Ezekiel 41

Chap. XLI. Ver. 1—26. Progress of the Temple, or enlargement of the Church.—‘* When we carefully improve our instructions, concerning the introductory parts of religion, we shall be led forward by our great Teacher into the interior parts of divine truth; that we may go forward in knowledge, wisdom, and experience, till we arrive in the most holy place above. The spiritual building, which the Lord is erecting, will prove both eminent and durable: our standing in the grace of God will be firmer, and our views and hearts more enlarged, in proportion as we mount upward in our affections and conversation; and all the windings and intricacies of a Christian’s path still lead him upward. The peace and enlargement of the church, and the believer’s comfort and growth in grace, commonly make progress together.

The cause of God gains ground gradually amidst all revolutions, under every dispensation: the boundaries of the church were vastly extended by the first preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles; but they will be much more enlarged, when the Jews shall be converted, and all nations shall do service to the great Redeemer. We have fellowship with angels in our employment and felicity, in proportion as we grow devoted to the service of our God and Saviour. Prudence, affection, and fortitude, should unite with fervency, in all our services. The ordinances of God have hitherto been rendered more simple and spiritual: the table of the Lord has succeeded to altars and sacrifices; and the worship of God ‘in spirit and truth,’ and the beauty of holiness, to the burdensome rites and costly ornaments of the old dispensation.

We should therefore endeavour to grow more simple in our dependence, and in our intentions and pursuits, and more spiritual in our affections and worship; for these things evidently mark the progress of the church, and of every believer, towards the perfection of the heavenly world.”— T. Scott.

Notes on the verses

Ver. 28. = the south gate.—| As the outward court inclosed the inner, the prophet was led from the south gate of the outward court to the south gate of the inner, which was opposite it, and so into the inner court itself. }— Bagster.

Ver. 29. Little chambers.—|‘The entrance into the inner court seems to have been through a portico, exactly like that at each gate of the outward court; but the ascent was by 8 steps, instead of 7.])—Bagster.

Ver. 30. Arches.—|These are supposed to have been built over the spaces which separated the little chambers, or porters’ lodges.—Five cubits.—Instead of 5 cubits, it seems evident, from the parallel places, that we should say twenty-five: the word esrim appears to have been lost out of the text.)

Ver. 34. Palm trees.—[That is, probably, the capital of each pillar was graven with sculpture, representing leaves or branches of the palm tree.]—

Ver. 35. Measured it.—[The north gate, as well as the east, was built in the same manner, and of the same dimensions as the south gate.]—Bagster.

Ver. 38. They washed.—(This place, where the legs and entrails of the sacrifices, especially of the burnt-offerings, were washed, was just within the portico of the north entrance to the inner court, or court of the priests.)—B.

Ver. 40. Side without.—[Two tables were on each side, as you come into the porch of the gate; and two on each side of the inner part of the gate that looked towards the altar; in all eight tables, on which they slew and cut up the victims.

It does not appear that any such tables were used either in the tabernacle or temple; and this seems to intimate the introduction of a new and more suited dispensation.]—Bagster.

Ver. 41. Whereupon they slew, &c.—This shows that they were intended for a worshippers, and therefore this part, at least, can refer to no Christian.

Ver. 43. Hooks.—Newcome, ‘‘Edges.” So most of the ancient versions.—(These were probably for hanging up the victims in order to flay them.)—B.

Ver. 45. This chamber.—[The word chamber probably here denotes a row of chambers, of which there seems to have been three: one for the singers; one for the priests who in their courses took charge of the sacred vessels and treasures; and one for the priests who attended on the altar and sacrifices.]—B.

Ver. 47. The court.—(‘This was the inner court, or court of the priests which was of the same dimensions with each division of the outer court; and the altar stood directly before the porch of the temple.)—Bagster.

Ver. 48. Porch of the house.—(The length of the porch was 20 cubits, the same as the breadth of the temple, and the breadth eleven cubits, i. e. one cubit more than in Solomon’s temple. Two bivalve, or folding doors, each leaf of them being three cubits wide, seem to have formed the entrance; which, with five cubits, perhaps of brick or stone work, on each side, called “the post of the porch,” amount to 16 cubits; and the other four cubits may be supposed to have been the distance from these posts to the outside of the walls of the) Ver.

49. The steps.—{This was a flight of steps which led from the inner court into the temple.)—Bagster.