Ezekiel 20:25

Not good. The laws and ordinances of their enemies: or those imposed upon them by that cruel tyrant the devil, to whose power they were delivered up for their sins; (Challoner) which may be styled the statutes of your fathers, &c., ver. 18. (Haydock) --- God is often said to do what he only permits. (Calmet) --- He abandoned them to their own perversity. (St. Jerome) (Deuteronomy xxxii. 21, 37.) --- If God had spoken of the Decalogue, &c., would he say such laws were not good, after he had testified that the observers shall live in them? ver. 11. He established the ceremonial law, at the same time. See Kimchi; Menochius, &c. Chaldean, "I have given them up to their foolish desires. They have established bad statutes and laws which will not give them life." This seems the best explanation. (Calmet) --- Hebrew, "Have I given....(26) and have I polluted them?" &c. (Manasse Ben. Israel.) The precepts had also a bad effect, and were given in condescension to the weakness of the people, (Origen) particularly the ceremonial part. (St. Just.[St. Justin Martyr?]; St. Chrysostom; St. Jerome, &c.) --- They did not justify, (St. Augustine) and were not good, compared with those of the new law. (St. Gregory, mor. xxviii. 9.) --- Thus Solon gave the Athenians "the best laws that they would receive," (Plutarch) though others more perfect might have been devised. (Calmet)