Commentary - Ezekiel 42:13-14

Bird's-eye view

In these closing chapters of Ezekiel, the prophet is being given a detailed tour of a new temple. This is not a historical blueprint for a building project that the returning exiles bungled, nor is it primarily a schematic for some future millennial temple. As with all Old Testament shadows, the substance is Christ. This temple, with its intricate measurements and regulations, is a glorious vision of the established Church of Jesus Christ, the dwelling place of God. These two verses in chapter 42 zoom in on the functionality of the temple, specifically on the life and conduct of the priests who serve there. What we are being shown is the profound holiness of God, and the careful distinctions that must be maintained between the sacred and the common. This is a lesson in spiritual physics. God is holy, and His holiness is not to be trifled with. The regulations for the priests, their eating, and their clothing are all object lessons that teach us about the nature of our mediator, Jesus Christ, and about our own identity as a royal priesthood.

The central theme here is the careful separation between that which is holy and that which is for the people. This is not because the things of the people are inherently dirty, but because the things of God are transcendently holy. In the Old Covenant, this holiness was guarded by separation. Contact with the common would defile the holy. But as we will see, in the New Covenant, this relationship is gloriously inverted. The holiness of Christ is a conquering, cleansing holiness. He touches the leper and makes him clean. Therefore, as we walk through this passage, we must have two sets of eyes, one for the literal sense in Ezekiel's vision, and one for the typological fulfillment in the gospel.

Outline

Context In Ezekiel

Ezekiel chapters 40 through 48 form the final grand vision of the book. After pronouncing judgments on Israel for her covenant infidelity, which culminated in the departure of God's glory from the temple (Ezekiel 10), the book concludes with this stunning vision of restoration. The glory of Yahweh returns to a new, perfected temple (Ezekiel 43:1-5). This section is not just about architecture; it is a theological portrait of the renewed people of God, living in right relationship with Him. The meticulous details of the temple layout, the gates, the altar, and the duties of the priests all serve to underscore one central reality: God is holy, and He will dwell with His people on His own terms. These terms are terms of grace, but it is a holy grace. The passage before us, detailing the priests' chambers, is a microcosm of this larger theme. It shows how that great holiness of God is to be mediated to the people through a consecrated priesthood, and how that priesthood must conduct itself in a way that honors the absolute distinction between God and man, between the sacred and the profane.

Verse by Verse Commentary

Ezekiel 42:13

Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers, which are opposite the separate area, they are the holy chambers where the priests who are near to Yahweh shall eat the most holy things. There they shall lay the most holy things, the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering; for the place is holy.”

Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers, which are opposite the separate area, they are the holy chambers... The angelic guide continues his tour, identifying these specific rooms. Their location is significant, "opposite the separate area," which was a space that cordoned off the most holy part of the temple complex. Proximity matters. These rooms are set apart because of what they are near to. In the same way, the holiness of a Christian is not self-generated; it is a derived holiness, a consequence of being brought near to the holy God through the blood of Christ.

...where the priests who are near to Yahweh shall eat the most holy things. The first function of these rooms is for a holy meal. The priests, those designated to "draw near," partake of the sacrifices. This is not just refueling. Eating the sacrifice was an act of communion and identification. The priest partook of that which was offered to God, signifying a fellowship meal between God and His representatives. This is a clear foreshadowing of the Lord's Supper. In Christ, we who are a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9) are invited to draw near and eat the most holy things. We feast on Christ Himself, our Passover Lamb, in a meal of intimate fellowship with the Father.

There they shall lay the most holy things, the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering... The second function is storage. The offerings themselves are holy and must be kept in a holy place. Notice the offerings mentioned: grain, sin, and guilt. These speak to provision, forgiveness, and restitution. All of these find their ultimate fulfillment in the one offering of Jesus Christ. He is the bread of life (our grain offering), the one who was made sin for us (our sin offering), and the one who paid our debt in full (our guilt offering). The church, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit, is the place where these holy realities are treasured, guarded, and proclaimed.

...for the place is holy. The reason for all this meticulous separation is stated plainly. The place itself is holy. God's presence consecrates the ground. This is the foundational principle. Holiness is not a suggestion; it is a non-negotiable attribute of God, and it radiates, demanding that everything around it conform to its nature. In the Old Covenant, this meant strict separation. In the New, it means the transformation of the believer into a holy vessel.

Ezekiel 42:14

When the priests enter, then they shall not go out into the outer court from the sanctuary without laying there their garments in which they minister, for they are holy. They shall put on other garments; then they shall come near to that which is for the people.”

When the priests enter, then they shall not go out into the outer court from the sanctuary without laying there their garments in which they minister, for they are holy. Here is the principle of spiritual contamination, Old Covenant style. The garments worn in the sanctuary become so saturated with holiness that they cannot be worn in the common areas. The holiness was, in a sense, transferable, but in a way that could be dangerous if not handled properly (see Ezekiel 44:19). The garments were set apart for a specific function, just as the priests were. This points us to the unique work of our Great High Priest, Jesus. His work of mediation is utterly unique and cannot be mingled with any common work. His righteousness is not a garment He puts on and takes off; it is His very nature.

They shall put on other garments; then they shall come near to that which is for the people. The transition from the holy space to the common space requires a change of clothes. To minister to God, one set of clothes. To minister to the people, another. This sharp distinction illustrates the mediatorial role of the priest. He stands between a holy God and a common people. But what a cumbersome process! Thank God for Jesus Christ, who bridges this gap perfectly. He is both fully God and fully man. He does not need to change garments because in His one person He has united the divine and the human. He brings God to man and man to God. For us, as believers, this has an ethical application. We are clothed in the righteousness of Christ, which is our "holy garment." This is our identity before God. But we live out this reality in the common world, interacting with our neighbors. We are to be "in the world but not of it," never compromising our holy identity in Christ, but also not withdrawing into a sterile pietism that is of no use to anyone.

Application

The central lesson of this passage is the absolute holiness of God and the necessary distinction between the sacred and the common. In our casual and irreverent age, this is a truth that needs to be recovered. God is not our buddy; He is the sovereign, holy Creator of the universe. Worship is not casual entertainment; it is drawing near to the consuming fire.

But the gospel transforms this principle from one of fearful separation to one of joyful communion. Under the Old Covenant, holiness was something to be protected from contamination. A priest wearing holy garments could not just walk out among the people. But under the New Covenant, the holiness of Christ is a conquering, cleansing force. Jesus touches the unclean and makes them clean. The woman with the issue of blood touches the hem of His garment and is healed. His holiness is contagious in the best possible way.

So, for us, the application is twofold. First, we must cultivate a deep and abiding reverence for the holiness of God. We should never approach Him lightly. We come to Him only through the blood of the covenant, clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Second, we must understand that because we are in Christ, we are now the agents of His conquering holiness in the world. We don't hide from the world to protect our flimsy piety. We engage the world, confident that the Spirit of Christ in us is greater than the spirit of the world. We are called to bring all things common and profane under the lordship of Jesus Christ, thereby consecrating them to God. The priests of old had to change their clothes. We are clothed in Christ once for all, and in Him, we are equipped to serve both God and man, bringing the holy things of the gospel into every common corner of life.