Ezekiel 20:25Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They have violated these commandments and continued to do so without fear; hence, I have constrained them and bound them with additional commandments that cannot grant them life, but adherence to which, along with diligent care, will lead them to refrain from violating these essential laws. He signifies these as the directives concerning leprosy, corpses, unclean meats, seed spillage, and similar matters, as well as the rituals of cleansing and the sacrifices accompanying them. Those who were subject to these regulations could not overlook these vital and beneficial laws. Therefore, God did not assert that He provided them with evil commandments; instead, He expresses that these commandments are not good. They do not instruct in vice, nor do they inherently produce virtue; rather, they aimed to encourage individuals to approach the temple of God and present themselves before Him. The one who perceived himself as impure would seek the temple for purification, and upon arrival, he would reawaken his awareness of God, which would dispel evil thoughts and urge him to adhere to God's commandments. Thus, these commandments are not inherently good, as they did not align with God's divine purpose, but were designed to meet the frailty of those to whom the Law was given. While not inherently good or necessary, they still guided toward what is good and necessary. To this, God adds:

The prophet Ezekiel clarifies this shift by stating, “after the lust of their heart were their eyes, and I gave them commandments of evil, and excuses in which they shall not live.” Additionally, Luke recounts that Stephen, the first chosen deacon and martyr of Christ, remarked on Moses and the commandments he received, stating they were meant for a people whose ancestors resisted obedience, turning instead to Egypt and demanding of Aaron, “Make us gods to precede us; for with Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what happened.” In those days, they created a calf, offered sacrifices to an idol, and reveled in their handiwork. Consequently, God turned away and permitted them to worship the celestial hosts, as documented in the prophets, “O house of Israel, have you offered sacrifices and slain sacrifices to me during forty years in the wilderness? Ye have received the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of the god Remphan— the images which ye made to worship them” (Acts 7:38-43; Am. 5:25-26). This indicates that the law was given to them by the same God, adapted to their servitude. In Exodus, God tells Moses, “I will send My angel before thee; for I will not go down with thee, because thou art a cruel people” (Ex. 33:2-3). Furthermore, the Lord indicated that some of the commandments were given through Moses as a concession due to their stubbornness and disobedience. When they questioned why Moses allowed divorce, He replied, “it was because of your hard-heartedness that he allowed you to do this; but in the beginning it was not so” (Matthew 19:7-8), acknowledging Moses as a faithful servant yet affirming the singularity of God who created male and female from the beginning, reproaching them for their obstinacy. Hence, the instruction provided by Moses regarding divorce reflected their hardened hearts.

Yet, this pattern is mirrored in the New Testament, where the apostles also issue similar directives for analogous reasons. Paul states, “I speak this, not the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:12), and “I speak this as a permission, not as a commandment” (1 Cor. 7:6), and notes, “I have no commandment from the Lord concerning virgins, but I give counsel, as one who has received from the Lord the grace to be faithful” (1 Cor. 7:25). Paul also warns, “lest Satan tempt you because of your self-control” (1 Cor. 7:5). Thus, when the apostles present certain mandates out of compassion due to the unrepentance of some, it is to prevent hardened hearts from despairing and turning away from God entirely. Consequently, it is not surprising that, in the Old Testament, God permitted similar allowances for the people's benefit, using rituals to draw them towards salvation through adherence to the Ten Commandments, and those who were guided by Him remained steadfast, growing in their love for Him. However, if some deem the Teacher of the Law inadequate due to the rebellious and sinful nature of Israel, they should recognize the truth in the call that “many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt. 20:16), that some appear as sheep outwardly but are wolves inwardly (Matt. 7:15), and that God has always respected human free will and self-control, ensuring that those who disobey may justly face consequences, while those who comply and believe are rewarded with eternal life.