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

<strong>Commentary</strong> on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
Thirdly, It must be observed that, when any man, through his light and unsteady behavior, has
exposed himself to suspicion, we may grant pardon when he asks it, and yet may do so in such a
manner as to watch over his conduct for the future, that our forbearance and meekness, which
proceed from the Spirit of Christ, may not become the subject of his ridicule. For we must observe
the design of our Lord himself, that we ought, by our gentleness, to assist those who have fallen to
rise again. And certainly we ought to imitate the goodness of our heavenly Father, who meets
sinners at a distance to invite them to salvation. Besides, as repentance is a wonderful work of the
Spirit, and is the creation of the new man, if we despise it, we offer an insult to God himself.
23. The kingdom of heaven is compared. As it is difficult to bend us to mercy, and as we are
quickly seized with weariness, particularly when we have to bear with many faults of brethren, our
Lord confirms this doctrine by a most appropriate parable, the substance of which is, that those
who will not yield to pardon the faults of brethren judge very ill for themselves, and subject
themselves to a very hard and severe law; for they will find God to be equally stern and inexorable
towards themselves. There are three parts in which the resemblance mainly consists; for the master
is contrasted with the servant, the large sum of money with small or ordinary sums, and extraordinary
kindness with extreme cruelty. By attending to these three points, it will be easy to ascertain Christ’s
meaning; for what are we, if we are compared with God? And how large is the sum which every
one of us owes to God? Lastly, how inconsiderable are the offenses, with which brethren are
chargeable towards us, if we take into account our obligation to God? How ill then does that man
deserve the compassion of God, who, though oppressed with an immense load, implacably refuses
to forgive even the smallest offenses to men like himself? So far as regards the words, the kingdom
of heaven here denotes the spiritual condition of the Church; as if Christ had said, that the state of
matters between God and men, in regard to the soul and the nature of spiritual life, is the same as
between an ordinary or earthly master and his servants, in regard to money and the affairs of the
present life.
25. His master ordered him to be sold. It would be an idle exercise of ingenuity to examine
here every minute clause. For God does not always display severity at first, till, constrained to pray,
we implore pardon, but rather meets us with undeserved goodness. But Christ only shows what
will become of us, if God shall treat us with the utmost severity; and again, if He shall choose to
demand from us what we owe, how necessary it is for us to betake ourselves to prayer, because
this is the only refuge that remains for transgressors. We must also attend to the wide difference
of the sums; for, since one talent is worth more than a hundred pence, what proportion will a
hundred pence bear to ten thousand talents?
31. When his fellow-servants saw what was done. Though we ought not to search for mystery
in these words — because they contain nothing but what nature teaches, and what we learn by daily
experience — we ought to know that the men who live among us will be so many witnesses against
us before God; for it is impossible but that cruelty shall excite in them displeasure and hatred, more
especially, since every man is afraid that what he sees done to others will fall upon his own head.
As to the clause which immediately follows, it is foolish to inquire how God punishes those sins
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John Calvin