---
title: "Clarke"
description: "perspicuity. NOTES ON CHAP. XVIII Verse Ezekiel 18:2. The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/ezekiel/18"
---

*perspicuity.*
NOTES ON CHAP. XVIII

Verse [Ezekiel 18:2](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/2). ***The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's**********teeth are set on edge?*** — We have seen this proverb already, [Jeremiah 31:29](../../../kjv/jeremiah/31/29), &c., and have considered its general meaning. But the subject is here proposed in greater detail, with a variety of circumstances, to adapt it to all those cases to which it should apply. It refers simply to these questions: How far can the moral evil of the parent be extended to his offspring? And, Are the faults and evil propensities of the parents, not only transferred to the children, but punished in them? Do parents transfer their evil nature, and are their children punished for their offences?

Verse [Ezekiel 18:3](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/3). ***As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have*****occasion*****any more to use this proverb in Israel.*** — I will now, by this present declaration, settle this question for ever. And hence God has *sworn* to what follows. After this, who will dare to doubt the judgment pronounced?

Verse [Ezekiel 18:4](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/4). ***All souls are mine*** — Equally so; I am the Father of the spirits of all flesh, and shall deal *impartially* with the whole.
***The soul that sinneth, it shall die.*** — None shall *die* for *another's crimes*, none shall be saved by *another's* *righteousness*. Here is the *general* judgment relative to the *righteousness* and *unrighteousness* of men, and the *influence* of one *man's state* on *that of another*; particularly in respect to their moral *conduct*.

Verse [Ezekiel 18:5](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/5). ***If a man be just, and do that which is lawful and**********right*** — If he be *just* or *holy* within, and do what is according to *law* and *equity*. What is meant by this, is immediately specified.

Verse [Ezekiel 6:1](../../../kjv/ezekiel/6/1)
1. ***Hath not eaten upon the mountains*** — Idolatrous worship was generally performed on *mountains* and *hills*; and those who offered sacrifices *feasted* on the sacrifice, and thus held *communion* with the idol.
2. ***Neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols*** — Has paid them no religious adoration; has trusted in them for nothing, and has not made prayer nor supplication before them.
3. ***Neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife*** — Has had no adulterous connexion with any woman; to which idolatrous feasts and worship particularly led.
4. ***Neither hath come nigh to a menstruous woman*** — Has abstained from the use of the marriage-bed during the periodical indisposition of his wife. This was absolutely forbidden by the law; and both the man and the woman who disobeyed the command were to be put to death, [Leviticus 20:18](../../../kjv/leviticus/20/18). For which *Calmet* gives this reason: "It has been believed, and experience confirms it, that the children conceived at such times are either leprous, or monsters, or deformed by their diminutiveness, or by the disproportion of their members." There are other reasons for this law, should those of the learned commentator be found invalid.

Verse [Ezekiel 7:5](../../../kjv/ezekiel/7/5). ***Hath not oppressed any*** — Has not used his power or influence to oppress, pain, or injure another.
6. ***Hath restored to the debtor his pledge*** — Has carefully surrendered the pawn or pledge when its owner came to *redeem* it. As the *pledge* is generally of *more worth* than that for which it is pledged, an unprincipled man will make some pretence to keep it; which is highly abominable in the sight of God.
7. ***Hath spoiled none by violence*** — Either by robbery or personal insult. For a man may be spoiled both ways.
8. ***Hath given his bread to the hungry*** — Has been kind-hearted and charitable; especially to them that are in the deepest want.
9. ***Hath covered the naked with a garment*** — Has divided both his *bread* and his *clothing* with the necessitous. These are two branches of the same root.

Verse [Ezekiel 8:10](../../../kjv/ezekiel/8/10)
10. ***Hath not given forth upon usury*** — בנשך לא יתן *beneshech lo yitten*. נשך nasach signifies to *bite; usury* is properly so termed, because it *bites* into and *devours* the *principal*. Usury signifies, with us, exacting *unlawful interest* for money; and taking the *advantage* of a man's necessities to advance him cash on *exorbitant profit*. This *bites* the *receiver* in his *property*, and the *lender* in his *salvation*.
11. ***Neither hath taken any increase*** — In lending has not required more than was *lent*; and has not taken that product of the cash *lent*, which was more than the *value* for its *use*. This may be a part of the *tenth* article.
12. ***That hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity*** — Never *associates* with those who act contrary to *justice* and *equity*; his hand or influence being never found among *evil workers*.
13. ***Hath executed true judgment between man and man*** — Being neither swayed by *prejudice, fear*, nor *favour*.
These *thirteen points* concern his *social* and *civil* relations.

Verse [Ezekiel 18:9](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/9). ***Hath walked in my statutes*** — Not only acknowledging them to be right, but acting according to them. Especially in every thing that relates to my worship, changing nothing, neglecting nothing.
***And hath kept my judgments, to deal truly*** — Has attended to my Divine direction, both with respect to things *forbidden*, and things *commanded*. These concern men in their *religious* conduct.
***He*****is*****just*** — צדיק הוא *tsaddik hu*. He is a *righteous* man; he has given to all *their due*; he has *abstained* from every appearance of evil, and done that which was *lawful* and *right* in the sight of God.
***He shall surely live*** — He has *lived to* me, and he shall *live with* me.

Verse [Ezekiel 18:10](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/10). ***If he beget a son*** — Who is the reverse of the above righteous character, according to the *thirteen articles* already specified and explained.

Verse [Ezekiel 18:13](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/13). ***Shall he then live?*** — Because his father was a righteous man, shall the father's holiness be imputed to him? No!
***He shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.*** — He shall suffer for his own crimes.

Verse [Ezekiel 18:14](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/14). ***Now, lo*****, if*****he beget a son that seeth all his father's**********sins-and considereth*** — Lays to heart the evil of his father's life, and the dreadful consequences of a life of rebellion against God.
***And doeth not such like*** — Is quite a different man in moral *feeling* and *character*; and acts up to the *thirteen points* already laid down.

Verse [Ezekiel 18:17](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/17). ***He shall not die for the iniquity of his father*** — He shall no more be affected by his father's *crimes*, than his father was *benefited* by his *grandfather's righteousness*.

Verse [Ezekiel 18:20](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/20). ***The soul that sinneth, it shall die.*** — Hitherto we have had to do with the *simple cases* of the *righteous* and the *wicked*; of him who *lived and died a holy man*, and of him who *lived and* *died a wicked man*. But there are *two cases* behind:
1. That of the *wicked man*, who *repents* and *turns to God*.
2. That of the *righteous* man, who *backslides*, and *does not return to God* by repentance. On both these cases God decides thus:-

Verse [Ezekiel 18:21](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/21). ***But if the wicked will turn from all his sins*** — And afterwards walk according to the character of the righteous already specified; shall he find mercy, and be for ever saved? YES.

Verse [Ezekiel 18:22](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/22). ***All his transgressions*** — Shall be so completely forgiven by God's mercy, that they *shall not be even mentioned to* *him*; and if he live and die in this recovered state, he shall live with God to all eternity. And why? Hear the reason:-

Verse [Ezekiel 18:23](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/23). ***Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should*** ***die?*** — No! That is foreign to him whose name is love, and whose nature is mercy. On the contrary he "wills that he should return from his evil ways and live."
And if God can have *no pleasure* in the *death of the wicked*, he cannot have made a *decree* to abandon him to the evil of his nature, and then damn him for what he could not avoid: for as God can *do* nothing with which he is *not pleased*, so he can *decree* nothing with which he is *not pleased*. But he is "not pleased with the death of a sinner," therefore he cannot have *made a decree* to bring him to this *death*.

Verse [Ezekiel 18:24](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/24). ***When the righteous turneth away from his**********righteousness*** — Here is the *second* case. Can a man who was once holy and pure, fall away so as to perish everlastingly? YES. For God says, "If he turn away from his righteousness;" not his *self-righteousness*, the gloss of theologians: for God never speaks of turning away from *that*, for, in his eyes, that is a *nonentity*. There is no righteousness or holiness but what himself infuses into the soul of man, and as to *self-righteousness*, i.e., a man's *supposing* himself to be *righteous* when he has not the *life of God* in his soul, it is the delusion of a dark and hardened heart; therefore it is the *real* *righteous principle* and *righteous practice* that God speaks of here. And he tells us, that a man may so "turn away from this," and so "commit iniquity," and "act as the wicked man," that *his* *righteousness shall be no more mentioned* to his account, than the *sins* of the *penitent backslider* should be *mentioned* to his condemnation; and "in the sin that he," this once righteous man, "hath sinned, and in the trespass that he hath trespassed, in them shall he die." O, how awful a termination of a life once distinguished for righteousness and true holiness! So then, God himself informs us that a *righteous man* may not only *fall foully*, but *fall finally*. But to such righteous persons the devil will ever preach, "Ye shall not surely die; ye shall be as God." Touch, taste, and handle; ye cannot ultimately fall. Thus we find, by the manner of treating these *two cases*, that *God's way is equal*, [Ezekiel 18:25](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/25); just, merciful, and impartial. And to prove this, he sums up his conduct in the above cases, in the following verses, 26-29. [Ezekiel 18:26-29](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/26-29) And then, that the "wicked may not die in his sins," and that the "backslider may return and find mercy," he thus exhorts: -

Verse [Ezekiel 18:30](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/30). ***Repent, and turn*****yourselves*****from all your**********transgressions*** — There is still life; still a God that has *no* *pleasure* in the death of a sinner, one who is ever ready to give his Holy Spirit to all them that ask him; therefore "repent and turn, so iniquity shall not be your ruin."

Verse [Ezekiel 18:31](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/31). ***Cast away*** — With a holy violence, dash away every transgression and incentive to it.
***Make you a new heart*** — Call upon God for it, and he will give it: for as sure as you *earnestly call on God through Christ* to save you, so surely you shall be saved; and the *effect* will so speedily follow, that God is pleased to attribute that in some sort to *yourselves*, which is done by *his grace* alone; because ye earnestly *call* upon him for it, *come* in the right way to receive it, and are *determined* never to *rest* till you have it.
***For why will ye die*** — Who should you go to *hell* while the kingdom of God is open to receive you? Why should you be the *devil's* *slaves*, when ye may be *Christ's freemen*! WHY WILL YE DIE? Every word is emphatic. *Why* - show God or man one *reason*. *Will* - obstinacy alone, - a determination not to be saved, or a *voluntary* listlessness about salvation, - can prevent you. *Ye* - children of so many mercies, fed and supported by a kind God all your life; *ye*, who are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ; *ye*, who have made many promises to give up yourselves to God; *ye*, who have been dedicated to the ever-blessed Trinity, and promised to renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh; *why will YE die*? *Die*! - what is this? A separation from God and the glory of his power for ever! *Die*! - forfeiting all the purposes for which your immortal souls were made! *Die* - to know what the *worm* is that *never* *dieth*, and what that *fire* is which is *never quenched*! Why will ye *die*?

Verse [Ezekiel 18:32](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/32). ***For I have no pleasure*** — God repeats what he had so solemnly declared before. Can ye doubt his sincerity? his ability? his willingness? the efficacy of the blood of his covenant?
***Wherefore turn*****yourselves,*****and live ye.*** — Reader, now give God thy heart.
Though every man comes into the world with a *fallen nature - a* *soul infected with sin*, yet no man is damned on that account. He who *refuses* that grace which *pardons sin* and *heals infected* *nature*, who permits the *evil principle* to break out into *transgression*, and *continues* and dies in his iniquity and sin, and will not come unto Christ that he may have life; he, and he only, goes to perdition. Nor will the righteousness of a parent or relation help his sinful soul: no man can have more grace than is necessary to *save himself*; and none can have that, who does not receive it *through Christ Jesus*. It is the mercy of God in Christ which renders the *salvation of a sinner possible*; and it is that mercy alone which can *heal* the *backslider*. The atoning blood *blots* *out all that is past*; the same blood *cleanses from all* *unrighteousness*. Who believes so as to *apply* for this redemption? Who properly thanks God for having provided such a Saviour?

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