*H That you use among you this parable as a proverb in the land of Israel, saying: The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge.
Ver. 2. Edge. Those in captivity would not allow that they were punished for their own sins: God convinces them of the contrary. W. — They knew that he often visited the sins of the fathers upon the children, (Ex. xx. 5. and xxiv. 5. C.) when they also hated him, (H.) and that many had suffered for their parents' faults, like those of Saul, David, &c. C. — But these were all guilty of original sin at least, and death is not always a real misfortune. H. — God seems to allow that the complaints had hitherto had some grounds, (Jer. xxxi.) but that they should be removed after the captivity, and still more effectually by the death of Christ, who came to redeem sinners, and rejected none. By baptism he cancels original sin, the sour grape, and those who cannot receive it are not innocent. C. — God chastises the body, but not the soul of children, for their parents' faults: (M.) and this conduct is a trial for them, which may increase their glory. H.
* Footnote * Jeremias 31 : 29
In those days they shall say no more: The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the teeth of the children are set on edge.*H Behold all souls are mine: as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, the same shall die.
Ver. 4. Mine. He insinuates the vocation of the Gentiles and the general redemption. All will be treated according to their works. C.
*H And hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel: and hath not defiled his neighbour's wife, nor come near to a menstruous woman:
Ver. 6. Mountains: of the sacrifices there offered to idols; (Ch.) or partaken in their usual feasts. Some irregularly worshipped God in these high places, under many pious kings; and were tolerated, (C.) though condemned for so doing. H. — Woman. The pagans abstained by the light of reason. C. — The contrary practice, "it is said," would give rise to lepers or monsters, (S. Jer.) as experience evinces. C. — It was forbidden in the Christian Church. S. Aug. q. 64. in Lev. xx. 18. S. Greg. resp. 10. ad Aug. C. — But no such questions are now asked. The prophet insists on this no more. v. 11, 15.
*H And hath not wronged any man: but hath restored the pledge to the debtor, hath taken nothing away by violence: hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment:
Ver. 7. Wronged. Lit. "contristated." H. — Heb. "oppressed," maliciously.
* Footnote * Isaias 58 : 7
Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring the needy and the harbourless into thy house: when thou shalt see one naked, cover him, and despise not thy own flesh.* Footnote * Matthew 25 : 35
For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in:*H Hath not lent upon usury, nor taken any increase: hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, and hath executed true judgment between man and man:
Ver. 8. Increase more than what he lent, on any pretext. S. Jer. C.
*H And if he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that hath done some one of these things:
Ver. 10. Robber. Heb. "breaker;" rude and lawless. Sept. "pestilent."
*H That grieveth the needy and the poor, that taketh away by violence, that restoreth not the pledge, and that lifteth up his eyes to idols, that comitteth abomination:
Ver. 12. Abomination. This refers to the woman, (v. 6.) or to idolatry.
*H That giveth upon usury, and that taketh an increase: shall such a one live? he shall not live. Seeing he hath done all these detestable things, he shall surely die, his blood shall be upon him.
Ver. 13. Him. He alone is answerable, and shall suffer.
*H The soul that sinneth, the same shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, and the father shall not bear the iniquity of the son: the justice of the just shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
Ver. 20. Sinneth. God never acted otherwise, though the Jews seem to have thought so. Temporal afflictions are the source of merit, and generally fall to the share of the saints, particularly under the new law.
* Footnote * Deuteronomy 24 : 16
The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children for the fathers, but every one shall die for his own sin,* Footnote * 4_Kings 14 : 6
But the children of the murderers he did not put to death, according to that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the Lord commanded, saying: The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: but every man shall die for his own sin.* Footnote * 2_Paralipomenon 25 : 4
But he slew not their children, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying: The fathers shall not be slain for the children, nor the children for their fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.*H But if the wicked do penance for all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my commandments, and do judgment, and justice, living he shall live, and shall not die.
Ver. 21. Penance. The end determines all. If a person be then found just or unjust at his departure, he will be treated accordingly. W.
*H Is it my will that a sinner should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways, and live?
Ver. 23. Will. God sincerely wishes that the sinner should be converted. If he refuse grace, it is only in punishment of former transgressions. S. Aug. ep. 217. — He wills antecedently their salvation, (1 Tim. ii. 4.) though he has a consequent will to punish them, as they speak in the schools, because they themselves will not be saved. Sanct. C. — God's absolute will is always fulfilled, not that which is conditional. S. Jo. Dam. (Fide ii. 29.) S. Tho. p. 1. q. 19. a. 6. — He does enough by offering his graces and the death of Christ, to shew that his will is sincere; though by a consequent will his justice punishes the impenitent. Thus a virtuous judge would have all to observe the laws and live: but finding some transgress, so as to become pernicious, he punishes them with death. W.
* Footnote * 2_Peter 3 : 9
The Lord delayeth not his promise, as some imagine, but dealeth patiently for your sake, not willing that any should perish, but that all should return to penance,*H But if the just man turn himself away from his justice, and do iniquity according to all the abominations which the wicked man useth to work, shall he live? all his justices which he hath done, shall not be remembered: in the prevarication, by which he hath prevaricated, and in his sin, which he hath committed, in them he shall die.
Ver. 24. Remembered, to procure him pardon; yet he will suffer less than if he had never done any good. C.
*H And you have said: The way of the Lord is not right. Hear ye, therefore, O house of Israel: Is it my way that is not right, and are not rather your ways perverse?
Ver. 25. Not right, in thus punishing or rewarding for the last act; (Theod.) or rather, God shews that those who complain are guilty.
*H And when the wicked turneth himself away from his wickedness, which he hath wrought, and doeth judgment, and justice: he shall save his soul alive.
Ver. 27. Alive. Mortal sin destroys that life of grace. C.
*H Therefore will I judge every man according to his ways, O house of Israel, saith the Lord God. Be converted, and do penance for all your iniquities: and iniquity shall not be your ruin.
Ver. 30. Do penance. This is requisite, as well as a change of conduct. W.
* Footnote * Matthew 3 : 2
And saying: Do penance: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.* Footnote * Luke 3 : 3
And he came into all the country about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of penance for the remission of sins.*H Cast away from you all your transgressions, by which you have transgressed, and make to yourselves a new heart, and a new spirit: and why will you die, O house of Israel?
Ver. 31. New. We can do no good of ourselves: but we are admonished of our free-will, that we may do what we can, and ask for grace. Trid. Ses. vi. 5. 11. Jam. i. 5. and 2 Cor. iii. 5. S. Aug. &c. C.