Commentary on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2.pdf

<strong>Commentary</strong> on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
38. And it happened, while they were traveling, that he entered into a certain village; and a
certain woman, called Martha, received him into her house. 39. And she had a sister called Mary,
who also, sitting at the feet of Jesus, heard his word. 40. And Martha was cumbered about much
serving; who stood, and said, Lord, hast thou no care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?
bid her therefore assist me. 41. And Jesus answering said to her, Martha, Martha, thou art anxious
and distressed about many things. 42 But one thing is necessary: Mary hath chosen the good part,
which shall not be taken from her.
38. And it happened that he entered into a certain village. This narrative shows, that Christ,
wherever he came, did not devote himself to his private concerns, or consult his own ease or comfort;
but that the single object which he kept in view was, to do good to others, and to discharge the
office which had been committed to him by the Father. Luke relates that, having been hospitably
received by Martha, as soon as he entered the house, he began to teach and exhort. As this passage
has been basely distorted into the commendation of what is called a Contemplative life, we must
inquire into its true meaning, from which it will appear, that nothing was farther from the design
of Christ, than to encourage his disciples to indulge in indolence, or in useless speculations. It is,
no doubt, an old error 253 , that those who withdraw from business, and devote themselves entirely
to a contemplative, lead an Angelical life. For the absurdities which the Sorbonnists 254 utter on this
subject they appear to have been indebted to Aristotle, who places the highest good, and ultimate
end, of human life in contemplation, which, according to him, is the enjoyment of virtue. When
some men were driven by ambition to withdraw from the ordinary intercourse of life, or when
peevish men gave themselves up to solitude and indolence, the resolution to adopt that course was
followed by such pride, that they imagined themselves to be like the angels, because they did
253 “Il est vray que ceste erreur n’est pas d’auiourd’huy, mais est bien ancien;” — “it is true that this error is not of today, but
is very old.”
254 “Some readers may happen to ask, Who were the Sorbonnists, or, as they are often called, the Doctors of the Sorbonne? In
reply, I take the liberty of extracting from a volume, which I gave to the world a few years ago, a few remarks on this subject.”
— “The College of the Sorbonne, in Paris, takes its name from Robert de Sorbonne, who founded it in the middle of the thirteenth
century. Its reputation for theological learning, philosophy, classical literature, and all that formerly constituted a liberal education,
was deservedly high. In the Doctors of the Sorbonne the Reformation found powerful adversaries. The very name of this
University, to which the greatest scholars in Europe were accustomed to pay deference, would be regarded by the multitude with
blind veneration. If such men as Calvin, Beza, Melancthon, and Luther, were prepared by talents and acquirements of the first
order to brave the terrors of that name, they must have frequently lamented its influence on many of their hearers. Yet our author
meets undaunted this formidable array, and enters the field with the full assurance of victory. Despising, as we naturally do, the
weak superstitions and absurd tenets held by the Church of Rome, we are apt to underrate our obligations to the early champions
of the Reformed faith, who encountered with success those veteran warriors, and contended earnestly (Jude, verse 3) for the
faith which was once delivered to the saints.”—(Biblical Cabinet, volume 30, p. 140.)—Ed.
98
John Calvin