Our Liturgical Setting: In today’s gospel (Matthew 21:28-32) Jesus speaks of obedience to God and of disobedience, of repentance and of obstinacy, and of the “last” taking the honors reserved for the “first.” Jesus might just as well have proclaimed this passage from Ezekiel. To see why, read the gospel. Then come back to this passage.
The Theological Situation: In chapter 18, Ezekiel challenges two old beliefs common among his people:
That children inherit the guilt of their ancestors,
and that God is more strict than merciful.
The chapter begins with prophet announcing that God wants the people to stop repeating (and believing) an old proverb, “Parents have eaten green grapes, and their children’s teeth are set on edge.” He goes on to describe God’s response to three generations of a certain family. A certain man is good; he does not worship idols, commit adultery, or charge interest on loans. He shares food and clothing with the poor. He is fair in his judgments of others. Such a man is upright in God’s eyes, and he shall live. Now this man has a son “prone to violence and bloodshed,” who chooses to do everything wrong. He is not upright, and by God’s judgment, shall not live. And there is a grandson who, “in spite of seeing all his father has committed, does not imitate him.” He acts more like his grandfather than like his father. So he does not inherit his father’s disfavor with God, but rather is upright; he, too, shall live.
Not content just to upset the people’s old belief about inherited guilt, Ezekiel attacks their convictions about “once a sinner, always a sinner.” He asserts that it is possible for a wicked person to renounce his sins, begin respecting God’s law, and live uprightly. Such a one will not die but live, says the Lord through Ezekiel. None of his crimes will be remembered against him. At least not by God, for the implication is that the people rather enjoyed remembering the sins of others, and condemning them over and over. Why else would Ezekiel need to make this prophecy?
Likewise it is possible for a good person to turn away from uprightness and to forfeit the favor of God and neighbor. Such a person’s past good deeds will be “forgotten from then on.” He shall die for his sins.
Now it’s these two challenges to old beliefs, these assertions that children are not to bear their parents’ guilt and that both the upright and especially the wicked can reverse their ways and reverse their standing in God’s eyes, that precede the verses of today’s selection. These are the new prophetic revelations that make the people say “God’s ways are unfair.” Ezekiel’s response is unsympathetic and uncompromising. “This is the way God is, people, despite what you used to think. It’s your own sins, not your fathers’, that have got you into trouble. Repent, take responsibility. It’s possible. You can live. No excuses! ‘I take no pleasure in the death of anyone — declares the Lord Yahweh — so repent and live’ (18:32)”
Proclaiming It: Ezekiel is very contentious here. He deserves a vigorous proclamation. A good way to deliver this in your Sunday congregation would be to imagine you are Jesus in that heated discussion with the chief priests and elders. Their arrogance is getting to you, so you reach in your pocket, pull out your copy of Ezekiel, open it and say,
“Oh yeah? Well, listen to this: ‘You say the Lord’s way is not fair! Hear now, house of Israel: Is it my way or your way that’s unfair? . . .'”
Don’t be afraid to sound vehement. Ezekiel wasn’t; he was talking (and you’ll be reading) about issues of life and death.
A Two-Sentence Homily Starter: Reverend Preacher, now that you’re reminded of the context in which Ezekiel spoke this oracle, ask if your own congregation labors under some obsolete beliefs or practices from which God might want to liberate them. What’s keeping them from accepting responsibility or from believing that new life and conversion are really possible?
