Ezekiel 18:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

And you ask, "Why should the son bear the burden of his father's transgressions?" It is because the son has acted with justice and righteousness, adhered to all my commandments, and has fulfilled them, that he will have life. The soul that commits sin will face death. The son will not be accountable for the father's wrongdoing, nor will the father be held responsible for the son's misdeeds. The righteousness of the righteous will remain with him, and the wickedness of the unrighteous will stay with him. He addresses a question that might arise among his listeners. He states, you often inquire, "Why has the righteous son not borne the burden of his father's sins?" He responds: it is precisely because the son has performed good deeds and has not engaged in his father's transgressions. Justice demands that just as the sinner dies for his evil, so the righteous should live for his good deeds, affirming that the soul that sins will indeed die, while the soul that keeps God's commandments shall live.

It is stated that if a father causes distress or commits wrongdoing, he will bring harm upon my people, ultimately facing death for his sins. You question why the son should bear the father's sins, suggesting that in your unjust judgment, you wish to see the son of a wicked man penalized for the sins of his father. You wonder among yourselves why he is not being punished for his father's wrongdoing. However, I tell you this: because the son has acted with justice, righteousness, and compassion, adhering to all my commandments and fulfilling his obligations to me, he will have life. The son chose not to follow in his father's footsteps but instead embraced my path over that of his father, thereby discovering a destiny worthy of his choice.