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 />
than what was the design of Christ to teach. Now we have already said that he had no other object<br />
in view than to excite his people by c<strong>on</strong>tinual spurs to make progress. We know that indolence<br />
almost always springs from excessive c<strong>on</strong>fidence; and this is the reas<strong>on</strong> why many, as if they had<br />
reached the goal, stop short in the middle of the course. Thus Paul enjoins us to forget the things<br />
which are behind, (Philippians 3:13,) that, reflecting <strong>on</strong> what yet remains for us, we may arouse<br />
ourselves to persevere in running. But there will be no harm in examining the words, that the<br />
doctrine may be more clearly evinced.<br />
<strong>Matthew</strong> 20:1. For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder. The meaning is, that such is<br />
the nature of the divine calling, as if a man were, early in the morning, to hire laborers for the<br />
cultivati<strong>on</strong> of his vineyard at a fixed price, and were afterwards to employ others without an<br />
agreement, but to give them an equal hire. He uses the phrase, kingdom of heaven, because he<br />
compares the spiritual life to the earthly life, and the reward of eternal life to m<strong>on</strong>ey which men<br />
pay in return for work that has been d<strong>on</strong>e for them. There are some who give an ingenious<br />
interpretati<strong>on</strong> to this passage, as if Christ were distinguishing between Jews and Gentiles. The Jews,<br />
they tell us, were called at the first hour, with an agreement as to the hire; for the Lord promised<br />
to them eternal life, <strong>on</strong> the c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong> that they should fulfill the law; while, in calling the Gentiles,<br />
no bargain was made at least as to works, for salvati<strong>on</strong> was freely offered to them in Christ. But<br />
all subtleties of that sort are unseas<strong>on</strong>able; for the Lord makes no distincti<strong>on</strong> in the bargain, but<br />
<strong>on</strong>ly in the time; because those who entered last, and in the evening, into the vineyard, receive the<br />
same hire with the first Though, in the Law, God formerly promised to the Jews the hire of works,<br />
(Leviticus 18:5,) yet we know that this was without effect, because no man ever obtained salvati<strong>on</strong><br />
by his merits.<br />
Why then, it will be said, does Christ expressly menti<strong>on</strong> a bargain 643 in reference to the first,<br />
but make no menti<strong>on</strong> of it in reference to the others? It was in order to show that, without doing<br />
injury to any <strong>on</strong>e, as much h<strong>on</strong>or is c<strong>on</strong>ferred <strong>on</strong> the last, as if they had been called at the beginning.<br />
For strictly speaking, he owes no man any thing, and from us, who are devoted to his service, he<br />
demands, as a matter of right, all the duties which are incumbent <strong>on</strong> us. But as he freely offers to<br />
us a reward, he is said to hire the labors which, <strong>on</strong> other grounds, were due to him. This is also the<br />
reas<strong>on</strong> why he gives the name of a hire to the crown which he bestows freely. Again, in order to<br />
show that we have no right to complain of God, if he make us compani<strong>on</strong>s in h<strong>on</strong>or with those who<br />
followed us after a l<strong>on</strong>g interval, he borrowed a comparis<strong>on</strong> from the ordinary custom of men, who<br />
bargain about the hire, before they send laborers to their work.<br />
If any man infer from this, that men are created for the purpose of doing something, and that<br />
every man has his province assigned him by God, that they may not sit down in idleness, he will<br />
offer no violence to the words of Christ. 644 We are also at liberty to infer, that our whole life is<br />
unprofitable, and that we are justly accused of indolence, until each of us regulate his life by the<br />
643 “Un pris c<strong>on</strong>veml;” — “a price agreed up<strong>on</strong>.”<br />
644 “Cela ne sera point tirer trop loin les parollcs de Christ;” — “this will not be straining too far the words of Christ.”<br />
289<br />
John Calvin