Ezekiel 18

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 Ezekiel 16:49 , in reference to relieving the poor, seems to have suggested the reading followed by FAIRBAIRN, but not sanctioned by the Hebrew, "hath not turned his hand from," &c. But Ezekiel 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Jews object to the prophet's word and in their objection seem to seek a continuance of that very thing which they had originally made a matter of complaint.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--( Deuteronomy 24:16 , 2 Kings 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].

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 ( 1 Peter 1:12 ), which were dimly understood at the time, while men, however, had light enough for salvation.

23. ( 1 Timothy 2:4 , 2 Peter 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 ( John 5:40 ). They trample on not merely justice, but mercy; what farther hope can there be for them, when even mercy is against them? ( Hebrews 10:26-29 ).

24. righteous--one apparently such; as in Matthew 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 ( Matthew 24:13 , 1 Corinthians 10:12 , John 10:28 John 10:29 ).
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 ( Deuteronomy 32:29 , Psalms 119:59 Psalms 119:60 , Luke 15:17 Luke 15:18 ).

29. Though God's justice is so plainly manifested, sinners still object to it because they do not wish to see it ( Micah 2:7 , Matthew 11:18 Matthew 11:19 ).

30-32. As God is to judge them "according to their ways" ( Proverbs 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 ( Revelation 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 ( Ezekiel 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 ( 1 John 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 ( Ephesians 4:22 Ephesians 4:23 ).
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 ( Ezekiel 11:19 , Ezekiel 36:26 Ezekiel 36:27 ). 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 ( Psalms 51:11 Psalms 51:12 ). 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. ( Lamentations 3:33 , 2 Peter 3:9 ). God is "slow to anger"; punishment is "His strange work" ( Isaiah 28:21 ).