티스토리 뷰
■ 목차
├ 본문 보기
├ 주석 보기
└ 일러두기
| 한글듣기☞ | 영어듣기☞ |
■ 에스겔 18장
1. 여호와의 말씀이 또 내게 임하여 가라사대
The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying ,
2. 너희가 이스라엘 땅에 대한 속담에 이르기를 아비가 신 포도를 먹었으므로 아들의 이가 시다고 함은 어찜이뇨
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. 나 주 여호와가 말하노라 내가 나의 삶을 두고 맹세하노니 너희가 이스라엘 가운데서 다시는 이 속담을 쓰지 못하게 되리라
As I live , saith the Lord God , ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel .
4. 모든 영혼이 다 내게 속한지라 아비의 영혼이 내게 속함 같이 아들의 영혼도 내게 속하였나니 범죄하는 그 영혼이 죽으리라
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. 사람이 만일 의로워서 법과 의를 따라 행하며
But if a man be just , and do that which is lawful and right ,
6. 산 위에서 제물을 먹지 아니하며 이스라엘 족속의 우상에게 눈을 들지 아니하며 이웃의 아내를 더럽히지 아니하며 월경 중에 있는 여인을 가까이 하지 아니하며
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. 사람을 학대하지 아니하며 빚진 자의 전당물을 도로 주며 억탈하지 아니하며 주린 자에게 식물을 주며 벗은 자에게 옷을 입히며
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. 변을 위하여 꾸이지 아니하며 이식을 받지 아니하며 스스로 손을 금하여 죄악을 짓지 아니하며 사람 사람 사이에 진실히 판단하며
He that hath not given forth upon usury , neither hath taken any increase , that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity , hath executed true judgment between man and man ,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. 내 율례를 좇으며 내 규례를 지켜 진실히 행할진대 그는 의인이니 정녕 살리라 나 주 여호와의 말이니라
Hath walked in my statutes , and hath kept my judgments , to deal truly ; he is just , he shall surely live , saith the Lord God .
10. 가령 그가 아들을 낳았다 하자 그 아들이 이 모든 선은 하나도 행치 아니하고 이 악 중 하나를 범하여 강포하거나 살인하거나
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. 산 위에서 제물을 먹거나 이웃의 아내를 더럽히거나
And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains , and defiled his neighbour’s wife ,
12. 가난하고 궁핍한 자를 학대하거나 억탈하거나 빚진 자의 전당물을 도로 주지 아니하거나 우상에게 눈을 들거나 가증한 일을 행하거나
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. 변을 위하여 꾸이거나 이식을 받거나 할진대 그가 살겠느냐 살지 못하리니 이 모든 가증한 일을 행하였은즉 정녕 죽을지라 자기의 피가 자기에게 돌아가리라
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. 또 가령 그가 아들을 낳았다 하자 그 아들이 그 아비의 행한 모든 죄를 보고 두려워하여 그대로 행하지 아니하고
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. 산 위에서 제물을 먹지도 아니하며 이스라엘 족속의 우상에게 눈을 들지도 아니하며 이웃의 아내를 더럽히지도 아니하며
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. 사람을 학대하지도 아니하며 전당을 잡지도 아니하며 억탈하지도 아니하고 주린 자에게 식물을 주며 벗은 자에게 옷을 입히며
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. 손을 금하여 가난한 자를 압제하지 아니하며 변이나 이식을 취하지 아니하여 내 규례를 지키며 내 율례를 행할진대 이 사람은 그 아비의 죄악으로 인하여 죽지 아니하고 정녕 살겠고
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. 그 아비는 심히 포학하여 그 동족을 억탈하고 민간에 불선을 행하였으므로 그는 그 죄악으로 인하여 죽으리라
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. 그런데 너희는 이르기를 아들이 어찌 아비의 죄를 담당치 않겠느뇨 하는도다 아들이 법과 의를 행하며 내 모든 율례를 지켜 행하였으면 그는 정녕 살려니와
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. 범죄하는 그 영혼은 죽을지라 아들은 아비의 죄악을 담당치 아니할 것이요 아비는 아들의 죄악을 담당치 아니하리니 의인의 의도 자기에게로 돌아가고 악인의 악도 자기에게로 돌아가리라
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.
21. 그러나 악인이 만일 그 행한 모든 죄에서 돌이켜 떠나 내 모든 율례를 지키고 법과 의를 행하면 정녕 살고 죽지 아니할 것이라
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. 그 범죄한 것이 하나도 기억함이 되지 아니하리니 그 행한 의로 인하여 살리라
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. 나 주 여호와가 말하노라 내가 어찌 악인의 죽는 것을 조금인들 기뻐하랴 그가 돌이켜 그 길에서 떠나서 사는 것을 어찌 기뻐하지 아니하겠느냐
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. 만일 의인이 돌이켜 그 의에서 떠나서 범죄하고 악인의 행하는 모든 가증한 일대로 행하면 살겠느냐 그 행한 의로운 일은 하나도 기억함이 되지 아니하리니 그가 그 범한 허물과 그 지은 죄로 인하여 죽으리라
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. 그런데 너희는 이르기를 주의 길이 공평치 않다 하는도다 이스라엘 족속아 들을지어다 내 길이 어찌 공평치 아니하냐 너희 길이 공평치 않은 것이 아니냐
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. 만일 의인이 그 의를 떠나 죄악을 행하고 인하여 죽으면 그 행한 죄악으로 인하여 죽는 것이요
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. 만일 악인이 그 행한 악을 떠나 법과 의를 행하면 그 영혼을 보전하리라
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. 그가 스스로 헤아리고 그 행한 모든 죄악에서 돌이켜 떠났으니 정녕 살고 죽지 아니하리라
Because he considereth , and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed , he shall surely live , he shall not die .
29. 그런데 이스라엘 족속은 이르기를 주의 길이 공평치 않다 하는도다 이스라엘 족속아 나의 길이 어찌 공평치 아니하냐 너희 길이 공평치 않은 것이 아니냐
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 ?
30. 나 주 여호와가 말하노라 이스라엘 족속아 내가 너희 각 사람의 행한 대로 국문할지니라 너희는 돌이켜 회개하고 모든 죄에서 떠날지어다 그리한즉 죄악이 너희를 패망케 아니하리라
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. 너희는 범한 모든 죄악을 버리고 마음과 영을 새롭게 할지어다 이스라엘 족속아 너희가 어찌하여 죽고자 하느냐
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. 나 주 여호와가 말하노라 죽는 자의 죽는 것은 내가 기뻐하지 아니하노니 너희는 스스로 돌이키고 살지니라
For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth , saith the Lord God : wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
■ 주석 보기
【겔18:1 JFB】겔18:1-32. The Parable of the Sour Grapes Reproved.
Vindication of God's moral government as to His retributive righteousness from the Jewish imputation of injustice, as if they were suffering, not for their own sin, but for that of their fathers. As in the seventeenth chapter he foretold Messiah's happy reign in Jerusalem, so now he warns them that its blessings can be theirs only upon their individually turning to righteousness.
【겔18:1 CWC】[PARABLES AND RIDDLES]
The Unfaithful Wife. Chapter 16.
The theme of chapter 16 is Jerusalem and her abominations (vv. 1, 2), but it is worked out in parabolic form, Jerusalem, or the nation of Israel, being personified as a female.
There are four stages in the story: (1) Jehovah adopts her as an infant (vv. 1-7); when attained to marriageable age she becomes his wife (vv. 8-14); as a wife she proves unfaithful (vv. 15-34); punishment follows (vv. 35-52); unexpected and unmerited restoration is promised (vv. 53-63).
Verse 7, first part, is corroborated by 출12:37, 38. To spread a skirt (v. 8) was an oriental mode of espousal (룻3:9). With verse 9 compare 출19:12, and similar allusions. Verses 11-13 refer to the customary marriage gifts of one who was to become a queen. Verses 15-36 speak of her worship of idols after the manner of the surrounding nations, with which was accompanied gross sins of the flesh. Verses 35-52 refer figuratively to the shame, suffering, and loss, entailed by the Babylonian siege and overthrow -- the enemy hurled stones at the siege and slew with the sword afterward (v. 40), and so on throughout.
The restoration was to be brought about at the end, not on the ground of Israel's repentance even, but of God's own promise to the fathers (v. 60). It would be His returning to them that would result in their returning to Him (v. 61).
2. The Eagles and the Vine. 17.
The "eagle" (v. 2) was the symbol of the Assyrian god Nisroch, and is here applied to the king of Babylon. "Lebanon" means Jerusalem, and "the highest branch" its King, Jeconiah, or Jehoiachin, whom the Babylonians carried away some time previously (왕하24:8-16). The "city of merchants" is Babylon. The "seed of the land planted" is Zedekiah placed on the throne of Judah by Babylon. Verse 6 means that at first Zedekiah was an obedient vassal to Babylon. The "eagle" of verse 7 is Egypt towards whom Judah turned in her heart, as a means of breaking the Babylonian yoke. But her scheme would not prosper (vv. 9, 10), as the remainder of the chapter shows.
3. Eating Sour Grapes. 18.
Verse 2 shows the people were charging injustice upon God, and claiming that they were suffering not for their own sins but their fathers, but He proves that this is not so. How does the last clause of verse 4 declare to the contrary? Note the following illustration of God's impartiality in a series of supposed cases:(a) a just man (vv. 5-9); (b) an unjust son of a just man (vv. 10-13); (c) a just son of a unjust man (vv. 14-18). "Righteousness," in verse 20 is not used as if any were absolutely righteous, which would contradict Scripture everywhere; but in the sense of seeking righteousness in God's way as far as that way had been revealed to them. In the light of the New Testament there is no ground of righteousness save that which is imputed for Christ's sake, and as the result of His atonement; but while this was not clearly understood by the Old Testament saints, yet it was the ground on which any righteousness of theirs could be accepted. This is brought out in verse 22, "in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live." Not "for," or "on account of" that righteousness, but "in" it. In the same manner, verse 31, shows not what man can do, but what he ought to do; and when he sees that he ought to make him a clean heart, and finds that he can not, he throws himself in his helplessness on God's mercy and receives it.
【겔18:1 MHCC】 God has no respect of persons. (겔18:1-20) The Divine providence is vindicated. (겔18:21-29) A gracious invitation to repentance. (겔18:30-32)
겔18:1-20 The soul that sinneth it shall die. As to eternity, every man was, is, and will be dealt with, as his conduct shows him to have been under the old covenant of works, or the new covenant of grace. Whatever outward sufferings come upon men through the sins of others, they deserve for their own sins all they suffer; and the Lord overrules every event for the eternal good of believers. All souls are in the hand of the great Creator: he will deal with them in justice or mercy; nor will any perish for the sins of another, who is not in some sense worthy of death for his own. We all have sinned, and our souls must be lost, if God deal with us according to his holy law; but we are invited to come to Christ. If a man who had shown his faith by his works, had a wicked son, whose character and conduct were the reverse of his parent's, could it be expected he should escape the Divine vengeance on account of his father's piety? Surely not. And should a wicked man have a son who walked before God as righteous, this man would not perish for his father's sins. If the son was not free from evils in this life, still he should be partaker of salvation. The question here is not about the meritorious ground of justification, but about the Lord's dealings with the righteous and the wicked.
겔18:21-29 The wicked man would be saved, if he turned from his evil ways. The true penitent is a true believer. None of his former transgressions shall be mentioned unto him, but in the righteousness which he has done, as the fruit of faith and the effect of conversion, he shall surely live. The question is not whether the truly righteous ever become apostates. It is certain that many who for a time were thought to be righteous, do so, while 겔18:26,27 speaks the fulness of pardoning mercy: when sin is forgiven, it is blotted out, it is remembered no more. In their righteousness they shall live; not for their righteousness, as if that were an atonement for their sins, but in their righteousness, which is one of the blessings purchased by the Mediator. What encouragement a repenting, returning sinner has to hope for pardon and life according to this promise! In verse 28 is the beginning and progress of repentance. True believers watch and pray, and continue to the end, and they are saved. In all our disputes with God, he is in the right, and we are in the wrong.
겔18:30-32 The Lord will judge each of the Israelites according to his ways. On this is grounded an exhortation to repent, and to make them a new heart and a new spirit. God does not command what cannot be done, but admonishes us to do what is in our power, and to pray for what is not. Ordinances and means are appointed, directions and promises are given, that those who desire this change may seek it from God.
【겔18:2 JFB】2. fathers … eaten sour grapes, … children's teeth … set on edge—Their unbelieving calumnies on God's justice had become so common as to have assumed a proverbial form. The sin of Adam in eating the forbidden fruit, visited on his posterity, seems to have suggested the peculiar form; noticed also by Jeremiah (렘31:29); and explained in 애5:7, "Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities." They mean by "the children" themselves, as though they were innocent, whereas they were far from being so. The partial reformation effected since Manasseh's wicked reign, especially among the exiles at Chebar, was their ground for thinking so; but the improvement was only superficial and only fostered their self-righteous spirit, which sought anywhere but in themselves the cause of their calamities; just as the modern Jews attribute their present dispersion, not to their own sins, but to those of their forefathers. It is a universal mark of corrupt nature to lay the blame, which belongs to ourselves, on others and to arraign the justice of God. Compare 창3:12, where Adam transfers the blame of his sin to Eve, and even to God, "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat."
【겔18:3 JFB】3. ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb—because I will let it be seen by the whole world in the very fact that you are not righteous, as ye fancy yourselves, but wicked, and that you suffer only the just penalty of your guilt; while the elect righteous remnant alone escapes.
【겔18:4 JFB】4. all souls are mine—Therefore I can deal with all, being My own creation, as I please (렘18:6). As the Creator of all alike I can have no reason, but the principle of equity, according to men's works, to make any difference, so as to punish some, and to save others (창18:25). "The soul that sinneth it shall die." The curse descending from father to son assumes guilt shared in by the son; there is a natural tendency in the child to follow the sin of his father, and so he shares in the father's punishment: hence the principles of God's government, involved in 출20:5 and 렘15:4, are justified. The sons, therefore (as the Jews here), cannot complain of being unjustly afflicted by God (애5:7); for they filled up the guilt of their fathers (마23:32, 34-36). The same God who "recompenses the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children," is immediately after set forth as "giving to every man according to his ways" (렘32:18, 19). In the same law (출20:5) which "visited the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation" (where the explanation is added, "of them that hate me," that is, the children hating God, as well as their fathers: the former being too likely to follow their parents, sin going down with cumulative force from parent to child), we find (신24:16), "the fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither the children for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin." The inherited guilt of sin in infants (롬5:14) is an awful fact, but one met by the atonement of Christ; but it is of adults that he speaks here. Whatever penalties fall on communities for connection with sins of their fathers, individual adults who repent shall escape (왕하23:25, 26). This was no new thing, as some misinterpret the passage here; it had been always God's principle to punish only the guilty, and not also the innocent, for the sins of their fathers. God does not here change the principle of His administration, but is merely about to manifest it so personally to each that the Jews should no longer throw on God and on their fathers the blame which was their own.
soul that sinneth, it shall die—and it alone (롬6:23); not also the innocent.
【겔18:5 JFB】5. Here begins the illustration of God's impartiality in a series of supposed cases. The first case is given in 겔18:5-9, the just man. The excellencies are selected in reference to the prevailing sins of the age, from which such a one stood aloof; hence arises the omission of some features of righteousness, which, under different circumstances, would have been desirable to be enumerated. Each age has its own besetting temptations, and the just man will be distinguished by his guarding against the peculiar defilements, inward and outward, of his age.
just … lawful … right—the duties of the second table of the law, which flow from the fear of God. Piety is the root of all charity; to render to each his own, as well to our neighbor, as to God.
【겔18:6 JFB】6. not eaten upon … mountains—the high places, where altars were reared. A double sin: sacrificing elsewhere than at the temple, where only God sanctioned sacrifice (신12:13, 14); and this to idols instead of to Jehovah. "Eaten" refers to the feasts which were connected with the sacrifices (see 출32:6; 신32:38; 유9:27; 고전8:4, 10; 10:7).
lifted … eyes to—namely, in adoration (시121:1). The superstitious are compared to harlots; their eyes go eagerly after spiritual lusts. The righteous man not merely refrains from the act, but from the glance of spiritual lust (욥31:1; 마5:28).
idols of … Israel—not merely those of the Gentiles, but even those of Israel. The fashions of his countrymen could not lead him astray.
defiled … neighbour's wife—Not only does he shrink from spiritual, but also from carnal, adultery (compare 고전6:18).
neither … menstruous woman—Leprosy and elephantiasis were said to be the fruit of such a connection [Jerome]. Chastity is to be observed even towards one's own wife (레18:19; 20:18).
【겔18:7 JFB】7. restored … pledge—that which the poor debtor absolutely needed; as his raiment, which the creditor was bound to restore before sunset (출22:26, 27), and his millstone, which was needed for preparing his food (신24:6, 10-13).
bread to … hungry … covered … naked—(사58:7; 마25:35, 36). After duties of justice come those of benevolence. It is not enough to refrain from doing a wrong to our neighbor, we must also do him good. The bread owned by a man, though "his," is given to him, not to keep to himself, but to impart to the needy.
【겔18:8 JFB】8. usury—literally, "biting." The law forbade the Jew to take interest from brethren but permitted him to do so from a foreigner (출22:25; 신23:19, 20; 느5:7; 시15:5). The letter of the law was restricted to the Jewish polity, and is not binding now; and indeed the principle of taking interest was even then sanctioned, by its being allowed in the case of a foreigner. The spirit of the law still binds us, that we are not to take advantage of our neighbor's necessities to enrich ourselves, but be satisfied with moderate, or even no, interest, in the case of the needy.
increase—in the case of other kinds of wealth; as "usury" refers to money (레25:36).
withdrawn … hand, &c.—Where he has the opportunity and might find a plausible plea for promoting his own gain at the cost of a wrong to his neighbor, he keeps back his hand from what selfishness prompts.
judgment—justice.
【겔18:9 JFB】9. truly—with integrity.
surely live—literally, "live in life." Prosper in this life, but still more in the life to come (잠3:1, 2; 암5:4).
【겔18:10 JFB】10-13. The second case is that of an impious son of a pious father. His pious parentage, so far from excusing, aggravates his guilt.
robber—or literally, "a breaker," namely, through all constraints of right.
doeth the like to any one—The Hebrew and the parallel (겔18:18) require us to translate rather, "doeth to his brother any of these things," namely, the things which follow in 겔18:11, &c. [Maurer].
【겔18:11 JFB】11. those duties—which his father did (겔18:5, 9).
【겔18:12 JFB】12. oppressed the poor—an aggravation to his oppressions, that they were practised against the poor; whereas in 겔18:7 the expression is simply "oppressed any."
abomination—singular number referring to the particular one mentioned at the end of 겔18:6.
【겔18:13 JFB】13. shall he … live?—because of the merits of his father; answering, by contrast, to "die for the iniquity of his father" (겔18:17).
his blood shall be upon him—The cause of his bloody death shall rest with himself; God is not to blame, but is vindicated as just in punishing him.
【겔18:14 JFB】14-18. The third case: a son who walks not in the steps of an unrighteous father, but in the ways of God; for example, Josiah, the pious son of guilty Amon; Hezekiah, of Ahaz (왕하16:1-20; 18:1-37; 21:1-22:20).
seeth … and considereth—The same Hebrew stands for both verbs, "seeth … yea, seeth." The repetition implies the attentive observation needed, in order that the son may not be led astray by his father's bad example; as sons generally are blind to parents sins, and even imitate them as if they were virtues.
【겔18:17 JFB】17. taken off his hand from the poor—that is, abstained from oppressing the poor, when he had the opportunity of doing so with impunity.The different sense of the phrase in 겔16:49, in reference to relieving the poor, seems to have suggested the reading followed by Fairbairn, but not sanctioned by the Hebrew, "hath not turned his hand from," &c. But 겔20:22 uses the phrase in a somewhat similar sense to English Version here, abstained from hurting.
【겔18:19 JFB】19. Here the Jews object to the prophet's word and in their objection seem to seek a continuance of that very thing which they had originally made a matter of complaint. Therefore translate, "Wherefore doth not the son bear the iniquity of his father?" It now would seem a consolation to them to think the son might suffer for his father's misdeeds; for it would soothe their self-love to regard themselves as innocent sufferers for the guilt of others and would justify them in their present course of life, which they did not choose to abandon for a better. In reply, Ezekiel reiterates the truth of each being dealt with according to his own merits [Fairbairn]. But Grotius supports English Version, wherein the Jews contradict the prophet, "Why (sayest thou so) doth not the son (often, as in our case, though innocent) bear (that is, suffer for) the iniquity of their father?" Ezekiel replies, It is not as you say, but as I in the name of God say: "When the son hath done," &c. English Version is simpler than that of Fairbairn.
【겔18:20 JFB】20. son shall not bear … iniquity of … father—(신24:16; 왕하14:6).
righteousness … wickedness—that is, the reward for righteousness … the punishment of wickedness. "Righteousness" is not used as if any were absolutely righteous; but, of such as have it imputed to them for Christ's sake, though not under the Old Testament themselves understanding the ground on which they were regarded as righteous, but sincerely seeking after it in the way of God's appointment, so far as they then understood this way.
【겔18:21 JFB】21-24. Two last cases, showing the equity of God: (1) The penitent sinner is dealt with according to his new obedience, not according to his former sins. (2) The righteous man who turns from righteousness to sin shall be punished for the latter, and his former righteousness will be of no avail to him.
he shall surely live—Despair drives men into hardened recklessness; God therefore allures men to repentance by holding out hope [Calvin].
Hitherto the cases had been of a change from bad to good, or vice versa, in one generation compared with another. Here it is such a change in one and the same individual. This, as practically affecting the persons here addressed, is properly put last. So far from God laying on men the penalty of others' sins, He will not even punish them for their own, if they turn from sin to righteousness; but if they turn from righteousness to sin, they must expect in justice that their former goodness will not atone for subsequent sin (히10:38, 39; 벧후2:20-22). The exile in Babylon gave a season for repentance of those sins which would have brought death on the perpetrator in Judea while the law could be enforced; so it prepared the way for the Gospel [Grotius].
【겔18:22 JFB】22. in his righteousness … he shah live—in it, not for it, as if that atoned for his former sins; but "in his righteousness" he shall live, as the evidence of his being already in favor with God through the merit of Messiah, who was to come. The Gospel clears up for us many such passages (벧전1:12), which were dimly understood at the time, while men, however, had light enough for salvation.
【겔18:23 JFB】23. (딤전2:4; 벧후3:9). If men perish, it is because they will not come to the Lord for salvation; not that the Lord is not willing to save them (요5:40). They trample on not merely justice, but mercy; what farther hope can there be for them, when even mercy is against them? (히10:26-29).
【겔18:24 JFB】24. righteous—one apparently such; as in 마9:13, "I came not to call the righteous," &c., that is, those who fancy themselves righteous. Those alone are true saints who by the grace of God persevere (마24:13; 고전10:12; 요10:28, 29).
turneth away from … righteousness—an utter apostasy; not like the exceptional offenses of the godly through infirmity or heedlessness, which they afterwards mourn over and repent of.
not be mentioned—not be taken into account so as to save them.
his trespass—utter apostasy.
【겔18:25 JFB】25. Their plea for saying, "The way of the Lord is not equal," was that God treated different classes in a different way. But it was really their way that was unequal, since living in sin they expected to be dealt with as if they were righteous. God's way was invariably to deal with different men according to their deserts.
【겔18:26 JFB】26-28. The two last instances repeated in inverse order. God's emphatic statement of His principle of government needs no further proof than the simple statement of it.
in them—in the actual sins, which are the manifestations of the principle of "iniquity," mentioned just before.
【겔18:27 JFB】27. he shall save his soul—that is, he shall have it saved upon his repentance.
【겔18:28 JFB】28. considereth—the first step to repentance; for the ungodly do not consider either God or themselves (신32:29; 시119:59, 60; Lu 15:17, 18).
【겔18:29 JFB】29. Though God's justice is so plainly manifested, sinners still object to it because they do not wish to see it (미2:7; 마11:18, 19).
【겔18:30 JFB】30-32. As God is to judge them "according to their ways" (잠1:31), their only hope is to "repent"; and this is a sure hope, for God takes no delight in judging them in wrath, but graciously desires their salvation on repentance.
I will judge you—Though ye cavil, it is a sufficient answer that I, your Judge, declare it so, and will judge you according to My will; and then your cavils must end.
Repent—inward conversion (계2:5). In the Hebrew there is a play of like sounds, "Turn ye and return."
turn yourselves, &c.—the outward fruits of repentance. Not as the Margin, "turn others"; for the parallel clause (겔18:31) is, "cast away from you all your transgressions." Perhaps, however, the omission of the object after the verb in the Hebrew implies that both are included: Turn alike yourselves and all whom you can influence.
from all … transgressions—not as if believers are perfect; but they sincerely aim at perfection, so as to be habitually and wilfully on terms with no sin (요일3:6-9):
your ruin—literally, "your snare," entangling you in ruin.
【겔18:31 JFB】31. Cast away from you—for the cause of your evil rests with yourselves; your sole way of escape is to be reconciled to God (엡4:22, 23).
make you a new heart—This shows, not what men can do, but what they ought to do: what God requires of us. God alone can make us a new heart (겔11:19; 36:26, 27). The command to do what men cannot themselves do is designed to drive them (instead of laying the blame, as the Jews did, elsewhere rather than on themselves) to feel their own helplessness, and to seek God's Holy Spirit (시51:11, 12). Thus the outward exhortation is, as it were, the organ or instrument which God uses for conferring grace. So we may say with Augustine, "Give what thou requirest, and (then) require what thou wilt." Our strength (which is weakness in itself) shall suffice for whatever He exacts, if only He gives the supply [Calvin].
spirit—the understanding: as the "heart" means the will and affections. The root must be changed before the fruit can be good.
why will ye die—bring on your own selves your ruin. God's decrees are secret to us; it is enough for us that He invites all, and will reject none that seek Him.
※ 일러두기
웹 브라우저 주소창에 'https://foreverorkr.tistory.com/pages/' 다음에 '창1' 처럼 성경 약자와 장 번호를 입력하면 해당 장으로 바로 이동할 수 있다. 상단의 '한글듣기'와 '영어듣기' 우측의 플레이 아이콘을 누르면 읽는 성경을 들으며 읽을 수 있다.(읽는 성경의 출처는 https://mp3bible.ca , https://www.wordproject.org 이다) 성경 번역본은 개역 한글과 킴제임스 버전(KJV)이다. 주석은 세 가지로 CWC는 Christian Workers' Commentary, MHCC는 Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, JFB는 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible을 의미한다.