Ezequiel 18

1 Justicia de un Dios justo
Luego recibí otro mensaje del Señor
:

2 «¿Por qué citan ustedes ese proverbio acerca de la tierra de Israel, que dice: “Los padres comieron uvas agrias, pero la boca de sus hijos se frunce por el sabor”?

3 Tan cierto como que yo vivo, dice el Señor
Soberano, que dejarán de citar ese proverbio en Israel.

4 Pues todos los seres humanos son míos para juzgar, los padres y los hijos por igual. Esta es mi regla: la persona que peque es la que morirá.

5 »Supongamos que cierto hombre es recto y hace lo que es justo y correcto.

6 No participa en los banquetes que se ofrecen en los montes ante los ídolos de Israel
ni les rinde culto. No comete adulterio ni tiene relaciones sexuales con una mujer durante su período menstrual.

7 Es un acreedor compasivo, no se queda con objetos entregados en garantía por deudores pobres. No les roba a los pobres, más bien, les da de comer a los hambrientos y les da ropa a los necesitados.

8 Presta dinero sin cobrar interés, se mantiene lejos de la injusticia, es honesto e imparcial al juzgar a otros

9 y obedece fielmente mis decretos y ordenanzas. Todo el que hace estas cosas es justo y ciertamente vivirá, dice el Señor
Soberano.

10 »Pero supongamos que ese hombre tiene un hijo adulto que es ladrón o asesino y se niega a hacer lo correcto.

11 Ese hijo también comete todas las maldades que su padre jamás haría: rinde culto a ídolos en los montes, comete adulterio,

12 oprime a los pobres e indefensos, roba a los deudores al negarles que recuperen sus garantías, rinde culto a ídolos, comete pecados detestables

13 y presta dinero con intereses excesivos. ¿Acaso debería vivir ese pecador? ¡No! Tiene que morir y asumir toda la culpa.

14 »Pero supongamos que ese hijo pecador, a su vez, tiene un hijo que ve la maldad de su padre y decide no llevar esa clase de vida.

15 Este hijo se niega a rendir culto a ídolos en los montes y no comete adulterio.

16 No explota a los pobres, más bien, es justo con los deudores y no les roba. Da de comer a los hambrientos y da ropa a los necesitados.

17 Ayuda a los pobres,
presta dinero sin cobrar interés y obedece todos mis decretos y ordenanzas. Esa persona no morirá por los pecados de su padre; ciertamente vivirá.

18 Sin embargo, el padre morirá por todos sus pecados: por haber sido cruel, por robar a la gente y hacer lo que es indudablemente incorrecto en medio de su pueblo.

19 »“¿Cómo? —se preguntan ustedes—. ¿No pagará el hijo por los pecados del padre?”. ¡No! Porque si el hijo hace lo que es justo y correcto y obedece mis decretos, ese hijo ciertamente vivirá.

20 La persona que peque es la que morirá. El hijo no será castigado por los pecados del padre ni el padre será castigado por los pecados del hijo. Los justos serán recompensados por su propia conducta recta y las personas perversas serán castigadas por su propia perversidad.

21 Ahora bien, si los perversos abandonan sus pecados y comienzan a obedecer mis decretos y a hacer lo que es justo y correcto, ciertamente vivirán y no morirán.

22 Todos los pecados pasados serán olvidados y vivirán por las acciones justas que han hecho.

23 »¿Acaso piensan que me agrada ver morir a los perversos?, pregunta el Señor
Soberano. ¡Claro que no! Mi deseo es que se aparten de su conducta perversa y vivan.

24 Sin embargo, si los justos se apartan de su conducta recta y comienzan a pecar y a comportarse como los demás pecadores, ¿se les permitirá vivir? No, ¡claro que no! Todas las acciones justas que han hecho serán olvidadas y morirán por sus pecados.

25 »Sin embargo, ustedes dicen: “¡El Señor no hace lo correcto!”. Escúchame, pueblo de Israel. ¿Soy yo el que no hace lo correcto o son ustedes?

26 Cuando los justos abandonen su conducta justa y comiencen a cometer pecados, morirán por eso. Sí, morirán por sus acciones pecaminosas;

27 y si los perversos abandonan su perversidad, obedecen la ley y hacen lo que es justo y correcto, salvarán su vida.

28 Vivirán, porque lo pensaron bien y decidieron apartarse de sus pecados. Esas personas no morirán.

29 Aun así, los israelitas siguen diciendo: “¡El Señor no hace lo correcto!”. Oh pueblo de Israel, tú eres quien no hace lo correcto, no yo.

30 »Por lo tanto, pueblo de Israel, juzgaré a cada uno de ustedes, según sus acciones, dice el Señor
Soberano. Arrepiéntete y apártate de tus pecados. ¡No permitas que tus pecados te destruyan!

31 Deja atrás tu rebelión y procura encontrar un corazón nuevo y un espíritu nuevo. ¿Por qué habrías de morir, oh pueblo de Israel?

32 No quiero que mueras, dice el Señor
Soberano. ¡Cambia de rumbo y vive!

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.

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.