In these two declarations, while there is a multiplicity of meanings, the listener must seek understanding through discernment. We inherit original sin from our parents, and unless we receive the grace of Baptism that liberates us from it, we carry the weight of our parents’ sins. Thus, when it is said that "He chastises the children for the fault of the fathers," it refers to how the offspring’s soul is tainted by original sin due to the parents' failings. Conversely, He does not "lay the sins of the fathers upon the children," for with Baptism, we are released from the original guilt, and only bear the sins for which we are personally responsible.
This can also be interpreted in another way: those who emulate the sinful paths of their parents become entangled in their sins. However, those who do not mimic their parents’ wrongdoing are not bound to them in their transgressions. Therefore, it is said that a wicked son, by following a wicked father, is accountable not just for his own added sins but also for the sins of his father. His awareness of his father's actions, which anger the Lord, does not deter him from compounding his own iniquity. This illustrates that one who chooses to follow an evil parent will have to answer for the misdeeds of both themselves and their ancestors. Consequently, it is stated, "As the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine; the soul that sins shall die," as the father's sin can indeed lead to the son’s destruction.
However, if original sin has been removed, those children are no longer linked to the sins of their parents. This raises the question of why, then, do infants frequently experience demonic afflictions, and why do the innocent suffer for the wrongdoings of their fathers? A sinful father, being too stubborn to recognize his own faults, often sees his own punishment amplified through his children, where the sorrow of the father manifests in the flesh of his offspring. When it is the older descendants who are punished for their parents' sins, it clearly indicates that they are being held accountable for the deeds they imitate. Thus, it is fitting to say, "even to the third and fourth generation." As it is feasible for children to emulate the life of their wicked ancestor, that same accountability extends to those who observe and mimic their actions.
Moreover, since sin blinds the wicked, while suffering opens their eyes to past transgressions, this leads to the conclusion: "And when He repays, he shall know it." The wicked often remain unaware of their evil actions until they begin to experience the consequences of those actions. This aligns with the prophet's words, "And one vexation will give understanding to what he hears" (Isaiah 28:19). It is only when he faces grief for his negligence that he starts to grasp what he has heard. Balaam also expressed, "He that hath heard the words of God, who seeth the visions of the Almighty, who shall fall, but his eyes shall be opened" (Num. 24:3-4). The chosen ones have foresight, ensuring they do not sin, thus their eyes are truly open. In contrast, the wicked only open their eyes following their downfall, as it is through their punishment that they recognize what they should have avoided and the wrong they have committed. The profound insight that comes to this individual, which ultimately serves no purpose for him, is captured in the words that follow.
THEOSIS