Ezekiel 18:23 (WEB)
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” says the Lord GOD, “and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?
Fathers and councils · 16
Jerome
“…by the Saviour’s blood, either in the baptistery, or in penitence which is a copy of the grace of baptism, through the ineffable mercy of the Saviour, who would not have any one perish, nor delights in the death of sinners, but would rather that they should be converted and live.” — editor's note: Ezek. xviii. 23.
Read the whole comment“Again they close the doors of the Church to almost every fault, whilst we read daily, “I desire the repentance of a sinner rather than his death,” and “Shall they fall and not arise, saith the Lord,” and once more “Return ye backsliding children and I will heal your backslidings.”” — editor's note: Ezek. xviii. 23.
Read the whole comment“…cite the words of the psalmist: “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,” and those of Ezekiel “I prefer the repentance of a sinner rather than his death,” and those of Baruch, “Arise, arise, O Jerusalem,” and many other proclamations made by the trumpets of the prophets.” — editor's note: Cf. Ezek. xviii. 23.
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Cyril of Jerusalem
“Ezekiel xviii. 20–23” — the author cites it
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Athanasius of Alexandria
“For He desired, as He testified in Ezekiel, the repentance of a man rather than his death; so that evil should be entirely consumed in all men, that the soul, being purified, might be able to bring forth fruit; for the word which is sown by Him will be productive, some thirty, some sixty, some an hundred.” — editor's note: Ezek. xviii. 23, 32.
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John Chrysostom
““For God willeth not the death of the sinner, but that he should turn unto Him and live.”” — editor's note: Ezek. xviii. 23. [Freely cited in the first part.—R.]
Read the whole comment“Doth he turn away, and not return?”and, “I do not will the death of the sinner, so much as that he should turn and live:”and, “To-day if ye will hear His voice:”and many other such things, both sayings and examples are set in the Scripture.” — editor's note: Ezek. xviii. 23. [Abridged from the LXX.]
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Tertullian
““But,” say they, “God is ‘good,’ and ‘most good,’ and ‘pitiful-hearted,’ and ‘a pitier,’ and ‘abundant in pitiful-heartedness,’ which He holds ‘dearer than all sacrifice,’ ‘not thinking the sinner’s death of so much worth as his repentance’, ‘a Saviour of all men, most of all of believers.’” — editor's note: Ezek. xviii. 23, 32; xxxiii. 11.
Read the whole comment“…ruined, since He says, “I am come to save that which was lost;” although sinful, since He says, “I desire rather the salvation of the sinner than his death;” although condemned, for says He, “I shall wound, and also heal.”” — editor's note: Ezek. xviii. 23.
Read the whole comment“So also God shows that man was not constituted for death, by now wishing that he should be restored to life, preferring the sinner’s repentance to his death.” — editor's note: Ezek. xviii. 23.
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Aphrahat
“For thus it is written in Ezekiel the Prophet, As I live, saith the Lord of lords, I desire not the death of the dead sinner.” — editor's note: Ez. xviii. 23, 32; xxxiii. 11.
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Augustine of Hippo
“For we are not to despair of any so long as “the patience of God leadeth the ungodly to repentance,” and doth not hurry him out of this life; “God, who willeth not the death of a sinner, but that he should return from his ways and live.”” — editor's note: Ezek. xviii. 23.
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Clement of Alexandria
“For “the Lord willeth the repentance of the sinner rather than his death.”” — editor's note: Ezek. xviii. 23, 32.
Read the whole comment“And yet it is my concern thus: “For he desires the repentance rather than the death of a sinner.”” — editor's note: Ezek. xviii. 23.
Read the whole comment“…profession there; since God’s punishments are saving and disciplinary, leading to conversion, and choosing rather the repentance them the death of a sinner; and especially since souls, although darkened by passions, when released from their bodies, are able to perceive more clearly, because of their being no longer…” — editor's note: Ezek. xviii. 23, 32; xxxiii. 11, etc.
Read the whole comment““I desire not the death, but the repentance of the sinner.”” — editor's note: Ezek. xviii. 23.
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Cross-references · 10
Cited together in On the Resurrection of the Flesh Chapter 9.
Cited together in On the Resurrection of the Flesh Chapter 9.
Cited together in On the Resurrection of the Flesh Chapter 9.
Cited together in On the Resurrection of the Flesh Chapter 9.
Cited together in On the Resurrection of the Flesh Chapter 9.
Cited together in On the Resurrection of the Flesh Chapter 9.
Cited together in On the Resurrection of the Flesh Chapter 9.
Cited together in On the Resurrection of the Flesh Chapter 9.
Cited together in On the Resurrection of the Flesh Chapter 9.
Cited together in The Five Books Against Marcion II.8.