Commentary on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2.pdf
Commentary on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2.pdf Commentary on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2.pdf
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<str<strong>on</strong>g>Commentary</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>Matthew</strong>, <strong>Mark</strong>, <strong>Luke</strong> - <strong>Volume</strong> 2<br />
<strong>Mark</strong> 10:21. One thing thou wantest. Christ therefore does not mean that the young man wanted<br />
<strong>on</strong>e Thing bey<strong>on</strong>d the keeping of the law, but in the very keeping of the law. For though the law<br />
nowhere obliges us to sell all, yet as it represses all sinful desires, and teaches us to bear the cross,<br />
as it bids us be prepared for hunger and poverty, the young man is very far from keeping it fully,<br />
so l<strong>on</strong>g as he is attached to his riches, and burns with covetousness. And he says that <strong>on</strong>e thing is<br />
wanting, because he does not need to preach to him about fornicati<strong>on</strong> and murder, but to point out<br />
a particular disease, as if he were laying his finger <strong>on</strong> the sore.<br />
It ought also to be observed, that he does not <strong>on</strong>ly enjoin him to sell, but likewise to give to the<br />
poor; for to part with riches would not be in itself a virtue, but rather a vain ambiti<strong>on</strong>. Profane<br />
historians applaud Crates, a Theban, because he threw into the sea his m<strong>on</strong>ey and all that he reck<strong>on</strong>ed<br />
valuable; for he did not think that he could save himself unless his wealth were lost; as if it would<br />
not have been better to bestow <strong>on</strong> others what he imagined to be more than he needed. Certainly,<br />
as charity is the b<strong>on</strong>d of perfecti<strong>on</strong>, (Colossians 3:14,) he who deprives others, al<strong>on</strong>g with himself,<br />
of the use of m<strong>on</strong>ey, deserves no praise; and therefore Christ applauds not simply the selling but<br />
liberality in assisting the poor<br />
The mortificati<strong>on</strong> of the flesh is still more str<strong>on</strong>gly urged by Christ, when he says, Follow me.<br />
For he enjoins him not <strong>on</strong>ly to become his disciple, but to submit his shoulders to bear the cross,<br />
as <strong>Mark</strong> expressly states. And it was necessary that such an excitement should be applied; for,<br />
having been accustomed to the ease, and leisure and c<strong>on</strong>veniences, of home, he had never<br />
experienced, in the smallest degree, what it was to crucify the old man, and to subdue the desires<br />
of the flesh. But it is excessively ridiculous in the m<strong>on</strong>ks, under the pretense of this passage, to<br />
claim for themselves state of perfecti<strong>on</strong>. First, it is easy to infer, that Christ does not command all<br />
without excepti<strong>on</strong> to sell all that they have; for the husbandman, who had been accustomed to live<br />
by his labor, and to support his children, would do wr<strong>on</strong>g in selling his possessi<strong>on</strong>, if he were not<br />
c<strong>on</strong>strained to it by any necessity. To keep what God has put in our power, provided that, by<br />
maintaining ourselves and our family in sober and frugal manner, we bestow some porti<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> the<br />
poor, is a greater virtue than to squander all. But what sort of thing is that famous selling, <strong>on</strong> which<br />
the m<strong>on</strong>ks plume themselves? A good part of them, finding no provisi<strong>on</strong> at home, plunge themselves<br />
into m<strong>on</strong>asteries as well-stocked hog-styes. All take such good care of themselves, that they feed<br />
in idleness <strong>on</strong> the bread of others. A rare exchange truly, when those who are ordered to give to<br />
the poor what they justly possess are not satisfied with their own, but seize <strong>on</strong> the property of others.<br />
Jesus beholding him, loved him. The inference which the Papists draw from this, that works<br />
morally good — that is, works which are not performed by the impulse of the Spirit, but go before<br />
regenerati<strong>on</strong> — have the merit of c<strong>on</strong>gruity, is an excessively childish c<strong>on</strong>trivance. For if merit be<br />
alleged to be the c<strong>on</strong>sequence of the love of God, we must then say that frogs and fleas have merit,<br />
because all the creatures of God, without excepti<strong>on</strong>, are the objects of his love. To distinguish the<br />
280<br />
John Calvin