She was the first one to eat of the fruit she was the first one to sin. We see this in the garden of Adam and Eve. This means that the male, the father, represents the family. The previous set of verses deal with God visiting upon the descendants of the rebellious the consequences of the rebellious fathersвЂ™ sins.ДЄs a further note on this issue, there is a concept in the Bible called Federal Headship. Therefore, the context of the second set of verses is dealing with the legality aspect within the Jewish court system.

Ezekiel 18:20 is merely recounting the Law of the Pentateuch. On the other hand, Deuteronomy 24:16 is dealing with legal matters as context 24:6-19 shows. Sin is in the world the consequences of sin affected many generations. Whether or not this is fair is not the issue. If a father rejects the covenant of God and takes his family into sin and rejects God, the children will suffer the consequences вЂ“ often for several generations. That is the case with these verses that deal with the sins visited upon the children. This is because the father is being covenantally unfaithful, and God has stipulated that there are punishments to breaking the covenant with God. This arrangement included an introduction of who was making the covenant (Exodus 20:2), what the covenant maker had done (20:2), laws (20:3-17), rewards (20:6,12), and punishments (20:5, 7).Д¬ovenantally, when a father misleads his family, the effects of that misleading are often felt for generations. The Suzerain-Vassal treaty pattern of the ancient near east is followed in the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are arranged in covenant form. The son will not bear the punishment for the fatherвЂ™s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the sonвЂ™s iniquity the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.вЂќД®xodus 20:5 is, of course, among the ten commandments. Ezekiel 18:20, вЂњThe person who sins will die.Deuteronomy 24:16, вЂњFathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers everyone shall be put to death for his own sin.вЂќ.No, they donвЂ™t bear the sins of the fathers.15:22, вЂњFor as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive.вЂќ Exodus 34:6-7, вЂњThen the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, вЂњThe Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth 7who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.вЂќ.Deuteronomy 5:9, вЂњYou shall not worship 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 the fourth generations of those who hate Me,вЂќ.

Exodus 20:5, вЂњYou shall not worship them or serve them for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations o those who hate Me,вЂќ.It just takes looking and reading to figure things out. Ultimately, the Bible has no internal contradiction. So which is it? The answer lies, as always, in examining the context of the statements. In one area of Scripture, it appears that a son will bear the sins of his father, yet in other areas, it seems that that is not the case.

Sins of the father scripture