The Expositor's Bible: The Book of the Twelve Prophets, Vol. 2: Commonly Called the MinorSmith, George Adam
Religion
The Expositor's Bible: The Book of the Twelve Prophets, Vol. 2: Commonly Called the Minor
Smith, George Adam
Bible. Minor Prophets -- Commentaries
The force of these developments of Apocalypse, Angelology and the
Ritual appears both in Ezekiel and in the exilic codification of the
ritual which forms so large a part of the Pentateuch. Ezekiel carries
Apocalypse far beyond the beginnings started by Zephaniah. He
introduces, though not under the name of angels, superhuman mediators
between himself and God. The Priestly Code does not mention angels, and
has no Apocalypse; but like Ezekiel it develops, to an extraordinary
degree, the ritual of Israel. Both its author and Ezekiel base on the
older forms, but build as men who are not confined by the lines of an
actually existing system. The changes they make, the innovations they
introduce, are too numerous to mention here. To illustrate their
influence upon Zechariah, it is enough to emphasise the large place
they give in the ritual to the processes of propitiation and cleansing
from sin, and the increased authority with which they invest the
priesthood. In Ezekiel Israel has still a Prince, though he is not
called King. He arranges the cultus,[782] and sacrifices are offered
for him and the people,[783] but the priests teach and judge the
people.[784] In the Priestly Code[785] the priesthood is more
rigorously fenced than by Ezekiel from the laity, and more regularly
graded. At its head appears a High Priest (as he does not in Ezekiel),
and by his side the civil rulers are portrayed in lesser dignity and
power. Sacrifices are made, no longer as with Ezekiel for Prince and
People, but for Aaron and the Congregation; and throughout the
narrative of ancient history, into the form of which this Code projects
its legislation, the High Priest stands above the captain of the host,
even when the latter is Joshua himself. God’s enemies are defeated not
so much by the wisdom and valour of the secular powers, as by the
miracles of Jehovah Himself, mediated through the priesthood. Ezekiel
and the Priestly Code both elaborate the sacrifices of atonement and
sanctification beyond all the earlier uses.
2. GENERAL FEATURES OF THE VISIONS.
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