RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Extreme Unction Ezekiel
771-773, ib. 1870; F. Probst, Sakramente und Sakramentalien, pp. 373 sqq., Tubingen, 1872; J. H. Oswald, Die dogmatische Lehre von den heiligen Sakramenten, ii. 257 sqq., Munster, 1877; M. Heimbueher, Die heilige Oelung, Regensburg, 1888; P. Schanz, Die Lehre von den heiligen Sakramenten, pp. 639 sqq., Freiburg, 1893; W. E. Addis and T. Arnold, Catholic Dictionary, pp. 363-366, London, 1903.
For the Greek Church consult: W. Gass, Symbolik der griechischen Kirche, pp. 292 sqq., Berlin, 1872; F. Kattenbusch, Lehrbuch der vergleichenden Kunfessionskunde, i. 434 sqq., Freiburg, 1892; A. von Maltzew, Die Sakramente der orthodox-katholischen Kirche, pp. cccxxiii. sqq., 450-553, Berlin, 1898; K. Beth, Die orientalische Christenheitder Mittelmeerlander, pp. 316 sqq., Berlin, 1902.
EYLERT, RUHLEMANN FRIEDRICH: Evangelical bishop of Prussia; b. at Hamm (20 m. s.e. of Munster) Apr. 5, 1770; d. at Potsdam Feb. 8, 1852. After completing his theological education at Halle in 1794, he became pastor in his native town, and in 1806 was appointed preacher to the court and garrison at Potsdam. Eleven years later he became bishop of Prussia and a member of the council of state as well as of the ministry for religion and education. Far more important than his official activity, however, was the influence which he exercised on Frederick William III. The development of Eylert was from rationalism toward orthodoxy, although he never reached a sure dogmatic position. He was deeply interested in the agenda and in the movement for union, and remained in active service until his resignation in 1844. Eylert was a prolific writer, his chief works being as follows: Betrachtungen iiber die trostvollen Wdhrheiten des Christentums bei der letzten Trennungvonden Unsrigen (Dortmund, 1803); Homilien iiber die Parabeln Jesu (Halle, 1806); Predigten iiber Bediirfnisse unsers Herzens und Verhaltnisse unsers Lebens (1813); Ueber den Wert und die Wirkung der fiir die evangelische Kirche bestimmten Liturgie und Agende (Potsdam, 1830); Das gute Werk der Union (1846); and, above all, Charakterziige und historische Fragmente aus dem Leben Friedrich Wilhelm III. (3 vols., Magdeburg, 1843- 1846; Eng. transl. Characteristic Traits and Domestic Life of Frederick William III., King of Prussia, by J. Birch, London, 1844). He also collaborated with J. H. B. Draseke in publishing the Magazin von Fest-, Gelegenheits- und anderen Predigten (4 vols., Magdeburg, 1816-20).
(August THOLUCKf.)
Bibliography: Neuer Nekrolog der Deutschen, Weimar, 1852; ADB, vi. 458.
EZEKIEL.
I. The Prophet. II. The Book.
Divisions and Contents (§1). Literary Peculiarities (§ 2). Symbolic Actions (§ 3). Other Characteristics (§ 4). Theological Character (§ 5). Relation to the Priest Code (§ 6).
I. The Prophet : Concerning Ezekiel, the earliest exilic prophet, his book teaches (i. 2,3, iii. 15, xxix. 17, xl. 1) that he was the son of Buzi, of priestly descent (through theZadokites), that he lived by the river Chebar not far from Tel-Abib among the captives whom Nebuchadrezzar had deported with King Jehoiachin, and that he labored there as prophet from the fifth to at least the twenty-seventh year
of this captivity (593-571 b.c). The statement of Josephus (Ant. X., vi. 3) that he was still a boy when carried into captivity is not probable, since he was well acquainted with the temple and its service. The river Chebar must not be confused with the Habor of II Kings xvii. 6, xviii. 11 (the modern Khabur), which empties into the Euphrates (q.v.) near Carchemish, on which the exiles of the Northern kingdom were settled; it must be sought in Babylonia and is probably the canal Kabaru, not far from Nippur. Ezekiel enj oyed the authority of a prophet among the exiles, and they often sought his counsel though it was generally contrary to their desire, and in secret they gave vent to their wrath (ii. 6). He exercised a pastoral care among his people and formed a spiritual center for those who were cut off from their land and its temple (viii. 1, xiv. 1 sqq., xx. 1, xxiv. 18, xxxiii. 30-31). II. The Book: The prophecy of Ezekiel, the third of the books of the major prophets in the arrangement of the English Version, was no doubt put in systematic form by the prophet himself; it divides into two main parts which correspond to the two periods in which Ezekiel prophesied. The first (i.-xxiv.) closes with the beginning of the
siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadrezzar
i. Divi- (588 B.C.); the second (xxxiii .-xlviii.)
sions and begins after the destruction of the