A Real Pickle
The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: ‘The parents eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die. – Ezekiel 18:1-2 & 4 (NIV)
This passage is a real pickle, biblically speaking. The prophet Ezekiel is saying that God judges people individually based their own actions, disregarding the actions of their parents. But there’s a problem. Deuteronomy 5:9 states that God will, in fact, punish a person based on the actions of their parents. And for those keeping score at home, Deuteronomy 5:9 is part of the Ten Commandments.
Like I said, it’s a real pickle.
The Law or the Prophets, Ezekiel or Moses: which is right?
They’re both right. And also, kind of neither is right? It’s complicated. Ezekiel is absolutely right: God is a just judge who gives each person the chance to live a life pleasing to God. But Deuteronomy is also right: Sin does ripple across generations; abuse or addiction or bigotry can replicate from parent to child most insidiously.
Understanding God’s will for us today is more than a question of “What does it say in the Bible?” Because the Bible is not a monologue, fixed and eternal. The Bible is an unfolding dialogue. Prophets interpret law, Gospels interpret prophets, letters interpret Gospels. And we must wrestle with it all.
We navigate a complicated world, and wrestle with complicated questions. But we should take heart. Because from Ezekiel to Deuteronomy, the profoundest truths come when we push past easy answers.
Prayer
Thank you for the gift of holy scripture.
About the AuthorJohn Edgerton is Lead Pastor at First United Church of Oak Park, Illinois.