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

<strong>Commentary</strong> on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
to satisfy all obstinate people, we must bury Christ, who is the stone of offense, (1 Peter 2:8.) Weak
persons, who are offended through ignorance, and afterwards return to just views, must be
distinguished from haughty and disdainful men who are themselves the authors of offenses. It is
of importance to attend to this distinction, in order that no one who is weak may be distressed
through our fault. But when wicked men dash themselves through their obstinacy, let us walk on
unmoved in the midst of offenses; for he who spares not weak brethren tramples, as it were, under
foot those to whom we are commanded to stretch out the hand. It would be idle to attend to others,
whom we cannot avoid offending, if we wish to keep the right path; and when, under the pretext
of taking offense, they happen to fall off and revolt from Christ, we must let them alone, that they
may not drag us along with them. 408
They are blind leaders of the blind. Christ means that all who allow themselves to be driven
hither and thither at the disposal of those men will miserably perish; for when they stumble on a
plain road, it is evident that they are willfully blind. Why then should any one allow himself to be
directed by them, except that he might fall into the same ditch? Now Christ, who has risen upon
us as the Sun of righteousness, (Malachi 4:2,) and not only points out the road to us by the torch
of his Gospel, but desires that we should keep it before us, justly calls on his disciples to shake off
that slothfulness, and not to wander, as it were, in the dark, for the sake of gratifying the blind. 409
Hence also we infer that all who, under the pretense of simplicity or modesty, give themselves up
to be deceived or ensnared by errors, are without excuse.
Luke 6:39. And he spake to them a parable. Luke relates this saying without mentioning any
occurrence, but states generally, that Christ made use of this parable; as in recording many of
Christ’s discourses he says nothing as to the occasion on which they were delivered. It is no doubt
possible that Christ may have spoken this parable more than once; but, as no place more appropriate
was to be found, I have not hesitated to insert here what Luke relates without fixing the time.
Matthew 15:15. And Peter answering said. As the disciples betray excessive ignorance, Christ
justly reproves and upbraids them for being still void of understanding, and yet does not fail to act
as their teacher. What Matthew ascribes in a peculiar manner to Peter is related by Mark, in the
same sense, as a question put by them all; and this is evident from Christ’s reply, in which he
reproves the ignorance, not of Peter only, but of all of them alike. The general meaning is, that men
are not polluted by food, but that they have within themselves the pollution of sins, which afterwards
shows itself in the outward actions. Is it objected that intemperance in eating is defilement? The
solution is easy. Christ speaks only of the proper and lawful use of those things which God has put
in our power. To eat and drink are things in their own nature free and indifferent: if any corruption
408 “De peur qu’ils nous tirent en perdition avec eux;” — “lest they draw us to perdition along with them.”
409 “A bon droict retire ses disciples de ceste nonchalance et stupidite de suyvre les aveugles, et pour leur faire plaisir d’aller
tastonnant en tenebres comme eux;” — “properly withdraws his disciples from that indifference and stupidity in following the
blind, and—for the sake of gratifying them—in groping in the dark like them.”
180
John Calvin