, is with one today, and with another tomorrow; and wine, to cheer their spirits, that they might forget their sorrow (k). They also used to eat at such times a sort of pulse, called lentiles, to show by what sort of food they lost their birthright, or firstborn (l) And such like things were used by the Romans in their funeral feasts, as beans, parsley, lettuce, lentiles, eggs, &c. (m), and as the Romans had their "parentalia", and the Greeks their so the Jews had also very sumptuous feasts on such occasions: not only great personages, as kings and nobles, made them; so Archelaus, made a magnificent one for the people, on the death of his father Herod (n), after the custom of the country; but even the common people were very profuse and lavish in them; and which, as Josephus (o) observes, was the cause of great poverty among them; for so prevalent was the custom, that there was a necessity of doing it, or otherwise a man would not have been reckoned a holy man; see Jer 16:7.
(x) "tace", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus. (y) T. Bab. Moed Katon, fol. 15. 1. (z) Maimon. Hilchot Ebel, c. 2. sect. 1. Buxtorf. Jud. Synagog. c. 49. p. 708. (a) Maimon. Hilchot Ebel, c. 5. sect. 1. (b) Schulchan Aruch, lib. Jore Dea, c. 380. sect. 1. c. 386. sect. 1, 2. (c) De luctu Ebr. c. 11. sect. 5. p. 250. (d) T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 11. 1. Moed Katon, fol. 15. 1. Succa, fol. 25. 2. (e) Messech, Semachot, c. 1. sect. 5. (f) Maimon. Hilchot Ebel, c. 5. sect. 1. Schulchan Aruch, lib. Jore Dea, c. 380. sect. 1. 382. sect. 1, 2. (g) Buxtorf. Jud. Synagog. c. 49. p. 706. (h) T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 11. 1. Moed Katon, fol. 15. 1. Succa, fol. 25. 2. (i) T. Bab. Moed Katan, fol. 27. 2. Maimon. Hilchot Ebel, c. 4. sect. 9. Schulchan Aruch, lib. Jore Dea, c. 378. sect. 1. (k) Buxtorf. Jud. Synagog. c. 49. p. 708. (l) Hieron. ad Paulam super obitu Blesillae, tom. 1. operam, fol. 54. L. (m) Vid. Kirchman. de Funer. Rom. l. 4. c. 7. p. 591. (n) Joesph Antiqu. l. 17. c. 8. sect. 4. (o) De Bello Jud. l. 2. c. 1. sect. 1.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27 With a stroke - A sudden stroke, by my…
With a stroke - A sudden stroke, by my own immediate hand. We know not how soon the desire of our eyes may be removed from us. Death is a stroke, which the most pious, the most useful, the most amiable are not exempted from.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 18, 19, 27 Verse 16. Behold, I take away from thee the…
Verse 16. Behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes] Here is an intimation that the stroke he was to suffer was to be above all grief; that it would be so great as to prevent the relief of tears.
Curae leves loquuntur, graviores silent,
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is a well-accredited maxim in such cases. Superficial griefs affect the more easily moved passions; great ones affect the soul itself, in its powers of reasoning, reflecting, comparing, recollecting, &c., when the sufferer feels all the weight of wo.
Neither shall thy tears run down.] Τουτο γαρ ιδιον των οφθαλμων εν τοις μεγαλοις κακοις· εν μεν γαρ ταις μετριαις συμφοραις αφθονως τα δακρυα καταρῥει, - εν δε τοις ὑπερβαλλουσι δεινοις φευγει και τα δακρυα και προδιδωσι και τους αφθαλμους· Achill. Tat. lib. 3. c. 11. For this is the case with the eyes in great calamities: in light misfortunes tears flow freely, but in heavy afflictions tears fly away, and betray the eyes.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv16, 19, 25 Eze 24:16-18. Behold, I take away from thee the…
Eze 24:16-18. Behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke — Behold, I take away from thee thy wife, the object of thy love and thy affection, by a sudden stroke from my own immediate hand, that is, by a sudden death. Observe, reader, we know not how soon the desire of our eyes may be removed from us. Death is a stroke from which the most pious, the most useful, the most amiable, are not exempted. Yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep — Thou shall not show any signs of grief. This command was given to the prophet, to signify that the public calamity should be so great, that private ones would not appear worthy of notice, nor would they be at leisure to lament them, so much would those of a public nature distract and oppress them. Bind the tire of thy head upon thee — Use thy ordinary dress upon thy head; for in the time of mourning it was customary sometimes to shave the head, sometimes to cast dust upon it. Put on thy shoes upon thy feet — Going barefoot was usual in great sorrow and affliction; and therefore the prophet, who was to show no sign of sorrow, was commanded to put on his shoes. Cover not thy lips — Covering the lips, or face, was another token of mourning. And eat not the bread of men — Partake not of the mourning-feast, that relations used to prepare for the funerals of their friends: see note on Jer 16:7. So I spake to the people, &c., and at even my wife died — My wife accordingly died very suddenly in the evening of a day, on the morning of which I had been speaking to the people, concerning the intimations I had of her death; and the next morning I declared what commands God had laid upon me, not to make any outward show, or sign of mourning upon that occasion.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v16 The death of Ezekiel’s wife took place in the…
The death of Ezekiel’s wife took place in the evening of the same day that he delivered the foregoing prophecy. This event was to signify to the people that the Lord would take from them all that was most dear to them; and - owing to the extraordinary nature of the times - quiet lamentation for the dead, according to the usual forms of mourning, would be impossible.
Eze 24:17
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The priest in general was to mourn for his dead (Lev 21:1 ff); but Ezekiel was to be an exception to the rule. The “tire” was the priest’s mitre.
Eat not the bread of men - Food supplied for the comfort of the mourners.
Eze 24:23
Pine away - Compare Lev 26:39. The outward signs of grief were a certain consolation. Their absence would indicate a heart-consuming sorrow.
Eze 24:27
Ezekiel had been employed four years in foretelling the calamities about to come to pass. He had been utterly disregarded by the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and received with apparent respect but with real incredulity by those in exile. Now until the city had been actually taken, the voice of prophecy should cease, so far as God’s people were concerned. Hence the intervening series of predictions relating to neighboring and foreign nations Ezek. 25–32. After which the prophet’s voice was again heard addressing his countrymen in their exile. This accounts for the apparently parenthetical character of the next eight chapters.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 21, 27 Stroke; pestilence, or sudden death. This would make the…
Stroke; pestilence, or sudden death. This would make the loss of a dear wife still more afflicting. Yet such distress will fall upon the whole nation, (Calmet) and misery shall increase so much, that a private loss will be almost forgotten. (Haydock) --- Curæ leves loquuntur, graviores silent. (Seneca, Troad.) --- When a loss is foreseen, it is more easily borne. Private calamities sink in public ones. (Worthington)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 desire of . . . eyes--his wife: representing the…
desire of . . . eyes--his wife: representing the sanctuary (Eze 24:21) in which the Jews so much gloried. The energy and subordination of Ezekiel's whole life to his prophetic office is strikingly displayed in this narrative of his wife's death. It is the only memorable event of his personal history which he records, and this only in reference to his soul-absorbing work. His natural tenderness is shown by that graphic touch, "the desire of thine eyes." What amazing subjection, then, of his individual feeling to his prophetic duty is manifested in the simple statement (Eze 24:18), "So I spake . . . in the morning; and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded."
stroke--a sudden visitation. The suddenness of it enhances the self-control of Ezekiel in so entirely merging individual feeling, which must have been especially acute under such trying circumstances, in the higher claims of duty to God.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 18, 21, 23, 24, 25, 27 16. The desire of thine eyes — A recently…
16. The desire of thine eyes — A recently discovered cuneiform text speaks of a loved one as “the darling of mine eye.” Father Scheil has published a love letter of Abraham’s day, in which the prayer twice occurs, “May Shamash and Marduk allow thee, for my sake, to live forever.” (See also author’s Ancient Egypt, p. 132.) The Hebrews, however, excelled all nations in their home love. The marriage poem of Joseph Ezobi (fourteenth century) well represents the ancient feeling, closing: —
Rejoice with her, thy graceful tender dove.
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God bless you twain, with love as angels love.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 18, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 15–27. The prophet’s abstention from mourning on the death…
15–27. The prophet’s abstention from mourning on the death of his wife—a symbol of the stupefaction of the people at the news of the fall of the city
16. with a stroke] The word need not be pressed to mean a sudden unexpected death, apart from all previous sickness.
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thy tears run down] wanting in LXX.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv17, 18, 20, 21, 23, 27 (17) The tire of thine head.—This might be either…
(17) The tire of thine head.—This might be either the covering for the head usually worn by the people (see Eze_24:23), or the special “mitre of fine linen” (Exo_39:28) provided for the priests; but as the peculiar priestly garments were worn only when the priests were on duty within the tabernacle (Lev_6:10-11), it is not likely that Ezekiel used them in his captivity. The priests were expressly allowed to mourn for their nearest relations (Lev_21:2-3), and Ezekiel is therefore here made an exception. Among the ordinary signs of mourning was the covering of the head (2Sa_15:30; Jer_14:3), the sprinkling of dust upon it (Eze_27:30; 1Sa_4:12; 2Sa_15:32), going barefoot (1Sa_15:30; Isa_20:2), and covering the lips, or lower part of the face (Mic_3:7). All these things are now forbidden to the prophet in his sorrow.
Eat not the bread of men—i.e., the bread furnished by other men. It was customary for friends and neighbours to send food to the house of mourning, a custom which seems to be alluded to in Deu_26:14; Jer_16:7; Hos_9:4; and out of this custom the habit of funeral feasts appears to have grown in later times.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 26, 27 The desire of thine eyes.
The desire of thine eyes.
I A PICTURE OF DOMESTIC LOVE. Ezekiel"s wife is called "the desire of his eyes." God has ordained marriage, and the blessedness of the true union of husband and wife is from him. It is in itself good and a source of further blessings. It is not the doctrine of the Bible that monkish celibacy is more holy than homely wedded love.
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1. The blessedness of wedded love is a solace in trouble. If Ezekiel had a wife who could be described in the language of our text, it must have been refreshing for him to turn from the rancor of Jewish enmity to the sympathy of a true woman. The home is a sacred refuge from the storms of the world.
2. Wedded love is a type of Divine love. The Church is the bride of the Lamb. God loves his people as a true husband loves his wife.
3. Such a great blessing should be tenderly guarded. Wedded love may be hurt by want of thought as much as by want of heart. Small kindnesses constitute much of the happiness of life, and small negligences may make its cup very bitter. It needs care lest the bloom of love be ruthlessly brushed aside.
II A STROKE OF TEARFUL TROUBLE.
1. The desire of his eyes" is taken from Ezekiel. A prophet is not exempt from the greatest troubles that fall to the lot of men. Divine privileges do not save us from earthly sorrows. Love cannot hold the beloved forever. The pair who love much may yet be parted. This awful grief of widowhood may invade the happiest home. They who are never divided in love may yet be thrust asunder by "the dark divorce of death.
2. This trouble comes by a sudden stroke. Sudden death seems to be best for the victim, for it spares all the agonies of a protracted illness, and all the horrors of the act of dying. But to those who are left it comes as an awful blow! Still, as such events do occur in the most affectionate and most peaceful households, we should do well to be prepared for them. The sweet summer garden of today may be a waste, howling wilderness tomorrow.
3. The trouble comes from God. Therefore it must be irresistible. On the other hand, it must be right. We cannot understand why so fearful a blow should fall. We can only say, "It is the Lord.
III A REQUIREMENT OF UNNATURAL RETICENCE. Ezekiel is not to "mourn nor weep." Inwardly his grief cannot be stayed, for no man can escape from nature; but all outward signs of grief are to be suppressed. This is a hard requirement.
1. Public men must repress private emotion. Here is one of the penalties of a prominent position. The great duties must be performed as though nothing had happened. The leader of others must present a confident face to the foe, though his soul is wrung with despair. A smiling countenance must mask a breaking heart.
2. Private sorrow is buried in public calamity. The national disaster of Jerusalem is so huge that even the most terrible grief of sudden widowhood is not to be considered by the side of it. Grief is generally selfish; but what is one soul"s agony to the misery of mankind?
3. Divine judgments are not to be gainsaid. Ezekiel"s trouble is typical. Hengstenberg and others hold that he did not really lose his wife that the story is but a parable. Even though we take it as history, we see that it is used as an illustration of the fate of the Jews. This was unanswerable. The penalty was deserved by the guilty nation. Guilt is silent. In all sorrow we have no right to reply to God. The psalmist says, "I was dumb". (Psa_39:2) Christ went to his cross in silence. "As a sheep," etc. (Isa_53:7)
4. God has consolations for patient sorrow. Though the mourner is silent, God is not, and his voice whispers peace to all his trusting sons and daughters in their sorrow.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v19 Wilt thou not tell us what these things are…
Eze_24:19
Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?
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An ancient question modernised
Just as Ezekiel, at his Lords command, did many strange things entirely with a view to other people, we must remember that many things that we do have some relation to others. As long as we are here we can never so isolate ourselves as to become absolutely independent of our surroundings; and it is often well, when we note the behaviour of other people, to say to somebody, if not to them, as the people did to Ezekiel, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us?
I. This should be your question to the Lord Jesus. Very reverently, though, let us approach our Divine Master, and looking at Him in His wondrous passion, let us earnestly ask Him, Wilt Thou not tell us what these things are to us, that Thou doest so? His answer is, Sin is an exceedingly bitter thing; and to remove it costs Me the agony of My soul. But do you see through the trees the lanterns twinkling? Men are coming, evil men, with rough voices, with torches, and lanterns, and staves, to take the blessed pleading One. Dear Master, while the traitors kiss is still wet upon Thee, and Thou art being led away bound to Caiaphas, tell me, I pray Thee, what meanest Thou by all this? What has this to do with us? He answers, I go willingly; I must be bound, for sin has bound you; sin has bound your hands, sin has hampered and crippled you, and made you prisoners. You are the bond slaves of Satan, and I must be bound to set you free. But now they have taken Him before His judges. He stands before Annas, and Caiaphas, and Pilate. Blessed Sufferer, like a lamb in the midst of wolves, tell us, if Thou wilt speak a word, why this silence? And He whispers into the hearts of His beloved, I was silent, for there was nothing to say; willing to be your Advocate, what could I say? You had sinned, though I had not. I might have pleaded for Myself; but I stood there for you, in your room, and place, and stead; and what could I say, what excuse, what apology, what extenuation could I urge? But now they are scourging Him, they are crowning Him with thorns, they are mocking Him, blindfolding Him, and then smiting Him with the palms of their hands. What scorn, what shame they poured on Him: Blessed One, blessed One, wilt Thou not tell us what these things are to us? But now, you see, they take Him out through the streets of Jerusalem; along the Via Dolorosa He pursues His weary walk, blood drops falling on the pavement, Himself staggering beneath the load of the Cross. Tell me, Jesus, why goest Thou out there, to the place of public execution, the Old Bailey, the Tyburn of Jerusalem? And He answers, I suffer without the gate because God will not tolerate sin in His city. Sin is an unclean thing; and I, though not Myself unclean, yet standing in the stead of the unclean, must die outside the city gates. And He answers, That I may draw all men unto Me. Earth refuses Me, and heaven denies Me shelter. I hang here, the Just for the unjust, that I may bring men to God. They take Him down from the Cross, for He is dead; but before they take Him down they pierce His heart, and even after death that heart for us its tribute pours. But they have buried Him, and He lies in His cell alone through the long, dark night of death; but the third morning sees Him rise. Or ever the sun is up, the Sun of Righteousness has arisen, with healing in His wings. Jesus has quitted the tomb, and I invite all sinners to say to the risen Redeemer, Wilt Thou not fell us what these things are to us, that Thou doest so? This is what I understand that His Resurrection means to us, He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. He not only rises from the dead; but He ascends to His Father. Ask Him what He means by that, and He will tell you that He has led captivity captive, and received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious also.
II. This may be your question to the church. We are coming here, to keep Christs death in remembrance. Every first day of the week, if you can, come to the table as a part of your Sabbath worship. This service is intended to be a memorial of Christs death. The best memorial of any event is to associate with it the observance of some rite, or some ceremony frequently repeated; this will cause it to be a perpetual memorial. Now, as long as half a dozen Christians meet together for the breaking of bread, Christs death can never be forgotten. We are not, however, coming to the table merely to look at the bread and the wine. We are coming there to eat and to drink, to show our personal benefit by Jesus Christs death. We wish all who see us to know that we enjoy the result of Christs death. We have a life that feeds upon His sacrifice; we have a hope that makes Christ to be its very meat and drink. But we not only come to the table to eat and to drink, but there is this point about the communion, that we come together to declare our unity in Jesus Christ. If I went home, and broke bread, and drank of the juice of the vine by myself alone, it would not be the observance of the Lords Supper. It is a united participation. It is a festival. It is a token and display of brotherhood. Once more, when this communion is over, if we live, we shall meet again next Lords day, and when that is over, if we are spared, we shall meet again the following Lords day. We meet continually, to show our belief in Jesus Christs coming again. Perhaps you still inquire, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so? Well, they are this to you, that, whether you remember Jesus Christs coming or not, He is coming; He is coming quickly. Let Him come when He may, His coming will be full of love and joy to all who have trusted Him.
III. This is our question to you, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so? First, there are some of you who are here who do not often go to a place of worship; I know you. By seldom coming to the Lords house you teach us your utter indifference. Your carelessness seems to say to me, God is nobody, put Him in a corner. Get on in business; mind the main chance. Gospel? Salvation? Oh, they are trifles, not worth anybodys consideration! There are others of you who are not indifferent; you come to the services, and you are attentive listeners; but just observe what you are going to do. The Lords table is spread, Christ is to be remembered, fellowship is to be had with Him, and you are going home! I hear another say, I am not going home; I shall remain at the ordinance as a spectator. I always like to see you look on. You are getting into a place of happy danger. Get where the shots fly, and one of them may make a target of you. Oh, that it might be so! But tonight you are going to be only a spectator. Will you tell me what that means--only a spectator? In Paris, during the siege, when it was straitly shut up, there were meals given at certain times in appointed places; but what would you have thought if you had been there, and had been allowed to come to the window and see the feeding, and yourself remain only a spectator? Do not be merely spectators; but if you mean to be so, then I say this to you, there will be no spectators in heaven. They will all partake of the feast above, or they will not be there. And, I grieve to add, there will be no spectators in hell. You will have to participate in the award of vengeance, or else in the gift of mercy. Therefore have done with being spectators. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
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unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv18, 19, 22, 25 In the morning
In the morning
"The next morning"
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Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv20, 25 24:20-24 Ezekiel’s lack of mourning (24:15-17) was a sign…
24:20-24 Ezekiel’s lack of mourning (24:15-17) was a sign to Israel of what lay ahead for them. The Lord was about to take away the place your heart delights in—the Temple of Jerusalem. God was going to desecrate it and destroy the sons and daughters they had left behind in Jerusalem. On that day, the people would behave as Ezekiel had done; they would not mourn in public or carry out the associated rituals. Though they would feel the loss deeply in their hearts, the scale of the devastation would be so overwhelming that there would be no opportunity for normal mourning rites. In the context of such terrible and complete desolation, only internal grief could be observed.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.