One shal not beare the sinnes of an other, but euerie one their owne: 21. If the wieked truly repent, he shal be saued: and if the iust leaue his iustice, he shal be damned.
1And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: What is the meaning?Il Signore parlommi, dicendo:AND the word of our Lord was made to me, saying:Et factus est sermo Domini ad me, dicens: 2That 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.Per qual motivo tra voi nella terra d'Israele avete convertito in proverbio questa similitudine: I padri (voi dite) mangiarono uva acerba, e si sono allegati i denti ai figliuoli?What is that among you, you turne a parable into this prouer be in the land of Israel, saying: The fathers did eate a sowre grape, and the teeth of the children are set on edge?Quid est quod inter vos parabolam vertitis in proverbium istud in terra Israël, dicentes: Patres comederunt uvam acerbam, et dentes filiorum obstupescunt ? 3As I live, saith the Lord God, this parable shall be no more to you a proverb in Israel.Io giuro, dice il Signore Dio, che questa parabola non sarà più per voi un proverbio in Israele;Liue I, saith our Lord God, if this parable shal be vnto you any more for a prouerbe in Israel,Vivo ego, dicit Dominus Deus, si erit ultra vobis parabola hæc in proverbium in Israël. 4Behold 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.Imperocché tutte le anime sono mie, come l'anima del padre, così anche l'anima del figliuolo e mia: l'anima, che avrà peccato, ella perirà.Behold al soules are mine: as the soule of the father, so also the soule of the sonne is mine: the soule that shal sinne, the same shal dye.Ecce omnes animæ meæ sunt: ut anima patris, ita et anima filii mea est: anima quæ peccaverit, ipsa morietur. 5And if a man be just, and do judgment and justice,E se un uomo sarà giusto, e viverà secondo il diritto, e il giusto,And a man if he shal be iust, and hath done iudgement and iustice,Et vir si fuerit justus, et fecerit judicium et justitiam, 6And 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:Non farà banchetto sui monti, e non alzerà i suoi occhi agl'idoli della casa d'Israele, e non violerà la moglie del suo prossimo, e non si appresserà alla propria moglie in tempo di sua incomodità:hath not eaten on the mountaynes, and not lifted vp his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel: and hath not violated his neighbours wife, and approched not to a menstruous woman:in montibus non comederit, et oculos suos non levaverit ad idola domus Israël: et uxorem proximi sui non violaverit, et ad mulierem menstruatam non accesserit:
7And 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:E non offenderà alcun uomo; renderà il pegno al debitore; non rapirà per forza l'altrui; farà parte del proprio pane all'affamato, e rivestirà l'ignudo:and made no man sorowful: hath restored the pledge to the debter, taken nothing away by violence: hath geuen his bread to the hungrie, and coueted the naked with a garment:et hominem non contristaverit, pignus debitori reddiderit, per vim nihil rapuerit: panem suum esurienti dederit, et nudum operuerit vestimento: 8Hath not lent upon usury, nor taken any increase: hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, and hath executed true judgment between man and man:Non presterà ad usura, e non riceverà più del dato; ritrarrà la sua mano dall'iniquità, e retto giudizio pronunzierà tra uomo, ed uomo:hath not lent to vsurie, and not taken more: hath turned away his hand from iniquitie, and done true iudgement betwen man and man:ad usuram non commodaverit, et amplius non acceperit: ab iniquitate averterit manum suam, et judicium verum fecerit inter virum et virum: 9Hath walked in my commandments, and kept my judgments, to do truth: he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God.Camminerà ne' miei precetti, ed osserverà le mie leggi per operare secondo la verità: questi è giusto, avrà vita, dice il Signore Dio.hath walked in my precepts, and kept my iudgements, to doe truth: this man is iust, liuing he shal liue, saith our Lord God.in præceptis meis ambulaverit, et judicia mea custodierit, ut faciat veritatem: hic justus est; vita vivet, ait Dominus Deus. 10And if he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that hath done some one of these things:Che se egli avrà generato un figliuolo ladrone, omicida, e che abbia fatta una di queste cose;And if he hath begotten a sonne that is a robber shedding bloud, & he doe one of these thinges:Quod si genuerit filium latronem, effundentem sanguinem, et fecerit unum de istis: 11Though he doth not all these things, but that eateth upon the mountains, and that defileth his neighbour’s wife:E non tutte le abbia fatte, ma banchetti sui monti, e violi la moglie del suo prossimo,and that doth not in dede al these thinges, but eateth on the mountaynes, and defileth his neighbours wife:et hæc quidem omnia non facientem, sed in montibus comedentem, et uxorem proximi sui polluentem:
12That 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 committeth abomination:Offenda il piccolo, e il povero, faccia rapine, non renda il pegno, alzi gli occhi suoi ai simulacri, commetta abbominazioni,that maketh the needie and poore sorowful, violently committeth robberies, restoreth not the pledge, & lifteth his eyes to idols, doth abomination:egenum et pauperem contristantem, rapientem rapinas, pignus non reddentem, et ad idola levantem oculos suos, abominationem facientem: 13That 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.Dia ad usura, e riceva più del dato, avrà egli vita? Non avrà vita. Avendo fatto tutte queste detestabili cose, egli certamente morrà, il suo sangue sarà sopra di lui.that geueth to vsurie, and taketh more: what, shal he liue? he shal not liue. Wheras he hath done al these detestable thinges, dying he shal dye, his bloud shal be vpon him.ad usuram dantem, et amplius accipientem: numquid vivet ? Non vivet: cum universa hæc detestanda fecerit, morte morietur; sanguis ejus in ipso erit. 14But if he beget a son, who, seeing all his father’s sins, which he hath done, is afraid, and shall not do the like to them:Che se questi avrà un figliuolo, il quale veggendo tutti i peccati commessi al padre suo, avrà timore, e non lo imiterà in questi,But and if he hath begotten a sonne, that seing al his fathers sinnes, which he hath done, is afrayd, and shal not doe the like to them:Quod si genuerit filium, qui videns omnia peccata patris sui quæ fecit, timuerit, et non fecerit simile eis: 15That 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:Non banchetterà sui monti, e non alzerà gli occhi ai simulacri della casa d'Israele, e non violerà la moglie del suo prossimo,hath not eaten vpon the mountaines, and not lifted vp his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and hath not violated his neighbours wife:super montes non comederit, et oculos suos non levaverit ad idola domus Israël, et uxorem proximi sui non violaverit: 16And hath not grieved any man, nor withholden the pledge, nor taken away with violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and covered the naked with a garment:E non offenderà alcun uomo, non riterrà il pegno, non farà rapine, darà del suo pane all'affamato, e rivestirà l'ignudo;and hath made no man sorowful, hath not withheld the pledge, and hath not violently committed robberie, hath geuen his bread to the hungrie, and couered the naked with clothing:et virum non contristaverit, pignus non retinuerit, et rapinam non rapuerit: panem suum esurienti dederit, et nudum operuerit vestimento:
17That hath turned away his hand from injuring the poor, hath not taken usury and increase, but hath executed my judgments, and hath walked in my commandments: this man shall not die for the iniquity of his father, but living he shall live.Conterrà la sua mano dal fare al povero ingiuria, non prenderà usura, né il soprappiù, osserverà le mie leggi, e camminerà ne' miei precetti, questi non morrà pell'iniquità del padre suo, ma avrà vita.hath turned away his hand from iniurie of the poore, hath not taken vsurie and ouerplus, hath done my iudgements, hath walked in my preceptes: this man shal not dye in the iniquitie of his father, but liuing he shal liue.a pauperis injuria averterit manum suam, usuram et superabundantiam non acceperit, judicia mea fecerit, in præceptis meis ambulaverit: hic non morietur in iniquitate patris sui, sed vita vivet. 18As for his father, because he oppressed and offered violence to his brother, and wrought evil in the midst of his people, behold he is dead in his own iniquity.Il padre di lui, perchè fu calunniatore, e fece violenza al fratello; e peccò in mezzo al suo popolo, egli è morto per la sua iniquità.His father because he did calumniate, and did violence to his brother, and wrought euil in the middes of his people, behold he is dead in his owne iniquitie.Pater ejus, quia calumniatus est, et vim fecit fratri, et malum operatus est in medio populi sui, ecce mortuus est in iniquitate sua. 19And you say: Why hath not the son borne the iniquity of his father? Verily, because the son hath wrought judgment and justice, hath kept all my commandments, and done them, living, he shall live.E voi dite: Per qual motivo non ha portato il figliuolo l'iniquità di suo padre? Certamente perchè il figliuolo ha operato secondo la legge, e secondo la giustizia, ha osservati tutti i miei precetti, e gli ha adempiuti, avrà vita.And you say: Why hath not the sonne borne the iniquitie of his father? Verely because the sonne hath wrought iudgement and iustice, he hath kept al my precepts, and done them, liuing he shal liue.Et dicitis: Quare non portavit filius iniquitatem patris ? Videlicet quia filius judicium et justitiam operatus est, omnia præcepta mea custodivit, et fecit illa, vivet vita. 20The 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.L'anima, che avrà peccato, ella perirà: il figliuolo non porterà l'iniquità del padre, e il padre non porterà l'iniquità del figliuolo. La giustizia del giusto sarà sul capo di lui; e sul capo dell'empio sarà l'empietà di lui.The soule that shal sinne, the same shal dye: the sonne shal not beare the iniquitie of the father, and the father shal not beare the iniquitie of the sonne: the iustice of the iust shal be vpon him, and the impietie of he impious shal be vpon him.Anima quæ peccaverit, ipsa morietur: filius non portabit iniquitatem patris, et pater non portabit iniquitatem filii: justitia justi super eum erit, et impietas impii erit super eum.
21But 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.Ma se l'empio farà penitenza di tutti i peccati, che ha fatti, osserverà tutti i miei precetti, e opererà secondo l'equità, e secondo la giustizia, avrà vita, e non morrà.But if the impious shal doe penance from al his sinnes, which he hath wrought, and shal keepe al my precepts, and doe iudgement, and iustice: liuing he shal liue, and shal not dye.Si autem impius egerit pœnitentiam ab omnibus peccatis suis quæ operatus est, et custodierit omnia præcepta mea, et fecerit judicium et justitiam, vita viet, et non morietur. 22I will not remember all his iniquities that he hath done: in his justice which he hath wrought, he shall live.Di tutte le iniquità, che egli ha commesse, non avrò più memoria: nella giustizia, ch'egli ha esercitata, avrà vita.Al his iniquities, which he hath wrought, I wil not remember them: in his iustice which he hath wrought, he shal liue.Omnium iniquitatum ejus quas operatus est, non recordabor: in justitia sua quam operatus est, vivet. 23Is it my will that a sinner should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways, and live?Voglio io forse la morte dell'empio, dice il Signore Dio, e non anzi ch'ei si converta dal suo mal fare, e viva?Why, is the death of a sinner my wil, saith our Lord God, and not that he conuert from his wayes, and liue?Numquid voluntatis meæ est mors impii, dicit Dominus Deus, et non ut convertatur a viis suis, et vivat ? 24But 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.Ma se il giusto si ritirerà dalla sua giustizia, e peccherà secondo le abbominazioni, che suol commettere l'empio, avrà egli la vita? Tutte le opere giuste, che egli aveva fatte, saranno dimenticate; nella prevaricazione, in cui è caduto, e nel suo peccato, che ha fatto, egli perirà.But if the iust man shal turne away himselfe from his iustice, and doe iniquitie according to al the abominations, which the impious vseth to worke, shal he liue? al his iustices, which he had done, shal not be remembred: in the preuarication, which he hath preuaricated, and in his sinne, which he hath sinned, in them he shal dye.Si autem averterit se justus a justitia sua, et fecerit iniquitatem secundum omnes abominationes quas operari solet impius, numquid vivet ? Omnes justitiæ ejus quas fecerat, non recordabuntur: in prævaricatione qua prævaricatus est, et in peccato suo quod peccavit, in ipsis morietur.
25And 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?E voi avete detto: La via del Signore non è retta. Udite adunque, o casa di Israele: È ella forse la mia via, che non è giusta, e non piuttosto le vostre vie sono storte?And you haue said: The way of our Lord is not right. Heare ye therfore ô house of Israel: What, is not my way right, and are not rather your wayes peruerse?Et dixistis: Non est æqua via Domini ! Audite ergo, domus Israël: numquid via mea non est æqua, et non magis viæ vestræ pravæ sunt ? 26For when the just turneth himself away from his justice, and committeth iniquity, he shall die therein: in the injustice that he hath wrought he shall die.Imperocché quando il giusto si ritirerà dalla sua giustizia, e peccherà, morrà nel peccato: nell'ingiustizia, che ha commessa, egli morrà.For when the iust shal turne away himselfe from his iustice, & doth iniquitie, he shal dye in them: in the iniustice, that he hath wrought he shal dye.Cum enim averterit se justus a justitia sua, et fecerit iniquitatem, morietur in eis: in injustitia quam operatus est morietur. 27And when the wicked turneth himself away from his wickedness, which he hath wrought, and doeth judgment, and justice: he shall save his soul alive.E quando l'empio si ritirerà dall'empietà, e dal peccato, che ha fatto, e praticherà l'equità, e la giustizia, ei renderà vita all'anima sua;And when the impious shal turne away himselfe from his impietie, which he hath wrought, & shal doe iudgement, and iustice: he shal vi••si•ate his soule.Et cum averterit se impius ab impietate sua quam operatus est, et fecerit judicium et justitiam, ipse animam suam vivificabit: 28Because he considereth and turneth away himself from all his iniquities which he hath wrought, he shall surely live, and not die.Imperocché se egli torna in se stesso, e si ritira da tutte le iniquità, che ha fatte, avrà vita, e non morrà.For considering, & turning away himself from al his iniquities, which he hath wrought, liuing he shal liue, and not dye.considerans enim, et avertens se ab omnibus iniquitatibus suis quas operatus est, vita vivet, et non morietur. 29And the children of Israel say: The way of the Lord is not right. Are not my ways right, O house of Israel, and are not rather your ways perverse?E i figliuoli di Israele dicono: Non è retta la via del Signore. Non son forse rette le mie vie, o casa d'Israele, o piuttosto non sono storte le vie vostre:And the children of Israel say: The way of our Lord is not right. What, are not my wayes right, ô house of Israel, and not rather your wayes peruerse?Et dicunt filii Israël: Non est æqua via Domini ! Numquid viæ meæ non sunt æquæ, domus Israël, et non magis viæ vestræ pravæ ?
30Therefore 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.Per questo, o casa d'Israele, io giudicherò ciascheduno secondo le sue vie, dice il Signore Dio. Convertitevi, e fate penitenza di tutte le vostre iniquità, e l'iniquità non sarà vostra rovina.Therfore wil I iudge euerie mā according to his wayes ô house of Israel, saith our Lord God. Conuert, and doe penance from al your iniquities: and iniquitie shal not be a ruine to you.Idcirco unumquemque juxta vias suas judicabo, domus Israël, ait Dominus Deus. Convertimini, et agite pœnitentiam ab omnibus iniquitatibus vestris, et non erit vobis in ruinam iniquitas. 31Cast 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?Gettate lungi da voi tutte le prevaricazioni, che avete commesse, e fatevi un cuor nuovo, e uno spirito nuovo: e perchè morrete voi, o casa d'Israele?Cast away from you al your preuarications, wherin you haue preuaricated, and make to yourselues a new hart, and a new spirit: and why wil you dye ô house of Israel?Projicite a vobis omnes prævaricationes vestras in quibus prævaricati estis, et facite vobis cor novum, et spiritum novum: et quare moriemini, domus Israël ? 32For I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God, return ye and live.Imperocché io non voglio la morte di colui, che si muore; dice il Signore Dio: convertitevi, e vivete.Because I wil not the death of him that dieth, saith our Lord God, returne ye, and liue.Quia nolo mortem morientis, dicit Dominus Deus: revertimini, et vivite.
18:1
Year of the World 3411.
18:2
Worthington
Edge. Those in captivity would not allow that they were punished for their own sins: God convinces them of the contrary. (Worthington)
Calmet
They knew that he often visited the sins of the fathers upon the children, (Exodus 20:5., and 24:5.; Calmet) when they also hated him, (Haydock) and that many had suffered for their parents' faults, like those of Saul, David, etc. (Calmet)
Haydock
But these were all guilty of original sin at least, and death is not always a real misfortune. (Haydock)
Calmet
God seems to allow that the complaints had hitherto had some grounds, (Jeremias 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. (Calmet)
Haydock
God chastises the body, but not the soul of children, for their parents' faults: (Menochius) and this conduct is a trial for them, which may increase their glory. (Haydock)
18:4
Calmet
Mine. He insinuates the vocation of the Gentiles and the general redemption. All will be treated according to their works. (Calmet)
18:6
Haydock
Mountains: of the sacrifices there offered to idols; (Challoner) or partaken in their usual feasts. Some irregularly worshipped God in these high places, under many pious kings; and were tolerated, (Calmet) though condemned for so doing. (Haydock)
Calmet
Woman. The pagans abstained by the light of reason. (Calmet)
Calmet
The contrary practice, "it is said," would give rise to lepers or monsters, (St. Jerome) as experience evinces. (Calmet)
Calmet
It was forbidden in the Christian Church. (St. Augustine, q. 64. in Leviticus 20:18.; St. Gregory, resp. 10. ad Aug.) (Calmet)
But no such questions are now asked. The prophet insists on this no more, ver. 11, 15.
18:7
Haydock
Wronged. Literally, "contristated." (Haydock)
Hebrew, "oppressed," maliciously.
18:8
Calmet
Increase more than what he lent, on any pretext. (St. Jerome) (Calmet)
18:10
Robber. Hebrew, "breaker;" rude and lawless. Septuagint, "pestilent."
18:12
Abomination. This refers to the woman, (ver. 6.) or to idolatry.
18:13
Him. He alone is answerable, and shall suffer.
18:20
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.
18:21
Worthington
Penance. The end determines all. If a person be then found just or unjust at his departure, he will be treated accordingly. (Worthington)
18:23
St. Augustine
Will. God sincerely wishes that the sinner should be converted. If he refuse grace, it is only in punishment of former transgressions. (St. Augustine, ep. 217.)
Calmet
He wills antecedently their salvation, (1 Timothy 2:4.) though he has a consequent will to punish them, as they speak in the schools, because they themselves will not be saved. (Sanctius) (Calmet)
God's absolute will is always fulfilled, not that which is conditional. (St. John Damascene, Fide 2:29.; St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae p. 1. q. 19. a. 6.)
Worthington
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. (Worthington)
18:24
Calmet
Remembered, to procure him pardon; yet he will suffer less than if he had never done any good. (Calmet)
18:25
Not right, in thus punishing or rewarding for the last act; (Theodoret) or rather, God shews that those who complain are guilty.
18:27
Calmet
Alive. Mortal sin destroys that life of grace. (Calmet)
18:30
Worthington
Do penance. This is requisite, as well as a change of conduct. (Worthington)
18:31
Calmet
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. (Council of Trent, Session 6:5, 11.) (James 1:5., and 2 Corinthians 3:5.) (St. Augustine, etc.) (Calmet)
18:6
Not eaten upon the mountains.... That is, of the sacrifices there offered to idols.
18:9
To do truth.... That is, to act according to truth; for the Hebrews called everything that was just, truth.
18:2
The people suffering affliction vvould not confesse it to be for their owne sinnes, but cast the fault vpon their fathers: vvhich error is here conuinced, God declaring by his prophet that not only the fathers but also the children had finned, & vvere therfore iustly pu•nished, euerie one is for his owne sinnes.
18:21
An other general rule is here geuen that as men alter their maners from euil to good or frō good to euil, so they shal be iudged & finally revvarded or punished, according to the state wherin they end this life.
18:23
••. Is the death of a sinner my vvil?] In manie places of holie Scripture it is Psal. 11•. Though God conditionally vvould haue •• men to be s•u•d: yet manie are iustly damned. cl•••, that Gods vvil is most assuredly fulfilled in al thinges, vvhatsoeuer he v. 11. vvould: and none can resist his vvil. &c. Neuertheles here, and in other places Rom. 9. it is also expresly affirmed, that God would haue al sinners to repent, and none v. 19. to dye in their sinnes; vvhich semeth to repugne vvith the former doctrin. For Ezech. 33. solution of vvhich difficultie. S. Damascen, li. 2. c. 29 de Orthodoxa side. and other v. 11. Doctors distinguish Gods vvil, vvhich is either called Antecedent, and conditional; 1. Tim. 2. and so God vvould haue al men to be saued, as appeareth by creating v, 4. al to that end, by his frequen: admonitions, preceptes, threates, temporal punishments, 2. Pet. 3. v. 9. and revvardes; and especially by our Sauiours death, and redemption •. Th•. p. •. q 19. a. 6. of al mankind, vvherby he merited most sufficient meanes, and offereth his A •ust Iudge vvould condemne no ma• yet condemneth murderers, •hee••• &c. sufficient grace to euerie one, that they may be saued if they vvil. Othervvise Gods wil is called Consequent and absolute; and so for iustice sake his diuine vvil is, that impenitent sinners shal be damned, and eternally punished for their sinnes. As a iust Iudge condionally, and antecedently vvould haue al men to obserue good lavves, and to liue so long as they can by nature, but absolutely & consequently finding some to be murderers, or othervvise pernicicious to the commonvvelth, he panisheth them with death.
v. •.
18:27
As a soule in mortal sinne is spiritually dead: so truly repenting it return••• to spiritual life. • Not only repentance, which is auersion from sinne, and conuersion to God, but also 〈…〉 that is, satisfaction for sinnes past is necessarie to saluation.
ma•• his soule to liue.
18:2
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen Against Celsus 8.40
… for he reproves those who say, “Our fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge,”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. The Enchiridion 46
… And it was this new covenant that was prophesied of, when it was said by Ezekiel, that the sons should not bear the iniquity of the fathers, and that it should no longer be a proverb in Israel, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.”
18:3
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen De Principiis 2.5.2
… Now, such are their opinions, because they know not how to understand anything beyond the letter; otherwise they would show how it is literal justice for sins to be visited upon the heads of children to the third and fourth generation, and on children’s children after them. By us, however, such things are not understood literally; but, as Ezekiel taught
Afraate † 346 d.C. Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 5.7
… And if thou dost glory in thy wisdom, thou dost not in it excel the Prince of Tyre, whom Ezekiel reproached, saying unto him:— Art thou wiser than Daniel, or hast thou seen by thy wisdom the things that are hid ?
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 56
… so when He said, “nor his parents,” He said not that one may be punished for his parents’ sake. This supposition He re moveth by the mouth of Ezekiel; “As I live saith the Lord, this proverb shall not be, that is used, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” (
18:4
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen De Principiis 2.8.3
… Finally, see if you can easily find a place in holy Scripture where the soul is properly mentioned in terms of praise: it frequently occurs, on the contrary, accompanied with expressions of censure, as in the passage, “An evil soul ruins him who possesses it;” and, “The soul which sinneth, it shall die.”
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen's Commentary on Matthew 13.9
… think that the devil has the power of death,—not of that which is common and indifferent, in accordance with which those who are compacted of soul and body die, when their soul is separated from the body,—but of that death which is contrary to and the enemy of Him who said, “I am the Life,” in accordance with which “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. On the Decease of His Brother Satyrus 2.36
… when the soul is set free from the bonds of the body. The third death is that of which it is said: “Leave the dead to bury their own dead.” In that death not only the flesh but also the soul dies, for “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on Ephesians 18
… Then I will show thee no longer the bodies of men, but the souls of men slaughtered in the other world. Yes, for it is possible for a soul to be slain with the slaughter peculiar to the soul; for as there is a death of the body, so is there also of the soul. “The soul that sinneth,” saith the Prophet, “it shall die.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on First Thessalonians 10
… Has a want of possessions overtaken thee? But these also are things to be acquired, and again to be lost, and that abide here. But is it plots and false accusations of enemies? But it is not we that are injured by these, but they who are the authors of them. “For the soul,” he says, “that sinneth, itself shall also die.” (
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 39.2
… Are we not told that the unrighteousness of the father does not fall upon the son, and that “the soul that sinneth it shall die?”
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 60.8
… Nor will I boast of his family, that is of the good points belonging not to him but to others; for even those holy men Abraham and Isaac had for sons the sinners Ishmael and Esau. And on the other hand Jephthah who is reckoned by the apostle in the roll of the righteous is the son of a harlot. It is said “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 147.10
10. But possibly you flatter yourself that since the bishop who has made you a deacon is a holy man, his merits will atone for your transgressions. I have already told you that the father is not punished for the son nor the son for the father. “The soul that sinneth it shall die.”
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. Against Jovinianus 1.25
… Noah and Job were not in existence at that time: we know that they lived many ages before. And the meaning is this: if there were such and such men in a sinful land, they shall not be able to save their own sons and daughters: because the righteousness of the father shall not save the son, nor shall the sin of one be imputed to another.
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. Against the Pelagians 3.6
… and agitations, even though it escape shipwreck, does not sail without danger, and remembering its weakness, is always anxious about death, according as it is written, “What man is he that shall live and not see death?”—death, which threatens all mortal men, not through the decay of nature, but through the death of sin, according to the prophet’s words,
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Letters of St. Augustin 44.12
… when also I had quoted the words of Ezekiel—“As the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth it shall die”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Letters of St. Augustin 98.1
… “Both the soul of the father is mine,” saith the Lord, “and the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die;”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Against Lying 20
… To be wise in this sort, what is it but to lose one’s wits, or rather, to be downright mad? Mine own iniquity, not another’s, whether perpetrated upon me or upon others, is that from which I must beware of damnation. For “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 109.14
… 13 ). Is it to be understood, that even the sins of his fathers shall be visited upon him? For upon him they are not visited, who hath been changed in Christ, and hath ceased to be the child of the wicked, by not having imitated their conduct.
Teodoreto di Cirro † 458 d.C. Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 2
Orth. —Hear the Lord God speaking through the prophet Ezekiel “The soul that sinneth it shall die.”
Anonymous A Treatise Against the Heretic Novatian by an Anonymous Bishop 16
… “Thou shalt not accept,” says He, “the person, neither shalt thou judge according to the least nor according to the greatest.” Like words to these He also said by Ezekiel: “All souls,” said He, “are mine; as the soul of the father, so is the soul of the son: the soul that hath sinned, it shall die.”
18:6
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 3.21
… or wife was sanctified by the believing partner, and by which the children of the believing parents were sanctified,—whether it was that the husband or the wife, during the woman’s menstruation, abstained from cohabiting, having learned that duty in the law (for Ezekiel classes this amongst the precepts which were not to be taken in a metaphorical sense
18:7
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. The Five Books Against Marcion 4.16
… thus by Isaiah He says: “Deal thy bread to the hungry, and them that are houseless bring into thine house; when thou seest the naked, cover him.” By Ezekiel also He thus describes the just man: “His bread will he give to the hungry, and the naked will he cover with a garment.”
san Tascio Cecilio Cipriano † 258 d.C. Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.49
… He who doeth these things shall not be moved for ever.” Also in Ezekiel: “But the man who will be righteous, shall not oppress a man, and shall return the pledge of the debtor, and shall not commit rapine, and shall give his bread to the hungry, and shall cover the naked, and shall not give his money for usury.”
18:8
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. The Five Books Against Marcion 4.17
And now, on the subject of a loan, when He asks, “And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye?” compare with this the following words of Ezekiel, in which He says of the before-mentioned just man, “He hath not given his money upon usury, nor will he take any increase”
18:14
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Letters of St. Augustin 250.1
… but a spiritual judgment, founded on what is written, “That which ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,” —is binding on souls , concerning which it is said, “As the soul of the father is mine, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth it shall die.”
18:16
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. The Five Books Against Marcion 4.17
… It was engaged in forming the faith of such as would learn, by gradual stages, for the perfect light of the Christian discipline, through the best precepts of which it was capable, inculcating a benevolence which as yet expressed itself but falteringly. For in the passage of Ezekiel quoted above He says, “And thou shalt restore the pledge of the loan”
18:17
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen's Commentary on Matthew 10.13
… similitude before us are cast into “the furnace of fire,” that what is said in Ezekiel about the furnace of fire may also overtake them—“And the Word of the Lord came unto me saying, Son of man behold the house of Israel is become to me all mixed with brass and iron,” etc., down to the words, “And ye shall know that I the Lord have poured My fury upon you.”
18:20
san Giustino † 165 d.C. Dialogue with Trypho 140
… ‘Even if Noah, and Jacob, and Daniel were to pray for sons or daughters, their request should not be granted.’ ‘But neither shall the father perish for the son, nor the son for the father; but every one for his own sin, and each shall be saved for his own righteousness.’
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen Against Celsus 8.40
… Every man shall be put to death for his own sin.” And again, “Every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.” And, “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.”
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen's Commentary on Matthew 10.11
… Wherefore also in Ezekiel, concerning the man who turns away from unrighteousness to the keeping of the divine commandments, it is thus written: “But if the wicked man turn away from all his wickednesses which he hath done,” etc., down to the words, “that he turn from his wicked way and live;”
san Tascio Cecilio Cipriano † 258 d.C. The Epistles of Cyprian 51.27
… But with us, according to our faith and the given rule of divine preaching, agrees the principle of truth, that every one is himself held fast in his own sin; nor can one become guilty for another, since the Lord forewarns us, saying, “The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.”
san Basilio † 379 d.C. The Letters 223.5
… How can you fail to bear in mind that the father shall not bear the iniquity of the son, nor the son bear the iniquity of the father, but each shall die in his own sin?
san Gregorio di Nissa † 395 d.C. Against Eunomius 2.13
… For the death of the body consists in the extinction of the means of sensible perception, and in the dissolution of the body into its kindred elements: but “the soul that sinneth,” he saith, “it shall die
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. Exposition of the Christian Faith 3.3
… Things perishable are not to be compared to things divine. The Godhead is the one only Substance that death cannot touch, and therefore it is that the Apostle, though knowing both the [human] soul and angels to be immortal, declared that God only had immortality. In truth, even the soul may die: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die,”
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 39.2
… Why is it that children three years old or two, and even unweaned infants, are possessed with devils, covered with leprosy, and eaten up with jaundice, while godless men and profane, adulterers and murderers, have health and strength to blaspheme God? Are we not told that the unrighteousness of the father does not fall upon the son,
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 54.8
… But a widow “that liveth in pleasure”—the words are not mine but those of the apostle—“is dead while she liveth.” What does that mean—“is dead while she liveth”? To those who know no better she seems to be alive and not, as she is, dead in sin; yes, and in another sense dead to Christ, from whom no secrets are hid. “The soul that sinneth it shall die.”
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 107.6
… No one administers drugs till he has rubbed the rim of the cup with honey; so, the better to deceive us, vice puts on the mien and the semblance of virtue. Why then, you will say, do we read:—“the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son,” but “the soul that sinneth it shall die”?
18:21
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen's Commentary on Matthew 12.30
… convert are wiped out, and the former uprightness of him who has utterly fallen away is not held of account—that in the case of him who is perfected, and has altogether laid aside wickedness, the sins are wiped out, but that, in the case of him who has altogether revolted from piety, if anything good was formerly done by him, it is not taken into account.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Concerning the Nature of Good, Against the Manichæans 48
… who in the day when a man shall have turned from his iniquity to Thy mercy and truth, wilt forget all his iniquities:
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 32.14
… Moan with no fruitless moaning. For it may be thou art saying to thyself, “God hath promised me forgiveness, whenever I reform myself I am secure; I read the divine Scripture, “In the day that the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness, and doeth that which is lawful and right, I will forget all his iniquities.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 37.10
… The Lord of the vineyard goeth forth to them, and by the Prophet Ezekial knocketh, and calleth to them in their despair, and as they turn their backs to Him that calleth them. “In whatsoever day a man shall turn from his most wicked way, I will forget all his iniquities.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 33.8
… for suddenly His anger will come, and in the time of vengeance, will utterly destroy thee.” To those who are in danger from despair, what does He say? “In what day soever the wicked man shall be converted, I will forget all his iniquities.”
Anonymous A Treatise Against the Heretic Novatian by an Anonymous Bishop 14
… according to the faith of the Scripture which says, “But if the wicked will turn from all his sins which he hath committed, and will do righteousness, he shall live in eternal life, and shall not die in his wickedness.”
Early Popes (Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals) The Epistles of Pope Callistus 2.5
… The blessed Peter also shed the bitterest tears when he repented of having denied the Lord; but still he abode an apostle. And the Lord by the prophet makes this promise to the sinning: “In the day that the sinner is converted, and repenteth, I will not mention any more against him all his transgressions.”
Pseudo-Cyprian Exhortation to Repentance 1
… None of his sins which he has committed shall be in remembrance; in his righteousness which he hath done he shall live. Do I willingly desire the death of the unrighteous man, saith Adonai the Lord, rather than that he should turn him from his evil way, that he should live?”
18:23
sant'Ignazio di Antiochia † 108 d.C. Epistle to the Philadelphians: Shorter and Longer Versions 11
… And I myself give thanks to God for you, because ye have received them: and the Lord will also receive you. But may those that dishonoured them be forgiven through the grace of Jesus Christ, “who wisheth not the death of the sinner, but his repentance.”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. The Five Books Against Marcion 2.8
… Accordingly, God gave him to live when he was formed into a living soul; but He charged him to live virtuously when he was required to obey a law. So also God shows that man was not constituted for death, by now wishing that he should be restored to life, preferring the sinner’s repentance to his death.
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On the Resurrection of the Flesh 9
… disordered, since “they that are whole need not the physician, but they that are sick;” although not honourable, since “we bestow more abundant honour upon the less honourable members;” although ruined, since He says, “I am come to save that which was lost;” although sinful, since He says, “I desire rather the salvation of the sinner than his death;”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On Modesty 2
“But,” say they, “God is ‘good,’ and ‘most good,’ and ‘pitiful-hearted,’ and ‘a pitier,’ and ‘abundant in pitiful-heartedness,’ which He holds ‘dearer than all sacrifice,’ ‘not thinking the sinner’s death of so much worth as his repentance’,
Eusebio di Cesarea † 339 d.C. The Oration of Eusebius 11.5
… saying, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” And again, “I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” And he adds the reason, saying, “For they that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.” And again, “I desire not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should repent.”
Afraate † 346 d.C. Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 8.17
… but he was accounted dead unto God because of his sins. But that it may be made certain for thee that a sinner is called dead even when he lives, I will make it clear to thee. For thus it is written in Ezekiel the Prophet, As I live, saith the Lord of lords, I desire not the death of the dead sinner.
sant'Atanasio di Alessandria † 373 d.C. Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 3
… would that it were already kindled !’ For He desired, as He testified in Ezekiel
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 45
For if it had not been His will that they should hear and be saved, He ought to have been silent, not to have spoken in parables; but now by this very thing He stirs them up, even by speaking under a veil. “For God willeth not the death of the sinner, but that he should turn unto Him and live.”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 82
But about not despairing, it is said, “Doth he fall, and not arise? Doth he turn away, and not return?” and, “I do not will the death of the sinner, so much as that he should turn and live:”
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 41.3
… No doubt their object is to make their religion more pretentious by putting that last which we put first. Again they close the doors of the Church to almost every fault, whilst we read daily, “I desire the repentance of a sinner rather than his death,”
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 77.4
… This is not however the place to preach penitence, neither am I writing against Montanus and Novatus. Else would I say of it that it is “a sacrifice…well pleasing to God,” I would cite the words of the psalmist: “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,” and those of Ezekiel “I prefer the repentance of a sinner rather than his death,”
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. Against the Pelagians 1.28
… that is to say, until he is redeemed by the Saviour’s blood, either in the baptistery, or in penitence which is a copy of the grace of baptism, through the ineffable mercy of the Saviour, who
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 21.21
21. But this impenitence or impenitent heart may not be pronounced upon, as long as a man lives in the flesh. For we are not to despair of any so long as “the patience of God leadeth the ungodly to repentance,” and doth not hurry him out of this life; “God, who willeth not the death of a sinner, but that he should return from his ways and live.”
18:24
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen's Commentary on Matthew 10.11
… etc., down to the words, “that he turn from his wicked way and live;” but concerning the man who returns from the advance towards virtue unto the flood of wickedness it is said, “But in the case of the righteous man turning away from his righteousness and committing iniquity,” etc., down to the words, “in his sins which he hath sinned in them shall he die.”
san Basilio † 379 d.C. The Letters 42.2
… So we hear from Ezekiel teaching as it were in the name of the Lord, when he says, “if the righteous turneth away and committeth iniquity, I will not remember the righteousness which he committed before; in his sin he shall die,”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on 2 Timothy 3
… xxii. 13, and xxv. 26 .) For awful truly and terrible is that tribunal. And yet God is gracious and merciful. He is called a God “of mercies and a God of comfort” ( 2 Cor. i. 3 .); good as none else is good, and kind, and gentle, and full of pity, Who “willeth not the death of a sinner, but that he should be converted and live.” (
Sulpicio Severo † 420 d.C. The Doubtful Letters of Sulpitius Severus 1.2
… Moreover, he does not secure even a measure of the reward, if he has, in a measure, failed. For, as we must flee from sin to righteousness, so he who has entered on the practice of righteousness must beware lest he lay himself open to sin. For it is written that “his righteousness shall not profit the righteous on the day on which he has gone astray.”
18:25
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 18.27
27. “And with the chosen Thou shalt be chosen.” ( ver. 26 ). And by him whom Thou choosest, Thou art chosen. “And with the froward Thou shalt be froward.” And with the froward Thou seemest froward: for they say, “The way of the Lord is not right:”
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Conferences of John Cassian 24.25
… “The folly of man corrupteth his ways, but he blames God in his heart;” and as Haggai the prophet says, when we say that “the way of the Lord is not right” the reply is aptly made to us by the Lord: “Is not My way right? Are not your ways rather crooked?”
18:26
sant'Atanasio di Alessandria † 373 d.C. Life of Antony. (Vita Antoni.) 16
… but, as it is written in the Gospel, daily shows the same readiness to please his master, and to avoid risk: so let us daily abide firm in our discipline, knowing that if we are careless for a single day the Lord will not pardon us, for the sake of the past, but will be wrath against us for our neglect. As also we have heard in Ezekiel
18:30
papa san Clemente I † 99 d.C. The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians 8
The ministers of the grace of God have, by the Holy Spirit, spoken of repentance; and the Lord of all things has himself declared with an oath regarding it, “As I live, saith the Lord, I desire not the death of the sinner, but rather his repentance;” adding, moreover, this gracious declaration, “Repent, O house of Israel, of your iniquity.
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On Repentance 4
To all sins, then, committed whether by flesh or spirit, whether by deed or will, the same God who has destined penalty by means of judgment, has withal engaged to grant pardon by means of repentance, saying to the people, “Repent thee, and I will save thee;”
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 122.1
… “Repent,” he cries, “and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. 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? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord.”
Anonymous A Treatise Against the Heretic Novatian by an Anonymous Bishop 9
9. What sort of folly is thine, Novatian, only to read what tends to the destruction of salvation, and to pass by what tends to mercy, when Scripture cries, and says, “Repent, ye who err: be converted in heart;”
Anonymous A Treatise Against the Heretic Novatian by an Anonymous Bishop 18
… Cast away from you all your impieties which ye have committed against me; and make to yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. And why do ye deliver yourselves over to death, O house of Israel? For I do not desire the death of the sinner.”
Pseudo-Cyprian Exhortation to Repentance 1
… “Be ye converted, and turn you from all your wickedneses, and they shall not be to you for a punishment. Cast away from you all your iniquities which ye have wickedly committed against me, and make to yourselves a new heart and a new spirit; and why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith Adonai the Lord.”
18:31
san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 1.1
1. Disciples of the New Testament and partakers of the mysteries of Christ, as yet by calling only, but ere long by grace also, make you a new heart and a new spirit
san Gregorio Nazianzeno † 389 d.C. Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 34
… then cease your babbling, though so late, O ye sophists of vain talk that falls at once to the ground; for why will ye die O House of Israel?
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. A Treatise on Grace and Free Will 31
… and make you a new heart and a new spirit; and keep all my commandments. For why will ye die, O house of Israel, saith the Lord? for I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: and turn ye, and live.”
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Conferences of John Cassian 13.9
… “Make straight paths for your feet and direct your ways,” and what is it that we say in our prayers: “Direct my way in Thy sight,” and “establish my goings in Thy paths, that my footsteps be not moved?” What is it again that we are admonished: “Make you a new heart and a new spirit,”
18:32
san Tascio Cecilio Cipriano † 258 d.C. On the Advantage of Patience 4
… bearing, that is to say, mercifully, and putting off, so that, if it might be possible, the long protracted mischief may at some time be changed, and man, involved in the contagion of errors and crimes, may even though late be converted to God, as He Himself warns and says, “I do not will the death of him that dieth, so much as that he may return and live.”
san Basilio † 379 d.C. The Letters 44
… Do not despair of salvation. Recall your recollection of how it is written in the Scriptures that he who is falling rises and he who turns away returns; the wounded is healed, the prey of beasts escapes; he who owns his sin is not rejected. The Lord willeth not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn and live.
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. Concerning Repentance 1.3
… In order, then, that we may recognize that the God of mercy is rather prone to indulgence than to severity, it is said: “I desire mercy rather than sacrifice.” How, then, can your sacrifice, who refuse mercy, be acceptable to God, since He says that He wills not the death of a sinner, but his correction?
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 18.9
… And again: “The inhabitants of Ænan went not forth to bewail the house next unto them.” For although they are justly punished, God willeth that we should condole with them, and not rejoice or insult. “For if I that punish,” saith He, “do not this rejoicingly; nor take pleasure in their punishment; for “I do not at all will the death of the sinner;”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 31
… Seek we not then to know where it is, but how we may escape it. Neither yet because God doth not punish all here, therefore disbelieve things to come. For merciful and long-suffering He is: that is why he threatens, and does not cast us into it forthwith. For “I desire not,” He says, “the death of a sinner.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 68
… I called, and there was none to hearken.” ( Isa. l. 2 , LXX.) These things He saith, showing that we begin the desertion, and become the causes of our perdition; for God not only desireth not to leave or to punish us, but even when He punisheth, doth it unwillingly; “I will not,” He saith, “the death of a sinner, so much as that he should turn and live.” (
Early Popes (Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals) The Epistles of Pope Callistus 2.6
… “Shall he who falls not also rise again? and shall he who turns away not return?” And in another passage the Lord says: “I desire not the death of the sinner, but that he may turn, and live.”
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2. QUID EST QUOD INTER VOS PARABOLAM VERTITIS IN PROVERBIUM (hebraice, Cur parabolizatis parabolam istam? id est, cur crebro utimini hac parabola, seu proverbio?) PATRES COMEDERUNT UVAM ACERBAM, ET DENTES FILIORUM OBSTUPESCUNT. Syrus: Patres comederunt uvam acrem, et dentes filiorum obstupescunt, vel congelantur, id est, ut Chaldaeus: Patres peccaverunt, et filii vapulant. Occasio proverbii fuit, quod Prophetae passim edicerent Jerusalem evertendam ob peccata Manassis; sicut Israel eversus fuit ob peccata Jeroboam. Hi enim inventores, et quasi fundatores fuerunt idololatriae Judaeorum. Ita Theodoretus. Hinc patet Prophetam hic et toto capite loqui de peccatis actualibus, non de originali. In hoc enim verum est dicere: « Pater noster Adam comedit pomum acerbum, et dentes omnium filiorum obstupescunt, » vel, ut ait S. Bernardus, tract. De Gradibus humilitatis: « Ideo nascimur morituri, quia prius morimur nascituri, » et, ut ait S. Augustinus: « Prius damnati quam nati; quia Deus ex suo summi dominii (quod in suas creaturas habet) jure, voluntatem omnium posterorum posuit in voluntate Adae, ut quod ille faceret bene vel male, hoc posteri censerentur facere. Voluntas ergo Adae fuit voluntas omnium posterorum; idque fecit Deus, ut Adam esset typus, imo antitypus Christi, cujus voluntatem, satisfactionem et merita voluit esse nostram voluntatem, satisfactionem et merita. Christus enim factus est nobis sapientia a Deo, et justitia, et sanctificatio, et redemptio, » ait Apostolus I Cor. 1, 30, qui et causam subdit: « Ut qui gloriatur, in Domino glorietur. » Unde pie S. Bernardus, serm. De Passione: « Electe, ait, puer Dei mei, quid tanta amaritudine, quid tanta confusione dignum commiseras? prorsus nihil. Ego, ego homo perditus totius perditionis tuae causa exstiti. Ego, Domine, uvam acerbam comedi, et dentes tui obstupuerunt. » Porro qua sapientia, aequitate, potentia et bonitate id fecerit Deus, in hac vita perspicere et penetrare nequimus, sed fide credimus. Quocirca est hoc unum e quatuor summis et difficillimis fidei nostrae mysteriis, quae humanum captum superant. Primum enim est mysterium SS. Trinitatis; secundum, Incarnationis Verbi; tertium, Eucharistiae; quartum, peccati originalis. Nota « obstupescunt: » nam qui uvas immaturas comedunt, ipsimet odontalgiam, id est dentium dolorem, satiuntur: qui vero comedentibus astant et in eos intuentur, eorum dentes obstupescunt, inquit Aristoteles, Problem. sect. VII, Quaest. V. Ita et hic queruntur filii, ex parentum gula et culpa suos dentes obstupescere. Sic ait Poeta: « Delicta parentum immeritus, Romane, lues. » Simile est adagium Eubuli: « Si quid coquus deliquerit, vapulat tibicen. » Et illa: « Canis peccatum sus dependit: Faber cadit cum fullonem feris: Hic peccat, ille plectitur: Quidquid delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi. » Moraliter S. Gregorius, lib. XI Moral. cap. xv: « Quid, ait, uva acerba, nisi peccatum est? uva quippe acerba, est fructus ante tempus. Quisquis enim praesentis vitae delectationibus satiari desiderat, quasi fructus ante tempus comedere festinat. Qui igitur uvam acerbam comedit, dentes ejus obstupescunt: quia qui praesentis mundi delectatione pascitur, interni ejus sensus ligantur, ut jam spiritalia mandere, id est intelligere, nequeant: quia unde in exterioribus delectati sunt, inde in intimis obstupescunt. » 3. VIVO EGO, DICIT DOMINUS DEUS, SI ERIT ULTRA VOBIS PARABOLA HAEC IN PROVERBIUM. Vatablus: Non erit ultra qui utatur in parabola, q. d. Juro per vitam meam, quod faciam ut ulterius non utamini ista parabola: quia scilicet reipsa contrarium ostendam. Aliter Prado: censet enim haec verba non esse asseverantis, sed comminantis, q. d. Juro per vitam, quod, si ulterius utamini hoc proverbio, ego severe vos puniam. Hoc enim intelligitur in isto si exsecratorio, quod tamen boni ominis et euphemismi causa subticent Hebraei. Hic sensus planus est, sed prior planior. 4. OMNES ANIMAE MEAE SUNT, ratione creationis et infusionis earumdem, ait Vatablus, q. d. Omnes animae a me creatae et corpori infusae sunt; ergo ob peccata patris, non peribit morte aeterna filius. Secundo, et melius, omnes animae, id est omnes homines mei sunt, q. d. Ne quis putet me grassari in filios, quod parentes punire non possim, uti subinde homines debiles et infirmi faciunt; ecce edico, quod omnes sciunt: « Omnes animae meae sunt, » q. d. Ego omnium hominum, tam parentum quam filiorum, tam majorum quam minorum aeque sum creator, Dominus et judex: ego in omnes vitae et necis habeo imperium: ego sum qui, quos lubet, mortifico et vivifico: ac proinde aequam pro meritis (sum enim aequissimus juxta ac potentissimus) cuique dabo sententiam et sortem temporalis vitae, vel mortis. Ita Polychronius. De temporali enim ad litteram loqui hic Prophetam patet ex sequenti: « Anima, » id est homo, « quae peccaverit, ipsa morietur. » Respondet enim Judaeis, qui falso querebantur se plecti, et morte aliisque cladibus puniri ob peccata, non sua, sed parentum. Licet inde argumento ducto a minori ad majus, id verius sit in poena aeterna.
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5. FECERIT JUDICIUM. Judex facit judicium, cum damnat reos; justitiam, cum innocentes absolvit et vindicat. Privatus quisque facit judicium, si nulli faciat malum; justitiam, si benefaciat, et bona opera accumulet. Ita hic capitur: privato enim cuilibet haec dicuntur. Ita Prado. Notat S. Hieronymus hic texi catalogum, et quasi gradus septemdecim virtutum: « Prima, inquit, est, fecisse judicium; secunda, judicio copulasse justitiam; tertia, non comedisse in montibus; quarta, oculos non levasse ad idola; quinta, uxorem proximi non violasse; sexta, menstruatae uxoris vitasse complexus; septima, hominem non contristasse; octava, pignus debitori reddidisse; nona, per vim nihil rapuisse; decima, panem suum esurienti dedisse; undecima, nudum operuisse vestimento; duodecima, ad usuram pecuniam non dedisse; decima tertia, nihil ex his quae dederis, amplius accepisse; decima quarta, ab iniquitate avertisse manum suam; decima quinta, judicium verum fecisse inter virum et virum; decima sexta, in praeceptis Domini ambulasse; decima septima, judicia et justificationes illius custodisse. »
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6. IN MONTIBUS. Id est, in excelsis idolorum non comederit idolothyta. Solebant enim idolis immolantes ex victimis a se immolatis comedere, ut essent participes sacrificii. Eratque comestio haec consummatio idololatriae. Ita S. Hieronymus. OCULOS SUOS NON LEVAVERIT. Id est non adoraverit, non obsecraverit. Hinc enim est gestus orantium, ut oculos ad Deum attollant, Psalm. CXXII, 2: « Oculi nostri ad Dominum Deum nostrum, donec misereatur nostri. » IDOLA. Hebraice gillulim, id est volutationes, id est stercora convoluta. Ita vocantur idola, ob turpitudinem. Septuaginta vertunt: cogitationes, id est dii ab eis excogitati. Hae enim sunt mentis eorum volutationes: assidue enim deos suos mente revolvunt, novosque ritus et modos eos placandi excogitant. AD MULIEREM MENSTRUATAM NON ACCESSERIT. Quia, ut S. Hieronymus, ex hoc congressu subinde nascuntur leprosi et vitiosi, et, ut Xistus Pythagoricus dixit: « Adulter est, uxoris amator ardentior. » Talis autem est, qui ea tempore indebito utitur. Vide dicta Levit. XX, 18.
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7. HOMINEM NON CONTRISTAVERIT, non laeserit. Septuaginta, non oppresserit. PIGNUS DEBITORI REDDIDERIT, scilicet, qui pauper sit. Huic enim ex charitate pignus reddi jubet lex, Exod. XXII, 26. Est ergo iniquitas, uti summo jure, dum per hoc charitas violatur; unde de tali ait Deus: « Si clamaverit ad me (pauper a quo pignus repetis), exaudiam eum, » teque rigidum exactorem puniam: « Quia misericors sum, » Exod. XXII, 26. PANEM SUUM ESURIENTI DEDERIT. Nota: Hic Propheta commendat duo misericordiae opera, quae mire et peccatori et justo gratiam Dei conciliant. Primum est pascere esurientem. Huic impense se addixerunt fideles olim et Sancti. « S. Exuperius, inquit S. Hieronymus, epist. ad Rusticum monachum, Tolosae Episcopus, viduae Sareptensis imitator, esuriens pascit alios, et ore pallente jejuniis, fame torquetur aliena, omnemque substantiam Christi visceribus erogavit. Nihil illo ditius, qui corpus Domini canistro vimineo, sanguinem portat in vitro. » S. Dominicus, adhuc juvenis, in communi fame Hispaniae distraxit libros et omnes res suas, pretiumque in pauperes expendit. Idem in fame Burgundiae fecit Ecdicius senator, qui ad quatuor millia pauperum assidue aluit. Unde vox ad eum de coelo lapsa est: « Ecdici, tibi et semini tuo panis non deerit in sempiternum; eo quod obedieris verbis meis, et famem meam refectione pauperum satiaveris. » Ita Gregorius Turonensis, lib. II Hist. Franc. cap. xxiv. S. Judocus, Britonum regis filius, panem unicum quem habebat ad victum quotidianum, distribuit pauperibus, dicens: « Deus nobis providebit. » Et ecce per fenestram visae et inventae sunt in alveo fluminis quatuor naviculae victualibus onustae, de quibus, quis eas adduxerit, vel quo, jam victualibus exoneratas reduxerit, nescitur usque hodie, ait Florentius Abbas in ejus Vita. Leo I Imperator, cum adhuc privatus viveret, in itinere caeco cuidam sitienti dux viae fuit, et potum quaesivit; cumque diu quaerens non inveniret, B. Maria Virgo voce coelitus delapsa aquam ei in luco demonstravit, promisitque quod luto oculis caeci illito eum illuminaret, ac tandem imperium ei promisit. Omnia haec reipsa ei evenerunt. Ita historia Ecclesiastica, et ex ea Baronius, anno Christi 457. Cum S. Heimerammus Episcopus Ratisponensis in tormentis gravissimis esset, carnifices videntes eum ita cruciari, nec tamen a laudibus cessare, invidentes linguam ei praeciderunt, itaque corporis trunco relicto abierunt. Venerunt ad eum Clerici et Vitalis presbyter, vir pius, a quo poposcit aquam; qui respondit: « Quid vis refocillari, cum sis membris corporis destitutus? Mors tibi potius optanda est quam vita. » Cui Episcopus, sine lingua loquens, hanc poenam inflixit, dicens: « Quoties potum ori tuo applicueris, mentis inops fias; nec tamen cuiquam noceas, sed inobedientiae exemplum de te praebeas. » Dixit hoc vir sanctus, et ut dixit ita factum est. Ita Cyrinus Episcopus in ejus Vita. Anno Domini 1123, asperrima fuit hiems, unde secuta est ingens fames, in qua Caroli comitis Flandriae mira fuit liberalitas. Nam quotidie omni panem petenti integrum dari praecepit; ita ut semel apud Ipras, una hora octingenti pauperes totidem panes acciperent. Praeterea consuetudo illi fuit, omnibus feriis sextis tredecim pauperibus tredecim tunicas, totidem paria calceorum, totidem subuculas lineas elargiri. Ipse vero iisdem feriis (nisi praecipuum festum incidisset) in pane et aqua jejunabat. Indutus cilicio, nudis pedibus, tunica talari, ne facile pedum nuditas videretur, ad ecclesiam mane properabat: illic ad meridiem usque devotioni deditus permanebat. Interim ex principibus ejus duo, praepositus S. Donatiani, et praepositus aulae emerunt maximam frumenti copiam, ut venderent ad libitum suum: sed Carolus fecit illis reddi pecuniam; frumentum vero distribuit indigentibus aliis gratis, aliis competenti pretio. Quod dicti mercatores aegre tulerunt, et ex illa die in mortem domini conspiraverunt. Itaque die secunda martii, feria sexta, in templo S. Donatiani, post altare legentem psalmum Miserere, necaverunt ipsum, fisso capite, et amputato brachio dextro. Cujus pretiosa mors illico miraculis declarata est. Ita Christianus Maffaeus, lib. XVIII Chronicorum, et Jacobus Meyerus, lib. IX Annal. Flandric. anno Domini 1116. Eximium est quod scribit Martinus Cromerus, lib. II De Rebus Polonorum, Popielo principi Polonorum, ob crudelitatem et stragem suorum, a muribus e cadaveribus enatorum occiso, successisse Piastum hominem simplicem, qui agello modico colendo et mellificio vitam sustentabat, eo quod in egenos beneficus esset et in peregrinos hospitalis. Cum enim duos habitu peregrino (angeli fuisse putantur, vel SS. Joannes et Paulus martyres, quos Julianus Apostata ob opes in pauperes expensas et ob Christi fidem necavit) regia exclusos, hilariter domum receptos, laute pro modulo suo tractasset, accrevit ei porcina, redundavit ex vase mulsa, adeo ut principem cum toto comitatu penuria laborantem, rerum copia refecerit. Quo miraculo vulgato, una voce omnes Piastum divino indicio principem sibi dari conclamarunt, invitumque rusticano centone vestitum in regiam protractum, principatui inaugurarunt. ET NUDUM OPERUIT VESTIMENTO. Alterum hoc est misericordiae opus Dei gratiam concilians, ideoque a priscis frequentatum, uti a Tobia, cap. I, vers. 20, et a S. Job, cap. XXXI, 19 et 20. Ita S. Martinus Ambiani pauperi, cum nihil aliud haberet, dimidiam chlamydem suam dedit. Nocte sequente vidit Christum chlamydis suae, qua pauperem texerat, parte vestitum, qui ad angelorum multitudinem dicebat: « Martinus adhuc catechumenus hac me veste contexit. » Testis est Sulpitius in ejus Vita. Ita S. Marcianus unica veste interiore, qua erat indutus, vestivit pauperem, uti refert ex ejus Vita Baronius anno Christi 459. Ita S. Martyrius pallio suo involvens leprosum et asportans, admirabili miraculo deprehendit se Christum texisse et portasse. Christus enim, in coelum ascendens, dixit: « Martyri, tu non erubuisti me super terram, ego te non erubescam super coelos. » Ita refert S. Gregorius, hom. 39 in Evang. S. Franciscus adhuc saecularis, vestiens militem pauperem, vidit nocte sequente palatium speciosum et augustum, cumque rogaret cujus essent illa omnia, audivit: « Tua erunt, tuorumque militum. » Ita S. Bonaventura in ejus Vita. S. Elisabetha, Hungariae regis filia, pauperi donans suum pallium, cum maritus illud ab ea requireret, ipsa illud ipsum ei in pertica miraculose restitutum ostendit, uti refert Jacobus Spirensis in ejus Vita. Audi miram S. Catharinae Senensis liberalitatem pariter et remunerationem, quam refert Raymundus in ejus Vita. Illi enim ex templo domum redire volenti, Christus occurrit in forma juvenis ac peregrini, triginta plus minus annorum, petivitque ab ea vestem. Illa rediens ad sacellum, unde descenderat, tunicam non manicatam, quam sub extima veste propter frigus habebat, sibi caute detraxit pauperique tribuit, nesciens esse Christum. Et ille etiam lineum vestimentum petiit. Tum illa jubet illum se sequi ad aedes suas: ubi ei subuculam et subligaculum dedit. Verum non destitit ille plura mendicare, ut probaret ejus animum. « Quid, inquit, faciam hac tunica, quae manicis caret? Quaeso etiam mihi manicas largiaris. » Illa perlustrat domum, et ecce vidit a pertica suspensam novam ancillae tunicam: ab eaque manicas auferens dat pauperi. Rursus ille etiam socium in domo hospitali se habere dicit, valde indigentem vestibus. Tum vero S. virgo nihil prorsus sibi superesse videns, quod daret praeter tunicam, qua erat induta, quam non sinebat virgineus pudor et honestas ut sibi detraheret, ne nuda cogeretur cum multorum offendiculo incedere, dixit pauperi: « Revera, charissime, si possem ullo pacto, libenter aliquid praestarem socio tuo. » Ille vero subridens: « Video, inquit, promptum animum tuum; sed jam bene vale. » Etsi autem S. virgo, illo recedente, ex quibusdam signis conjecit Dominum Jesum esse: tamen, quia tanta gratia se indignissimam putabat, ad consueta se recepit exercitia sua. Sed nocte sequenti Dominus ei oranti manifeste se visendum praebuit, in illius pauperis effigie, in manu tenens tunicam, quam ipsi virgo dederat, margaritis jam et coruscantibus gemmis conspi- cuam, aitque se illi daturum vestem invisibilem, quae ab ea arceret omne noxium utriusque hominis frigus. Quod certe etiam reipsa praestitit, adeo ut ex eo tempore, iisdem hieme, quibus aestate contenta fuerit vestibus: imo nec hiemis intemperiem unquam senserit. Simul autem etiam Dominus, cum hanc tunicam illi ostenderet, talia promissa ei fecit, unde certo illi constare posset, ipsam in coelis excellenti gloria sine fine perfruituram. Audiant divites, audiant principes auream Agapeti Pontificis sanctimonia clari sententiam in epist. paren. ad Justinianum Imp.: « Vestimentum non veterascens est beneficentiae amictus, et incorrupta stola est misericordia erga pauperes. Eum igitur oportet qui pie regnare vult, talium indumentorum pulchritudine animam exornare. Amoris enim in egenos qui indutus est purpuram, coelestis quoque regni compos efficitur. » S. Willebrordo poscente pabulum et potum a divite, cum ille renuens abiret, ardenti siti percussus est, quam exstinguere toto anno non potuit, donec post annum redeunte S. Willebrordo, veniam ab eo petens impetravit. Nam Sanctus dedit illi cum benedictione de calice suo bibere, itaque absolutus et sanatus est. Ita Albinus Flaccus in ejus Vita. Illustrius est exemplum puellae Alexandrinae gentilis, quod refert Sophronius in Prato spirit. cap. CCVII. Haec quemdam ob debita parantem sibi laqueum, et debito et morte liberavit, omnes suas opes ei elargiens. Unde coepit ipsa egere, ita ut ad victum comparandum corpus prostitueret. Incidit in morbum, quo in se reversa, facti poenitens petiit baptismum. Repulit eam sacerdos, nisi sponsorem, quod deinceps caste viveret, adduceret. Cum neminem reperiret, qui spondere vellet, obtulerunt se angeli specie aulicorum quorumdam, dicentes se spondere pro illa, itaque baptizata est; postea rogati de ea aulici illi, negarunt se eam nosse, aut vidisse. Unde cognitum est fuisse angelos. Illa ro- gata ab Episcopo, vitam suam et eleemosynam narravit, moxque obdormivit in Domino, dicente Episcopo: « Justus es, Domine, et rectum judicium tuum. »
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8. AMPLIUS (hebraice superabundanter, id est aliquid supra sortem, vel capitale) NON ACCEPERIT. Nota: Deus, inter alia crimina, etiam usurae et usurariis mortem intentat, idque juste. Nam, ut ait S. Ambrosius lib. De Tobia, cap. x: « Nihil interest inter funus et foenus, nihil inter mortem distat et sortem. » Et Cato rogatus: « Quid esset foenerari? Est, inquit, hominem occidere. » Quocirca S. Ambrosius libro citato, cap. XII, usuram comparat echidnae, sive viperae: « Echidna, ait, quaedam est foeneratoris pecunia, quae tanta mala parturit. Echidna tamen fecunda poenis viscera trahens, partu suo rumpitur, et morte materna docet sobolem non esse degenerem in matrem. Illam morsibus suis scindit. Illic ubi nascitur venenum, primum probatur. Pecunia autem foeneratoris omnia mala sua concipit, parit, nutrit, atque ipsa magis in sobole sua crescit, tristi prole numerosior. » Et inferius: « Ibi ergo dolores, ut parturientis. Unde etiam tokous Graeci appellaverunt usuras, eo quod dolores partus animae debitoris excitare videantur. » Plura de usura dixi Deuter. XXIII, 9. 9. IN PRAECEPTIS MEIS AMBULAVERIT, ET JUDICIA MEA CUSTODIERIT. Idem per epexegesin aliis verbis inculcat. Idem enim in re sunt judicia et praecepta; sed connotato distincta, ut patet etyma intuenti. Alii per praecepta accipiunt affirmativa, per judicia negativa; intellige gravia et obligantia sub peccato mortali. Nam ut sapienter ait S. Augustinus in Sententiis: « Sicut non impediunt ab aeterna vita justum quaedam peccata venialia, sine quibus haec vita non ducitur: sic ad salutem aeternam nihil prosunt aliqua bona opera impio, sine quibus difficillime vita cujuslibet pessimi hominis invenitur. » UT FACIAT VERITATEM, id est officium, vel debitum virtutis. Sicut enim veritas in dictis, est adaequatio dicti ad id, quod est in mente: sic veritas in factis, est adaequatio operis ad id, quod dictat lex, ratio aut fides agendum esse. VITA VIVET, vitam vivet felicem, scilicet temporalem; et secundo, vitam gratiae et gloriae in coelo vivet justus et beatus. Nam vita vivere, Hebraeis est jucunde, feliciter, ad voluntatem et voluptatem vivere. 13. MORTE MORIETUR, infelici morte rapietur, non ei scelerato proderit patria virtus. Ita Prado. SANGUIS EJUS IN IPSO ERIT, luet sanguine, id est morte quam sibi conflavit; ipse sibi causa erit mortis. Sic cap. XXXIII, 4, dicitur: « Sanguis ipsius super caput ejus erit. » Aliter Chaldaeus, q. d. Reus erit mortis. Aliter quoque Maldonatus, q. d. Poenas persolvet sanguinum, id est homicidiorum quae perpetravit: sicut aliorum sanguinem fudit, ita sanguis ejus fundetur.
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14 et 17. SI GENUERIT (latro jam dictus vers. 10 et sequentibus) FILIUM, QUI VIDENS OMNIA PECCATA PATRIS SUI QUAE FECIT, TIMUERIT, ET NON FECERIT SIMILE EIS, etc., HIC NON MORIETUR IN INIQUITATE PATRIS SUI, SED VITA VIVET. Sic Achaz, Manasses, Amon, reges impii, male perierunt: horum vero pii filii, scilicet Ezechias et Josias, vixerunt felices et gloriosi. Ita Theodoretus. Dices: Exod. XX, 5, dicitur: « Ego Deus zelotes, visitans iniquitatem patrum in filios, in tertiam et quartam generationem. » Rursum II Reg. XXIV, ob peccatum David caesa sunt 70 millia populi. Ob peccata Dathan, Abiron et Sodomitarum tota familia et gens cum parvulis innocentibus est deleta. Sic in Madian Deus omnes etiam parvulos occidi jussit, Num. XXXI, 17. Sic in Jericho jussit Josue omnes etiam infantes occidi, Josue VI, 17 et 21. Ergo Deus peccata parentum punit in filiis. Respondet S. Augustinus, epist. 75, filios ob peccata parentum puniri poena corporis, quod a parente acceperunt, non poenis animae, id est spiritalibus. Verum Ezechiel, aeque ac Moses, loquitur proprie de poenis corporis, ut dixi. Secundo, S. Augustinus, Enchiridii XLVI; S. Leo, epist. 84, et S. Gregorius, XV, Moral. XXII, haec explicant de peccato actuali, quod opponitur originali: Peccatum, inquiunt, originale trahimus a parentibus, quia unum cum illis sumus: sed ab eo liberati per baptismum, jam non parentum culpas, sed quas ipsi committimus, habemus. Verum Ezechiel, uti et Moses, loquitur de poena, non culpa; poena, inquam, temporali non peccati originalis, sed actualium, quae Judaei post circumcisionem, et deletum per eam peccatum originale, commiserant. Tertio, S. Augustinus, lib. VI Quaest. veter. Testam. cap. VIII, et S. Thomas, I II, Quaest. LXXXVII, art. 8, respondent Deum flagellare filios, etiam bonos, malorum parentum, ut haec flagella sint poena parentum et medicina praeservativa filiorum. Idem docet Plutarchus lib. De Sera numinis vindicta. Hoc refellit Prado: quia haec filiorum medicina est, non poena. Quarto, Maldonatus respondet hanc generalem Prophetae sententiam intelligendam esse, non generaliter de omnibus personis et de omni tempore: sed accommodate ad id, de quo agitur. Agitur autem hic de poenis, quas Judaei ob peccata Manassis se luere querebantur: quibus respondet Deus fore, ut non amplius ob peccata Manassis puniantur, sive quia ob ea jam sat poenarum dederant; sive quia ipsi satis peccatorum habebant, ut merito de illis gravissimas poenas Deus sumeret. Verum verba Prophetae generalia generalem esse sententiam evincunt, esto occasio ejus fuerit particulare scelus Manassis. Respondeo ergo Prophetam loqui de adultis filiis piis, qui impiorum parentum peccata detestantur; Mosen vero loqui de impiorum patrum impiis filiis, qui peccata parentum imitantur: in his enim peccata parentum punit Deus. Tunc enim parens et in se punitur, et in filio: ac filius punitur ob peccatum patris, non quatenus est peccatum patris, sed quatenus illud imitatus est et sibi proprium effecit. Verum tamen est, quod non puniretur ita cito et graviter filius, nisi peccata patris praecessissent; quia gravius peccat, eo quod majorum scelera imitans, ea approbet et complacendo participet, ideoque impudentior sit et pervicacior, dum iisdem sua addit et adjicit ut faciat cumulum. Ita S. Hieronymus. Vide dicta Exod. cap. XX, 5. Dico, de adultis, quia parvulos poena mortis temporalis subinde punit Deus, et communi parentum cladi involvit, ut patet in Sodomis, in Jericho, in Chanaan, in Madianitis, in Davide. Ratio est, quia parvuli sunt quasi unum adhuc cum parente, ejusque quasi pars et possessio. Unde parvuli insontis morte gravius cruciatur parens, sceleris sui conscius. Ipsis autem parvulis hac morte bene fit; quia si peccato originali expiati sunt, salvantur, et periculis damnationis eripiuntur. Sin in eo sunt, uti fuerunt Sodomitarum parvuli, praestat cum eo solo mori, quam cum multis et infandis actualibus, in quae incidissent certo, si vixissent. In adultis ergo filiis impiis impiorum parentum, verum est illud Exodi dictum: adulti enim filii a parentibus discunt et imbibunt mores sceleratos, ob quos tam ipsi, quam parentes in ipsis puniuntur. Simile est proverbium: « Mali corvi malum ovum. » Cujus origo haec a nonnullis refertur: Corax quidam primus Syracusis, post mortem Hieronis, instituit artem rhetoricam mercede profiteri. Cum hoc adolescens quidam Tisias hac lege pactus est, ut tum demum mercedem persolveret, ubi artem perdidicisset. Dein ubi jam arte cognita, praemium reddere cunctaretur, Corax in jus discipulum vocat. Ibi juvenis hujusmodi dilemma proponit: Percunctanti quis esset rhetoricis finis, ubi Corax respondisset, persuadere dicendo: « Age, inquit, si persuadeo judicibus me nihil debere, non reddam, quia vici causam: sin minus persuadeo, non reddam, quia non perdidici artem. » At Corax dilemma quasi antistrephon in discipulum retorsit: « Imo, inquit, si persuades, dabis, quia tenes artem, et debes ex pacto: sin minus, dabis, quia sententiis judicum damnatus. » Quod commentum tam vafrum adolescentis audientes judices succlamarunt: Kakou korakos kakon oon, Mali corvi malum ovum. Corax enim graece corvum significat! Ita legitur in Prolegomenis in Hermogenis rhetoricam. Simile prorsus de Protagora Sophista, et ejus discipulo Evathlo, narrat Gellius lib. V, cap. x. 17. IN INIQUITATE (id est propter iniquitatem) PATRIS SUI. 18. ECCE MORTUUS EST (ecce morietur) IN INIQUITATE SUA, propter iniquitatem suam. 20. ANIMA QUAE PECCAVERIT, IPSA MORIETUR. Hinc infert S. Augustinus, tract. III in Apoc. tom. IX: « Multi, ait, in corporibus vivis animas mortuas portare noscuntur. » Sicut enim anima est vita corporis: ita animae vita est Deus et Dei gratia: hanc ergo per peccatum amittens anima, recte mori dicitur. Secundo et simplicius, « anima, » id est homo, qui peccaverit, ipse morietur, morte tum temporali (quam maxime timebant Judaei), tum spiritali et aeterna. Quid est ergo peccatum? Est mors animae immortalis: est ergo mors viva, mors aeterna, quia est mors animae semper viventis et aeternae. Ejus ergo mors immortalis est peccatum. JUSTITIA JUSTI SUPER EUM ERIT, q. d. Justus referet mercedem justitiae suae, scilicet vitam; et impius impietatis suae poenas, scilicet mortem. Hinc liquet nos formaliter esse justos per justitiam, non Christi nobis imputatam, ut volunt haeretici, sed per propriam et inhaerentem, quam Deus ob Christi merita animae infundit. Rursum, nos tam vere et proprie cum gratia Dei bene operando praemia mereri, quam sine illa male operando poenas et mortem meremur. De utroque enim eodem modo loquitur hic Propheta. Moraliter, hinc disce illud S. Clementis lib. II Const. Apost. cap. XIV: « Non esse vitandam communitatem sermonis cum delinquentibus, sed actionis; » haec enim contaminat, non illa.
18:21
21. SI AUTEM IMPIUS EGERIT POENITENTIAM, si corde conteratur, si serio doleat et poeniteat, mutetque vitam. Unde hebraice est: Cum discesserit ab omnibus peccatis suis, et custodierit omnia praecepta, id est proposuerit custodire omnia, esto necdum actu custodiat; neque enim uno die aut hora servari possunt omnia mandata; neque tamen exspectanda est remissio peccatorum ad longum tempus, cum Ezechiel cap. XXXIII, 12, asserat peccatorem quacumque die conversus fuerit, indulgentiam habiturum. Haec ergo ad votum et propositum custodiendi mandata, quod includit poenitentis contritio, referenda videntur. Hebraeorum enim verba saepe actum non perfectum, sed inchoatum, puta propositum, destinationem, conatum significant. Sic Paulus ait: « Gratiam, quae data est (id est dari decreta sive praedestinata) nobis ante tempora saecularia, » II Timoth. I, 9. Hic ergo poenitens « in justitia sua, quam operatus est, » id est quam operari coepit, et deinceps se operaturum firmiter proposuit, « vivit. » Ita D. Bellarminus, lib. II De Paenit. cap. VI, qui hinc probat requiri ordinarie formale propositum emendationis ad veram contritionem: nec sufficere virtuale. E contrario Andreas Vega, lib. XIII in Trident. cap. XXI, dicens sufficere virtuale, sic explicat, q. d. Post justificationem per paenitentiam adeptam, in ea permanendum est, per custodiam omnium praeceptorum deinceps. Verum, quia Propheta hoc requirit quasi conditionem et dispositionem ante remissionem peccatorum, ut Deus eorum non recordetur, utque peccator vita vivat: hinc prior expositio verior est, quam sequuntur Cajetanus, Soto, Navarrus, Gerson, Ruardus et alii, quos citat et sequitur Franciscus Suarez tractat. De Paenit., Quaest. LXXXV, art. 1, disp. IV, sect. III. VITA VIVET, certo vivet tum vita temporali, tum spiritali et aeterna. Vide dicta vers. 4. 22. OMNIUM INIQUITATUM EJUS, etc. NON RECORDABOR. « Adeo, ait S. Hieronymus, peccata patrum in filios non redundant, ut si ipse idem impius poeniteat, Deus dicat: Non recordabor peccatorum ejus. » Nota vim poenitentiae, quae peccatum non tantum ex conscientia, sed et e Dei memoria delet, Dei, inquam, qui laesus est. Nam alias de hominibus vulgo dicitur: Pulvere qui laedit scribit, sed marmore laesus. Hebraice est, non recordabuntur illi, id est non imputabuntur ei ad culpam et poenam, id est condonabuntur et abolebuntur, ut amplius non sint. Hinc ergo patet contritionem perfectam, quae absolute omnia peccata admissa, quasi summa mala, detestatur ex amore Dei super omnia, cum serio et absoluto proposito ea omniaque alia deinceps cavendi, abolere peccata omnia, et adducere gratiam justificantem. Est enim ipsa ad eam ultima dispositio: quocirca haec contritio vocatur, et reipsa est « charitate formata. » Porro sicut hoc in veteri Testamento (ubi Sacramenta ex opere operato justificantia, aliaque justitiae remedia non habebant) verum fuit: ita est et in novo. Est enim hoc quasi connaturale verae contritioni: Deus autem naturam et ordinem rerum non mutat, sed perficit. Ita docent Patres et Scholastici omnes III part. in materia De paenitent., imo Concilium Tridentinum, sess. XIV, cap. IV. Ex hoc loco purgatorium impugnat Petrus Martyr: Si Deus, inquit, post paenitentiam et contritionem non recordatur peccatorum: ergo ea non punit poena temporali in hac vita, aut futura. Respondeo negando consequentiam. Nam sensus hujus loci est: « Iniquitatum non recordabor, » supple, quasi manens infensus, et hostis, qui recordatur injuriae ab hoste acceptae, ut eam vindicet; sic enim Deus ante paenitentiam recordabatur peccati: post eam vero jam reconciliatus, non recordatur, q. d. Ego jam depono injuriae memoriam ac inimicitiam, quam hactenus cum eo qui peccavit, in mente gessi et servavi: jam eam in gratiam et amicitiam recipio et restituo, ac proinde vita vivet, et non morietur, q. d. Non puniam eum morte, uti ante decreveram, sed vita tum praesenti (Judaeos qui hanc maxime spectabant et optabant), tum aeterna vere paenitentes, mihi reconciliatos donabo, in eaque conservabo; ita tamen, ut poena aliqua temporali, vel hic, vel in purgatorio luant et expient, non quasi hostes, sed quasi amici et filii, qui nuper me offenderunt, ob delectationem, quam in peccato et mei offensa hauserunt. Alioquin enim constat Deum speculatice recordari peccatorum, uti et rerum caeterarum omnium, quae praeteritae sunt; ergo haec sententia non omnino absolute, sed determinate ad praesentem materiam accipienda et limitanda est. Nam ex adverso de justo dicitur, quod si peccet, « Omnes justitiae non recordabuntur, » scilicet ita, ut propter eas maneat justus et amicus, vitaque donetur praesenti et aeterna. Constat enim, quod Deus eorum, imo illorum qui semper fuerunt impii, bona opera subinde mercede aliqua temporali remuneretur: idque diserte docent S. Chrysostomus, homil. 67 ad Popul., Hieronymus in cap. XXXIX Ezechiel., Augustinus, lib. V De Civit. Dei, cap. XV. 23. NUMQUID VOLUNTATIS MEAE EST MORS IMPII? numquid antecedenter, et ex meipso volo, ac delector morte impii? Absit hoc a divina bonitate et clementia. Apage ergo, Calvine, qui blasphemas, Deum damnandos creasse ad suam damnationem et mortem aeternam: fatum hoc non christianum, non stoicum, sed tyrannicum, sed diabolicum est. 24. OMNES JUSTITIAE EJUS QUAS FECERAT, NON RECORDABUNTUR, ut eum coram Deo faciant justum, gratum, vitaque dignum, non morte. Vide dicta vers. 22. 25. ET DIXISTIS: NON EST AEQUA VIA DOMINI. Vere S. Augustinus in Sent. tom. III, sent. 177: « Sicut, ait, palato non sano poena est cibus, qui sano suavis est: et oculis aegris odiosa lux, quae puris est grata: sic justitia Dei, cui si subjicerentur, non conturbarentur. » NUMQUID VIA MEA NON EST AEQUA? etc. CUM ENIM AVERTERIT SE JUSTUS. Nota: Deus calumnianti bus suam justitiam respondet illud idem quod calumniabantur, quasi hoc argumento eos convincens; quia videlicet prima principia causam et demonstrationem non habent, sed seipsis nituntur et intelliguntur cognitione et inculcatione terminorum. Sic divina veritas sibi nititur, et divina aequitas justitiae suae nullam praeter seipsam rationem habet: sed res ipsa clamat eam esse justissimam. Ita Polychronius, Theodoretus, Prado et alii. Sic Cicero crimen parricidii exaggerans ait: « Matrem tuam occidisti. Quid dicam amplius? matrem tuam occidisti. » Quia gravius non habebat, quod adderet. 26. MORIETUR IN EIS, pro eis, propter eas, scilicet iniquitates. Aliter Theodoretus et Polychronius, q. d. Qui obduratus est in peccatis et impaenitens, morietur in eis, ac consequenter ibit ad mortem aeternam. 27. VIVIFICABIT. Septuaginta, Custodiet et servabit in vita. 30. NON ERIT IN VOBIS IN RUINAM INIQUITAS, peccatum non erit vobis causa ruinae et mortis. 31. COR NOVUM, novam voluntatem, SPIRITUM NOVUM, novum affectum, ardorem, ut ab idolis ad me, a vitiis ad virtutes transcatis. Notat libertatem arbitrii, qua cum gratia Dei possumus nobis facere cor novum. QUARE MORIEMINI? id est, ut Vatablus, cur negligentia vestra et impaenitentia committeretis ut moreremini? Atque ut Maldonatus: Si hoc feceritis, nihil causae erit cur moriamini. Non enim voluntatis meae est mors vestra, ut dixi vers. 23. Peccatum solum vobis est causa mortis, quare moriemini? cur sponte vestra mori vultis? cur non arripitis salutem quam vobis offero? Praeclare et efficaciter noster Prado verba Prophetae urget et exhaurit. Si ego, inquit, qui supremus judex sum, in vestram partem inclino, sententiam damnationis ferre omnibus modis recuso; si ego ipse, qui actor sum, vel a vobis lacessitus, vindictam non expeto, sed sponte noxam condono, si sani estis, neque vitam propriam despicitis: « Et quare moriemini, domus Israel? » cum pro actore habeatis advocatum, et pro judice patronum? Moriemur, quia lex ministra mortis transgressores damnat. Sed ego paenitentes absolvo: « Quare igitur moriemini? » Quia patres nostri peccaverunt, nos morimur. At vivo ego, quia filii non portabunt iniquitatem patrum. « Et quare moriemini, domus Israel? » Quia fecimus pactum cum morte, et foedus cum inferno. Sed in vestra potestate est, dissolvere foedus percussum: revertimini, et vivite. « Quare moriemini, domus Israel? » Quia lege membrorum gravati in mortis barathrum dejicimur. Sed fas est, si lubet, facere vobis cor novum. « Et quare moriemini? » Quia arduum est ad vitam conari per legis custodiam. Atque facile est vobis comparare spiritum et animum novum, quo ad coelestem vitam rapiamini. « Quare moriemini, filii Israel? » Quia jam neci traditi sumus a divina justitia. At ego, qui nolo mortem morientis, ab ipsis faucibus mortis etiam devoratos eripiam. « Quare igitur moriemini? » Quia Dominus oblitus est nostri ob peccata regum nostrorum, Achaz et Manassis, ideo morimur. Sed oblivisci non possum Abraham, Isaac, Israel et Davidis obsequia: eorum memor, vobis, o domus Israel! misericordiam exhibebo et clementiam. « Et quare moriemini? » Quia divinae potentiae obsistere non valemus, quae nos Babyloniis venumdedit. At licet vobis, si ad misericordiam confugiatis, contra Deum fortes esse, quod olim Israelem patrem vestrum fecisse non ignoratis: « Quare ergo moriemini? » Illud unum est, quod vos accusat, quod deprimit, quod damnat, et morti adjudicat, nimirum quod resipiscere non vultis, quia quid sit vivere necdum nostis. Sed ego vel phrenesi tam periculosa laborantes non desinam admonere et ad saniora consilia co-hortari: « Quare moriemini, domus Israel? quia nolo mortem morientis, etc., revertimini, et vivite. » Narrat Plutarchus olim Milesias virgines furore actas, solitas sibi mortem consciscere, cum nihil haberent causae, nisi: « Volo mori. » Dumque nec minis, nec promissis ab hac re averti possent, sapientem quemdam hoc consilium dedisse, ut, quotquot se enecassent, publice nude suspenderentur. Infamia haec virgines a sui caede compescuit. Ita facit peccator; nam quasi furens in suam necem ruit, sibi ipsi mortem consciscit, eamque aeternam. An non haec amentia? annon furor? damnati jam suum furorem, suum errorem vident et dolent. « Sed sero sapiunt Phryges. » Juste ergo hic vermis conscientiae jugiter rodit eos: Cur, stolidissime viventium, hanc tibi miseriam aeternam sponte ascivisti? cur te in aeternitatem incendiorum ultro conjecisti? Nemo te compulit: diabolus non coegit, sed invitavit. Tu tibi imputa tuam sortem; tu libere elegisti mortem prae vita, demones prae angelis, infernum prae coelo. Dum tempus habemus, haec cogitemus et sapiamus.
18:2
… didattici più sviluppati (Job 27, 1; 29, 1; Ps. 48 [49], 5; 77 [78], 2). Viene anche chiamato m. un detto popolare (I Sam. 24, 14); un apologo, un motto arguto (sinonimo di hīdhāh; cf. Ez. 17, 2); un motto satirico (Is. 14, 4; Ez. 13, 22 sg.; 16, 44; 18, 2 sg.). …
… la parabola più propriamente detta (Ez. 17, 2; 24, 3), la similitudine e l'esempio, il detto di uso popolare (più precisamente proverbio: I Reg. 5, 12; Job 13, 12; Prov. 1, 1.6; 10, 1; 25, 1; 26, 7.9), il motto spiritoso e sarcastico (Ez. 12, 22 sg; 18, 2 sg.; Mi. 2, 4; Hab. 2, 6), le parole di motteggio
18:5
… Per uscire dal peccato è necessaria anzitutto l'osservanza della Legge, raccomandata da Dio stesso o da Mosè e dai Profeti a nome di Dio (cf. Deut. 4, 1 sgg.; 6, 4 sgg.; 12, 28 sgg.; Lev. 18, 5; Ez. 18, 5 sgg.; cf. Tob. 12, 9). Occorre insieme la fiducia in Dio che salva, come inculcano specialmente i Salmi, e soprattutto la fede in Dio e in Colui che Dio manderà al suo popolo come Messia-Salvatore …
18:7
FRACTIO PANIS (ἘΛΑ͂ΣΙΣ ΤΟΥ͂ ΔΡΥ͂ΣΟΥ)
Espressioni simili si trovano nel Vecchio Testamento (Is. 58, 7; Ier. 16, 6-7; Lam. 4, 4; Ez. 18, 7, 16) e in parte riflettono il pensiero dei Giudei, presso i quali il rito di spezzare il pane, compiuto dal padre di famiglia all'inizio di un pasto in comune, rivestiva un carattere …
18:8
… Tra gli Ebrei era molto radicata l'idea del prestito gratuito, ma le infrazioni erano continue, finché, sotto pretesto di adeguarsi alla pratica degli stranieri, non si esitò a violare apertamente la legge (cf. Ex. 22, 25; Lec. 25, 35-37; Ez. 18,8 ecc.). …
18:21
Tale dottrina è fondata sia nella S. Scrittura (Joel, 2, 12 sgg.; Lc. 13, 3-5; Act. 3, 19; cf. Ez. 18, 21 sgg.; Ier. 18, 8; Eccl. 2, 22) nella quale il perdono di Dio è condizionato alla detestazione delle proprie colpe ed alla volontà di far frutti di penitenza; sia nel costante insegnamento …
… Il fatto della r. dei m. è oggi comunemente ammesso, perché fondato, almeno implicitamente, su testi della Scrittura (Ez. 18, 21; 33, 12; Joel. 2, 18; Gal. 3, 4; Hebr. 6, 10; soprattutto la parabola del figliolo prodigo [Lc. 15, 11-32], che viene ristabilito in tutti i suoi precedenti diritti) e in affermazioni …
18:24
ÁGRAPHON (GRECO: «COSA NON SCRITTA»; PLURALE AGRAPHA)
… sempre accompagnato da I Thes. 5, 21; Giustino, C. Triph. 47, 6, attribuisce a Gesù il detto: «Nello stato in cui vi sorprenderò vi giudicherò»; ma delle altre venti citazioni di questa frase, nessuna l'attribuisce a Gesù, molte al «profeta» (cioè a Ez. 18, 24-30; 33, 12-16, 20). Nel codice D (cf. A. Merk, Novum Test. gr., 4ª ed., Roma 1942, pp. 69, 212) la frase di Gesù al trasgressore del sabato (al posto di Lc. 6, 5) dev'essere una trovata …
18:31
… Si dice p. es. che il Signore darà, nel tempo messianico, una « nuova rūah » (Ez. 11, 19; 18, 31; 36, 29; Ps. 51 [50], 12); nella rūah ascendono i pensieri (Ez. 11, 5); la rūah cerca, desidera il Signore (Is. 26, 9), è abbattuta (Is. 66, 2; Prov. 15, 13), umile (Prov. 16, 19; …
Tale nozione di c. riferisce fedelmente l'insegnamento della S. Scrittura; lo stesso Tridentino lo fa notare, citando alcuni passi del Vecchio Testamento (Ez. 18, 31; Ps. 50, 6; 6, 7; Is. 38, 15). È anche la costante dottrina dei Padri, sintetizzata nel notissimo detto di s. Gregorio Magno: « Paenitentia est perpetrata mala plangere, et plangenda …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · Douay-Rheims originale (Douai 1609-10), trascrizione EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Pubblico dominio.