Ezekiel 18

Eze 18:1-32.

THE

PARABLE OF THE

SOUR

GRAPES

REPROVED.

Vindication of God's moral government as to His retributive

righteousness from the Jewish imputation of injustice, as if they were

suffering, not for their own sin, but for that of their fathers. As in

the seventeenth chapter he foretold Messiah's happy reign in Jerusalem,

so now he warns them that its blessings can be theirs only upon their

individually turning to righteousness.

2. fathers . . . eaten sour grapes, . . . children's teeth . . . set

on edge--Their unbelieving calumnies on God's justice had become so

common as to have assumed a proverbial form. The sin of Adam in eating

the forbidden fruit, visited on his posterity, seems to have suggested

the peculiar form; noticed also by Jeremiah

(Jer 31:29);

and explained in

La 5:7,

"Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their

iniquities." They mean by "the children" themselves, as though

they were innocent, whereas they were far from being so. The partial

reformation effected since Manasseh's wicked reign, especially among

the exiles at Chebar, was their ground for thinking so; but the

improvement was only superficial and only fostered their self-righteous

spirit, which sought anywhere but in themselves the cause of their

calamities; just as the modern Jews attribute their present dispersion,

not to their own sins, but to those of their forefathers. It is a

universal mark of corrupt nature to lay the blame, which belongs to

ourselves, on others and to arraign the justice of God. Compare

Ge 3:12,

where Adam transfers the blame of his sin to Eve, and even to God, "The

woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the

tree, and I did eat."

3. ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb--because I

will let it be seen by the whole world in the very fact that you are not

righteous, as ye fancy yourselves, but wicked, and that you suffer only

the just penalty of your guilt; while the elect righteous remnant alone

escapes.

4. all souls are mine--Therefore I can deal with all, being My own

creation, as I please

(Jer 18:6).

As the Creator of all alike I can have no reason, but the principle of

equity, according to men's works, to make any difference, so as to

punish some, and to save others

(Ge 18:25).

"The soul that sinneth it shall die." The curse descending from father

to son assumes guilt shared in by the son; there is a natural tendency

in the child to follow the sin of his father, and so he shares in the

father's punishment: hence the principles of God's government, involved

in

Ex 20:5

and Jer 15:4,

are justified. The sons, therefore (as the Jews here), cannot complain

of being unjustly afflicted by God

(La 5:7);

for they filled up the guilt of their fathers

(Mt 23:32, 34-36).

The same God who "recompenses the iniquity of the fathers into the

bosom of their children," is immediately after set forth as "giving to

every man according to his ways"

(Jer 32:18, 19).

In the same law

(Ex 20:5)

which "visited the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the

third and fourth generation" (where the explanation is added, "of them

that hate me," that is, the children hating God, as well

as their fathers: the former being too likely to follow their parents,

sin going down with cumulative force from parent to child), we find

(De 24:16),

"the fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither the

children for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own

sin." The inherited guilt of sin in infants

(Ro 5:14)

is an awful fact, but one met by the atonement of Christ; but it

is of adults that he speaks here. Whatever penalties fall on

communities for connection with sins of their fathers,

individual adults who repent shall escape

(2Ki 23:25, 26).

This was no new thing, as some misinterpret the passage here; it had

been always God's principle to punish only the guilty, and not

also the innocent, for the sins of their fathers. God does not here

change the principle of His administration, but is merely about to

manifest it so personally to each that the Jews should no longer

throw on God and on their fathers the blame which was their own.

soul that sinneth, it shall die--and it alone

(Ro 6:23);

not also the innocent.

5. Here begins the illustration of God's impartiality in a series of

supposed cases. The first case is given in

Eze 18:5-9,

the just man. The excellencies are selected in reference to the

prevailing sins of the age, from which such a one stood aloof; hence

arises the omission of some features of righteousness, which, under

different circumstances, would have been desirable to be enumerated.

Each age has its own besetting temptations, and the just man

will be distinguished by his guarding against the peculiar defilements,

inward and outward, of his age.

just . . . lawful . . . right--the duties of the second table of the

law, which flow from the fear of God. Piety is the root of all charity;

to render to each his own, as well to our neighbor, as to God.

6. not eaten upon . . . mountains--the high places,

where altars were reared. A double sin: sacrificing elsewhere than at

the temple, where only God sanctioned sacrifice

(De 12:13, 14);

and this to idols instead of to Jehovah. "Eaten" refers to the feasts

which were connected with the sacrifices (see

Ex 32:6;

De 32:38;

Jud 9:27;

1Co 8:4, 10; 10:7).

lifted . . . eyes to--namely, in adoration

(Ps 121:1).

The superstitious are compared to harlots; their eyes go eagerly after

spiritual lusts. The righteous man not merely refrains from the

act, but from the glance of spiritual lust

(Job 31:1;

Mt 5:28).

idols of . . . Israel--not merely those of the Gentiles, but even those

of Israel. The fashions of his countrymen could not lead him astray.

defiled . . . neighbour's wife--Not only does he shrink from spiritual,

but also from carnal, adultery (compare

1Co 6:18).

neither . . . menstruous woman--Leprosy and elephantiasis were said to

be the fruit of such a connection [JEROME].

Chastity is to be observed

even towards one's own wife

(Le 18:19; 20:18).

7. restored . . . pledge--that which the poor debtor absolutely needed;

as his raiment, which the creditor was bound to restore before sunset

(Ex 22:26, 27),

and his millstone, which was needed for preparing his food

(De 24:6, 10-13).

bread to . . . hungry . . . covered . . . naked--

(Isa 58:7;

Mt 25:35, 36).

After duties of justice come those of benevolence. It is not enough to

refrain from doing a wrong to our neighbor, we must also do him good.

The bread owned by a man, though "his," is given to him, not to keep to

himself, but to impart to the needy.

8. usury--literally, "biting." The law forbade the Jew to take

interest from brethren but permitted him to do so from a foreigner

(Ex 22:25;

De 23:19, 20;

Ne 5:7;

Ps 15:5).

The letter of the law was restricted to the Jewish polity, and is not

binding now; and indeed the principle of taking interest was even then

sanctioned, by its being allowed in the case of a foreigner. The

spirit of the law still binds us, that we are not to take

advantage of our neighbor's necessities to enrich ourselves, but be

satisfied with moderate, or even no, interest, in the case of the

needy.

increase--in the case of other kinds of wealth; as "usury" refers

to money

(Le 25:36).

withdrawn . . . hand, &c.--Where he has the opportunity and might find

a plausible plea for promoting his own gain at the cost of a wrong to

his neighbor, he keeps back his hand from what selfishness prompts.

judgment--justice.

9. truly--with integrity.

surely live--literally, "live in life." Prosper in this life, but still

more in the life to come

(Pr 3:1, 2;

Am 5:4).

10-13. The second case is that of an impious son of a pious father.

His pious parentage, so far from excusing, aggravates his guilt.

robber--or literally, "a breaker," namely, through all constraints of

right.

doeth the like to any one--The Hebrew and the parallel

(Eze 18:18)

require us to translate rather, "doeth to his brother any of

these things," namely, the things which follow in

Eze 18:11,

&c. [MAURER].

11. those duties--which his father did

(Eze 18:5, 9).

12. oppressed the poor--an aggravation to his oppressions, that

they were practised against the poor; whereas in

Eze 18:7

the expression is simply "oppressed any."

abomination--singular number referring to the particular one mentioned

at the end of

Eze 18:6.

13. shall he . . . live?--because of the merits of his father;

answering, by contrast, to "die for the iniquity of his father"

(Eze 18:17).

his blood shall be upon him--The cause of his bloody death shall

rest with himself; God is not to blame, but is vindicated as just in

punishing him.

14-18. The third case: a son who walks not in the steps of an

unrighteous father, but in the ways of God; for example, Josiah, the

pious son of guilty Amon; Hezekiah, of Ahaz

(2Ki 16:1-20; 18:1-37; 21:1-22:20).

seeth . . . and considereth--The same Hebrew stands for both

verbs, "seeth . . . yea, seeth." The repetition implies the attentive

observation needed, in order that the son may not be led astray by his

father's bad example; as sons generally are blind to parents sins, and

even imitate them as if they were virtues.

17. taken off his hand from the poor--that is, abstained from

oppressing the poor, when he had the opportunity of doing so with

impunity.The different sense of the phrase in

Eze 16:49,

in reference to relieving the poor, seems to have suggested the

reading followed by FAIRBAIRN, but not sanctioned

Eze 20:22

uses the phrase in a somewhat similar sense to English Version

here, abstained from hurting.

19. Here the Jews object to the prophet's word and in their objection

seem to seek a continuance of that very thing which they had originally

made a matter of complaint. Therefore translate, "Wherefore doth not the

son bear the iniquity of his father?" It now would seem a consolation to

them to think the son might suffer for his father's misdeeds; for it

would soothe their self-love to regard themselves as innocent sufferers

for the guilt of others and would justify them in their present course

of life, which they did not choose to abandon for a better. In reply,

Ezekiel reiterates the truth of each being dealt with according to his

own merits [FAIRBAIRN].

But GROTIUS supports English Version, wherein

the Jews contradict the prophet, "Why (sayest thou so) doth not the son

(often, as in our case, though innocent) bear (that is, suffer for) the

iniquity of their father?" Ezekiel replies, It is not as you say, but as

I in the name of God say: "When the son hath done," &c.

English Version is simpler than that of

FAIRBAIRN.

20. son shall not bear . . . iniquity of . . . father--

(De 24:16;

2Ki 14:6).

righteousness . . . wickedness--that is, the reward for

righteousness . . . the punishment of wickedness. "Righteousness" is

not used as if any were absolutely righteous; but, of such as have

it imputed to them for Christ's sake, though not under the Old

Testament themselves understanding the ground on which they were

regarded as righteous, but sincerely seeking after it in the way of

God's appointment, so far as they then understood this way.

21-24. Two last cases, showing the equity of God: (1) The penitent

sinner is dealt with according to his new obedience, not according to

his former sins. (2) The righteous man who turns from righteousness to

sin shall be punished for the latter, and his former righteousness will

be of no avail to him.

he shall surely live--Despair drives men into hardened recklessness;

God therefore allures men to repentance by holding out hope

[CALVIN].

To threats the stubborn sinner oft is hard,

Wrapt in his crimes, against the storm prepared,

But when the milder beams of mercy play,

He melts, and throws the cumbrous cloak away.

Hitherto the cases had been of a change from bad to good, or vice versa,

in one generation compared with another. Here it is such a change in one

and the same individual. This, as practically affecting the persons here

addressed, is properly put last. So far from God laying on men the

penalty of others' sins, He will not even punish them for their own, if

they turn from sin to righteousness; but if they turn from righteousness

to sin, they must expect in justice that their former goodness will not

atone for subsequent sin

(Heb 10:38, 39;

2Pe 2:20-22).

The exile in Babylon gave a season for repentance of those sins which

would have brought death on the perpetrator in Judea while the law

could be enforced; so it prepared the way for the Gospel [GROTIUS].

22. in his righteousness . . . he shah live--in it, not for it,

as if that atoned for his former sins; but "in his righteousness" he

shall live, as the evidence of his being already in favor with God

through the merit of Messiah, who was to come. The Gospel clears up for

us many such passages

(1Pe 1:12),

which were dimly understood at the time, while men, however, had light

enough for salvation.

23.

(1Ti 2:4;

2Pe 3:9).

If men perish, it is because they will not come to the Lord for

salvation; not that the Lord is not willing to save them

(Joh 5:40).

They trample on not merely justice, but mercy; what farther hope can

there be for them, when even mercy is against them?

(Heb 10:26-29).

24. righteous--one apparently such; as in

Mt 9:13,

"I came not to call the righteous," &c., that is, those who fancy

themselves righteous. Those alone are true saints who by the grace of

God persevere

(Mt 24:13;

1Co 10:12;

Joh 10:28, 29).

turneth away from . . . righteousness--an utter apostasy; not like

the exceptional offenses of the godly through infirmity or heedlessness,

which they afterwards mourn over and repent of.

not be mentioned--not be taken into account so as to save them.

his trespass--utter apostasy.

25. Their plea for saying, "The way of the Lord is not equal," was

that God treated different classes in a different way. But it was really

their way that was unequal, since living in sin they expected to be

dealt with as if they were righteous. God's way was invariably to deal

with different men according to their deserts.

26-28. The two last instances repeated in inverse order. God's emphatic

statement of His principle of government needs no further proof than the

simple statement of it.

in them--in the actual sins, which are the manifestations of the

principle of "iniquity," mentioned just before.

27. he shall save his soul--that is, he shall have it saved upon his

repentance.

28. considereth--the first step to repentance; for the ungodly do not

consider either God or themselves

(De 32:29;

Ps 119:59, 60;

Lu 15:17, 18).

29. Though God's justice is so plainly manifested, sinners still object

to it because they do not wish to see it

(Mic 2:7;

Mt 11:18, 19).

30-32. As God is to judge them "according to their ways"

(Pr 1:31),

their only hope is to "repent"; and this is a sure hope, for God takes

no delight in judging them in wrath, but graciously desires their

salvation on repentance.

I will judge you--Though ye cavil, it is a sufficient answer that I,

your Judge, declare it so, and will judge you according to My will; and

then your cavils must end.

Repent--inward conversion

(Re 2:5).

In the Hebrew there is a play of like sounds, "Turn ye

and return."

turn yourselves, &c.--the outward fruits of repentance. Not

as the Margin, "turn others"; for the parallel clause

(Eze 18:31)

is, "cast away from you all your transgressions."

Perhaps, however, the omission of the object after the verb in the

Hebrew implies that both are included: Turn alike

yourselves and all whom you can influence.

from all . . . transgressions--not as if believers are perfect; but

they sincerely aim at perfection, so as to be habitually and

wilfully on terms with no sin

(1Jo 3:6-9):

your ruin--literally, "your snare," entangling you in ruin.

31. Cast away from you--for the cause of your evil rests with

yourselves; your sole way of escape is to be reconciled to God

(Eph 4:22, 23).

make you a new heart--This shows, not what men can do, but what

they ought to do: what God requires of us. God alone can make us a

new heart

(Eze 11:19; 36:26, 27).

The command to do what men cannot themselves do is designed to drive

them (instead of laying the blame, as the Jews did, elsewhere rather

than on themselves) to feel their own helplessness, and to seek God's

Holy Spirit

(Ps 51:11, 12).

Thus the outward exhortation is, as it were, the organ or instrument

which God uses for conferring grace. So we may say with AUGUSTINE, "Give what thou requirest, and (then) require

what thou wilt." Our strength (which is weakness in itself) shall

suffice for whatever He exacts, if only He gives the supply [CALVIN].

spirit--the understanding: as the "heart" means

the will and affections. The root must be changed before the fruit can

be good.

why will ye die--bring on your own selves your ruin. God's decrees

are secret to us; it is enough for us that He invites all, and will

reject none that seek Him.

32.

(La 3:33;

2Pe 3:9).

God is "slow to anger"; punishment is "His strange work"

(Isa 28:21).