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Chapter 25GenevaCat.1.25

II. La loi — Le 24e dimanche

The Jealousy of God

God reveals his nature as a jealous Lord who demands exclusive devotion and purity from his people.

150. M: Let's move on. S: He adds a threat: that he is "the LORD our God, strong, jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and fourth generation toward those who hate him." 151. Minister: Why does he mention his strength?✦ Student: To show that he is powerful enough to uphold his glory. Spiritual adultery1 M: What does he mean by jealousy? C: That he cannot tolerate a rival.2 For just as he has given himself to us by his infinite goodness, so he also wants us to be entirely his—and that is the chastity of our souls, consecrated and dedicated to him. On the other hand, it is spiritual adultery to turn aside to any superstition.

Justice and the Generations

The catechism explains how God's justice operates across generations, grounding the concept in the fallen nature of humanity.

153. M: How should we understand that he punishes the sins of the fathers on the children? E: To give us greater fear, he says that not only will he take vengeance on those who offend him, but also that their line will be cursed after them. How God punishes children because of their fathers 154. M: And isn't that contrary to God's justice—to punish some people for others?✦ C: If we consider what the condition of the human race is, this question will be settled.3 By nature, we are all under a curse, and we can't complain about God when he leaves us as we are. Now, just as he shows his grace and love toward his servants by blessing their children, so it is also a testimony of his vengeance on the wicked when he leaves their offspring under a curse.✦4

The Abundance of Mercy

God's mercy extends far beyond his severity, revealing his primary desire to bless and sanctify the children of the faithful.

155. Minister: What else does he say? Student: To encourage us with his kindness, he says that he shows mercy for a thousand generations to those who love him and keep his commandments.✦ Mercy for a thousand generations.✦ M: Does he mean that a believer’s obedience will save their entire family line, even if that line is wicked? C: No, not that; but that he will extend his goodness toward his faithful so far that, for love of them, he will make himself known to their children, and will not only make them prosper according to the flesh, but will sanctify them by his Spirit to make them obedient to his will.✦ 157. M: But that isn't permanent. E: No. For just as the Lord reserves for himself the freedom to show mercy to the children of the wicked, so on the other hand he keeps the power to elect or reject, among the generation of the faithful, those he sees fit (Romans 9:15-22). Still, he does so in a way that we can know this promise is neither empty nor ineffective (Romans 2:6-10).5 158. M: Why does he name a thousand generations here, and in the threat name only three or four?✦ E: It shows that it's his nature to act with kindness and gentleness rather than severity or harshness, just as he testifies that he is ready to do good and slow to anger (Exodus 34:6-7; Psalms 103:8) (30).6

Read the original Latin

150. M : Passons outre. E : Il ajoute une menace : qu'il est « l'Eternel notre Dieu, fort, jaloux, visitant l'iniquité des pères sur les enfants, en la troisième et quatrième génération envers ceux qui le haïssent ».

151. M : Pourquoi fait-il mention de sa force? E : Pour dénoter qu'il est puissant à maintenir sa gloire.

Paillardise spirituelle 152. M : Que signifie-t-il par la jalousie? E : Qu'il ne peut endurer compagnon. Car, comme il s'est donné à nous par sa bonté infinie, aussi veut-il que nous soyons entièrement siens, et c'est la chasteté de nos âmes consacrées et dédiées à lui. D'autre part, c'est une paillardise spirituelle de nous détourner à quelque superstition.

153. M : Comment se doit-il entendre qu'il punit les péchés des pères sur les enfants? E : Pour nous donner plus grande crainte, il dit que non seulement il se vengera de ceux qui l'offensent, mais aussi que leur lignée sera maudite après eux. Comment Dieu punit les enfants à cause des pères

154. M : Et cela n'est-il pas contraire à la justice de Dieu, de punir les uns pour les autres? E : Si nous considérons quelle est la condition de l'humain lignage, cette question sera vidée. Car, de nature, nous sommes tous maudits et ne nous pouvons plaindre de Dieu quand il nous laissera comme nous sommes. Or, comme il démontre sa grâce et dilection sur ses serviteurs en bénissant leurs enfants, aussi c'est un témoignage de sa vengeance sur les iniques, quand il laisse leur semence en malédiction.

155. M : Que dit-il plus? E : Afin de nous inciter aussi par douceur, il dit qu'il fait miséricorde en mille générations à ceux qui l'aiment et gardent ses commandements.

Miséricorde en mille générations 156. M : Entend-il que l'obéissance du fidèle sauvera toute sa race, encore qu'elle soit méchante? E : Non pas, mais qu'il étendra jusque là sa bonté envers ses fidèles, que pour l'amour d'eux il se donnera à connaître à leurs enfants, et non seulement les fera prospérer selon la chair, mais les sanctifiera par son Esprit pour les rendre obéissants à sa volonté.

157. M : Mais cela n'est pas perpétuel. E : Non. Car, comme le Seigneur se réserve la liberté de faire miséricorde aux enfants des iniques, aussi d'autre part il retient le pouvoir d'élire ou rejeter en la génération des fidèles ceux que bon lui semble (Romains 9:15-22). Toutefois si fait-il tellement qu'on peut connaître cette promesse n'être pas vaine ni frustratoire (Romains 2:6-10).

158. M : Pourquoi nomme-t-il, ici, mille générations et, en la menace, il n'en nomme que trois ou quatre? E : C'est pour signifier que son propre est d'user plutôt de bonté et douceur que de rigueur ni rudesse, comme il témoigne qu'il est enclin à bien faire, tardif à se courroucer (Exode 34:6-7; Psaumes 103:8) (30).

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Exod.20.5;Deut.5.9 — You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me. Deut.5.9 — You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.
  2. ↩Exod.20.5;Deut.5.9 — You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me. Deut.5.9 — You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.
  3. ↩Exod.20.5-Exod.20.6;Deut.5.9-Deut.5.10 — You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me. Exod.20.6 — and showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments Deut.5.9 — You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me. Deut.5.10 — and showing steadfast love to thousands of generations of those who love me and keep my commandments." This completes the phrase aloud and strengthens the contrast with third and fourth generations in v.9.
  4. ↩Deut.5.10 — and showing steadfast love to thousands of generations of those who love me and keep my commandments." This completes the phrase aloud and strengthens the contrast with third and fourth generations in v.9.
  5. ↩Exod.20.6;Deut.5.10 — and showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments Deut.5.10 — and showing steadfast love to thousands of generations of those who love me and keep my commandments." This completes the phrase aloud and strengthens the contrast with third and fourth generations in v.9.
  6. ↩Exod.20.6;Deut.5.10 — and showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments Deut.5.10 — and showing steadfast love to thousands of generations of those who love me and keep my commandments." This completes the phrase aloud and strengthens the contrast with third and fourth generations in v.9.
  7. ↩Exod.20.5-Exod.20.6;Deut.5.9-Deut.5.10 — You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me. Exod.20.6 — and showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments Deut.5.9 — You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me. Deut.5.10 — and showing steadfast love to thousands of generations of those who love me and keep my commandments." This completes the phrase aloud and strengthens the contrast with third and fourth generations in v.9.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩French paillardise means fornication/whoredom; rendered here as adultery to match the jealousy–chastity covenant metaphor in this exchange. Alternatives: spiritual fornication, spiritual whoredom.
  2. 2 ↩Source compagnon is literally companion/partner; rendered rival for sense in divine jealousy (he will not share his honor).
  3. 3 ↩Source interlocutor label is E (Enfant, 'Child'); rendered as C for Child to match English catechetical convention while preserving the dialogue roles. French 'vidée' (legal/argumentative: a question emptied of force) is rendered 'settled'.
  4. 4 ↩'dilection' is rendered 'love' (covenantal/theological love); 'semence' as 'offspring' rather than literal 'seed'.
  5. 5 ↩French 'frustratoire' is a legal/theological term for something that nullifies or fails of its purpose; rendered 'of no effect' rather than the rarer English 'frustratory'.
  6. 6 ↩French 'son propre est d'user' means what is proper/characteristic of him—his settled way of acting—not a casual preference.

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