The word of the Lord came to me: Son of man, 2 what is the meaning of this proverb you recite in the land of Israel: “Parents eat sour grapes, but the children’s teeth are set on edge”? 3 As I live—oracle of the Lord God: I swear that none of you will ever repeat this proverb in Israel. 4 For all life is mine: the life of the parent is like the life of the child, both are mine. Only the one who sins shall die! 5 If a man is just—if he does what is right, 6 if he does not eat on the mountains, or raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; if he does not defile a neighbor’s wife, or have relations with a woman during her period; 7 if he oppresses no one, gives back the pledge received for a debt, commits no robbery; gives food to the hungry and clothes the naked; 8 if he does not lend at interest or exact usury; if he refrains from evildoing and makes a fair judgment between two opponents; 9 if he walks by my statutes and is careful to observe my ordinances, that man is just—he shall surely live—oracle of the Lord God . 10 But if he begets a son who is violent and commits murder, or does any of these things, 11 even though the father does none of them—a son who eats on the mountains, defiles the wife of his neighbor, 12 oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not give back a pledge, raises his eyes to idols, does abominable things, 13 lends at interest and exacts usury—this son certainly shall not live. Because he practiced all these abominations, he shall surely be put to death; his own blood shall be on him. 14 But, in turn, if he begets a son who sees all the sins his father commits, yet fears and does not imitate him— 15 a son who does not eat on the mountains, or raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile a neighbor’s wife; 16 who does not oppress anyone, or exact a pledge, or commit robbery; who gives his food to the hungry and clothes the naked; 17 who refrains from evildoing, accepts no interest or usury, but keeps my ordinances and walks in my statutes—this one shall not die for the sins of his father. He shall surely live! 18 Only the father, since he committed extortion and robbed his brother, and did what was not good among his people—he will die because of his sin! 19 You ask: “Why is not the son charged with the guilt of his father?” Because the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to observe all my statutes—he shall surely live! 20 Only the one who sins shall die. The son shall not be charged with the guilt of his father, nor shall the father be charged with the guilt of his son. Justice belongs to the just, and wickedness to the wicked.
The prophet Ezekiel elaborated on individual responsibly for sin. This had been briefly introduced in Deuteronomy, “Parents shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their parents; only for one’s own crime shall a person be put to death (Deut. 24:16).” The question of individual responsibility for sin was also addressed by other prophets, “In those days they shall no longer say, “The parents ate unripe grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge,” but all shall die because of their own iniquity: the teeth of anyone who eats unripe grapes shall be set on edge (v. 2; Jer. 31:29-30).””
When Yahweh gave the Commandments to the Israelites through Moses in Exodus, the First Commandment contained the following warning: “I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their ancestors’ wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation (Ex. 20:5; 34:7).” Yahweh spoke to them as one collective body not as individuals. In ancient Israelite society, there was no autonomy so both vice and virtue were communal. If the father sinned the whole household suffered the consequences and if the Israelite leaders sinned and lead the nation astray, the whole nation suffered the consequences. And there was intergeneration guilt and punishment. The Israelites were to pass on their experiences and Yahweh’s instructions to succeeding generations (Deut. 4:9) so that the covenant with Yahweh would not be broken in succeeding generations.
Through Ezekiel, Yahweh told the Israelites that only the one who sinned would be held accountable (vv. 3-40). If the father followed the moral and ritual demands of the Law, he would live (vv. 5-9). If his son did not follow the moral and ritual demands of the Law and transgressed the social-justice obligations, he should be put to death (vv. 10-13). If the grandson followed the example of his grandfather and rejected the sins of his father, he would live (vv. 14-18). Those who followed the Law and fulfilled their social-justice obligations would live (vv. 19-20). Jesus said that only those who do the will of his Father will be granted eternal life (Mt. 7:21-23).
Almighty God, the Psalmist said, “Blessed is the man who
does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the way of sinners,
nor sit in company with scoffers. Rather, the law of the Lord is his joy; and
on his law he meditates day and night (Ps. 1:1-2).” In your mercy Lord, grant us the grace to live the
Gospel and to be steadfast in prayer.
This we ask through Christ our Lord.
Amen!
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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