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

<strong>Commentary</strong> on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
themselves the right to forbid; and therefore every man who undertakes more than he knows that
he is permitted to do by the word of God is chargeable with rashness. Besides, there is reason to
suspect the disciples of Christ of ambition, because they are anxious to maintain their privilege and
honor. For how comes it that they all at once forbid a man who is unknown to them to work miracles,
but because they wish to be the sole possessors of this right? For they assign the reason, that he
followeth not Christ; as much as to say, “He is not one of thy associates, as we are: why then shall
he possess equal honor?”
39. Forbid him not. Christ did not wish that he should be forbidden; not that he had given him
authority, or approved of what he did, or even wished his disciples to approve of it, but because,
when by any occurrence God is glorified, we ought to bear with it and rejoice. Thus Paul, (Philippians
1:18,) though he disapproves of the dispositions of those who used the Gospel as a pretense for
aggrandizing themselves, yet rejoices that by this occurrence the glory of Christ is advanced. We
must attend also to the reason which is added, that it is impossible for any man who works miracles
in the name of Christ to speak evil of Christ, and therefore this ought to be reckoned as gain; for
hence it follows, that if the disciples had not been more devoted to their own glory than anxious
and desirous to promote the glory of their Master, they would not have been offended when they
saw that glory heightened and enlarged in another direction. And yet Christ declares that we ought
to reckon as friends those who are not open enemies.
40. For he who is not against us is for us. He does not enjoin us to give a loose rein to rash
men, and to be silent while they intermeddle with this and the other matter, according to their own
fancy, and disturb the whole order of the Church: for such licentiousness, so far as our calling
allows, must be restrained. He only affirms that they act improperly, who unseasonably prevent
the kingdom of God from being advanced by any means whatever. And yet he does not acknowledge
as his disciples, or reckon as belonging to his flock, those who hold an intermediate place between
enemies and friends, but means that,. so far as they do no harm, they are useful and profitable: for
it is a proverbial saying, which reminds us that we ought not to raise a quarrel till we are constrained.
Luke 9:51. While the days of his being received up, etc. Luke alone relates this narrative, which,
however, is highly useful on many accounts. For, first, it describes the divine courage and firmness
of Christ 586 in despising death; secondly, what deadly enmities are produced by differences about
religion; thirdly, with what headlong ardor the nature of man is hurried on to impatience; next, how
ready we are to fall into mistakes in imitating the saints; and, lastly, by the example of Christ we
are called to the exercise of meekness. The death of Christ is called his being received up, (ἀνάληψις)
not only because he was then withdrawn from the midst of us, 587 but because, leaving the mean
prison of the flesh, he ascended on high.
586 “La magnanimite et constance admirable de Iesus Christ;” — “the wonderful magnanimity and firmness of Jesus Christ.”
587 “Non pas seulement pource qu il a lors este enleve et comme retranche du milieu des hommes;” — “not only because he
was then raised up, and, as it were, withdrawn from the midst of men.”
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John Calvin