Ezequiel 18

1 Y vino a mí la palabra del SEÑOR, diciendo:

2 ¿Qué queréis decir al usar este proverbio acerca de la tierra de Israel, que dice: "Los padres comen las uvas agrias, y los dientes de los hijos tienen dentera"?

3 Vivo yodeclara el Señor DIOSque no volveréis a usar más este proverbio en Israel.

4 He aquí, todas las almas son mías; tanto el alma del padre como el alma del hijo mías son. El alma que peque, ésa morirá.

5 Pero el hombre que es justo, y practica el derecho y la justicia,

6 y no come en los santuarios de los montes ni levanta sus ojos a los ídolos de la casa de Israel, ni amancilla a la mujer de su prójimo, ni se acerca a una mujer durante su menstruación;

7 el hombre que no oprime a nadie, sino que devuelve al deudor su prenda; que no comete robo, sino que da su pan al hambriento y cubre al desnudo con ropa,

8 que no presta dinero a interés ni exige con usura, que retrae su mano de la maldad y hace juicio verdadero entre hombre y hombre,

9 que anda en mis estatutos y mis ordenanzas obrando fielmente, ése es justo; ciertamente vivirádeclara el Señor DIOS.

10 Pero si engendra un hijo violento que derrama sangre y que hace cualquiera de estas cosas a un hermano

11 (aunque él mismo no hizo ninguna de estas cosas), que también come en los santuarios de los montes y amancilla a la mujer de su prójimo,

12 oprime al pobre y al necesitado, comete robo, no devuelve la prenda, que levanta sus ojos a los ídolos y comete abominación,

13 que presta a interés y exige con usura; ¿vivirá? ¡No vivirá! Ha cometido todas estas abominaciones, ciertamente morirá; su sangre será sobre él.

14 Mas he aquí, si engendra un hijo que observa todos los pecados que su padre ha cometido, y viéndolo no hace lo mismo,

15 no come en los santuarios de los montes, ni levanta sus ojos a los ídolos de la casa de Israel, ni amancilla a la mujer de su prójimo,

16 que no oprime a nadie, ni retiene la prenda, ni comete robo, sino que da su pan al hambriento y cubre al desnudo con ropa,

17 que retrae su mano del pobre , no cobra interés ni usura, cumple mis ordenanzas y anda en mis estatutos, ése no morirá por la iniquidad de su padre, ciertamente vivirá.

18 Su padre, que practicó la extorsión, robó a su hermano e hizo lo que no era bueno en medio de su pueblo, he aquí, morirá por su iniquidad.

19 Y vosotros decís: "¿Por qué no carga el hijo con la iniquidad de su padre?" Cuando el hijo ha practicado el derecho y la justicia, ha observado todos mis estatutos y los ha cumplido, ciertamente vivirá.

20 El alma que peque, ésa morirá. El hijo no cargará con la iniquidad del padre, ni el padre cargará con la iniquidad del hijo; la justicia del justo será sobre él y la maldad del impío será sobre él.

21 Pero si el impío se aparta de todos los pecados que ha cometido, guarda todos mis estatutos y practica el derecho y la justicia, ciertamente vivirá, no morirá.

22 Ninguna de las transgresiones que ha cometido le serán recordadas; por la justicia que ha practicado, vivirá.

23 ¿Acaso me complazco yo en la muerte del impíodeclara el Señor DIOSy no en que se aparte de sus caminos y viva?

24 Pero si el justo se aparta de su justicia y comete iniquidad, actuando conforme a todas las abominaciones que comete el impío, ¿vivirá? Ninguna de las obras justas que ha hecho le serán recordadas; por la infidelidad que ha cometido y el pecado que ha cometido, por ellos morirá.

25 Y vosotros decís: "No es recto el camino del Señor." Oid ahora, casa de Israel: ¿No es recto mi camino? ¿No son vuestros caminos los que no son rectos?

26 Cuando el justo se aparta de su justicia, comete iniquidad y muere a causa de ello, por la iniquidad que ha cometido, morirá.

27 Y cuando el impío se aparta de la maldad que ha cometido y practica el derecho y la justicia, salvará su vida.

28 Porque consideró y se apartó de todas las transgresiones que había cometido, ciertamente vivirá, no morirá.

29 Pero la casa de Israel dice: "El camino del Señor no es recto." ¿No son rectos mis caminos, oh casa de Israel? ¿No son vuestros caminos los que no son rectos?

30 Por tanto, os juzgaré, a cada uno conforme a su conducta, oh casa de Israeldeclara el Señor DIOS. Arrepentíos y apartaos de todas vuestras transgresiones, para que la iniquidad no os sea piedra de tropiezo.

31 Arrojad de vosotros todas las transgresiones que habéis cometido, y haceos un corazón nuevo y un espíritu nuevo. ¿Por qué habéis de morir, casa de Israel?

32 Pues yo no me complazco en la muerte de nadie declara el Señor DIOS. Arrepentíos y vivid.

Ezequiel 18 Commentary

Chapter 18

God has no respect of persons. (1-20) The Divine providence is vindicated. (21-29) A gracious invitation to repentance. (30-32)

Verses 1-20 The soul that sinneth it shall die. As to eternity, every man was, is, and will be dealt with, as his conduct shows him to have been under the old covenant of works, or the new covenant of grace. Whatever outward sufferings come upon men through the sins of others, they deserve for their own sins all they suffer; and the Lord overrules every event for the eternal good of believers. All souls are in the hand of the great Creator: he will deal with them in justice or mercy; nor will any perish for the sins of another, who is not in some sense worthy of death for his own. We all have sinned, and our souls must be lost, if God deal with us according to his holy law; but we are invited to come to Christ. If a man who had shown his faith by his works, had a wicked son, whose character and conduct were the reverse of his parent's, could it be expected he should escape the Divine vengeance on account of his father's piety? Surely not. And should a wicked man have a son who walked before God as righteous, this man would not perish for his father's sins. If the son was not free from evils in this life, still he should be partaker of salvation. The question here is not about the meritorious ground of justification, but about the Lord's dealings with the righteous and the wicked.

Verses 21-29 The wicked man would be saved, if he turned from his evil ways. The true penitent is a true believer. None of his former transgressions shall be mentioned unto him, but in the righteousness which he has done, as the fruit of faith and the effect of conversion, he shall surely live. The question is not whether the truly righteous ever become apostates. It is certain that many who for a time were thought to be righteous, do so, ( ezekiel 18:26-27 ) sin is forgiven, it is blotted out, it is remembered no more. In their righteousness they shall live; not for their righteousness, as if that were an atonement for their sins, but in their righteousness, which is one of the blessings purchased by the Mediator. What encouragement a repenting, returning sinner has to hope for pardon and life according to this promise! In verse ( 28 ) is the beginning and progress of repentance. True believers watch and pray, and continue to the end, and they are saved. In all our disputes with God, he is in the right, and we are in the wrong.

Verses 30-32 The Lord will judge each of the Israelites according to his ways. On this is grounded an exhortation to repent, and to make them a new heart and a new spirit. God does not command what cannot be done, but admonishes us to do what is in our power, and to pray for what is not. Ordinances and means are appointed, directions and promises are given, that those who desire this change may seek it from God.

Footnotes

• [a]. La versin gr. (Sept.) dice: de la maldad como en el vers. 8

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 18

This chapter contains an answer to an objection of the Jews to the dealings of God with them in a providential way. The objection is expressed in a proverb of common use among them, and complained of as being without cause, Eze 18:1,2; however, for the future, no occasion should be given them to use it; for, though God could justify his proceedings upon the foot of his sovereignty, all souls being his; yet he was determined none but the sinner himself should suffer, Eze 18:3,4; and puts various cases for the illustration and vindication of his proceedings; as that a just man, who is described by his proper characters, as abstaining from several sins specified, and doing what is right and good, should surely live, Eze 18:5-9; but that the son of such a just man, being the reverse of his father's character, should surely die, Eze 18:10-13; and again, the son of such a wicked man, observing the heinousness of his father's sins, and abstaining from them, though his father should die in his iniquities, he should not die for them, but live, Eze 18:14-18; by which it appears that the dealings of God with the Jews were not according to the proverb used by them, but quite agreeable to his resolution; that the sinner, be he a father or a son, shall die for his own sins; and that the righteous man's righteousness shall be upon him, and the wicked man's sin upon him, and accordingly both shall be dealt with, Eze 18:19,20; which is further illustrated by a wicked man's turning from his sinful course, and doing righteousness, and living in that righteousness he has done; which is more agreeable to God that he should live, and not die in sin, Eze 18:21-23; and by a righteous man turning from his righteousness, and living a vicious life, and dying in it, Eze 18:24; from both which instances this conclusion follows, that God is to be justified; and that his ways are equal, and the Jews' ways were unequal, and their complaint unjust, Eze 18:25; and the same instances are repeated in a different order, and the same conclusion formed, Eze 18:26-29; upon which the Lord determines to judge them according to their own ways, their personal actions, good or bad; and exhorts them to repentance and reformation; and closes with a pathetic expostulation, with them, Eze 18:30-32.