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

<strong>Commentary</strong> on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
fault with them; but when a thing has been entrusted to them either in charge or in loan, and of
which they must afterwards render an account, they are more cautious and more timid.
We thus ascertain Christ’s meaning to be, that they who are bad stewards of earthly blessings
would not be faithful guardians of spiritual gifts. He next introduces a sentence: You cannot serve
God and mammon; which I have explained at Matthew 6:24. There the reader will find an explanation
of the word Mammon 301
14. And the Pharisees, who were covetous, heard all these things. They who imagine that Christ
was ridiculed by the Pharisees, because he chose to employ a plain and familiar style, and made
no use of swelling words, 302 do not sufficiently comprehend what Luke means. Haughty and
disdainful men, I do acknowledge, view the doctrine of the Gospel with contempt; but Luke expressly
declares the reason why Christ was the object of their derision to have been, that they were covetous
Entertaining a firm and deep-seated conviction that the rich are happy, and that there is nothing
better for men than to increase their wealth by every possible method, and earnestly to guard
whatever they have acquired, they reject as foolish paradoxes 303 all the sayings of Christ which
had a contrary tendency. And, certainly, any one that speaks of despising riches, or bestowing alms
on the poor, is regarded by the covetous as a madman. Horace’s words on this subject are well
known: 304 “The people hiss at me, but I am well satisfied with myself.” 305 But if, even when they
are condemned by universal opinion, they continue to flatter themselves, how much more will they
ridicule as a fable that philosophy of Christ which is far removed from the ordinary belief?
Some other pretense, I have no doubt, was held out by the Pharisees for ridiculing and evading
a doctrine which opposed their vice. But we must attend to the motive by which they were actuated;
for it is a disease which almost always prevails in the world, that the greater part of men affect to
despise whatever does not fall in with their corrupt morals. Hence the ridicule, and jest, and
merriment, with which the word of God is frequently assailed; for every man fights in defense of
his own vices, and all imagine that their witticisms will serve for a cloud to screen their criminality.
301 “Et la aussi on trouvera la signification de ce mot Mammona, lequel est ici mis, et que nous avons traduit Richesses ” —
“And there will also be found the meaning of the word Mammon, which is used here, and which we have translated Riches.”—In
an earlier portion of this <strong>Commentary</strong>, to which our author refers, (Harmony, vol. 1 p. 337,) no direct or formal explanation of
the word Mammon is to be found; but a careful reader of the expository remarks on Matthew 6:24 will easily perceive that Calvin
understands riches to be one of the two masters spoken of in that passage. An indirect definition of the term is afforded by his
French version of the text, both in Matth. 6:24, and in Luke 16:13, “Vous ne pouvez servir a Dieu et aux richesses;” — “you
cannot serve God and riches.”
302 “En affectant des termes exquis, et bien remplissans la bouehe;”— “by affecting nicely chosen words, and that fill the
mouth well.”
303 “Comme choses absurdes, et contre l’opinion commune;” — “as absurd statements, and opposed to the common belief.”
304 “Horace, Poete Latin, dit parlant en la personne d’un avaricieux;” — “Horace, a Latin Poet, says, speaking in the person
of a covetous man.”
305 “Populus me sibilat, at mihi plaudo.”— Sat. 1. 1:66.
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John Calvin