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

<strong>Commentary</strong> on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
Jews provoked against themselves the divine vengeance. With their lips only, and by an outward
profession, they made a pretense of godliness; and, next, they turned aside to modes of worship
invented by men. First, then, it is wicked hypocrisy, when the honor which men render to God is
only in outward appearance; for to approach to God with the mouth, and to honor him with the
lips, would not be in itself evil, provided that the heart went before. The substance of what our Lord
states on this subject is, that, since the worship of God is spiritual, and as nothing pleases him that
is not accompanied by the inward sincerity of the heart, they who make holiness to consist in
outward display are hypocrites.
9. But in vain do they worship me The words of the prophet run literally thus: their fear toward
me has been taught by the precept of men. But Christ has faithfully and accurately given the meaning,
that in vain is God worshipped, when the will of men is substituted in the room of doctrine. By
these words, all kinds of will-worship, (ἐθελοθζησκεία,) as Paul calls it, (Colossians 2:23,) are
plainly condemned. For, as we have said, since God chooses to be worshipped in no other way than
according to his own appointment, he cannot endure new modes of worship to be devised. As soon
as men allow themselves to wander beyond the limits of the Word of God, the more labor and
anxiety they display in worshipping him, the heavier is the condemnation which they draw down
upon themselves; for by such inventions religion is dishonored.
Teaching doctrines, commandments of men In these words there is what is called apposition;
402 for Christ declares them to be mistaken who bring forward, in the room of doctrine, the
commandments of men, or who seek to obtain from them the rule for worshipping God. Let it
therefore be held as a settled principle, that, since obedience is more highly esteemed by God than
sacrifices, (1 Samuel 15:22,23,) all kinds of worship invented by men are of no estimation in his
sight; nay more, that, as the prophet declares, they are accursed and detestable.
MATTHEW 15:10-20; MARK 7:14-23; LUKE 6:39
Matthew 15:10-20
Mark 7:14-23
Luke 6:39
39. And he spoke a parable
to them, 403 10. And having called the 14. And when he had called
multitudes to him, he said to to him the whole multitude, he Can a blind man lead
them, Hear and understand. said to them, Listen to me, all of a blind man? Will not both fall
11. What entereth into the mouth you, and understand. 15. There into the ditch?
polluteth not the man, but what is nothing from without a man
402 “C’est une figure et facon de parler que les Latins nomment Apposition;” — “it is a figure and mode of speech which the
Latins call Apposition.” — “The Latin Grammarians employ the word Appositio to denote a figure, by which two words, denoting
the same thing, are put in the same case, such as, Urbs Roma, Fluvius Sequana In the same sense the Greek word ἐπεξήγησις
was often used. — Ed.
403 “Pareillement il leur disoit une similitude;” — “in like manner he spoke to them a parable.”
176
John Calvin