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英文原文
Perhaps, in reading some of the foregoing chapters, we may have been tempted to think ourselves not much concerned in them (though they also were written for our learning); but this chapter, at first view, appears highly and nearly to concern us all, very highly, very nearly; for, without particular reference to Judah and Jerusalem, it lays down the rule of judgment according to which God will deal with the children of men in determining them to their everlasting state, and it agrees with that very ancient rule laid down, Ge 4:7, "If though doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?" But, "if not, sin," the punishment of sin,"lies at the door." Here is, I. The corrupt proverb used by the profane Jews, which gave occasion to the message here sent them, and made it necessary for the justifying of God in his dealings with them, Eze 18:1-3. II. The reply given to this proverb, in which God asserts in general his own sovereignty and justice, Eze 18:4. Woe to the wicked; it shall be ill with them, Eze 18:4,20. But say to the righteous, It shall be well with them, Eze 18:5-9. In particular, as to the case complained of, he assures us, 1. That it shall be ill with a wicked man, though he had a good father, Eze 18:10-13. 2. That it shall be well with a good man, though he had a wicked father, Eze 18:14-18. And therefore in this God is righteous, Eze 18:19,20. 3. That it shall be well with penitents, though they began ever so ill, Eze 18:21-23,27,28. 4. That it shall be ill with apostates, though they began ever so well, Eze 18:24,26. And the use of all this is, (1.) To justify God and clear the equity of all his proceedings, Eze 18:25,29. (2.) To engage and encourage us to repent of our sins and turn to God, Eze 18:30-32. And these are things which belong to our everlasting peace. O that we may understand and regard them before they be hidden from our eyes!
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Proverb of the Sour Grapes; Reply to the Sour Grapes; Divine Judgments Vindicated (593 BC)
酸葡萄的俗语；对酸葡萄的回答；为神的判断申辩（主前593年）
¹ 耶和华的话又临到我说：
²「你们在以色列地怎么用这俗语说：父亲吃了酸葡萄，儿子的牙酸倒了？
³ 主耶和华说：我指着我的永生起誓，你们在以色列中，必不再用这俗语。
⁴ 看哪，凡属灵魂的，都是我的；父亲的灵魂怎样是我的，儿子的灵魂也是我的；犯罪的灵魂，他必死亡。
⁵「人若公义，行公平公义的事，
⁶ 未曾在山上吃饭，未仰望以色列家的偶像，未玷污邻舍的妻，未亲近经期的妇人，
⁷ 未曾欺压人，反将欠债的当头还给他，未曾抢夺人的物件，反倒将饼给饥饿的人吃，将衣服给赤身的人遮体；
⁸ 未曾向人取利，也未多要，反倒缩手不作罪孽，在两人之间按真理判断；
⁹ 遵行我的律例，谨守我的典章，按诚实而行——这人是公义的，必定存活。这是主耶和华说的。
我们说恶俗生善法；同样，有时不义的指责反倒引出公义的申辩；恶俗语生出善预言。这里：
一、犹太人在被掳中所常用的一句恶俗语。前面我们已见过一个（结12:22），并已有了回答；这里我们又有另一个。那一个以神的公义为戏言：「日子迟延，一切异象都落了空；威吓不过是玩笑。」这一个则控告他不义，仿佛所执行的审判是冤枉的：「你们论到以色列地——如今这地因神的审判已经荒凉——常用这俗语说：『父亲吃了酸葡萄，儿子的牙酸倒了。』我们是为我们列祖的罪受罚，这在神治之理中正如儿子因父亲吃酸葡萄而牙酸倒、或被麻木一样荒谬；因为在自然因果的次序中，人若吃喝不当，只有他自己受其害。」如今，1. 必须承认，这俗语是有其缘由的。神常说他要「追讨父亲的罪孽，自父及子」，尤其是拜偶像的罪，意图藉此表明罪的恶、那罪的恶、他对它的憎恶和公义的义愤，以及他必重重刑罚拜偶像之人——好叫父母因爱儿女而受约束不去犯罪，使儿女不因敬重父母而被引诱去犯罪。他也常藉着先知宣告：如今使犹大和耶路撒冷倾覆，他乃是顾念玛拿西和其他先王的罪；因为他把这国看作一个政治团体，因全国性的罪而以国族性的审判刑罚他们——又承认我们律法中「社团不死」的原则——如今为他们历代祖宗的罪孽算账，不过像「使一人年老时承担他幼年的罪孽」（伯13:26）。神这样作并无不义。但 2. 他们却意图以此影射神，并控告他在对待他们的事上不公。这句俗语中所暗示的这一点是对的，即那些故意犯罪的人是「吃酸葡萄」；他们所作的，或迟或早必尝到其苦。葡萄在试探中也许看来很悦目，但在回想中却苦如苦胆。它们要使罪人的牙酸倒。当良心醒来，把罪按序摆在他们面前时，便要败坏他们一切安慰的滋味，如同牙酸倒之时。但他们暗示，儿女为父的愚妄受苦，去尝他们从未尝过其乐的痛苦，是不合理的；并以为神如此报仇是不义的，不能自圆其说。请看这影射是何等恶毒，是何等放胆；然而又请看它是何等巧妙，比喻是何等狡黠。许多在嘲弄上不敬虔的人，在戏谑上却很精巧；地狱对神和信仰的恶意就是这样被暗暗灌输和传播。这话被编成俗语，那俗语又被人使用，常常使用；他们动不动就提起这话。这话明明有亵渎之意，他们却藉着比喻的掩护，躲避直接亵渎的指控。由此可见，他们在杖下并不自卑，因他们不但不自责自审、称神为义，反倒定神的罪、称自己为义；但「祸哉，那与造他的主争论的人」。
二、对这俗语的公义责备和回答：「你们用这话是什么意思？」这是责备。「你们意图藉此与神争辩到底吗？或以为这事不叫神向你们发怒，直到将你们灭绝吗？这就是你们与他和好、与他和解之道吗？」回答随之而来，其中神告诉他们：
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这俗语的使用必被除掉。这话说了，也起了誓（结18:3）：「你们必不再有用这俗语的缘由」；或（可如此读）「你们必不再有这比喻的用处。」这比喻的除掉，在耶31:29中作为应许之事；在这里则作为威吓之事。那里暗示神要以怜悯之途归向他们；这里暗示神要以审判之途追究他们。他必因他们这话的放胆而如此惩罚他们，使他们不敢再用这话；正如在另一处所言（耶23:34、36）。神必找出有效的方法堵住这些吹毛求疵之人的口。又或神必如此向他们自己并向别人显明，他们自己有足够的恶，足以招致这一切荒凉的审判，以致他们不再因羞愧而把自己的遭遇归咎于他们列祖的罪：「你们自己的良心要告诉你们，你们四围的邻舍也要证实这事：你们自己吃了你们列祖从前所吃的同样酸葡萄，否则你们的牙就不会酸倒了。」
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实在说，这话本身是不义的，是对神治理的无端指责。因为：
（1）除非儿女行他们父亲所行的路，「满了他们罪孽的量」（太23:32），否则神并不因父亲的罪刑罚儿女；那时他们便无可抱怨，因他们所受的，比他们自己的罪所该受的还少。当神说「追讨父亲的罪孽，自父及子」时，这并非把什么艰难加给儿女——神只「照他们所行的报应」他们——反而解释了神为何对父亲忍耐，因此他不立即刑罚他们，因为「他为他们的儿女存留罪孽」（伯21:19）。
（2）儿女（有时是无辜的儿女）因父母的恶而在属世的灾祸中受害，这只是属世的事；神能改变这些灾祸的性质，使之对受其造访的人有益；但至于属灵和永远的痛苦（这是这里所说的死），儿女决不因父母的罪而受苦。这一点在此详加说明；伟大的神竟屈尊与这样恶毒、这样不讲理的人辩论这事，他不但没有立即使他们哑口或当场击毙，反而屈尊在他们面前把这事陈明，好叫「他受审判时，可以显为清」，这真是奇妙的降卑。如今在他的回答中：
[1.] 他确立并维护他自己绝对而无可争辩的主权：「看哪，凡属灵魂的，都是我的」（结18:4）。神在此对凡世人灵魂都主张产权，一个与另一个都属他。「第一」，灵魂是属他的。那作「万物」之主的神，特别也是「万灵之父」，因为他的形像印在人的灵魂上；创造时如此，更新时也如此。他「在人里面造人的灵」，因此被称为「众人肉体之神」——就是有身体之灵的神。「第二」，凡属灵魂的，都是他的——都是他所造，也是为他而造，并向他交账。「父亲的灵魂怎样是我的，儿子的灵魂也是我的。」我们在地上的父母不过是「肉身之父」；我们的灵魂不属他们；神对此提出主张。由此为要澄清这事：1. 神对父亲和儿女都必能随己意而行，无人可对他说：「你作什么？」那赐我们生命的主，若把生命收回，并不亏负我们；何况他不过是收回一些支持和安慰；与他争论正如「受造之物对造他的说：你为何这样造我呢？」一样荒谬。2. 神既对父亲和儿女都怀着善意，便不会对任何一方加以艰难。我们确知神不恨他所造的任何东西，所以（论及能为自己行事的成年人）他对一切灵魂都有这样的恩情，以致除了因他们自己的过失之外，没有人死亡。「凡属灵魂的，都是我的」，所以他在判断他们时并不偏待。让我们承认他在我们身上的权益和对我们的主权。他说：「凡属灵魂的，都是我的」；让我们回答：「主啊，我的灵魂是你的；我奉献给你，为事奉你，在你里面得福。」神说：「我儿，当将你的心给我，因为这原是我的」，这话有充分的理由；我们必须响应：「父啊，求你收纳我的心，这本是你的。」
[2.] 神本可坚持他的主权来为自己申辩，但他放下这点，而立下公平而无可指摘的判断准则，他必照此对待个别的人；这准则就是：「第一」，那坚持犯罪的罪人必死定然，他的罪孽必成为他的毁灭：「犯罪的灵魂必死亡」，是照着灵魂所能死的死——必被排除在神的恩宠之外（这恩宠是灵魂的生命与福气），必永远伏在他的烈怒之下（这烈怒是灵魂的死与祸）。罪是「灵魂」的行动，身体不过是「不义的器具」；故称为「灵魂的罪」（弥6:7）。所以罪的刑罚是「灵魂的患难与困苦」（罗2:9）。「第二」，那在义中恒忍的义人必活定然。「人若公义」，有善良的准则、良善的性情，并以此为证，「行公平公义的事」（结18:5），「这人必定存活——主耶和华说」（结18:9）。那在凡事上谨慎地顺服神旨意，以事奉神为业，以荣耀神为目的的人，必毫无疑问地在此处和永远在神的爱与恩宠中得福；他若有亏欠本分之处，也必藉着一位中保得蒙赦免。这里就是这义人品格的一部分。1. 他谨慎地保守自己脱离罪的玷污，远离一切恶的形迹。（1）远离违背第二条诫命的罪。在敬拜神的事上他十分警醒，因为他知道神如此。他不但未曾在高处的偶像前献祭，甚至连「在山上吃饭」也不曾——就是未曾「吃祭偶像之物」（林前10:20）而与拜偶像的人相交。他不但不愿与他们在坛前跪下，也不愿与他们一同在高处坐席。他所厌恶的，不但是外邦人的偶像，也是「以色列家的偶像」——这些偶像不但被允许，更被那些被认为是神宣信之民的人普遍称赞和敬拜。他不但未曾敬拜这些偶像，连「仰望」它们也不曾；他没有用垂青的目光看它们，对它们毫不敬重，既不羡慕它们的恩宠，也不惧怕它们的怒容。他见许多人被它们所迷惑，便不敢多看它们一眼，唯恐陷入网罗。拜偶像之人的眼「偏向虚妄」（结6:9）。参看申4:19。（2）远离违背第七条诫命的罪。他谨慎地「以圣洁尊贵」守着自己的器皿，不「放纵私欲的邪情」；所以他不曾敢「玷污邻舍的妻」，也没有说过或作过任何有败坏她最少倾向的话或事，并且当他自己的妻子「因不洁净而隔开」时，他也不作任何不当的亲近，因为这是律法所禁止的（利18:19、20:18）。注意：使身体的食欲始终顺服理性和美德，是智慧和公义的根本要项。（3）远离违背第八条诫命的罪。他是个「公义的人」，未曾用欺诈，在律法和权利的幌子下「欺压人」，也未曾用武力「抢夺人的物件」——未曾抢夺他们的财物产业，更不必说他们的自由和性命了（结18:7）。欺压和强暴是古世的罪，招来了洪水，也是神至今仍是、将来也必是报应者的罪。不但如此，他也不曾把他的钱财「取利」借出，也不「多要」（结18:8），虽然这是按契约作的，似乎并无不义之处（「对甘心的人不算伤害」——Volenti non fit injuria），但凡律法所禁的，他都不敢行。向陌生人他们可以收取适度的利息，但不可向弟兄取利。公义的人不会乘邻舍的急难而猎取之，也不愿自己安逸懈怠，靠别人的血汗劳苦过活，所以不向那些不能从他借出的东西上得利的人「多要」，也不向那些因神作为而无力偿还的人苛刻地追讨所约定的；他情愿与利润同享损失。「享其利者当担其重」（Qui sentit commodum, sentire debet et onus）。2. 他谨慎地尽自己本位上的本分。他照着律法「把当头还给欠债的穷人」（出22:26）：「你若拿邻舍的衣服作当头，那是必需用的衣服，你必在日落之前归还给他，使他可以睡在自己的被窝里。」不但如此，他不但把穷人自己的东西还给他们，还「将饼给饥饿的人吃」。请留意，那称为「他的饼」，因为那是诚实地得来的；分给一些人的，并非从不义地从别人那里夺来；因为神说：「我恨恶抢夺而献燔祭。」世俗的人坚持说他们的饼是「他们自己的」，如拿八，所以不肯把其中一部分给大卫（撒上25:11）；然而他们当知道，这饼并非他们自己的，以致他们有责任用其中的行善。衣服和饮食一样必需，所以这公义的人也慈善「用衣服给赤身的人遮体」（结18:7）。多加为穷人所作的里衣被拿来作为她慈善的见证（徒9:39）。这义人「缩手不作罪孽」（结18:8）。若他有时因疏忽被引诱去作后来在他看来是错的事，他既已开始就不再坚持，而是从他如今所察明的「罪孽」中「缩手」；因为他「在两人之间按真理判断」，尽他所能行此机会（无论是作审判官、作见证人、作陪审员、作仲裁），并在一切交易上关心公义得施行，无人被亏负，被亏负的得申雪，人人都得着自己的分，并随时预备介入，行善于此。这是他对邻舍的品格；然而他对弟兄公义、真诚尚不足够——要使他的品格完全，他对他的神也必如此（结18:9）：「他遵行我的律例」，那些关乎他直接敬拜之本分的；他「谨守」这些和他一切别的「典章」，尊重这一切，以符合、达到这一切为他一贯的关心和努力，按诚实而行，好叫他在与神所立的约上显为忠信；既已归于神，便不背信地「偏离他」，也不「向神假冒为善」。这就是公义的人，并且「他活着，必活着」；他必活定然，必得着生命，并且得的更丰盛；必真实地活、舒坦地活、永远地活。「遵守诫命」，你就必「进入永生」（太19:17）。
英文原文
Proverb of the Sour Grapes; Reply to the Sour Grapes; Divine Judgments Vindicated (593 BC)
¹ The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,
² What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?
³ As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
⁴ Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
⁵ But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,
⁶ And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman,
⁷ And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
⁸ He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,
⁹ Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.
Evil manners, we say, beget good laws; and in like manner sometimes unjust reflections occasion just vindications; evil proverbs beget good prophecies. Here is,
I. An evil proverb commonly used by the Jews in their captivity. We had one before (Eze 12:22) and a reply to it; here we have another. That sets God's justice at defiance: "The days are prolonged and every vision fails; the threatenings are a jest." This charges him with injustice, as if the judgments executed were a wrong: "You use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, now that it is laid waste by the judgments of God, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth are set on edge; we are punished for the sins of our ancestors, which is as great an absurdity in the divine regimen as if the children should have their teeth set on edge, or stupefied, by the fathers' eating sour grapes, whereas, in the order of natural causes, if men eat or drink any thing amiss, they only themselves shall suffer by it." Now, 1. It must be owned that there was some occasion given for this proverb. God had often said that he would visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, especially the sin of idolatry, intending thereby to express the evil of sin, of that sin, his detestation of it, and just indignation against it, and the heavy punishments he would bring upon idolaters, that parents might be restrained from sin by their affection to their children and that children might not be drawn to sin by their reverence for their parents. He had likewise often declared by his prophets that in bringing the present ruin upon Judah and Jerusalem he had an eye to the sins of Manasseh and other preceding kings; for, looking upon the nation as a body politic, and punishing them with national judgments for national sins, and admitting the maxim in our law that a corporation never dies, reckoning with them now for the iniquities of former ages was but like making a man, when he is old, to possess the iniquities of his youth, Job 13:26. And there is no unrighteousness with God in doing so. But, 2. They intended it as a reflection upon God, and an impeachment of his equity in his proceedings against them. Thus far that is right which is implied in this proverbial saying, That those who are guilty of wilful sin eat sour grapes; they do that which they will feel from, sooner or later. The grapes may look well enough in the temptation, but they will be bitter as bitterness itself in the reflection. They will set the sinner's teeth on edge. When conscience is awake, and sets the sin in order before them, it will spoil the relish of their comforts as when the teeth are set on edge. But they suggest it as unreasonable that the children should smart for the fathers' folly and feel the pain of that which they never tasted the pleasure of, and that God was unrighteous in thus taking vengeance and could not justify it. See how wicked the reflection is, how daring the impudence; yet see how witty it is, and how sly the comparison. Many that are impious in their jeers are ingenious in their jests; and thus the malice of hell against God and religion is insinuated and propagated. It is here put into a proverb, and that proverb used, commonly used; they had it up ever and anon. And, though it had plainly a blasphemous meaning, yet they sheltered themselves under the similitude from the imputation of downright blasphemy. Now by this it appears that they were unhumbled under the rod, for, instead of condemning themselves and justifying God, they condemned him and justified themselves; but woe to him that thus strives with his Maker.
II. A just reproof of, and reply to, this proverb: What mean you by using it? That is the reproof. "Do you intend hereby to try it out with God? Or can you think any other than that you will hereby provoke him to be angry with you till he has consumed you? Is this the way to reconcile yourselves to him and make your peace with him?" The reply follows, in which God tells them,
1. That the use of the proverb should be taken away. This is said, it is sworn (Eze 18:3): You shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb; or (as it may be read), You shall not have the use of this parable. The taking away of this parable is made the matter of a promise, Jer 31:29. Here it is made the matter of a threatening. There it intimates that God will return to them in ways of mercy; here it intimates that God would proceed against them in ways of judgment. He will so punish them for this impudent saying that they shall not dare to use it any more; as in another case, Jer 23:34,36. God will find out effectual ways to silence those cavillers. Or God will so manifest both to themselves and others that they have wickedness of their own enough to bring all these desolating judgments upon them that they shall no longer for shame lay it upon the sins of their fathers that they were thus dealt with: "Your own consciences shall tell you, and all your neighbours shall confirm it, that you yourselves have eaten the same sour grapes that your fathers ate before you, or else your teeth would not have been set on edge."
2. That really the saying itself was unjust and a causeless reflection upon God's government. For,
(1.) God does not punish the children for the fathers' sins unless they tread in their fathers' steps and fill up the measure of their iniquity (Mt 23:32), and then they have no reason to complain, for, whatever they suffer, it is less than their own sin has deserved. And, when God speaks of visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, that is so far from putting any hardship upon the children, to whom he only renders according to their works, that it accounts for God's patience with the parents, whom he therefore does not punish immediately, because he lays up their iniquity for their children, Job 21:19.
(2.) It is only in temporal calamities that children (and sometimes innocent ones) fare the worse for their parents' wickedness, and God can alter the property of those calamities, and make them work for good to those that are visited with them; but as to spiritual and eternal misery (and that is the death here spoken of) the children shall by no means smart for the parents' sins. This is here shown at large; and it is a wonderful piece of condescension that the great God is pleased to reason the case with such wicked and unreasonable men, that he did not immediately strike them dumb or dead, but vouchsafed to state the matter before them, that he may be clear when he is judged. Now, in his reply,
[1.] He asserts and maintains his own absolute and incontestable sovereignty: Behold, all souls are mine, Eze 18:4. God here claims a property in all the souls of the children of men, one as well as another. First, Souls are his. He that is the Maker of all things is in a particular manner the Father of spirits, for his image is stamped on the souls of men; it was so in their creation; it is so in their renovation. He forms the spirit of man within him, and is therefore called the God of the spirits of all flesh, of embodied spirits. Secondly, All souls are his, all created by him and for him, and accountable to him. As the soul of the father, so the soul of the son, is mine. Our earthly parents are only the fathers of our flesh; our souls are not theirs; God challenges them. Now hence it follows, for the clearing of this matter, 1. That God may certainly do what he pleases both with fathers and children, and none may say unto him, What doest thou? He that gave us our being does us no wrong if he takes it away again, much less when he only takes away some of the supports and comforts of it; it is as absurd to quarrel with him as for the thing formed to say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 2. That God as certainly bears a good-will both to father and son, and will put no hardship upon either. We are sure that God hates nothing that he has made, and therefore (speaking of the adult, who are capable of acting for themselves) he has such a kindness for all souls that none die but through their own default. All souls are his, and therefore he is not partial in his judgment of them. Let us subscribe to his interest in us and dominion over us. He says, All souls are mine; let us answer, "Lord, my soul is thine; I devote it to thee to be employed for thee and made happy in thee." It is with good reason that God says, "My son, give me thy heart, for it is my own," to which we must yield, "Father, take my heart, it is thy own."
[2.] Though God might justify himself by insisting upon his sovereignty, yet he waives that, and lays down the equitable and unexceptionable rule of judgment by which he will proceed as to particular persons; and it is this:—First, The sinner that persists in sin shall certainly die, his iniquity shall be his ruin: The soul that sins shall die, shall die as a soul can die, shall be excluded from the favour of God, which is the life and bliss of the soul, and shall lie for ever under his wrath, which is its death and misery. Sin is the act of the soul, the body being only the instrument of unrighteousness; it is called the sin of the soul, Mic 6:7. And therefore the punishment of sin is the tribulation and the anguish of the soul, Ro 2:9. Secondly, The righteous man that perseveres in his righteousness shall certainly live. If a man be just, have a good principle, a good spirit and disposition, and, as an evidence of that, do judgment and justice (Eze 18:5), he shall surely live, saith the Lord God, Eze 18:9. He that makes conscience of conforming in every thing to the will of God, that makes it his business to serve God and his aim to glorify God, shall without fail be happy here and for ever in the love and favour of God; and, wherein he comes short of his duty, it shall be forgiven him, through a Mediator. Now here is part of the character of this just man. 1. He is careful to keep himself clean from the pollutions of sin, and at a distance from all the appearances of evil. (1.) From sins against the second commandment. In the matters of God's worship he is jealous, for he knows God is so. He has not only not sacrificed in the high places to the images there set up, but he has not so much as eaten upon the mountains, that is, not had any communion with idolaters by eating things sacrificed to idols, 1Co 10:20. He would not only not kneel with them at their altars, but not sit with them at their tables in their high places. He detests not only the idols of the heathen but the idols of the house of Israel, which were not only allowed of, but generally applauded and adored, by those that were accounted the professing people of God. He has not only not worshipped those idols, but he has not so much as lifted up his eyes to them; he has not given them a favourable look, has had no regard at all to them, neither desired their favour nor dreaded their frowns. He has observed so many bewitched by them that he has not dared so much as to look at them, lest he should be taken in the snare. The eyes of idolaters are said to go a whoring, Eze 6:9. See De 4:19. (2.) From sins against the seventh commandment. He is careful to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour, and not in the lusts of uncleanness; and therefore he has not dared to defile his neighbour's wife, nor said or done any thing which had the least tendency to corrupt or debauch her, no, nor will he make any undue approaches to his own wife when she is put apart for her uncleanness, for it was forbidden by the law, Le 18:19,20:18. Note, It is an essential branch of wisdom and justice to keep the appetites of the body always in subjection to reason and virtue. (3.) From sins against the eighth commandment. He is a just man, who has not, by fraud and under colour of law and right, oppressed any, and who has not with force and arms spoiled any by violence, not spoiled them of their goods or estates, much less of their liberties and lives, Eze 18:7. Oppression and violence were the sins of the old world, that brought the deluge, and are sins of which still God is and will be the avenger. Nay, he is one that has not lent his money upon usury, nor taken increase (Eze 18:8), though, being done by contract, it may seem free from injustice (Volenti non fit injuria—What is done to a person with his own consent is no injury to him), yet, as far as it is forbidden by the law, he dares not do it. A moderate usury they were allowed to receive from strangers, but not from their brethren. A just man will not take advantage of his neighbour's necessity to make a prey of him, nor indulge himself in ease and idleness to live upon the sweat and toil of others, and therefore will not take increase from those who cannot make increase of what he lends them, nor be rigorous in exacting what was agreed for from those who by the act of God are disabled to pay it; but he is willing to share in loss as well as profit. Qui sentit commodum, sentire debet et onus—He who enjoys the benefit should bear the burden. 2. He makes conscience of doing the duties of his place. He has restored the pledge to the poor debtor, according to the law. Ex 22:26. "If thou take thy neighbour's raiment for a pledge, the raiment that is for necessary use, thou shalt deliver it to him again, that he may sleep in his own bedclothes." Nay, he has not only restored to the poor that which was their own, but has given his bread to the hungry. Observe, It is called his bread, because it is honestly come by; that which is given to some is not unjustly taken from others; for God has said, I hate robbery for burnt-offerings. Worldly men insist upon it that their bread is their own, as Nabal, who therefore would not give of it to David (1Sa 25:11); yet let them know that it is not so their own but that they are bound to do good to others with it. Clothes are necessary as well as food, and therefore this just man is so charitable as to cover the naked also with a garment, Eze 18:7. The coats which Dorcas had made for the poor were produced as witnesses of her charity, Ac 9:39. This just man has withdrawn his hands from iniquity, Eze 18:8. If at any time he has been drawn in through inadvertency to that which afterwards has appeared to him to be a wrong thing, he does not persist in it because he has begun it, but withdraws his hand from that which he now perceives to be iniquity; for he executes true judgment between man and man, according as his opportunity is of doing it (as a judge, as a witness, as a juryman, as a referee), and in all commerce is concerned that justice be done, that no man be wronged, that he who is wronged be righted, and that every man have his own, and is ready to interpose himself, and do any good office, in order hereunto. This is his character towards his neighbours; yet it will not suffice that he be just and true to his brother, to complete his character he must be so to his God likewise (Eze 18:9): He has walked in my statutes, those which relate to the duties of his immediate worship; he has kept those and all his other judgments, has had respect to them all, has made it his constant care and endeavour to conform and come up to them all, to deal truly, that so he may approve himself faithful to his covenant with God, and, having joined himself to God, he does not treacherously depart from him, nor dissemble with him. This is a just man, and living he shall live; he shall certainly live, shall have life and shall have it more abundantly, shall live truly, live comfortably, live eternally. Keep the commandments, and thou shalt enter into life, Mt 19:17.
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The Ways of God Justified; God's Vindication of Himself (593 BC)
神的道被显为义；神为自己辩正（公元前593年）
¹⁰ 他若生一个作强盗的儿子，流人血的，行了以上各样恶中的任何一样，
¹¹ （那些本分他一样都不行，反倒上山吃祭偶像之物，玷污邻舍的妻），
¹² 欺压穷乏人和贫寒人，抢夺物件，不归还当头，眼目仰望偶像，行了可憎之事，
¹³ 取利放债，勒索增息——他还能存活吗？他不能存活。这一切可憎的事他都行了，他必死亡，他的血必归到他身上。
¹⁴ 现在看哪，他若生一个儿子，看见父亲所犯的一切罪，便思想，就不照样行，
¹⁵ 不上山吃祭偶像之物，也不仰望以色列家的偶像，不玷污邻舍的妻，
¹⁶ 不欺压人，不扣留当头，不抢夺物件，反倒将饼给饥饿的人，将衣服给赤身的人遮体，
¹⁷ 缩手不害贫寒人，不取利也不勒索增息，遵行我的典章，谨守我的律例而行——他就不因父亲的罪孽死亡，必定存活。
¹⁸ 至于他父亲，因为残忍欺压，抢夺弟兄，在本民中行不善的事，看哪，他必因自己的罪孽死亡。
¹⁹ 你们还说：儿子为何不担当父亲的罪孽呢？儿子若行公义与公平，谨守我的一切律例而行，他必定存活。
²⁰ 惟有犯罪的，他必死亡。儿子必不担当父亲的罪孽，父亲也不担当儿子的罪孽；义人的义必归在他身上，恶人的恶必归在他身上。
神借先知既已立下审判的通则——他要将永生赐给那些恒心行善的人，却将忿怒报应给那些不顺从真理、反倒顺从不义的人（罗 2:7,8）——在这些经文里，就进一步表明：人的血统和关系，不能在任何一方面改变这案。
一、他详尽而具体地从两方面应用了这通则。正如犹大列王的王室谱系中常有的那样，私家也常有：敬虔的父母生恶子，恶父母生敬虔之子。在此他指出：
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恶人虽是敬虔父亲之子，也必在自己的罪孽中灭亡。若前文所描述的那义人生了一个儿子，品格与父亲相反，他的结局也必如此。（一）这里假设的情形并不罕见，却令人痛心：一个非常敬虔的父亲的儿子，尽管受了各样的教导、受了良好的教育、受了当受的责备、受了当有的约束，尽管为他费尽心力、为他献上祷告，至终仍可能成为声名狼藉的恶人——父亲的忧愁、家族的羞辱、他世代的咒诅和灾祸。这里假设他纵容自己于父亲所惧怕并小心避免的一切恶行之中，并抛弃父亲所视为良心所系并以此为乐的一切善责；他拆毁了父亲所作的一切，在凡事上都与父亲的榜样相悖。这里描述他是一个拦路的强盗——抢夺的、流人血的。他是拜偶像的：他上山吃祭偶像之物（结 18:11），并且眼目仰望偶像，这是他的好父亲所未曾行的，到末了他不仅与拜偶像的人同席宴乐，更与他们一同献祭，这在此处称为行可憎之事，因为罪的路是下坡路。他是犯奸淫的，玷污了邻舍的妻。他是欺压人的，甚至欺压穷乏人和贫寒人；他抢夺济贫院，压榨那些他明知无力自卫的人，并以践踏软弱者、使本已贫穷的人更穷为荣为乐。他从那些他应当给予的人身上夺取。他以暴力抢夺；他取利放债，所以借着契约抢夺；他不归还当头，即使债务已清也仍不义地扣留。让那些有恶儿女的好父母不要看自己的情形为独特；这是此处所设的案例；借此我们看见，恩典并不借着血统传递，也不总是随着蒙恩之器而来。快跑的未必能赢，勇士未必能胜（传 9:11 之意），因为若然，受良好教导的儿女就必行得好；但神要我们知道，他的恩典是他自己的，他的灵是自主的，并且虽然我们有责任给儿女良好的教育，他却没有义务赐福它。在此尤其显明原罪的大能和特殊恩典的必需。（二）我们在此确知：这恶人虽是好人之子，也必在自己的罪孽中永远灭亡。他也许因先祖的敬虔而在世上暂时兴旺，但他既犯了一切这些可憎之事，又不曾悔改，他就不能存活，不能在神的恩宠中得福；他虽能逃脱人的刀剑，却不能逃脱神的咒诅。他必死亡；他必永远悲惨；他的血必归到他身上。他只能怪自己；他是自己的毁灭者。而且他与好父亲的关系不但不能帮助他，反倒加重他的罪和定罪。这关系使他的罪更为可恶，不，这使他在实际上更为卑劣、更为放荡，因此也将使他日后的苦难更难忍受。
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义人虽是恶父之子，也必得福。父亲虽吃了酸葡萄，只要儿女不去碰它，他们就丝毫不因此受害。这里，（一）假设的情形是（感谢神，这有时也是事实）：不敬虔之父的儿子可能是敬虔的；他既观察到父亲的错误何等致命，便有智慧引以为戒，不踏父亲的覆辙（结 18:14）。一般说来，儿女承袭父母的性情，并被吸引去效法他们的榜样；但此处这个儿子，非但不像常人那样看见父亲的罪就行同样的事，反而看见了就惧怕去行同样的事。人确实不从荆棘上摘葡萄，但神有时却如此行——从野橄榄上取一枝，接在好橄榄上。恶王亚哈斯生了好王希西家，他看见父亲所犯的一切罪，虽不愿像含那样宣扬父亲的羞耻、或将它渲染到极处，却厌恶它、为之脸红，并因罪是自己父亲的羞辱和毁灭而更恨恶罪。他思想就不照样行；他想到父亲行这样的事多么不相宜，对神和一切好人是何等的冒犯，由此受了何等的创伤和羞辱，给家族带来何等的灾祸，所以他不照样行。注意，我们若真能好好思想恶人的道路，就都必惧怕与他们为伴、跟随他们。其中的细节在此又几乎以同样的措辞重新列举（结 18:6 等），为要表明善人顺着同样的灵、循着同样的脚踪而行。这里这个义人，既小心避免父亲的罪，也小心效法祖父的德行；我们若回顾，就必找到可效法的榜样，也有可作鉴戒的。这个义人不仅能像法利赛人那样说：我不是犯奸淫的，不是勒索的，不是欺压人的，不是放债取利的，不是拜偶像的；他更是将饼给饥饿的人，给赤身的人衣服。他缩手不害贫寒人；他若见父亲曾苛刻对待贫穷的仆人、佃户、邻舍，他就减轻他们的担子。他没有说：「我父亲所作的我要维持，若是错，那是他的错，不是我的」——像罗波安那样轻看他父亲所征收的税。不；他缩手不害贫寒人，将他们恢复到他们的权利和自由（结 18:15-17）。如此他便遵行神的典章、谨守他的律例而行，不是只尽了一次本分，而是在一个顺服的轨道和道路上持续前行。（二）我们确知：那没有恩典的父亲要独自在自己的罪中死亡，但他那有恩典的儿子却丝毫不因此受损。至于他父亲（结 18:18），因为他残忍欺压，行了伤害，不，因为尽管他有财富权势，却不用它们在本民中行善，看哪，就是他，尽管他如此伟大，也必在自己的罪孽中死亡，永远沉沦；而那持守正直的人必存活，必得平安和福乐，并且不因父亲的罪孽死亡。也许父亲的恶行减少了他的产业、削弱了他的势力，但这对他蒙神悦纳和永远福祉毫无损害。
二、他然后转向他们自己，问他们是否不是用那俗语冤枉了神。「事既如此清楚，你们还说：儿子为何不担当父亲的罪孽呢？他不担当；只要他自己行公义与公平，他就不担当」（结 18:19）。但这百姓担当了他们列祖的罪孽，自己却没有行公义与公平，所以他们受自己罪的刑罚是公义的，毫无理由抱怨神对待他们的程序有什么不公，尽管他们有理由抱怨他们列祖所留下的坏榜样实在很不友善。我们列祖犯罪，不在了；我们担当他们的罪孽（哀 5:7）。恶人家确有咒诅的传承，这是真的；但悔改和改革能斩断这传承，这也是真的；所以不悔改、不改革的人若落在咒诅之下，只能怪自己。因此审判的确定法则在此重申（结 18:20）：犯罪的，他必死亡，不是别人替他死。神给地上审判官的吩咐（申 24:16），他自己也必遵行：儿子不因父亲的罪孽死亡——不永远死亡——只要他不踏父亲的脚踪；父亲也不因儿子的罪孽死亡，只要他尽力尽本分去防止。在神公义审判显明的日子（如今这审判被云遮蔽、被蚀去），义人的义要在全天下面前显明是归于他的，使他永远得安慰、得尊荣——归于他如袍服，归于他如冠冕；恶人的恶也必归于他，使他永远羞愧——归于他如锁链，归于他如重担，如一座铅山将他沉入无底坑。
英文原文
The Ways of God Justified; God's Vindication of Himself (593 BC)
¹⁰ If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things,
¹¹ And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife,
¹² Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,
¹³ Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.
¹⁴ Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,
¹⁵ That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour's wife,
¹⁶ Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,
¹⁷ That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.
¹⁸ As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.
¹⁹ Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.
²⁰ The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
God, by the prophet, having laid down the general rule of judgment, that he will render eternal life to those that patiently continue in well-doing, but indignation and wrath to those that do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness (Ro 2:7,8), comes, in these verses, to show that men's parentage and relation shall not alter the case either one way or other.
I. He applied it largely and particularly both ways. As it was in the royal line of the kings of Judah, so it often happens in private families, that godly parents have wicked children and wicked parents have godly children. Now here he shows,
1. That a wicked man shall certainly perish in his iniquity, though he be the son of a pious father. If that righteous man before described beget a son whose character is the reverse of his father's, his condition will certainly be so too. (1.) It is supposed as no uncommon case, but a very melancholy one, that the child of a very godly father, notwithstanding all the instructions given him, the good education he has had and the needful rebukes that have been given him, and the restraints he has been laid under, after all the pains taken with him and prayers put up for him, may yet prove notoriously wicked and vile, the grief of his father, the shame of his family, and the curse and plague of his generation. He is here supposed to allow himself in all those enormities which his good father dreaded and carefully avoided, and to shake off all those good duties which his father made conscience of and took satisfaction in; he undoes all that his father did, and goes counter to his example in every thing. He is here described to be a highwayman—a robber and a shedder of blood. He is an idolater: He has eaten upon the mountains (Eze 18:11) and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, which his good father never did, and has come at length not only to feast with the idolaters, but to sacrifice with them, which is here called committing abomination, for the way of sin is down-hill. He is an adulterer, has defiled his neighbour's wife. He is an oppressor even of the poor and needy; he robs the spital, and squeezes those who, he knows, cannot defend themselves, and takes a pride and pleasure in trampling upon the weak and impoverishing those that are poor already. He takes away from those to whom he should give. He has spoiled by violence and open force; he has given forth upon usury, and so spoiled by contract; and he has not restored the pledge, but unjustly detained it even when the debt was paid. Let those good parents that have wicked children not look upon their case as singular; it is a case put here; and by it we see that grace does not run in the blood, nor always attend the means of grace. The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, for then the children that are well taught would do well, but God will let us know that his grace is his own and his Spirit a free-agent, and that though we are tied to give our children a good education he is not tied to bless it. In this, as much as any thing, appears the power of original sin and the necessity of special grace. (2.) We are here assured that this wicked man shall perish for ever in his iniquity, notwithstanding his being the son of a good father. He may perhaps prosper awhile in the world, for the sake of the piety of his ancestors, but, having committed all these abominations, and never repented of them, he shall not live, he shall not be happy in the favour of God; though he may escape the sword of men, he shall not escape the curse of God. He shall surely die; he shall be for ever miserable; his blood shall be upon him. He may thank himself; he is his own destroyer. And his relation to a good father will be so far from standing him in stead that it will aggravate his sin and his condemnation. It made his sin the more heinous, nay, it made him really the more vile and profligate, and, consequently, will make his misery hereafter the more intolerable.
2. That a righteous man shall be certainly happy, though he be the son of a wicked father. Though the father did eat the sour grapes, if the children do not meddle with them, they shall fare never the worse for that. Here, (1.) It is supposed (and, blessed be God, it is sometimes a case in fact) that the son of an ungodly father may be godly, that, observing how fatal his father's errors were, he may be so wise as to take warning, and not tread in his father's tests, Eze 18:14. Ordinarily, children partake of the parents' temper and are drawn in to imitate their example; but here the son, instead of seeing his father's sins, and, as is usual, doing the like, sees them and dreads doing the like. Men indeed do not gather grapes of thorns, but God sometimes does, takes a branch from a wild olive and grafts it into a good one. Wicked Ahaz begets a good Hezekiah, who sees all his father's sins which he has done, and though he will not, like Ham, proclaim his father's shame, or make the worst of it, yet he loathes it, and blushes at it, and thinks the worse of sin because it was the reproach and ruin of his own father. He considers and does not such like; he considers how ill it became his father to do such things, what an offence it was to God and all good men, what a wound and dishonour he got by it, and what calamities he brought into his family, and therefore he does not such like. Note, If we did but duly consider the ways of wicked men, we should all dread being associates with them and followers of them. The particulars are here again enumerated almost in the same words with that character given of the just man (Eze 18:6, etc.), to show how good men walk in the same spirit and in the same steps. This just man here, when he took care to avoid his father's sins, took care to imitate his grandfather's virtues; and, if we look back, we shall find some examples for our imitation, as well as others for our admonition. This just man can not only say, as the Pharisee, I am no adulterer, no extortioner, no oppressor, no usurer, no idolater; but he has given his bread to the hungry and covered the naked. He has taken off his hand from the poor; where he found his father had put hardships upon poor servants, tenants, neighbours, he eased their burden. He did not say, "What my father has done I will abide by, and if it was a fault it was his and not mine;" as Rehoboam, who contemned the taxes his father had imposed. No; he takes his hand off from the poor, and restores them to their rights and liberties again, Eze 18:15-17. Thus he has executed God's judgments and walked in his statutes, not only done his duty for once, but one on in a course and way of obedience. (2.) We are assured that the graceless father alone shall die in his iniquity, but his gracious son shall fare never the worse for it. As for his father (Eze 18:18), because he was a cruel oppressor, and did hurt, nay, because, though he had wealth and power, he did not with them do good among his people, lo, even he, great as he is, shall die in his iniquity, and be undone for ever; but he that kept his integrity shall surely live, shall be easy and happy, and he shall not die for the iniquity of his father. Perhaps his father's wickedness has lessened his estate and weakened his interest, but it shall be no prejudice at all to his acceptance with God and his eternal welfare.
II. He appeals to themselves then whether they did not wrong God with their proverb. "Thus plain the case is, and yet you say, Does not the son bear the iniquity of the father? No, he does not; he shall not if he will himself do that which is lawful and right," Eze 18:19. But this people that bore the iniquity of their fathers had not done that which is lawful and right, and therefore justly suffered for their own sin and had no reason to complain of God's proceedings against them as at all unjust, though they had reason to complain of the bad example their fathers had left them as very unkind. Our fathers have sinned and are not, and we have borne their iniquity, La 5:7. It is true that there is a curse entailed upon wicked families, but it is as true that the entail may be cut off by repentance and reformation; let the impenitent and unreformed therefore thank themselves if they fall under it. The settled rule of judgment is therefore repeated (Eze 18:20): The soul that sins shall die, and not another for it. What direction God has given to earthly judges (De 24:16) he will himself pursue: The son shall not die, not die eternally, for the iniquity of the father, if he do not tread in the steps of it, nor the father for the iniquity of the son, if he endeavour to do his duty for the preventing of it. In the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God, which is now clouded and eclipsed, the righteousness of the righteous shall appear before all the world to be upon him, to his everlasting comfort and honour, upon him as a robe, upon him as a crown; and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him, to his everlasting confusion, upon him as a chain, upon him as a load, as a mountain of lead to sink him to the bottomless pit.
21-29
Encouragement to Repentance (593 BC)
悔改的勉励（主前593年）
²¹ 「恶人若回头离开所犯的一切罪，谨守我一切的律例，行正直与合理的事，他必定存活，不致死亡。
²² 他所犯的一切罪过都不被记念；因所行的义，他必存活。
²³ 主耶和华说：恶人死亡，岂是我喜悦的吗？不是喜悦他回头离开所行的道而存活吗？
²⁴ 义人若转离义行而作罪孽，照着恶人所行一切可憎的事而行，他岂能存活吗？他所行的一切义都不被记念；他必因所犯的罪、所行的恶死亡。
²⁵ 「你们还说：『主的道不公平！』以色列家啊，你们当听！我的道岂不公平吗？你们的道岂不是不公平吗？
²⁶ 义人若转离义行而作罪孽死亡，他是因所作的罪孽死亡。
²⁷ 再者，恶人若回头离开所行的恶，行正直与合理的事，他必将性命救活了。
²⁸ 因为他思量，回头离开所犯的一切罪过，必定存活，不致死亡。
²⁹ 以色列家还说：『主的道不公平！』以色列家啊，我的道岂不是公平吗？你们的道岂不是不公平吗？」
这里我们又看到神对待我们时所依循的另一条判断准则，借此进一步显明他治理的公义。前者表明，神要按着家族或世代中所发生的改变——或转好或转坏——来赏赐或刑罚；此处他表明，他要按着人本身所发生的改变——无论是好转还是转坏——来赏赐或刑罚。我们在世之日，就是处于受试验的状态中；试验的时期与生命的时日一样长久，而我们在最终被显明为何，永恒里的结局也就如何。如今请看：
一、此案被公正地陈述出来，正如前文所述（结3:18等）。此处它被一次（结18:21-24）又一次（结18:26-28）陈明，因为这是一件至关重要的事，是关乎生死、关乎永生永死的事。这里有：
- 给恶人一个公正的邀请，呼召他们转离恶行。此处向我们保证：「恶人若……回头」，他「必定存活」（结18:21,27）。请注意：
（1）要称一个人为真正悔改者，需要什么条件；他要如何才能获得这赦免之恩的资格。〔一〕悔改的第一步是「思量」（结18:28）：「因为他思量而回头」。罪人之所以一直在邪恶的道路上走下去，是因为他们不「思量」其结局如何；但浪子一旦「醒悟过来」，如果他坐下来稍微思量一下自己的光景有多糟糕，又多么容易改善，他不久就要「回到父亲那里去」（路15:17）；那背道的妻也要「归回前夫」，因为她思量「那时比现在还好」（何2:7）。〔二〕这思量必须产生对罪的厌恶。当他思量时，就必须「转离他的恶行」，这标志着内心的性情有了改变；他必须「转离他的罪恶和他的过犯」，这标志着生活有了改变；他必须断绝一切邪恶的道路，在自己行过不义的事上，定意不再如此行，并且这是出于恨恶罪的原则。「我与偶像还有什么相干呢？」〔三〕对罪的厌恶必须是全面的；他必须转离他「一切」的罪恶和「一切」的过犯，不为自己保留任何「大利拉」，任何「临门庙」。除非我们真正恨恶罪，否则我们没有真正转离罪；除非我们恨恶一切的罪，否则我们没有真正把罪当作罪来恨恶。〔四〕这必须伴随着归向神并尽本分；他必须「谨守神一切的律例」（因为顺从若是真诚的，必是全面的），并「行正直与合理的事」，就是与神的话语和旨意相符的事——他必须以此为准则，而不是以肉体的私欲和世俗的道路为准则。
（2）给那些如此转离罪恶归向神之人的应许是什么。〔一〕他们「必将性命救活了」（结18:27）。他们「必定存活，不致死亡」（结18:21,28）。虽然曾说过：「犯罪的灵魂必死」，但那些犯了罪的人不要绝望，只要他们及时回头悔改，所警告的死亡仍可避免。当大卫痛悔地承认「我得罪耶和华了」时，他立即得着赦免的保证：「『耶和华已经除掉你的罪，你必不至于死』（撒下12:13），必不至于永死。」他「必定存活」；他必被恢复到神的恩宠中——这就是灵魂的生命——并不再处在神的震怒之下，因为震怒对灵魂正如「死亡的使者」。〔二〕他们所悔改并已弃绝的罪，必不在审判时起来控告他们，甚至也不会用来责备他们：「他所犯的一切罪过」（结18:22），虽多，虽重，虽极惹动神的怒气，大大亏损他的荣耀，却「不被记念」——不「被记念」用来对付他们；不仅这些罪不被归给他以致灭亡，就是在那大日，也不被记念来使他忧愁或羞愧；它们必被遮盖，必被寻找却寻不见。这表明赦免之恩的丰盛；罪既被赦免，就被「涂抹」，就「不再记念」。〔三〕他们「必因所行的义存活」；不是「因」他们的义而活，仿佛他们的义是买赎赦免和福分、为他们的罪赎罪的代价，而是「在」他们的义中活——这义使他们有资格领受中保所买赎的一切福分，而这义本身也是那些福分之一。
（3）一个悔改归回的罪人，根据这应许，有什么根据可以盼望赦免和生命。他心里清楚，自己今后的顺从永远无法充分补偿他先前的悖逆；但他有这件事可作支持——神的本性、属性和喜乐，就是怜悯和赦免，因为他曾说过（结18:23）：「『恶人死亡，岂是我喜悦的吗？』断乎不是；你们从未有过任何理由可以如此认为。」诚然，神已定意要刑罚罪人；他的公义要求刑罚他们，照此而行，不悔改的罪人将永远伏在他的震怒和咒诅之下；那是他旨意的定规，是他「后致的旨意」，却不是他「先前的旨意」，不是他所喜悦的旨意。虽然他治理的公义要求罪人死亡，但他本性的良善却反对这样。「以法莲哪，我怎能舍弃你？」此处是相对而言；他并不以罪人的灭亡为乐，因为他宁愿他们「转离自己的道而存活」；当他的怜悯因他们的得救而得荣耀时，他比他的公义因他们的灭亡而得荣耀时更为喜悦。
- 给义人一个公正的警告，叫他们不要从义行中转离（结18:24-26）。这里有：（1）背道者的特征，就是那「转离义行」的人。他从来不是真诚的义人（这从使徒的话可看出，约壹2:19：「他们若是属我们的，就必定与我们同在」），但他曾被视为义人。他有义人的名称和一切外表的记号；他自认为是义人，别人也当他为义人。但他抛弃了他的信仰告白，离弃了「起初的爱心」，否认并离弃神的真理和道路，就这样「转离义行」，像是对此厌倦了的人；如今显明了他一直以来所怀藏的对义的隐秘厌恶；他既「转离了义行」，就「作罪孽」，变得放荡、亵渎、纵欲、无节制、不公；一言以蔽之，「照着恶人所行一切可憎的事而行」；因为当污鬼重新得着它所占住的心时，就「带了七个比自己更恶的鬼来，都进去住在那里」（路11:26）。（2）背道者的定罪：「他岂能存活吗」？因为他一度曾是义人？不能；factum non dicitur quod non perseverat——不能持久的事，不算为做成。「在他所犯的罪」（结18:24）中，并「因他所行的恶」（这是他灭亡的功绩性原因），「他必因所作的罪孽死亡」（结18:26），必永远死亡。「心中背道的，必满得自己的结果。」但他先前的信仰告白和行为难道不能给他带来一点益处吗？难道不能至少减轻他的刑罚吗？不能：「他所行的一切义」（结18:24），虽被人极力称赞，却「不被记念」，既不能给他带来尊荣，也不能给他带来安慰；背道者的义被遗忘了，正如悔改者的恶被遗忘一样。在律法之下，拿细耳人若被玷污，他先前离俗的日子就全归徒然（民6:12）；照样，那些「靠圣灵入门」却「靠肉身成全」的人，他们过去一切的事奉和受苦都「归于徒然」（加3:3-4）；我们若不坚持到底，就要「失去所作的工」（约贰8）。
二、向以色列家——虽极其败坏——的良心呼吁，论到神在这一切作为中的公义；因为神要照着罪人自己的口称义，也要照着他们的口定罪。1. 他们对神的控告是亵渎性的（结18:25,29）。「以色列家」竟厚颜无耻地说：「『主的道不公平！』」再没有比这话更荒谬、更不虔的了。「造人眼睛的，难道自己看不见吗？」那旨意就是善恶、是非永恒准则的，他的道能不公平吗？「审判全地的主，岂不行公义吗？」无疑他要如此行；他不能不如此行。2. 神与他们辩论，极其恩慈、极其屈尊，因为神宁可这些亵渎者被劝服而得救，也不愿他们被定罪。人本会期望神立即维护他公义的尊荣，使那些毁谤他公义的人成为他公义的永恒鉴戒。那些曾经如此吐露恶言的人，难道还容许再吸一口气吗？那曾经说过「主的道不公平」的舌头，难道除了在地狱里，还能在别处再说话吗？是的，因为如今是神忍耐的日子，他屈尊与他们辩论；他要求他们承认——因为这事如此明显，他们无法否认——（1）他道的公平：「『我的道岂不是公平吗？』」无疑是公平的。他绝不将过于人当受的加在人身上。无论是在罪人现今所受的刑罚中，在他子民所受的患难中，还是在不愿悔改者永远的灭亡中，「主的道都是公平的」。（2）他们道的不公：「『你们的道岂不是不公平吗？』」明明是不公平的。你们所遭遇的患难，都是你们自己招惹到自己头上的。「神没有亏待你们，是你们亏负了自己。」「人的愚妄倾覆自己的道」，使其成为不公平，然后「他的心就抱怨耶和华」，仿佛主的道不公平（箴19:3）。在我们与神一切的争辩中，并在神与我们一切的辩论中，终必显明：他的道是公平的，我们的道是不公平的；他是对的，我们是错的。
英文原文
Encouragement to Repentance (593 BC)
²¹ But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
²² All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
²³ Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
²⁴ But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
²⁵ Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?
²⁶ When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
²⁷ Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
²⁸ Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
²⁹ Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?
We have here another rule of judgment which God will go by in dealing with us, by which is further demonstrated the equity of his government. The former showed that God will reward or punish according to the change made in the family or succession, for the better or for the worse; here he shows that he will reward or punish according to the change made in the person himself, whether for the better or the worse. While we are in this world we are in a state of probation; the time of trial lasts as long as the time of life, and according as we are found at last it will be with us to eternity. Now see here,
I. The case fairly stated, much as it had been before (Eze 3:18, etc.), and here it is laid down once (Eze 18:21-24) and again (Eze 18:26-28), because it is a matter of vast importance, a matter of life and death, of life and death eternal. Here we have,
1. A fair invitation given to wicked people, to turn from their wickedness. Assurance is here given us that, if the wicked will turn, he shall surely live, Eze 18:21,27. Observe,
(1.) What is required to denominate a man a true convert, how he must be qualified that he may be entitled to this act of indemnity. [1.] The first step towards conversion is consideration (Eze 18:28): Because he considers and turns. The reason why sinners go on in their evil ways is because they do not consider what will be in the end thereof; but if the prodigal once come to himself, if he sit down and consider a little how bad his state is and how easily it may be bettered, he will soon return to his father (Lu 15:17), and the adulteress to her first husband when she considers that then it was better with her than now, Ho 2:7. [2.] This consideration must produce an aversion to sin. When he considers he must turn away from his wickedness, which denotes a change in the disposition of the heart; he must turn from his sins and his transgression, which denotes a change in the life; he must break off from all his evil courses, and, wherein he has done iniquity, must resolve to do so no more, and this from a principle of hatred to sin. What have I to do any more with idols? [3.] This aversion to sin must be universal; he must turn from all his sins and all his transgressions, with out a reserve for any Delilah, any house of Rimmon. We do not rightly turn from sin unless we truly hate it, and we do not truly hate sin, as sin, if we do not hate all sin. [4.] This must be accompanied with a conversion to God and duty; he must keep all God's statutes (for the obedience, if it be sincere, will be universal) and must do that which is lawful and right, that which agrees with the word and will of God, which he must take for his rule, and not the will of the flesh and the way of the world.
(2.) What is promised to those that do thus turn from sin to God. [1.] They shall save their souls alive, Eze 18:27. They shall surely live, they shall not die, Eze 18:21,28. Whereas it was said, The soul that sins it shall die, yet let not those that have sinned despair but that the threatened death may be prevented if they will but turn and repent in time. When David penitently acknowledges, I have sinned, he is immediately assured of his pardon: "The Lord has taken away thy sin, thou shalt not die (2Sa 12:13), thou shalt not die eternally." He shall surely live; he shall be restored to the favour of God, which is the life of the soul, and shall not lie under his wrath, which is as messengers of death to the soul. [2.] The sins they have repented of and forsaken shall not rise up in judgment against them, nor shall they be so much as upbraided with them: All his transgressions that he has committed, though numerous, though heinous, though very provoking to God, and redounding very much to his dishonour, yet they shall not be mentioned unto him (Eze 18:22), not mentioned against them; not only they shall not be imputed to him to ruin him, but in the great day they shall not be remembered against him to grieve or shame him; they shall be covered, shall be sought for and not found. This intimates the fulness of pardoning mercy; when sin is forgiven it is blotted out, it is remembered no more. [3.] In their righteousness they shall live; not for their righteousness, as if that were the purchase of their pardon and bliss and an atonement for their sins, but in their righteousness, which qualifies them for all the blessings purchased by the Mediator, and is itself one of those blessings.
(3.) What encouragement a repenting returning sinner has to hope for pardon and life according to this promise. He is conscious to himself that his obedience for the future can never be a valuable compensation for his former disobedience; but he has this to support himself with, that God's nature, property, and delight, is to have mercy and to forgive, for he has said (Eze 18:23): "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? No, by no means; you never had any cause given you to think so." It is true God has determined to punish sinners; his justice calls for their punishment, and, pursuant to that, impenitent sinners will lie for ever under his wrath and curse; that is the will of his decree, his consequent will, but it is not his antecedent will, the will of his delight. Though the righteousness of his government requires that sinners die, yet the goodness of his nature objects against it. How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? It is spoken here comparatively; he has not pleasure in the ruin of sinners, for he would rather they should turn from their ways and live; he is better pleased when his mercy is glorified in their salvation than when his justice is glorified in their damnation.
2. A fair warning given to righteous people not to turn from their righteousness, Eze 18:24-26. Here is, (1.) The character of an apostate, that turns away from his righteousness. He never was in sincerity a righteous man (as appears by that of the apostle, 1Jo 2:19, If they had been of us, they would, no doubt, have continued with us), but he passed for a righteous man. He had the denomination and all the external marks of a righteous man; he thought himself one, and others thought him one. But he throws off his profession, leaves his first love, disowns and forsakes the truth and ways of God, and so turns away from his righteousness as one sick of it, and now shows, what he always had, a secret aversion to it; and, having turned away from his righteousness, he commits iniquity, grows loose, and profane, and sensual, intemperate, unjust, and, in short, does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does; for, when the unclean spirit recovers his possession of the heart, he brings with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there, Lu 11:26. (2.) The doom of an apostate: Shall he live because he was once a righteous man? No; factum non dicitur quod non perseverat—that which does not abide is not said to be done. In his trespass (Eze 18:24) and for his iniquity (that is the meritorious cause of his ruin), for the iniquity that he has done, he shall die, shall die eternally, Eze 18:26. The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways. But will not his former professions and performances stand him in some stead—will they not avail at least to mitigate his punishment? No: All his righteousness that he has done, though ever so much applauded by men, shall not be mentioned so as to be either a credit or a comfort to him; the righteousness of an apostate is forgotten, as the wickedness of a penitent is. Under the law, if a Nazarite was polluted he lost all the foregoing days of his separation (Nu 6:12), so those that have begun in the spirit and end in the flesh may reckon all their past services and sufferings in vain (Ga 3:3,4); unless we persevere we lose what we have gained, 2Jo 1:8.
II. An appeal to the consciences even of the house of Israel, though very corrupt, concerning God's equity in all these proceedings; for he will be justified, as well as sinners judged, out of their own mouths. 1. The charge they drew up against God is blasphemous, Eze 18:25,29. The house of Israel has the impudence to say, The way of the Lord is not equal, than which nothing could be more absurd as well as impious. He that formed the eye, shall he not see? Can his ways be unequal whose will is the eternal rule of good and evil, right and wrong? Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? No doubt he shall; he cannot do otherwise. 2. God's reasonings with them are very gracious and condescending, for even these blasphemers God would rather have convinced and saved than condemned. One would have expected that God would immediately vindicate the honour of his justice by making those that impeached it eternal monuments of it. Must those be suffered to draw another breath that have once breathed out such wickedness as this? Shall that tongue ever speak again any where but in hell that has once said, The ways of the Lord are not equal? Yes, because this is the day of God's patience, he vouchsafes to argue with them; and he requires them to own, for it is so plain that they cannot deny, (1.) The equity of his ways: Are not my ways equal? No doubt they are. He never lays upon man more than is right. In the present punishments of sinners and the afflictions of his own people, yea, and in the eternal damnation of the impenitent, the ways of the Lord are equal. (2.) The iniquity of their ways: "Are not your ways unequal? It is plain that they are, and the troubles you are in you have brought upon your own heads. God does you no wrong, but you have wronged yourselves." The foolishness of man perverts his way, makes that unequal, and then his heart frets against the Lord, as if his ways were unequal, Pr 19:3. In all our disputes with God, and in all his controversies with us, it will be found that his ways are equal, but ours are unequal, that he is in the right and we are in the wrong.
30-32
Warning against Apostasy (593 BC)
警戒背道（主前593年）
³⁰ 所以主耶和华说：以色列家啊，我必按你们各人所行的审判你们。你们当回头，离开所犯的一切罪过；这样，罪孽必不使你们败亡。 ³¹ 你们要将所犯的一切罪过尽行抛弃，自做一个新心、新灵；以色列家啊，你们何必死亡呢？ ³² 主耶和华说：我不喜悦那死人之死，所以你们当回头而存活。
我们在此看见这整件事的结论和应用。在公义理智的审判台前经过公正的审讯之后，判决是站在神这一边；显明他的道公平。因此接着就要宣判；人会以为那必是定罪的判决，不亚于你们这被咒诅的人，进入那永火里去。但是看哪，这是怜悯的奇事；恩典和神圣忍耐的日子仍被延长；所以，虽然神至终要按各人所行的审判各人，他却等候施恩，并以悔改的呼召和悔改即得赦免的应许作为结束。
一、这里是我们被呼召去行的四样本分，全都归结为同一件事：—1. 我们必须悔改；我们必须改变心意、改变行为；我们必须为所行的错事忧愁羞愧，并尽力去弥补。2. 我们必须从所犯的一切罪过中回转（结18:30,32）。*回转吧，转过身来；转离罪，更要转而与它为敌，视它为你所憎恶的仇敌；转向神，视他为你所爱的朋友。3. 我们必须将所犯的一切罪过尽行抛弃；我们必须弃绝离弃它们，下定决心永不再返回，给罪一张休书，断绝我们与它所立的一切盟约，把它抛入海中，如同水手对待约拿那样（因为罪兴起的风暴），把它从心中逐出，并把它当作罪犯钉在十字架上。4. 我们必须自做一个新心和新灵。*这是结11:19里应许的内容。在此则是诫命的内容。我们必须尽自己的努力，这样神必不缺少将他的恩典赐给我们。圣奥古斯丁对此诫命解释得好：Deus non jubet impossibilia, sed jubendo monet et facere quod possis et petere quod non possis——神不命令人行不可能之事，而是借着命令提醒人行所能行的，并为所不能行的祈求。
二、这里是用来加强这些悔改呼召的四个好理由：—1. 这是防止我们的罪直接趋近的灭亡的唯一途径，也是稳妥途径：*这样，罪孽必不使你们败亡，*这暗示我们若不悔改，罪孽必使我们败亡——今世直到永远；但我们若悔改，就安全了，我们如同从火中抽出的柴。2. 我们若不悔改，必死无疑，我们的血要归到我们自己头上。*以色列家啊，你们何必死亡呢？你们宁可选择死亡和定罪，也不选择生命和救恩，这是何等荒谬。请注意，罪人死亡的原因，是因为他们定意要死；*他们要走下去通向死亡的路，不肯上来接受生命所提供的条件。罪人——尤其是以色列家的罪人——在此最不合理，行事最不可理喻。3. 天上的神不喜悦我们的灭亡，而是渴望我们的福祉（结18:32）：*我不喜悦那死人之死，这暗示他以悔改之人的归回为乐；这既是约束我们悔改的动力，也是鼓励我们悔改的动力。4. 我们若悔改，便永远得救：回转吧，存活吧。那对我们说悔改的，借此就是对我们说存活，是的，他对我们说存活；*所以生死在此陈明在我们面前。
英文原文
Warning against Apostasy (593 BC)
³⁰ Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
³¹ Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
³² For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
We have here the conclusion and application of this whole matter. After a fair trial at the bar of right reason the verdict is brought in on God's side; it appears that his ways are equal. Judgment therefore is next to be given; and one would think it should be a judgment of condemnation, nothing short of Go, you cursed, into everlasting fire. But, behold, a miracle of mercy; the day of grace and divine patience is yet lengthened out; and therefore, though God will at last judge every one according to his ways, yet he waits to be gracious, and closes all with a call to repentance and a promise of pardon upon repentance.
I. Here are four necessary duties that we are called to, all amounting to the same:—1. We must repent; we must change our mind and change our ways; we must be sorry for what we have done amiss and ashamed of it, and go as far as we can towards the undoing of it again. 2. We must turn ourselves from all our transgressions, Eze 18:30,32. Turn yourselves, face about; turn from sin, nay, turn against it as the enemy you loathe, turn to God as the friend you love. 3. We must cast away from us all our transgressions; we must abandon and forsake them with a resolution never to return to them again, give sin a bill of divorce, break all the leagues we have made with it, throw it overboard, as the mariners did Jonah (for it has raised the storm), cast it out of the soul, and crucify it as a malefactor. 4. We must make us a new heart and a new spirit. This was the matter of a promise, Eze 11:19. Here it is the matter of a precept. We must do our endeavour, and then God will not be wanting to us to give us his grace. St. Austin well explains this precept. Deus non jubet impossibilia, sed jubendo monet et facere quod possis et petere quod non possis—God does not enjoin impossibilities, but by his commands admonishes us to do what is in our power and to pray for what is not.
II. Here are four good arguments used to enforce these calls to repentance:—1. It is the only way, and it is a sure way, to prevent the ruin which our sins have a direct tendency to: So iniquity shall not be your ruin, which implies that, if we do not repent, iniquity will be our ruin, here and for ever, but that, if we do, we are safe, we are snatched as brands out of the burning. 2. If we repent not, we certainly perish, and our blood will be upon our own heads. Why will you die, O house of Israel? What an absurd thing it is for you to choose death and damnation rather than life and salvation. Note, The reason why sinners die is because they will die; they will go down the way that leads to death, and not come up to the terms on which life is offered. Herein sinners, especially sinners of the house of Israel, are most unreasonable and act most unaccountably. 3. The God of heaven has no delight in our ruin, but desires our welfare (Eze 18:32): I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies, which implies that he has pleasure in the recovery of those that repent; and this is both an engagement and an encouragement to us to repent. 4. We are made for ever if we repent: Turn yourselves, and live. He that says to us, Repent, thereby says to us, Live, yea, he says to us, Live; so that life and death are here set before us.
或许在阅读前面几章时，我们会受试探以为自己与其中内容无甚相干（虽然那些也是为教训我们写的）；但本章乍看之下，就显然高度且切身地关乎我们众人——极其高度、极其切身；因为本章并不特别论及犹大和耶路撒冷，而是定下了审判的准则——神将照此准则对待世人，判定他们永远归宿——这准则与那古远的准则相符（创4:7）：「你若行得好，岂不蒙悦纳？」但「若行得不好」，罪及其刑罚「就伏在门前」。这里有：一、亵慢的犹太人所用的败坏俗语，这俗语引发了此处传给他们的信息，也使得为神在他们身上的作为辩明成为必要（结18:1-3）。二、对此俗语的回应，其中神总括地宣告他自己的主权和公义（结18:4）。恶人有祸了，他们必遭灾祸（结18:4,20）。至于义人，当告诉他必享福乐（结18:5-9）。具体而言，针对所抱怨的情形，他向我们保证：1. 恶人虽有一位敬虔的父亲，仍必遭灾祸（结18:10-13）。2. 义人虽有一位邪恶的父亲，仍必享福乐（结18:14-18）。因此在这一点上神是公义的（结18:19,20）。3. 悔改者虽起初如何败坏，仍必享福乐（结18:21-23,27,28）。4. 背道者虽起初如何敬虔，仍必遭灾祸（结18:24,26）。而这一切的应用是：（1）为要称神为义，并澄清他一切作为的公正（结18:25,29）。（2）为要促使并鼓励我们悔改己罪、归向神（结18:30-32）。这些事都关乎我们永远的平安。但愿我们在这些事从我们眼前隐藏之前，能明白并留意它们！