Reflections on the Rhetorical Features and Literary Genre
The following summarizes a few brief reflections on the rhetorical features and literary genre of the passage as a whole. Regarding literary structure, the entire book of Ezekiel forms a chiastic arrangement. Jiří Moskala identifies the symmetry by leaning on the work of Richard Davidson: The outermost segments focus on Yahweh’s entrance into a defiled temple in chapters 1-11 (A) and restored temple in 40-48 (A1), and then moves inward to the oracles of judgement in 12-23 (B) and restoration in 34-39 (B1), which is followed by Jerusalem’s siege in 24 (C) and fall in 33 (C1) and, finally, the oracles against the foreign nations in 25-28:10 (D) and 29-32 (D1).[1] However, the center of the chiasm in 28:11-26 (E) is decisive for interpretation not only for the book of Ezekiel, but also specifically for Ezekiel 36:16-32. Moskala identifies four key thematic elements of the interpretive center: the theocentric nature of the passage (28:11-26), the judgment on the fallen cherub (28:11-19), the vindication of God’s holiness (28:20-26), and the restoration of God’s people (28:25-26).[2]
Interpreting the Prophetic Books: An Exegetical Handbook (Handbooks for Old Testament Exegesis)
Furthermore, the pinnacle of Ezekiel’s chiastic artistry is found in miniature within 36:16-32. Ezekiel’s theocentric focus is on display in God’s judgement (36:16-21), the vindication of God’s holiness (36:22-23), and the restoration of God’s people (36:24-32), which ultimately points to the genre of the passage.
Gary Smith explains that a salvation oracle or an oracle of hope highlights the positive aspects of God’s promises to deliver His people from a problematic situation.[3] Certainly, the people of God have a problem; they desecrated God’s land, reputation, and name (Ezek 36:16-21). However, God also promises deliverance through the cleansing properties of sprinkled water and the transformative characteristics of a new, Spirit-filled heart (Ezek 36:22-32). Accordingly, the genre of Ezekiel 36:16-32 is a salvation oracle. Although these observations summarize a few rhetorical features and the literary genre of the passage as a whole, each subunit may also feature various features and subgenres.
Interpretive and Theological Issues
Although the interpretive and theological issues abound within the passage, the following analysis will briefly address three specific issues. First, in Ezekiel 36:22, Yahweh commands the prophet to tell Israel that His motivation for acting on their behalf has nothing to do with the people of Israel. It appears that Yahweh no longer cares about His people. His motivation and objective revolve completely around vindicating His name, which appears similar to the motivation of modern-day leaders struggling with narcissistic personality disorder. However, Robert Jenson correctly recognizes the antinomy of God’s involvement throughout history on both sides of the conflicts.[4] God did initiate the problem by exiling the Israelites, but God will also solve the problem by vindicating His name. As Steven Tuell explains, God’s activity will not be swayed by and will have absolutely nothing to do with Israel.[5] God will not be motivated by Israel’s thinking, worthiness, righteousness, repentance, emotional outbursts, or behavior. The payoff, according to Daniel Block, is that the theocentric perspective of Ezekiel appears to “dismiss any hint of merit on Israel’s part.”[6] Accordingly, by God focusing solely on vindicating His name, He not only eliminates the possibility of building a relationship with Israel founded upon human effort, but also moves towards executing a plan to reconcile both His land and His people to Himself through the process of vindicating Himself: a gracious act indeed.
Second, an important theological question that arises in Ezekiel 36:26-27 is whether the indwelling nature of the Spirit in Ezekiel, which points to the coming Spirit in Acts 2, differs from the operation in the Old Testament. More specifically, a common assertion is that under the Old Covenant the Spirit comes and goes, while under the New Covenant the Spirit indwells believers. In other words, the question of whether the reference to the spirit in Ezekiel should be interpreted anthropologically or theologically continues to be debated. According to Verena Schafroth, if understood theologically, then the new spirit in verse 26 can be identified with God’s Spirit in verse 27, but it would differ substantially from the operation in the Old Covenant.[7] However, alongside most scholars, if understood anthropologically, then the spirit and heart would be synonymous and represent the human volition, thus God is providing a new attitude of spirit towards God.[8] In a sense, neither the traditional theological nor the anthropological perspectives encompass the nuance of the passage, but the topic needs further investigation and an ultimate resolution.
Third, the theological issue of the extent of human responsibility and freedom arises within the relationship between God’s re-creation activity and Israel’s obedience referred to in Ezekiel 36:27b. Christopher Wright refers to verse 27 and elegantly sums up the connection by stating, “It speaks of spiritual reality with ethical results. It speaks of cleansing and moral transformation, of radical inward change and radical outward obedience.”[9] The relationship between the heart and the hands is not new to Ezekiel. In Deuteronomy 10:12-16, Israel is called to walk in Yahweh’s ways, to serve God with all their heart, keep His commandments via the circumcision of their hearts. In the case of Ezekiel, it is clear that God is causing Israel to walk in His ways and to obey (v. 27b). However, due to the involvement of Yahweh, Paul Joyce contends that the initiative limits or undermines Israel’s responsibility.[10] Greenberg takes the argument a step further by explaining that since Israel’s restoration is now irreversible, human freedom is curtailed.[11] The question remains as to whether the theocentric focus of Ezekiel requires an abdication of human responsibility or freedom.
Relevance to the Latter Prophets and Church Life
Ezekiel 36:16-32 is important for the study of the Latter Prophets for at least two reasons: its focus on the breakdown of the covenantal relationship between Yahweh and His people and its focus on the work of the Spirit that restores the covenant relationship. In particular, the passage addresses all three parts of a covenantal triangle: God, His land, and His people. Accordingly, the passage looks back at the Old Covenant and the original exodus and looks forward to the New Covenant and a new exodus. At the beginning of the passage, the covenantal relationship is completely broken. The land is desecrated, the people are desecrated, and Yahweh’s name is desecrated. All three aspects of the covenant need to be restored. The land needs cleansed and rest from defilement that occurs through the process of exile. The people need cleansed from their transgressions, and Yahweh’s name needs cleared. The activity of God solves these problems by gathering the people from the nations and restoring them to their land, cleansing the people through the sprinkling of clean water, and giving a new heart by putting God’s Spirit within the people. Ultimately, Yahweh’s reputation is restored on His way to reclaiming the pagan nations.
The passage in Ezekiel 36, in my opinion, is critically important to the church today with regard to understanding Yahweh’s role and the believer’s role in obeying God. Ezekiel clearly communicates that it is Yahweh that causes His people to walk in his statutes and obey the rules (v. 27). Believers do not cause themselves to obey God; God empowers believers to obey God. Ezekiel explains that it is by God cleansing people with sprinkled water, by God removing the heart of stone and replacing it with a new heart, and by God putting his Spirit within His people that people obey. These three initiatives cause people to obey. Although some scholars assert Ezekiel’s words reduce human freedom, human responsibility is not abdicated. Instead, it is grace that leads to and empowers obedience. As the believer lives out his or her new Spirit-filled identity, the believer becomes who they are. For example, as the believer puts on or appropriates his new God-filled self, he will no longer need to attempt to fill the self with things, other people, or accomplishments, idolatrous acts indeed. Furthermore, by living purified by Yahweh’s clean water and living with a newly transplanted heart, the shame and guilt are eradicated that would lead to the depression and anxiety that find their way into the sinful behavior of sexual affairs, alcohol, or drugs to cover the pain. Finally, by living purified and living newly created, the believer has the opportunity to experience the fruit of the Spirit rather than live in the deeds of the flesh.
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[1] Jiří Moskala, “Notes on the Literary Structure of the Book of Ezekiel,” in Meeting with God on the Mountains: Essays in Honor of Richard M. Davidson, ed. Jiří Moskala (Berrien Springs, MI: Old Testament Department, Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Andrews University, 2016), 104, 110.
[2] Ibid., 105–109.
[3] Gary V. Smith, Interpreting the Prophetic Books: An Exegetical Handbook (Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic, 2014), 39.
[4] Robert W. Jenson, Ezekiel, ed. R. Reno, Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible (Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2009), 278.
[5] Steven Tuell, Ezekiel, ed. W. Ward Gasque, Robert L. Hubbard Jr., and Robert K. Johnston, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2009), 246.
[6] Daniel I. Block, The Book of Ezekiel, Chapters 25–48 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998), 351.
[7] Verena Schafroth, “An Exegetical Exploration of ‘Spirit’ References in Ezekiel 36 and 37,” Journal of the European Pentecostal Theological Association 29, no. 2 (2009): 66–67.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Christopher J. H. Wright, Knowing the Holy Spirit Through the Old Testament (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2006), 128.
[10] Paul Joyce, “Ezekiel and Moral Transformation,” in Transforming Visions: Transformations of Text, Tradition, and Theology in Ezekiel, ed. William A. Tooman and Michael A. Lyons (Eugene: The Lutterworth Press, James Clarke & Co Ltd., 2010), 155–156.
[11] Moshe Greenberg, Ezekiel 21-37: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, vol. 22A, Anchor Yale Bible (New Haven: Yale University, 2008), 735.
Bibliography
- Block, Daniel I. The Book of Ezekiel, Chapters 25–48. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998.
- Greenberg, Moshe. Ezekiel 21-37: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 22A. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven: Yale University, 2008.
- Jenson, Robert W. Ezekiel. Edited by R. Reno. Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible. Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2009.
- Joyce, Paul. “Ezekiel and Moral Transformation.” In Transforming Visions: Transformations of Text, Tradition, and Theology in Ezekiel, edited by William A. Tooman and Michael A. Lyons, 139–158. Eugene: The Lutterworth Press, James Clarke & Co Ltd., 2010.
- Moskala, Jiří. “Notes on the Literary Structure of the Book of Ezekiel.” In Meeting with God on the Mountains: Essays in Honor of Richard M. Davidson, edited by Jiří Moskala, 102–110. Berrien Springs, MI: Old Testament Department, Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Andrews University, 2016.
- Schafroth, Verena. “An Exegetical Exploration of ‘Spirit’ References in Ezekiel 36 and 37.” Journal of the European Pentecostal Theological Association 29, no. 2 (2009): 61–77.
- Smith, Gary V. Interpreting the Prophetic Books: An Exegetical Handbook. Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic, 2014.
- Tuell, Steven. Ezekiel. Edited by W. Ward Gasque, Robert L. Hubbard Jr., and Robert K. Johnston. Understanding the Bible Commentary Series. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2009.
- Wright, Christopher J. H. Knowing the Holy Spirit Through the Old Testament. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2006.
