But the second fact, made manifest by the above-quoted
passage, quite excludes the existence of the Priestly Code so far
as Ezekiel and his time are concerned. The place of the heathen
temple-slaves is in future to be taken by the Levites. Hitherto
the latter had held the priesthood, and that too not by arbitrary
usurpation, but in virtue of their oun good right. For it is no
mere relegation back to within the limits of their lawful position
when they are made to be no longer priests but temple
ministrants, it is no restoration of the _status quo ante_, the
conditions of which they had illegally broken; it is expressly
a degradation, a withdrawal of their right, which appears as a
punishment and which must be justified as being deserved; "they
shall bear their iniquity." They have forfeited their priesthood,
by abusing it to preside over the cultus of the high places, which
the prophet regards as idolatry and hates in his inmost soul.
Naturally those Levites are exempted from the penalty who have
discharged their functions at the legal place,--the Levites the
sons of Zadok,--namely, at Jerusalem, who now remain sole priests
and receive a position of pre-eminence above those who hitherto
have been their equals in office, and who are still associated with
them by Ezekiel, under the same common name, but now are reduced
to being their assistants and hieroduli.
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