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

<strong>Commentary</strong> on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
argue with a man 556 who boldly denies the whole matter? for he who has the effrontery to deny
the crime which he has committed shuts the door against a second admonition.
We now perceive for what purpose Christ proposes to call witnesses. It is, to give greater weight
and impressiveness to the admonition. As to the slightly different meaning to which he has turned
the words of Moses, it involves no absurdity. Moses forbids sentence to be pronounced on a matter
that is unknown, and defines this to be the lawful mode of proving, that it be established by the
testimony of
two or three witnesses. At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the
matter be established,
(Deuteronomy 19:15.)
Alluding to that law, Christ says that, when two or three witnesses shall rise up to condemn the
obstinacy of the man, the case will be clear, at least till the Church be prepared to take cognizance
of it; for he who refuses to hear two or three witnesses 557 will have no reason to complain that he
is dragged forth to light.
Tell it to the Church. It is asked, what does he mean by the term Church? For Paul orders (1
Corinthians 5:5) that the incestuous Corinthian shall be excommunicated, not by a certain chosen
number, but by the whole assembly of the godly; and therefore it might appear to be probable that
the power of judging is bestowed on the whole of the people. But as at that time no Church as yet
was in existence, which acknowledged the authority of Christ, and no such order had been
established, and as our Lord employs the ordinary and received forms of expression, there can be
no doubt that he alludes to the order of the ancient Church, as in other places also he accommodates
his modes of expression to what was known and customary. 558 When he commands that:
the offering, which we intend to present, shall be left at the altar, till we are reconciled to an offended
brother,
(Matthew 5:23,)
he unquestionably intends, by means of that form of the worship of God which was then in
existence and in force, to teach us, that we cannot in a right manner either pray, or offer any thing
to God, so long as we are at variance with our brethren. So then he now looked at the form of
discipline which was observed among the Jews; for it would have been absurd to propose an appeal
to the judgment of a Church which was not yet in existence.
Now since among the Jews the power of excommunication belonged to the elders, who held
the government of the whole Church, Christ speaks appropriately when he says that they who
556 “Or comment pourroit on arguer ou convaincre un homme, que ce qu’il a fait est mauvais?” — “Now how could we argue
or convince a man that what he has done is wrong?”
557 “Veu qu’il n’a pas voulu recevoir l’admonition qui luy a este faite en prive par deux ou trois;” — “since he did not choose
to receive the admonition which was given to him in private by two or three.”
558 “Comme aussi en d’autres passages il s’accomodi a ce qui estoit lors ordinaire, et use des termes communes;” — “as also
in other passages he adapts himself to what was then customary, and employs common terms.”
250
John Calvin