Глава 18

Ezek.18:1–2. And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, what is this proverb to you in the land of Israel, saying: The fathers were bitter, but the teeth of their children set the teeth on edge? Ezek.18:3. As I live, says the Lord Adonai, “If this proverb shall be in Israel.” Ezek.18:4. As all my souls are, like the soul of the father, so is the soul of the son, all my souls are: the soul that sins, it will die. It seems to others that the prophecy moves on to another subject, but one can see that what is being said here is in accordance with what was said above. since, having mentioned the iniquity of Zedekiah, he foretold that he who came from the royal seed would rule over the universe, he of necessity teaches the people no longer to use the parable accusing God of injustice, as if, when “the fathers ate the tart, the children’s teeth set their teeth on edge,” or, according to Symmachus’ translation, the children’s teeth ground. For, says God, behold, the kings of that time were wicked, but their seed shall take possession of the world. For I will not tolerate that, when the fathers have sinned, an account is demanded from the children, because I am the ruler of both, I take equal care of everyone, “all my souls are,” the soul that sins will suffer punishment for itself. Then he teaches us how many types truth has, how it is possible to enjoy life and free ourselves from punishment. Ezek.18:5. If a man is righteous, do justice and justice, that is, holding the scales of justice correctly. Ezek.18:6. you can't take it down on the mountains, that is, he will become far from serving idols, because idol churches were built on the mountains. and he shall not raise up his own desires to the desires of the 16th house of Israel, that is, if he does not follow the evil thoughts of Israel, and in this way he depicted both wickedness and lawlessness. and he will not defile his neighbor’s wife, and he will not approach a woman who is on her menstrual period, that is, he must not rob another’s bed, and not approach a woman who is bleeding, because this too is forbidden by law. Ezek.18:7. And he does not force a person, and he will give the pledge to the debtor, and he will not take advantage of theft, that is, if he turns out to be free from all covetousness. Then growth in virtue is depicted. He will give his bread to the greedy, and clothe the naked with a robe. For it is not enough not to steal, but you must also accept those in need into the community, so that they too can enjoy your property. Ezek.18:8. He will not give his money for interest, and he will not take his profit, For these are also types of covetousness. and from unrighteousness he will turn away his hand With this brief expression he forbade lawlessness. and he will bring judgment between the husband and his neighbor, if he turns out to be a righteous Judge, pronouncing a sentence not out of friendship or enmity. Then it is expressed briefly: Ezek.18:9. And I walked in My commandments, and I provided My justifications for what I should do: this man is righteous, he has life to live, says the Lord Adonai. He who fulfills everything that has been said and is free from everything forbidden will be honored with the name of the righteous and will reap the fruits of life. Ezek.18:10. And if she gives birth to a son who destroys, shedding blood and committing sins, in one word, who “did not walk in the way of his righteous father” (Ezek. 18:11), but did everything that is forbidden and walked a different path, this, it is said, “created iniquity” (Ezek. 18:12). Ezek.18:13. He will not live life: if he commits all this iniquity, he will die: his blood will be on him, that is, the wicked will not benefit from his father’s virtue, choosing a life contrary to his father’s, but will reap the fruits of his own seeds. Ezek.18:14. If she gives birth to a son, he will see all the sins of his father that he has committed, and will be afraid and will not act on them. Then he says in order that the son freed himself from serving idols, did not join in the iniquities of the house of Israel, did not plot against other people’s marriages, hated every kind of covetousness, served as much as possible the needy, satisfying the hunger of some, clothing others and freeing them from nakedness, and kept all the commandments together, and says about him: Ezek.18:17. This one will not die in the iniquities of his father, but will live life. For it is unfair to hold him accountable for his father’s iniquity. Ezek.18:18–19. If his Father offends him through sorrow and takes him away with theft, he will create resistance in the midst of My people and die in his iniquities. And you say: Why did not the son take his father’s iniquity? that is, you, judging unfairly, want the son of the wicked to suffer punishment for his father and ask each other: why is he not punished for his father’s iniquities? But I tell you: Before the son of justice, do justice and mercy, keep all My laws, and do I, he will live life. Since he did not follow his father’s path, but preferred My path to his father’s path, he found an end worthy of the path. Ezek.18:20. The soul that sins will die: the son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and the father will not bear the iniquity of his son. Then he expressed the same thing more clearly and briefly: “the righteousness of the righteous will be on him, and the iniquity of the wicked will be on him.” He repeats the same thing many times, wanting the remembrance of this to become firm in his listeners. Ezek.18:21. And if the wicked man turns from all his iniquities that he has committed, and keeps all My commandments, and does justice and righteousness and mercy, he will live a life and not die. Ezek.18:22. All the sins he has committed will not be remembered to him; in his righteousness, those he has committed will live. I am so far from punishing one for another that even the lawbreaker himself, even if he has committed thousands of iniquities, when he turns back, brings repentance, prefers the path of righteousness, I will accept him and grant him life. Then he depicts His own goodness. Ezekiel 18:23. When I desire the death of a sinner, says Adonai the Lord, and not turn him from the path of his evil, and let him live? I do not desire the death of the wicked man, but his repentance, for I did not create human nature in order to punish, but to impart life to him. These words are evidenced by deeds, for, intending to punish, he would not inspire prophets, would not send apostles, would not give written laws, would not promise benefits, would not threaten Gehenna, but would allow people to be carried away wherever they want. And now he does not stop doing all this in order to get rid of the threatening evils. And that what was said is not just one word, but the deeds themselves, both accomplished and ongoing, the witness of this is the Divine Scripture. For Hezekiah, having been born of the evil father Ahaz, was not only not punished for his father, but also became famous for his own piety. But blessed Manasseh, who walked the path directly opposite to the path of his father, did not take advantage of his father’s piety; but by resorting to repentance, he improved his salvation. Amos his son, who imitated his father’s vices, but not his repentance, ended his life badly. But his son Josiah, disgusted by his father’s wickedness and adorning his soul with virtues of every kind, was numbered among the host of saints, without incurring any harm from his father’s iniquity; His children, since they did not imitate him, but lived in all wickedness, suffered punishment for their own sins, without gaining any benefit from their father’s love for God. Thus, from the very history of the Holy Scriptures it is revealed that the words of the Lord are true. Let us therefore return to the sequence of interpretation. Ezek.18:24. And if the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits unrighteousness according to all the iniquities that the wicked has committed, even if he does, he will not live: all the righteousness that he has done will not be remembered: in the crime that he has transgressed, and in his sins, which he has sinned, he will die in them. Just as if one of the wicked, disgusted with his former life, chooses the opposite one, I will accept repentance and honor his life, so if one of the righteous, completely abandoning the path of righteousness, turns to another path, he will destroy all his previous work, and will find an end befitting the last path, because he will die in his sins. You should know that the Prophet said difficultly: if he sins, but: “if he turns away from his righteousness, and does unrighteousness according to all the iniquities that the wicked has done,” because some of the pious stumble, but they rebel, and go again the same way, and having brought repentance, they gain salvation; Those who completely abandon this path will reap the fruits of the opposite path. Ezek.18:25. And he said: The way of the Lord will not be established; do you hear, for the house of Israel, My way will not be established? Is your path going to work out? Do you really, seeing this truthful verdict, dare to accuse Me of untruth? you should have blamed yourself, because, seeing such truthfulness in the Judge, you prefer untruth. Then the Prophet repeats the same thing again briefly, namely, that the righteous, turning to the opposite path, will be given over to sinful death, and the sinner, resorting again to repentance and deciding to follow the path of all virtue, will gain life by the fruit of repentance. Ezek.18:29. But the house of Israel, seeing this, says: The way of the Lord shall not be governed: the way of the Lord shall not be governed, O the house of Israel? Is your path controlled? That is, the very deeds cry out that My judgments are right and truthful, and what you have chosen is full of lawlessness. Ezek.18:30. For this cause will I judge unto you, O house of Israel, every man in his way, saith the Lord Adonai. Having made such a threat and pronounced a truthful sentence, God turns his speech into an exhortation. Turn and renounce all your wickedness, and unrighteousness will not come to your torment. Ezek.18:31. Cast away from yourselves all your wickedness, in which you have been ungodly towards Me: and create for yourself a new heart and a new spirit: and in this way will you die in the house of Israel? Leave the path of wickedness, accept a different intention, agree to submit to My laws, so as not to reap death on you for your vices, for the Prophet called the conversion of the soul to the better a “new heart” and a “new spirit.” Then God reveals His own goodness. Ezek.18:32. For I do not want the death of the dying, says Adonai the Lord: but if he should turn from his way, and let his soul live, says Adonai the Lord, turn then, and you will live. Knowing that I do not desire the death of the sinner, but his repentance, resort to repentance and accept the fruits of life. This medicine is also appropriate for you, because God is not the only God of the Jews, but also of the pagans, the Lord Himself of all, “who is rich in all who call on him” (Rom. 10:12). Therefore, let us leave the path of sin, the end of which is destruction and destruction, and let us learn the divine procession, which takes us to heaven and gives us boldness before God, which we may be worthy of in Christ Jesus our Lord! With Him be glory to the Father with the Holy Spirit forever and ever! Amen. At the seventy and at the blessed. Theodoret reads: ιυθυμημασι; in the Slavic translation: “idols”, closer to the Hebrew text.