I think it would be a huge understatement to say that the Bible is a controversial book, especially as regards its significance for how we should live our lives. Believers are, for the most part, committed to thinking that biblical passages which concern moral issues, or at any rate a great deal of them, contain sound moral teaching, while unbelievers are, for the most part, committed to thinking the opposite. When discussing this issue, it is tempting to quote only those passages which support your own views. In an attempt to treat both sides fairly and (hopefully) provoke some thoughtful discussion about this issue, I have decided to start a series of posts containing some of the nice biblical passages and some of the not-so-nice ones—but in the interest of having a good discussion I’ll leave it to my readers to decide for themselves which are which.
To start things off, here’s an excerpt from Ezekiel 18:
21 But if the wicked turn away from all their sins that they have committed and keep all my statutes and do what is lawful and right, they shall surely live; they shall not die. 22None of the transgressions that they have committed shall be remembered against them; for the righteousness that they have done they shall live. 23Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord God, and not rather that they should turn from their ways and live? 24But when the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity and do the same abominable things that the wicked do, shall they live? None of the righteous deeds that they have done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which they are guilty and the sin they have committed, they shall die.
25 Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is unfair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? 26When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. 27Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. 28Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. 29Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is unfair.’ O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin. 31Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live.
--Ezekiel 18: 21-32, NRSV, http://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Ezekiel+18
dear Jason,
ReplyDeleteyour Ezekiel excerpts are obviously moral, except that the word "forgiveness" is missing in them. A people that have been rife with crime and scandals can be forgiven when they have become righteous and lovers of peace and justice.
On the other hand, when formerly righteous people commit crimes and atrocities, then they will reap the consequences. What does it matter that Germany had incredible universities that were knowledge factories, that it had great composers and world leading scientists? The NAZI atrocities of WWII destroyed about 55 million lives and brought the destruction of the German people.
I'm no expert on the book of this catatonic prophet, but I wonder why you did not choose an excerpt like that of Chapter 18, where collective punishment of parents and children is forbidden and only the individual who committed the crime is held responsible for it. This represents a real moral and legal step forward.
I think your project about the morality of scriptural excerpts will be very rewarding.
peter krey
Hi Peter,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. The passage that you mention is also a very good one in my opinion, and I might post in in a future installment. I chose this passage because it appears to refute the theistic determinist / Calvinist view that God decides, "from beforehand", not to save some people. In this passage God is represented as saying,
"Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord God, and not rather that they should turn from their ways and live?"
and also,
"Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live."
If these passages have things right, God would prefer that no one "die", as long as they sincerely repent. These passages entail that no one is beyond hope of redemption, and in my opinion they present us with a much better picture of what a loving God would be like than what can be gleaned from theistic determinist / Calvinist views. Because of that, I think I have to say that Ezekiel 18: 21-32 is my favorite excerpt from the Old Testament.
Best,
Jason