Reconciling Judgment and Mercy: Lessons from Ezekiel and the Gospel
August 14, 2024 - Wednesday, Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr
Ezekiel 9:1-7; 10:18-22
Today's readings from Ezekiel are challenging and often make many uncomfortable. These passages have historically led to comparisons between the image of God in the Old Testament and the one Jesus reveals in the Gospels. This comparison reached its height in the second century when Marcion, an influential early Christian, preached that the God of the Old Testament was different from the Father of Jesus Christ. His message won many adherents, highlighting the confusion these texts can sometimes cause.
Among all the prophets of Israel, Ezekiel had the most vivid imagination. His visions were often shocking and disturbing, and today's passage is no exception. Ezekiel interprets the destruction of Jerusalem and the atrocities committed by the Babylonians as God's judgment, executed by mysterious men. This concept is not unique to the Old Testament; the New Testament also contains graphic descriptions of God's punishment, as seen in the Book of Revelation's depiction of "the seven bowls of the wrath of God" that essentially reverse the story of creation (see Rev 16).
The most shocking statement in today's reading is the command attributed to the Lord: "Pass through the city after him [– the man who was marking the foreheads of the people with the letter 'tav' (Ezekiel 9:3-4) –] and strike! Do not look on them with pity nor show any mercy!" (Ezekiel 9:5). Hearing this command through the lens of the Gospel is jarring. It was precisely because God looked at us with pity and mercy that He sent His beloved Son to live among us. It was because of this mercy that Jesus offered His life for our salvation and, from the cross, prayed for all those who contributed to His crucifixion: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34). So, how should we deal with this uncomfortable passage?
First, we must proceed with caution and consult a good biblical commentary that can alert us to the particular genre of writing, the personality of the writer, and their basic message. Then, we must place such messages within the larger biblical story, from Genesis to Revelation, from the creation of the world to a new heaven and a new earth. Within this larger context, Ezekiel's vision is yet another version of the biblical pattern of judgment and renewal. We see this pattern in the Flood Story, the Tower of Babel, and the call of Abraham. Here, Ezekiel describes a remnant, marked with "tav," the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, that, like Noah, Abraham, and Sarah, shall give rise to a new beginning. This pattern finds its fulfillment in the Gospels when Jesus Christ, a new Adam – representing renewed humanity – begins a new creation through His lifestyle, preaching, and self-sacrifice on the cross.
The historical event of the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC and its biblical interpretation also serve as a warning. Like the parable of the Last Judgment, where the fate of those who cared and those who were indifferent is different, Ezekiel distinguishes between the fate of those who mourned over the sins of Jerusalem and those who committed those sins. And like the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds (Matt. 13:24-30), Ezekiel reminds us that there shall be a reckoning and that we shall all "appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad" (2 Cor. 5:10).
As Christians, we have been marked with the sign of the cross. Let us mourn over the sins of the world and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who came to save us from the power of sin and death.