Eze 3:20 | JFB | STEP | 20. righteous . . . turn from . . . righteousness —not one "righteous" as to the root and spirit of regeneration ( ), but as to its outward appearance and performances. So the "righteous" ( ). As in the minister is required to lead the wicked to good, so in he is to confirm the well-disposed in their duty. commit iniquity —that is, give himself up wholly to it ( ), for even the best often fall, but not wilfully and habitually. I lay a stumbling-block —not that God tempts to sin ( ), but God gives men over to judicial blindness, and to their own corruptions ( ) when they "like not to retain God in their knowledge" ( ); just as, on the contrary, God makes "the way of the righteous plain" ( ), so that they do "not stumble." CALVIN refers "stumbling-block" not to the guilt, but to its punishment; "I bring ruin on him." The former is best. Ahab, after a kind of righteousness ( ), relapsed and consulted lying spirits in false prophets; so God permitted one of these to be his "stumbling-block," both to sin and its corresponding punishment ( ). his blood will I require

Ezekiel 3:20

20. righteous . . . turn from . . . righteousness—not one "righteous" as to the root and spirit of regeneration (Ps 89:33; 138:8; Isa 26:12; 27:3; Joh 10:28; Php 1:6), but as to its outward appearance and performances. So the "righteous" (Pr 18:17; Mt 9:13). As in Eze 3:19 the minister is required to lead the wicked to good, so in Eze 3:20 he is to confirm the well-disposed in their duty.

commit iniquity—that is, give himself up wholly to it (1Jo 3:8, 9), for even the best often fall, but not wilfully and habitually.

I lay a stumbling-block—not that God tempts to sin (Jas 1:13, 14), but God gives men over to judicial blindness, and to their own corruptions (Ps 9:16, 17; 94:23) when they "like not to retain God in their knowledge" (Ro 1:24, 26); just as, on the contrary, God makes "the way of the righteous plain" (Pr 4:11, 12; 15:19), so that they do "not stumble." CALVIN refers "stumbling-block" not to the guilt, but to its punishment; "I bring ruin on him." The former is best. Ahab, after a kind of righteousness (1Ki 21:27-29), relapsed and consulted lying spirits in false prophets; so God permitted one of these to be his "stumbling-block," both to sin and its corresponding punishment (1Ki 22:21-23).

his blood will I require— (Heb 13:17).