“Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he will die. Because you have not given him warning, he will die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered; but I will require his blood at your hand.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 20. Iniquity, for want of thy instruction; ( Bible.) or, if thou neglect to reclaim him, ( Calmet.) and he perish, or owe his conversion to another, when duty requires thee to take care of him, thou shalt answer for the possible bad consequences. Thy sin is great, whatever become of him. But if he be damned, though he must blame himself chiefly, yet the blood of his soul shall cry for vengeance more than Abel’s. Bible.—Before him, taking away my grace in punishment of his revolt. Worthington.—If thou neglect to attempt reclaiming him, thou shalt perish with him; (Saint Gregory) or if he be exposed to trial, and thou abandon him, (Vat.) of if thou neglect to husband well the precious moments, when I open his eyes, and fill him with apprehensions of his dangerous state, I will require, and so forth Orig. Saint Jerome—Remembered. Ingratitude caused the fruits of virtue to decay, and former crimes to revive, in some sense. Saint Thomas Aquinas iii. p. q. 88. a. 1. Matthew 5:26. Calmet.