THEOSISJerome of Stridon
If a son is born to a man who, observing all the transgressions of his father, fears the Lord and refrains from following in his footsteps, he shall not partake in high places, nor cast his gaze upon the idols of the house of Israel, nor dishonor his neighbor's wife, nor harm anyone, nor seize pledges unjustly, nor take plunder, nor neglect to feed the hungry, nor fail to clothe the naked, nor turn away from aiding the needy, nor accept usury or extortion, nor disregard My statutes, nor ignore My commands: this individual shall not suffer for the sins of his father but shall live. His father, who spoke deceitfully and acted violently towards his brother, and committed wrongs among his people, is the one who shall die for his own transgressions.
Read more (138 words)
One should not be astonished, for the son of a righteous person who succumbs to vice and sin will face death, while conversely, the offspring of a wicked man who recognizes the corruption of his father’s actions and chooses to abandon evil for good will not inherit his father's guilt. This can also be understood in the context of us, as expressed in the Psalms: "Hear, O ye, and see, and incline thine ear; forget thy people and thy father's house; and the King shall desire thy beauty" (Psalms 44:11-12). We, who are born from the lineage of the Gentiles, are called to forsake our forefathers’ transgressions, to seek justice and righteousness, and to find life therein. Thus, we revisit what has been discussed previously. We will now concisely move on to consider deeper and more recent matters.