TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Ezekiel 18:21–29. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We have here another rule of judgment which God will go by in dealing with us, by which is further demonstrated the equity of his government. The former showed that God will reward or punish according to the change made in the family or succession, for the better or for the worse; here he shows that he will reward or punish according to the change made in the person himself, whether for the better or the worse. While we are in this world we are in a state of probation; the time of trial lasts as long as the time of life, and according as we are found at last it will be with us to eternity. Now see here,
I.The case fairly stated, much as it had been before (Eze 3:18, etc.), and here it is laid down once (Eze 18:21-24) and again (Eze 18:26-28), because it is a matter of vast importance, a matter of life and death, of life and death eternal. Here we have,
1.A fair invitation given to wicked people, to turn from their wickedness. Assurance is here given us that, if the wicked will turn, he shall surely live, Eze 18:21, Eze 18:27. Observe,
(1.)What is required to denominate a man a true convert, how he must be qualified that he may be entitled to this act of indemnity.
[1.]The first step towards conversion is consideration (Eze 18:28): Because he considers and turns. The reason why sinners go on in their evil ways is because they do not consider what will be in the end thereof; but if the prodigal once come to himself, if he sit down and consider a little how bad his state is and how easily it may be bettered, he will soon return to his father (Luk 15:17), and the adulteress to her first husband when she considers that then it was better with her than now, Hos 2:7.
[2.]This consideration must produce an aversion to sin. When he considers he must turn away from his wickedness, which denotes a change in the disposition of the heart; he must turn from his sins and his transgression, which denotes a change in the life; he must break off from all his evil courses, and, wherein he has done iniquity, must resolve to do so no more, and this from a principle of hatred to sin. What have I to do any more with idols?
[3.]This aversion to sin must be universal; he must turn from all his sins and all his transgressions, without a reserve for any Delilah, any house of Rimmon. We do not rightly turn from sin unless we truly hate it, and we do not truly hate sin, as sin, if we do not hate all sin.
[4.]This must be accompanied with a conversion to God and duty; he must keep all God's statutes (for the obedience, if it be sincere, will be universal) and must do that which is lawful and right, that which agrees with the word and will of God, which he must take for his rule, and not the will of the flesh and the way of the world.
(2.)What is promised to those that do thus turn from sin to God.
[1.]They shall save their souls alive, Eze 18:27. They shall surely live, they shall not die, Eze 18:21. and again Eze 18:28. Whereas it was said, The soul that sins it shall die, yet let not those that have sinned despair but that the threatened death may be prevented if they will but turn and repent in time. When David penitently acknowledges, I have sinned, he is immediately assured of his pardon: "The Lord has taken away thy sin, thou shalt not die (Sa2 12:13), thou shalt not die eternally." He shall surely live; he shall be restored to the favour of God, which is the life of the soul, and shall not lie under his wrath, which is as messengers of death to the soul.
[2.]The sins they have repented of and forsaken shall not rise up in judgment against them, nor shall they be so much as upbraided with them: All his transgressions that he has committed, though numerous, though heinous, though very provoking to God, and redounding very much to his dishonour, yet they shall not be mentioned unto him (Eze 18:22), not mentioned against them; not only they shall not be imputed to him to ruin him, but in the great day they shall not be remembered against him to grieve or shame him; they shall be covered, shall be sought for and not found. This intimates the fulness of pardoning mercy; when sin is forgiven it is blotted out, it is remembered no more.
[3.]In their righteousness they shall live; not for their righteousness, as if that were the purchase of their pardon and bliss and an atonement for their sins, but in their righteousness, which qualifies them for all the blessings purchased by the Mediator, and is itself one of those blessings.
(3.)What encouragement a repenting returning sinner has to hope for pardon and life according to this promise. He is conscious to himself that his obedience for the future can never be a valuable compensation for his former disobedience; but he has this to support himself with, that God's nature, property, and delight, is to have mercy and to forgive, for he has said (Eze 18:23): "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? No, by no means; you never had any cause given you to think so." It is true God has determined to punish sinners; his justice calls for their punishment, and, pursuant to that, impenitent sinners will lie for ever under his wrath and curse; that is the will of his decree, his consequent will, but it is not his antecedent will, the will of his delight. Though the righteousness of his government requires that sinners die, yet the goodness of his nature objects against it. How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? It is spoken here comparatively; he has not pleasure in the ruin of sinners, for he would rather they should turn from their ways and live; he is better pleased when his mercy is glorified in their salvation than when his justice is glorified in their damnation.
2.A fair warning given to righteous people not to turn from their righteousness, Eze 18:24-26. Here is,
(1.)The character of an apostate, that turns away from his righteousness. He never was in sincerity a righteous man (as appears by that of the apostle, Jo1 2:19, If they had been of us, they would, no doubt, have continued with us), but he passed for a righteous man. He had the denomination and all the external marks of a righteous man; he thought himself one, and others thought him one. But he throws of his profession, leaves his first love, disowns and forsakes the truth and ways of God, and so turns away from his righteousness as one sick of it, and now shows, what he always had, a secret aversion to it; and, having turned away from his righteousness, he commits iniquity, grows loose, and profane, and sensual, intemperate, unjust, and, in short, does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does; for, when the unclean spirit recovers his possession of the heart, he brings with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there, Luk 11:26.
(2.)The doom of an apostate: Shall he live because he was once a righteous man? No; factum non dicitur quod non perseverat - that which does not abide is not said to be done. In his trespass (Eze 18:24) and for his iniquity (that is the meritorious cause of his ruin), for the iniquity that he has done, he shall die, shall die eternally, Eze 18:26. The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways. But will not his former professions and performances stand him in some stead - will they not avail at least to mitigate his punishment? No: All his righteousness that he has done, though ever so much applauded by men, shall not be mentioned so as to be either a credit or a comfort to him; the righteousness of an apostate is forgotten, as the wickedness of a penitent is. Under the law, if a Nazarite was polluted he lost all the foregoing days of his separation (Num 6:12), so those that have begun in the spirit and end in the flesh may reckon all their past services and sufferings in vain (Gal 3:3, Gal 3:4); unless we persevere we lose what we have gained, Jo2 1:8.
II.An appeal to the consciences even of the house of Israel, though very corrupt, concerning God's equity in all these proceedings; for he will be justified, as well as sinners judged, out of their own mouths.
1.The charge they drew up against God is blasphemous, Eze 18:25, Eze 18:29. The house of Israel has the impudence to say, The way of the Lord is not equal, than which nothing could be more absurd as well as impious. He that formed the eye, shall he not see? Can his ways be unequal whose will is the eternal rule of good and evil, right and wrong? Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? No doubt he shall; he cannot do otherwise.
2.God's reasonings with them are very gracious and condescending, for even these blasphemers God would rather have convinced and saved than condemned. One would have expected that God would immediately vindicate the honour of his justice by making those that impeached it eternal monuments of it. Must those be suffered to draw another breath that have once breathed out such wickedness as this? Shall that tongue ever speak again any where but in hell that has once said, The ways of the Lord are not equal? Yes, because this is the day of God's patience, he vouchsafes to argue with them; and he requires them to own, for it is so plain that they cannot deny,
(1.)The equity of his ways: Are not my ways equal? No doubt they are. He never lays upon man more than is right. In the present punishments of sinners and the afflictions of his own people, yea, and in the eternal damnation of the impenitent, the ways of the Lord are equal.
(2.)The iniquity of their ways: "Are not your ways unequal? It is plain that they are, and the troubles you are in you have brought upon your own heads. God does you no wrong, but you have wronged yourselves." The foolishness of man perverts his way, makes that unequal, and then his heart frets against the Lord, as if his ways were unequal, Pro 19:3. In all our disputes with God, and in all his controversies with us, it will be found that his ways are equal, but ours are unequal, that he is in the right and we are in the wrong.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
(Verse 26.) For when the righteous turns away from his righteousness and does iniquity, he shall die in them. In the iniquity which he has done, he shall die. This can also be understood: The righteous first, the people of Israel, turned away from their righteousness, because they abandoned the author of righteousness, and they committed iniquity by denying the Son of God. In the sin and wickedness which he has done, he shall die: not in many, but in one, killing the heir in order to destroy the inheritance.
“When the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live. They shall not die.” Each statement is true because each is divine, whether it is that the just person when he will have turned away from his righteousness, all his righteous deeds will be consigned to oblivion, or whether it is that the wicked person, when he will have been converted from wickedness to righteousness, will be saved, and all his wicked deeds will not be remembered.
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Summary
Ezekiel 18:26 presents a solemn declaration of divine justice and individual accountability, asserting that if a person previously characterized by righteousness deliberately abandons that path to engage in wickedness and persists in it, their past good deeds will not avert the consequence. The verse unequivocally states that such a turning away, culminating in unrepentant sin, will inevitably lead to spiritual death, a just recompense for their chosen iniquity.
Context
Literary Context
Ezekiel 18:26 is a crucial component of a profound theological argument that dominates Ezekiel chapter 18. The entire chapter serves as God's direct refutation of a pervasive proverb among the Israelite exiles in Babylon: "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge" (quoted in Ezekiel 18:2). This proverb reflected a fatalistic and communal understanding of sin and punishment, where the current generation believed they were suffering solely for their ancestors' transgressions, thereby absolving themselves of personal guilt. God, through His prophet Ezekiel, meticulously dismantles this notion, establishing the principle of individual responsibility for one's own actions. Verse 26 specifically addresses the dire consequence for a righteous person who apostatizes, serving as a powerful counterpoint to the wicked person who repents (as detailed in Ezekiel 18:27-28) and contrasting with the righteous who persevere (described earlier in Ezekiel 18:5-9). The verse underscores that divine judgment is dynamic, based on one's present moral standing and persistent choices, not merely a static record of past deeds.
Historical & Cultural Context
The book of Ezekiel was penned during the tumultuous period of the Babylonian exile (circa 593-571 BC), a time of immense national crisis, spiritual disillusionment, and existential despair for the exiled Israelites. Stripped of their land, the sacred Temple, and their monarchy, many felt abandoned by God or believed they were being unjustly punished for the cumulative sins of generations. The "sour grapes" proverb was a common expression of this sentiment, reflecting a deeply ingrained communal understanding of sin and punishment that often overshadowed individual culpability. In this context, Ezekiel's revolutionary message of individual accountability was both challenging and profoundly liberating. It aimed to dismantle fatalism, encourage personal repentance, and unequivocally reaffirm God's perfect justice and impartiality. The concept of "righteousness" (Hebrew: tsedeq or tsedeqah) in ancient Israel was inextricably linked to covenant faithfulness, adherence to the Mosaic Law, and a life characterized by ethical conduct, social justice, and proper worship. Deviation from this covenantal path was perceived as a grave betrayal, incurring severe divine consequences.
Key Themes
Ezekiel 18:26 profoundly contributes to several overarching themes central to Ezekiel's prophecy and the broader biblical narrative. Foremost is the theme of Individual Accountability, which is the cornerstone of Ezekiel chapter 18, asserting that each person stands directly accountable before God for their own choices, a radical departure from the prevailing communal guilt mindset of the exiles. It highlights the Dynamic Nature of Righteousness, demonstrating that righteousness is not a static status achieved once and for all, but a continuous, active walk requiring ongoing faithfulness and vigilance. The verse also starkly portrays the Consequences of Apostasy, revealing that a deliberate turning away from God's path leads to spiritual death, a separation from the life-giving presence of God, a recurring motif throughout the chapter (e.g., Ezekiel 18:32). Finally, it vividly affirms Divine Justice and Equity, assuring the audience that God's judgments are perfectly fair and impartial, based on present actions and choices rather than past merits or ancestral sins, thereby challenging their distorted perception of God's character and encouraging them towards genuine repentance and a renewed relationship with Him.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term denotes one who is just, lawful, or morally upright. In the context of Ezekiel, it refers to an individual whose life aligns with God's covenant commands, characterized by ethical behavior, justice, and faithfulness. The verse posits that even such a person, if they deviate, will face judgment, emphasizing that righteousness is not a permanent, unchangeable status but a lived reality that requires ongoing adherence.
This primitive root means "to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively." It implies a deliberate, conscious act of departure or withdrawal from a previous path. Here, it signifies a willful abandonment of righteousness, indicating a conscious choice to forsake God's ways rather than an accidental stumble. This turning away is an act of spiritual apostasy, a reversal of one's moral direction.
This root means "to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill." In Ezekiel 18, "die" often carries a profound spiritual connotation, referring to separation from God, cessation of divine favor, or a state of spiritual condemnation, rather than merely physical death. The repetition of this word underscores the certainty and severity of the spiritual consequence for unrepented sin, highlighting the forfeiture of life that comes from walking with God.
Verse Breakdown
"When a righteous [man] turneth away from his righteousness"
This initial clause establishes the conditional premise for the divine judgment that follows. It describes an individual who was genuinely living in accordance with God's standards, characterized by moral uprightness and covenant faithfulness. However, this person then consciously and deliberately chooses to abandon that established path. The phrase "turneth away from his righteousness" signifies a willful act of apostasy, a conscious decision to depart from a life of obedience and moral rectitude.
"and committeth iniquity"
Following the act of turning away, this clause specifies the active engagement in sin. It is not merely a passive departure from righteousness but an active and deliberate embrace of wickedness. The "iniquity" (Hebrew: ʻevel, H5766) refers to actions that are morally perverse, unjust, or contrary to God's will, demonstrating a complete and active reversal of their former righteous conduct.
"and dieth in them"
This critical phrase indicates the persistence of the individual in the state of iniquity until death, implying a lack of repentance or a final state of unrepentance. The "death" here, as consistently throughout Ezekiel chapter 18, primarily signifies spiritual death – a state of profound separation from God, His life-giving presence, and His divine favor. It is the ultimate, severe consequence of unrepented sin, a forfeiture of the true life that comes from walking in communion with God.
"for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die"
This concluding clause powerfully reiterates and reinforces the core principle of individual accountability and divine justice articulated throughout the chapter. The spiritual death is directly and unequivocally linked to the specific iniquity committed by the individual, emphasizing that the consequence is a just and equitable recompense for their own deliberate actions. It underscores the certainty of judgment for those who persist in their wickedness, irrespective of their past righteousness, affirming God's impartiality.
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 18:26 employs several potent literary devices to convey its stark and profound message. A Conditional Statement is central, as the verse begins with "When...", establishing a clear and unavoidable cause-and-effect relationship between a specific action (turning from righteousness and committing iniquity) and its inevitable consequence (death). This structure highlights the direct link between moral choice and divine judgment. The powerful Repetition of the word "die" (Hebrew: mûwth, H4191) at the end of the verse ("and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die") serves to emphasize the certainty, finality, and severity of the outcome, reinforcing the unyielding nature of the judgment. There is also a strong element of Contrast inherent in the verse, and explicitly within the broader chapter, between the initial state of "righteousness" and the subsequent state of "iniquity," underscoring the radical and devastating shift in the individual's moral standing and its dire implications. Finally, the language carries clear Legal/Forensic Imagery, presenting God as the righteous judge who meticulously weighs individual actions and dispenses perfectly just penalties, thereby reinforcing the overarching theme of divine justice and equity.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Ezekiel 18:26 profoundly impacts our understanding of salvation, perseverance, and divine justice. It challenges any notion of a static, irreversible righteousness that is immune to future moral failure, emphasizing instead a dynamic, active relationship with God that requires ongoing faithfulness and vigilance. The verse serves as a sober warning against spiritual complacency and apostasy, reminding us that genuine faith is evidenced by a life of continuous obedience and repentance, not merely a past decision or declaration. It underscores that God's justice is perfectly equitable, judging individuals based on their present moral standing rather than their past merits or demerits, thereby affirming His impartiality and challenging fatalistic views of judgment. This passage stresses that true life is found in sustained communion with God, and a deliberate turning away from Him results in spiritual death, a separation from the source of all life.
Reflection and Application
Ezekiel 18:26 serves as a powerful and timeless call to spiritual vigilance and perseverance for all who claim to walk with God. It shatters any illusion that past religious experiences, declarations of faith, or good deeds grant immunity from the consequences of present, unrepentant sin. For believers, this verse is a profound reminder that the Christian life is not a one-time event but a continuous journey of faith, active repentance, and obedient discipleship. It compels us to regularly examine our hearts, confess our sins, and actively "turn back" to God whenever we stray, rather than passively drifting into complacency. It challenges the notion that salvation is merely a declaration, instead emphasizing that genuine faith is demonstrated through a life transformed by God's Spirit, marked by a consistent and active pursuit of righteousness. The "death" spoken of here should stir within us a holy fear of spiritual separation from God, motivating us to cling ever more tightly to Christ, who alone empowers us to live righteously and persevere to the end.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does Ezekiel 18:26 mean that a truly saved person can lose their salvation?
This verse, within the broader context of Ezekiel chapter 18, presents a strong warning about the dire consequences of apostasy for those who were once righteous. While various theological traditions interpret the concept of "losing salvation" differently (e.g., Arminianism emphasizing conditional security versus Calvinism emphasizing eternal security), the primary emphasis of Ezekiel is on the principle of individual accountability and the dynamic nature of one's moral standing before God. It highlights that a person's ultimate destiny is determined by their final state of righteousness or wickedness. The "death" referred to signifies a spiritual separation from God, which is the natural outcome for those who deliberately and persistently abandon His ways and commit iniquity without repentance. It serves as a serious caution against spiritual complacency and a call to persevere in faith, rather than a definitive statement on the theological nuances of "eternal security." The New Testament further elaborates on how true faith endures and is sustained by God's grace (e.g., Philippians 1:6), but also contains solemn warnings against falling away from the faith (e.g., Hebrews 10:26-31).
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Ezekiel 18:26, with its stark warning about the righteous turning from righteousness and facing spiritual death, finds its ultimate fulfillment and profound resolution in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament law, while revealing God's perfect standard of righteousness, simultaneously exposed humanity's inherent inability to consistently maintain it, a truth underscored by the very premise of this verse. No one, apart from Christ, can perfectly and perpetually maintain righteousness. Jesus, however, is the righteous One, who perfectly fulfilled all righteousness during His earthly life (as seen in Matthew 3:15) and never turned away from God's will, even to the point of death on the cross. His death was not for His own iniquity, for He had none, but for ours, as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Through faith in Him, believers are not merely called to strive for a righteousness they cannot perfectly achieve, but are clothed in His perfect righteousness, an imputed righteousness that is secure. While Ezekiel warns of spiritual death for those who turn from their own righteousness, Christ offers eternal life to all who believe, a life that is secure in Him because He is the one who keeps His sheep and no one can snatch them out of His hand. The New Covenant, established in His blood, provides the indwelling Holy Spirit, who empowers believers to persevere in faith and enables them to live a life pleasing to God, thus addressing the very human tendency to "turn away" that Ezekiel highlights (as promised in Ezekiel 36:27 and dramatically fulfilled at Pentecost in Acts 2).