Книга пророка Иезекииля, Глава 37, стих 1. Толкования стиха

THE DRAMA OF THE PROPHECY AND ITS PARADOXICAL MESSAGE. AMBROSE: In minute detail the holy prophet Ezekiel teaches and describes how strength will be restored to our dry bones, feeling return and motion added; how, with the return of sinews, the whole structure of the human body will grow strong, and how the driest bones will be clothed with restored flesh and the openings of the veins and the streams of the blood will be concealed by a veil of skin drawn tautly over them. At the very words of the prophet, as we read, the crop of human bodies seems to rise up again to life, and one may see the wide expanses of the fields sprouting with a novel kind of growth. ON HIS BROTHER SATYRUS 2.69.

THE SPIRIT IS THE LAST TO RETURN. AMBROSE: Note how the prophet shows that there was hearing and movement in the bones before the Spirit of life was poured on them. For, above, both the dry bones are bidden to hear, as if they had the sense of hearing, and that on this each of them came to its own joint is pointed out by the words of the prophet. . . .

Great is the lovingkindness of the Lord, that the prophet is taken as a witness of the future resurrection, that we, too, might see it with his eyes. For all could not be taken as witnesses, but in that one all we are witnesses, for neither does lying come on a holy person or error on so great a prophet. ON HIS BROTHER SATYRUS 2.72-73.

BY ONE WORD ONLY. APHRAHAT: But why, my beloved, was it that those dead did not rise because of the one word spoken through Ezekiel, and why was not their resurrection, both of bones and spirit, accomplished through that one word? For look! By one word the bones were fitted together, and by another the Spirit came. It was in order that full perfection might be left for our Lord Jesus Christ, who with one utterance and one word will raise up at the last day every human body. For it was not the word that was insufficient but its bearer was inferior. DEMONSTRATIONS 8.13.

EZEKIEL SAW THE RESURRECTION BEFORE HIM. GREGORY OF NYSSA: Ezekiel, with prophetic spirit, has surpassed all time and space and with his power of prediction has stood at the very moment of the resurrection. Seeing the future as already present, he has brought it before our eyes in his description. ON THE SOUL AND THE RESURRECTION.

THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF THIS VISION. CHRYSOSTOM: There were at all events many wonderful and great prophets among ourselves who spoke many things about the future, and they in no way used to bid those who asked them to dig up the bones of the departed. Ezekiel standing near the bones themselves was not only not hindered by the bones but added flesh, and nerves and skin to them and brought them back to life again. DISCOURSE ON BLESSED BABYLAS 2.

FAITH IN THE RESURRECTION IS FUNDAMENTAL. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM: The hope of resurrection is the root of every kind of good work, for the expectation of reward braces the soul to productive toil. And whereas every worker is ready to sustain his toil if he can look forward to being repaid for his labors, where toil has no recompense the soul is soon discouraged and the body flags with it. A soldier who expects his share of the spoils is ready for war. But no one is prepared to die serving a king so undiscerning that he does not provide rewards for labors. In the same way, any soul that believes in resurrection takes care for itself, as is right, but any soul that disbelieves the resurrection abandons itself to destruction. A person who believes that the body survives to rise again is careful of this garment and does not soil it by fornicating. But a person who does not believe in the resurrection gives himself up to fornication, abusing his own body as if it were nothing to him.

A mighty message and teaching of the holy Catholic church is belief about the resurrection of the dead; mighty and most indispensable. While many deny it, the truth claims credence for it. Greeks deny it, Samaritans disbelieve, while heretics tear away the half. Truth never appears but in one shape, while contradiction assumes a hundred. CATECHETICAL LECTURES 18.1.

THE WONDER OF THE RESURRECTION. NOVATIAN: He will contemplate truly admirable souls that have been brought back from the grave to reanimate completely consumed bodies. ON THE SPECTACLES 10.2.

PENITENTS MUST FEEL SHAME. JEROME: That penitents may have their due it is enough for them to feel shame instead of all other punishment. AGAINST JOVINIANUS 2.31.

FROM DEATH TO LIFE. PAULINUS OF NOLA: If you are skeptical that ashes can be reassembled into bodies and souls restored to their vessels, Ezekiel will be your witness, for long ago the whole process of resurrection was revealed to him by the Lord. In his pages you will behold the dusty remains of people of old come to life over the entire region, bones scattered far and wide over the broad plain spontaneously hastening to fuse together when bidden, sprouting sinews from the innermost marrow and then drawing the skin over the flesh that had grown on them. Then the limbs are perfectly ordered more quickly than words can tell, and from the ancient dust stand forth people made new. POEM 31.311.

Стихи 1–10 содержат видение оживления сухих костей, а стихи 11–14 – объяснение видения. В видении Господь вывел пророка в поле, полное человеческих костей: кости были «весьма сухие», то есть принадлежали давно умершим людям, были обнажены от плоти и иссохшие. Господь обвел пророка вокруг поля и спросил его: «оживут ли кости эти?» Пророк ответил: «Ты, Господи Боже, знаешь это». Тогда Господь велел пророку проречь на кости, чтобы они ожили. И вот по слову пророка поднялся шум: кости стали соединяться каждая к составу своему и покрылись жилами, плотью и кожей, только духа не было в них. Господь повелел вторично пророку проречь о духе. По слову пророка дух вошел в мертвые тела, они ожили и вот встало на ноги великое полчище (1–10).