1 And he said to me, Son of man, stand upon your feet, and I will speak to you.
Jerome · AD 420 (Chapter 2, Verse 1) And I saw, and fell on my face, and heard the voice of the one speaking. The greatness of the visions did not lift me up, but the awareness of human frailty caused me to fall on my face.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 "Stand upon your feet, and I will speak with you." So the prophet describes his own experiences in order to signify ours. For what does it mean that it is said to him while lying down: "Stand upon your feet, and I will speak with you"? For He who was speaking to the one lying down, why does He promise that He will speak only to one standing?
2 And the spirit entered into me when he spoke to me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spoke to me.
Jerome · AD 420 (Vers. 2.) And the Spirit entered into me after He spoke to me and set me on my feet. And I heard Him speaking to me, saying: Son of man. LXX: And the Spirit came upon me, and took me up, and raised me, and set me on my feet: and I heard Him speaking to me, and He said to me: Son of man.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 "And the spirit entered into me after he spoke to me, and set me upon my feet." Behold, the divine voice commanded the prophet lying down to rise. But he could not rise at all unless the spirit of almighty God had entered into him, because from the grace of almighty God we can indeed strive toward good works, but we cannot fulfill them unless he who commands also helps.
3 And he said to me, Son of man, I send you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even to this very day.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 3.) I send you to the children of Israel, to the apostate nations, who have turned away from me. They and their fathers have violated my covenant until this day. They are no longer called the people of God Israel, but rather the apostate nations, those who have turned away from the Lord, not only the fathers, but also the sons.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 "I send you to the sons of Israel, to apostate nations, who have departed from me." It should be noted that it is said: "I send you to the sons of Israel, to apostate nations, who have departed from me." For just as one departs from God in two ways, so in two ways men become apostates from God. For everyone departs from his Creator either by faith or by works.
4 For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send you to them; and you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 4.) And they are sons with a fierce face and an untamed heart, to whom I send you. This is not found in the Septuagint. It is of great mercy to send God to such people and not to despair of their salvation; and it is prophetic confidence that he is not afraid to go to such people as well.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 "Their fathers have transgressed my covenant unto this day, and the sons are of hard face and indomitable heart, to whom I send you." Behold, there is one fault of pride, because they have transgressed the covenant. Behold, another of obstinacy, because even unto this day.
5 And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there has been a prophet among them.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 But what means, "It may be they will reverence?" It is not the language of one ignorant, away with the thought! but of one desiring to show the sin to be great; and without any excuse. Since Himself knowing that they would slay Him, He sent Him. But He saith, "They will reverence," declaring what ought to have been done, that it was their duty to have reverenced Him.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 5.) And you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord God: If perhaps they will listen, and if perhaps they will be quiet, for the house is provoking, and they will know that there was a prophet among them. Something similar is written in Jeremiah: If perhaps they will listen and do penance. (Jer. XXVI, 3). And in the Gospel: Perhaps they will fear my son. (Matth. XXI, 37).
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 "And they shall know that a prophet has been in their midst." The knowledge of good things tends to benefit the wicked either as an aid to salvation or as a testimony to their condemnation. Therefore let them know that a prophet has been among them, so that having heard the preaching they may either be helped to rise up, or be condemned in such a way that they lack any excuse.
6 And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with you, and you do dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 Are there not revilings in Ezekiel directed against the people, when the Lord says, "you dwell among scorpions"?
Jerome · AD 420 Verse 6: Therefore, son of man, do not fear them, nor be afraid of their words, because they are unbelievers and destroyers with you. LXX: And you, son of man, do not fear them, nor be afraid of their presence: because they are insane, and they will gather against you in a circle. Though they may have hard necks and stubborn hearts, my commandments are stronger.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 But in this matter, it is necessary that the mind investigate itself with subtle inquiry, lest perhaps it seek the glory of its own praise, and our thought pretend that it seeks the gain of souls. For often the mind is fed by praise of its own name, and as if under the pretext of spiritual gains, it rejoices when it learns that good things are said about it.
7 And you shall speak my words to them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.
Jerome · AD 420 (Vers. 7, 8.) And you shall speak my words to them: if perhaps they will hear, and be afraid, or be quiet, since they are provokers. But you, son of man, hear what I speak to you. Therefore, you must not cease, although they are wicked to whom we speak; indeed, according to the Apostle (II Tim.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 "Therefore you shall speak my words to them, if perhaps they may hear and be still, because they are provokers." Everyone who sins, what else does he do but provoke the wrath of his Creator against himself? And we know that as often as we transgress in deed, as often in word, as often in thought, we provoke God against us just as many times.
8 But you, son of man, hear what I say to you; Be not you rebellious like that rebellious house: open your mouth, and eat that I give you.
Jerome · AD 420 Do not be exasperating, as the house is exasperating... Therefore, what he says is this: You should not imitate those whom you are sent to correct, lest you deserve a similar sin and punishment.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 "But you, son of man, hear whatever I speak to you, and do not be provoking, as the provoking house is." That is, do not yourself do the evil things which you see being done, lest you yourself commit what you were sent to prohibit.
9 And when I looked, look, a hand was sent to me; and, look, a roll of a book was in it;
Hippolytus of Rome · AD 235 The scroll symbolizes the prophets and the apostles. In it the Old Testament was written on the reverse and the New on the obverse. Moreover, the scroll symbolizes the secret, the spiritual teaching—and in such a dignified manner that it may be read on both sides.
Jerome · AD 420 If God were to stand up as the avenger of sin, the church would lose many of its saints and certainly would be deprived of the apostle Paul.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 Concerning this book it is further added: "Which was written within and without." For the book of sacred eloquence is written within through allegory, without through history. Within through spiritual understanding, but without through the simple sense of the letter, still suited to those who are weak.
10 And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written in it lamentations, and mourning, and woe.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 I take it to be similar in the case of the book mentioned by Ezekiel, in which had been written lamentation, mourning and woe. The whole book contains the "woe" of those perishing, and the "mourning" of those being saved and the "lamentation" of those in between.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 But if you still cling in mind to the present age, if you still delight in earthly pleasures, you cannot love the eternal joys you hear about. Therefore learn the woe that is written in this volume, and drive from your soul through fear what you love, so that from the judgment you may be able to love the song you read.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 In this consideration, moreover, lies the perfection of the mind's illumination, when, as on the sixth day, it sees man made in the image of God.