_GOD REPROVETH THE UNJUST PARABLE OF SOUR GRAPES: HE SHEWETH HOW HE DEALETH WITH THE JUST FATHER, WITH A WICKED SON OF A JUST FATHER, WITH A JUST SON OF A WICKED FATHER, WITH A WICKED MAN REPENTING, WITH A JUST MAN REVOLTING: HE DEFENDETH HIS JUSTICE, AND EXHORTETH TO REPENTANCE._ _Before Christ 5... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT MEAN YE, &C.— See Jeremiah 31:28; Jeremiah 31:40.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SOUL THAT SINNETH, IT SHALL DIE— That is, "all shall be treated equally and without any respect of persons. God will punish or reward according to the good or evil which every one shall have done. The iniquity of the father shall by no means prejudice the righteousness of the son, and the righte... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HATH NOT EATEN, &C.— Idolatrous worship was generally performed upon the mountains or high places; and eating part of the sacrifice was properly entertaining communion with the idol to whom it was offered. The high places whereof Ezekiel speaks here, were of the most infamous sort, where the gro... [ Continue Reading ]
UPON USURY.— See Deuteronomy 23:19 : _unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury;_ whence it follows, that taking increase is not _malum per se;_ but agreeable to justice, if duly circumstanced. Every kind and degree of usury was forbidden to the Israelites among each other, to promote a spirit of... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS BLOOD SHALL BE UPON HIM— "He hath drawn down upon himself the utmost distress by his sin; which can be imputed to no other than himself." The Chaldee renders it, _He is condemned to die._... [ Continue Reading ]
YET SAY YE, &C.— _Do ye say, why doth the son not bear the iniquity of his father?—Because the son doeth that,_ &c. _Therefore he shall surety live._ Houbigant.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN A RIGHTEOUS MAN— A very false and very dangerous opinion prevailed among the Jews, that at the day of judgment a considerable number of good actions would overbalance men's evil ones. In opposition to this doctrine, God here declares, that a righteous man, sinning and not repenting, should die... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKE YOU A NEW HEART AND A NEW SPIRIT— The prophets often exhort the Jews to an inward purity and holiness, that they might not rely upon an outward legal righteousness, and a scrupulous exactness in the observance of the ritual parts of the law. By thus instructing them in a more excellent way of s... [ Continue Reading ]