The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 457

that Ezekiel's temple was not so much opunon, the 'interpreters nnd critics just modelled after Solomon's as freely imagtned mentioned, from Ville.lpo.ndue downwards, end presented to the ex;lcs as an ideal are unanimous in regarding the " vision" ae sketch of the new religious and civil order having been at once e. temple plo.n, a cultue which should be established in Palestine Torah, and a land act for the post-exilio after the return from captivity; while to age; but against this understanding of the the objection that no such order was "vision," in the j udgment of such scholars established by the Jews who came back and expositors e.s Hii.vernick, Fairbairn, from Babylon, it was replied that that was Keil, Kliefoth, Wright, and Plumptre, the not the fault of Ezekiel, but of the people, objections that may be urged are too and no detraction from the splendour of the numerous to admit of the belief that Ezekiel ideal "·hich had been held up before them, had any such intention as it supposes, viz. but only an indication of their inability to an intention to prepare beforehand a new convert that ideal into reality. This view, constitution for the restoration era, which however, besides being open to the objec- he believed to be at hand. These objections tions to be afterwards urged against it in are the following:- common with others, has this difficulty of (1) If Ezekiel aotually did intend to its own to contend with, that in introducing leave behind him a programme for the the subjective element of fancy as the coming age, a constitution for the new primal source of the " vision," it directly theocracy which he foresaw should arise, conflicts with the prophet's statement that it is, to say the least, remarkable that no the vision was expressly shown him by suspicion of this appeara to have crossed supernatural agency. (4) Closely allied to the minds of e.ny of the poet-exilic leaders, the preceding views, and in fact combining such as Zerubbabel, Joshua, Ezra, or them, e.re those of Ewald, Knenen, Well- Nehemiah, all of whom, besides, lived so Lausen, Smend, Robertson Smith, Canon close to Ezekiel's time that they must have Driver, and their followers in Germany and been aware of it had any such intention in England. "Ezekiel may for a long time," existed. writes Ewald (' Die Propheten des Alten (2) Nor is it simply that the post-exilio Bnndes,' vol ii. p. 531), "have pondered leaders gave no indication that they re- with burning desire o.nd lively recollection garded it as binding on them to carry out on the institutions of the fallen temple and the wishes of Ezekiel ae these were set kingdom ; what appeared to him great and forth in this temple-vision; but in proceed- glorious therein may have deeply engre.ven ing with their _work of restoration, in the itself upon his heart as the model of a reconstruction of the temple, in the re- future restoration ; with such historical organization of the worship, and in the memories he may have compared the redistribution of the land, they went back Messianic expectations and demands in to the state and condition of things whioh detail. and thus in spirit have projected for had existed in pre-exilic times, building himBelf the most vivid pictures of the best their new temple on the exact foundations constitution and arrangement of the details of the old (Ezra iii. 8-13), fashioning their at the hoped-for restoration of the kingdom." worship in accordance with the prescrip- Kuenen (' The Religion of Israel,' ii 114) tions of the Levitical (or so-called priest-) calls the passage now alluded to "e. com- code (which, "in its me.in stock," Driver, plete plan for the organization of the new 'An Introduction,' eto., p. 135, admits Israel" W ellhausen (' G eschichte Israels,' existed, though ill unwritten form, in pre- p. 62) speaks of the whole "vision " as "a exilic times), and dividing their territory, programme for the future restoration of the if not after the land act of Moses, still less theocracy." Smend styles Ezekiel" a law- after that of Ezekiel. giver, who outlines a complete life-ordinance (3) Add to this that, had the poet-exilio for the Israel of the future." Robertson leaders been desirous of following the Smith (' The Old Testament in the Jewish directions of the "vision," they would have Church,' p. 374) characterizes his Torah as found it in many points 'luite impraoticable. "a sketch of ritual for tlie period of restora- Not to speak, at least in this connection tion." f',anon Driver (' An Introduction to (see below), about the "very high moun- the Liwature of the Old Testament,' p. tain" or the "temple-river," which one 273) says that eh. xl.-xlviii give " the scarcely sees how they could have impro- constitution of the restored theocracy," but vised, it may he asked how they could adds (p. 274) that, "though the details are have laid out on the summit of Moriah the realistically conceived, it is evident that precincts of the temple, whioh were 500 there is an ideal element in Ezekiel's reeds (i.e. 8000 oubits, or 4500 feet) square, representations which in many respects it or a compass of over three miles and o. was found impossible to put into practice." half; or measured otf the terumah, whioh Thus, while presenting different shades of enclosed an area of 2500 square miles, o!. on. XLVIli.1-36.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKlEL, 473