Chapter XXIX.—Ezekiel’s Vision of the Dry Bones Quoted.

Inasmuch, then, as even the figurative portions of Scripture, and the arguments of facts, and some plain statements of Holy Writ, throw light upon the resurrection of the flesh (although without specially naming the very substance), how much more effectual for determining the question will not those passages be which indicate the actual substance of the body by expressly mentioning it! Take Ezekiel: “And the hand of the Lord,” says he, “was upon me; and the Lord brought me forth in the Spirit, and set me in the midst of a plain which was full of bones; and He led me round about them in a circuit: and, behold, there were many on the face of the plain; and, lo, they were very dry. And He said unto me, Son of man, will these bones live? And I said, O Lord God, Thou knowest. And He said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones; and thou shalt say, Ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God to these bones, Behold, I bring upon you the breath of life, and ye shall live: and I will give unto you the spirit, and I will place muscles over you, and I will spread skin upon you; and ye shall live, and shall know that I am the Lord. And I prophesied as the Lord commanded me: and while I prophesy, behold there is a voice, behold also a movement, and bones approached bones. And I saw, and behold sinews and flesh came up over them, and muscles were placed around them; but there was no breath in them. And He said unto me, Prophesy to the wind, son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God, Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe in these dead men, and let them live. So I prophesied to the wind, as He commanded me, and the spirit entered into the bones, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, strong and exceeding many. And the Lord said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel.  They say themselves, Our bones are become dry, and our hope is perished, and we in them have been violently destroyed.  Therefore prophesy unto them, (and say), Behold, even I will open your sepulchres, and will bring you out of your sepulchres, O my people, and will bring you into the land of Israel: and ye shall know how that I the Lord opened your sepulchres, and brought you, O my people, out of your sepulchres; and I will give my Spirit unto you, and ye shall live, and shall rest in your own land:  and ye shall know how that I the Lord have spoken and done these things, saith the Lord.”205    Ezek. xxxvii. 1–14.

CAPUT XXIX.

Igitur, si et allegoricae scripturae, et argumenta rerum, et simplices voces, resurrectionem carnis, quamquam sine nominatione ipsius substantiae, subradiant ; quanto magis, quae hanc speciem in ipsas substantias corporales speciali mentione determinant, non erunt deducendae in quaestionem! Accipe Ezechielem (Ezech., XXXVII): Et facta est, inquit, super me manus Domini, et extulit me in spiritu Dominus, et posuit me in medio campi: is erat ossibus refertus, et circumduxit me super ea per circuitum; et ecce multa super faciem campi, et ecce arida satis. Et ait ad 0836B me: Fili hominis, si vivent, ossa ista? Et dixi: Adonaï Domine, tu scis. Et ait ad me: Propheta in ossa haec, et dices: Ossa arida, audite sermonem Domini. Haec dicit Dominus Adonaï ossibus istis: Ecce ego affero in vos spiritum, et vivetis, et dabo in vos spiritum, et reducam in vos carnes, et circumdabo vobis cutem, et dabo in vobis spiritum, et vivetis , et cognoscetis quod ego Dominus. Et prophetavi secundum praeceptum, et ecce vox, dum propheto, et ecce motus, et accedebant ossa ad ossa. Et vidi, et ecce super ossa nervi, et caro ascendit, et circumpositae sunt eis cutes , et spiritus in eis non erat, et ait ad me: Propheta ad spiritum, fili hominis; propheta, et dices ad spiritum: Haec dicit Dominus Adonaï: A quatuor ventis veni spiritus, et spira in istis interemptis, et vivant. Et prophetavi 0836C ad spiritum, sicut praecepit mihi, et introivit in ea spiritus, et vixerunt, et constiterunt super pedes suos valentia magna satis . Et ait ad me: Fili hominis, ossa ista omnis domus Israel est. Ipsi dicunt: Exaruerunt ossa nostra, et perit spes nostra, avulsi sumus 0837A in eis. Propterea propheta ad eos: Ecce ego patefacio sepulcra vestra; et eveham vos de sepulcris vestris, populus meus; et inducam vos in terram Israel; et cognoscetis quod ego Dominus aperuerim sepulcra vestra, et eduxerim vos de sepulcris vestris, populus meus; et dabo vobis spiritum, et vivetis, et requiescetis in terra vestra, et cognoscetis quod ego Dominus locutus sim et fecerim, dicit Dominus.