Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness - not one "righteous" as to the root and spirit of regeneration (for such a one will not be "forsaken utterly" by the Spirit of God, seeing that he is "the work of God's own hands," who will therefore keep him from being lastingly "hurt" by Satan, Psalms 89:33; Psalms 138:8; Isaiah 26:12; Isaiah 27:3; John 10:28; Philippians 1:6), but as to its outward appearance and performances. The watchman can only judge by appearances, and cannot know, except by their final perseverance, who are really God's people (Hebrews 3:6). So the "righteous" (Proverbs 18:17; Matthew 9:13). As in Ezekiel 3:19 the minister is required to lead the wicked to good, as in Ezekiel 3:20 to confirm the well-disposed in their duty.
And commit iniquity - i:e., give himself up wholly to it (1 John 3:8-9); because even the best often fall, but not willfully and habitually.
And I lay a stumblingblock before him. Not that God tempts to sin (James 1:13-14) but God gives men over to judicial blindness, and to their own corruptions (Psalms 9:16-17; Psalms 94:1-23, when they "like not to retain God in their knowledge" (Romans 1:24; Romans 1:26); just as, on the contrary, God makes "way of the righteous plain," so that they do "not stumble," (Proverbs 4:11-12; Proverbs 15:19). Calvin refers "stumblingblock" not to the guilt, but to its punishment: 'I bring ruin on him.' The former is best. Ahab, after a kind of righteousness (1 Kings 21:27-29), relapsed, and consulted lying spirits in the mouth of his false prophets; so God permitted one of these to be his "stumblingblock" both to sin in going up to battle with the Syrian king at Ramoth-gilead and its corresponding punishment (1 Kings 22:21-23) in his being slain there.
His blood will I require at thine hand - (Hebrews 13:17, "They watch for your souls as they that must give account.")