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From: Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12

The Spring in the Temple

[1] Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and behold, water was is-
suing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced
east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold
of the temple, south of the altar. [2] Then he brought me out by way of the north
gate, and led me round on the outside to the outer gate, that faces toward the
east; and the water was coming out on the south side.

[8] And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down
into the Arabah; and when it enters the stagnant waters of the sea, the water will
become fresh. [9] And wherever the river goes every living creature which swarms
will live, and there will be very many fish; for this water goes there, that the waters
of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.

[12] And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees
for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit
every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will
be for food, and their leaves for healing.”

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Commentary:

47:1-12. The vision of the spring revitalizing everything it meets on its flowing
from the southern end of the way, is one of the most striking images temple and
ending up in the Dead Sea, in the book. Its content is reminiscent of the vision
of the bones (37:1-14): there, it was the Spirit that gave life to the dry bones; here,
the water refreshes the dead waters. The image of the river reminds one of how in
paradise (Gen 2:10-14) the four branches of the river make the whole garden beau-
tiful; here, a single river actually gives life. Although the vision contains references
to actual places, such as the oasis of En-gedi (v. 10), the Dead Sea or the Arabah,
it is symbolic and what it shows is that the renewal of the temple and its worship
will bring all sorts of advantages to the whole people.

There is an echo of this vision in the New Testament in the words of Jesus recor-
ded by St John: “If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes
in me, as the scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water’”
(Jn 7:37). Early Christian tradition links this text of St John with Ezekiel’s vision,
seeing in the spring in the temple the waters of Baptism that flow from Christ who
is life, or from Christ’s side on the altar of the cross: We go down to the water’s
edge steeped in our sins and impurity, and we walk out of the water, our hearts
filled with grace, fear of the Lord and hope in Jesus” (”Epistula Barnabae” 11, 10).

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.