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The Parable of the Sour Grapes
v. 1. The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying,
v. 2. What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, literally, "upon the land of Israel," in the sense of something that is harmful and wrong, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? This proverbial saying in the land of Judah reflected the self-righteousness of its inhabitants, for they meant to say that the sins of their fathers, of which they considered themselves innocent, were unjustly visited upon them. It is the tendency of natural man to place the blame for his troubles upon others; but although others may be guilty, yet it is the nature of true contrition to disregard the transgressions of every one else and to see nothing but one's own guilt and proneness to punishment. For that reason this false understanding of Exo_20:5 was combated also by Jer_31:29; Jer_32:18. The sins of the fathers are visited upon the children only in the case of those who hate Him, who follow their fathers in the enmity against the Lord.
v. 3. As I live, saith the Lord God, the sovereign Ruler of the Universe making this declaration with a solemn oath, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. His intention was, by means of His righteous punishments, so to emphasize the justice of His acts that the people would no longer seek excuses of this kind.
v. 4. Behold, so the Lord says in stating the theme for His further discussion of the principle of His righteousness, all souls are Mine, they are all equally His, as Creator of the universe, as Father of all mankind; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine, each one standing before the Lord for himself alone, responsible only for his act; the soul that sinneth, it shall die, becoming subject to the final summary and climax of all sufferings which are the consequence of sin, temporal death, in this instance, becoming the portal to everlasting death and damnation. For a sinner to put the blame for his sufferings upon others, whereas he alone is guilty, is both foolish and unjust. True repentance puts aside all excuses and humbly says with the publican, "God be merciful to me, a sinner. " Cf 1Ti_1:15.