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

<strong>Commentary</strong> on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
the abundance of those things which he possesseth. 261 16. And he spoke a parable to them, saying,
The field of a certain rich man yielded an abundant produce. 17. And he thought within himself,
saying, What shall I do? for I have no place in which I can collect my fruits. 18. And he said, I
will do this: I will pull down my barns, and will build larger ones, and there I will collect all my
fruits and my goods. 19. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast many goods laid up for many,
years: take thine ease, eat, drink, and enjoy thyself. 262 20. But God said to him, Fool, this night
they shall demand thy soul from thee; 263 and as to the things which thou hast provided, to whom
shall they go? 21. So is he that layeth up for himself: 264 and is not rich toward God.
13. Bid my brother divide Our Lord, when requested to undertake the office of dividing an
inheritance, refuses to do so. Now as this tended to promote brotherly harmony, and as Christ’s
office was, not only to reconcile men to God, but to bring them into a state of agreement with one
another, what hindered him from settling the dispute between the two brothers? 265 There appear to
have been chiefly two reasons why he declined the office of a judge. First, as the Jews imagined
that the Messiah would have an earthly kingdom, 266 he wished to guard against doing any thing
that might countenance this error. If they had seen him divide inheritances, the report of that
proceeding would immediately have been circulated. Many would have been led to expect a carnal
redemption, which they too ardently desired; and wicked men would have loudly declared, that he
was effecting a revolution in the state, and overturning the Roman Empire. Nothing could be more
appropriate, therefore, than this reply, by which all would be informed, that the kingdom of Christ
is spiritual. Let us learn from this to regulate our conduct by prudence, and to undertake nothing
which may admit of an unfavorable construction.
Secondly, our Lord intended to draw a distinction between the political kingdoms of this world
and the government of his Church; for he had been appointed by the Father to be a Teacher, who
should
261 “Car encore que ‘les biens’ abondent a quelqu’un, si n’a-il pas vie par les biens;” — “for though a man may abound in
wealth, yet he has no life by his wealth.”
262 “Et fay grand’chere;” — “and make great cheer.”
263 “En ceste nuict ton ame to sera ostee, ou, on to redemandera ton ame;” — “this night thy soul shall be taken from thee, or,
thy soul shall be asked again from thee.”
264 “Ainsi est celuy qui thesaurize (ou, a fait grand areas de biens) pour soy;” — “so is he that hoards up (or, has formed a
great heap of goods) for himself.”
265 “On pourroit demander qui a empesche qu’il ne se soit entremis d’oster toute occasion de debat entre deux freres?” — “It
might be asked, what hindered him from undertaking to remove all ground of quarrel between two brothers?”
266 “Que le Messias regneroit a la facon des princes terriens;” — “that the Messiah would reign in the manner of earthly
princes.”
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John Calvin