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

<strong>Commentary</strong> on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
so that some excel others. But whatever gifts the Lord has bestowed upon us, let us know that
it is committed to us as so much money, that it may yield some gain; for nothing could be more
unreasonable than that we should allow to remain buried, or should apply to no use, God’s favors,
the value of which consists in yielding fruit.
Matthew 25:15. To every one according to his own ability. By this term Christ does not
distinguish between natural gifts and the gifts of the Spirit; for we have neither power nor skill 688
which ought not to be acknowledged as having been received from God; and, therefore, whoever
shall determine to give God his share will leave nothing for himself. What then is meant by saying,
that the master of the house gives to each person more or less, according to his own ability? It is
because God, as he has assigned to every one his place, and has bestowed on him natural gifts,
gives him also this or the other injunction, employs him in the management of affairs, raises him
to various offices, furnishes him with abundant means of eminent usefulness, and presents to him
the opportunity.
It is absurd, however, in the Papists to infer from this, that the gifts of God are conferred on
every man according to the measure which he deserves. For, though the old translator, 689 employed
the word virtus, 690 he did not mean that God bestows his gifts, according as men have acquitted
themselves well, and obtained the praise of virtue, but only so far as the master of the house has
judged them to be suitable. Now we know that no man is found by God to be suitable till He has
made him so; and the Greek word δύναμις, (power, ability,) which Christ employed, is free from
all ambiguity.
20. And he who had received five talents. Those who employ usefully whatever God has
committed to them are said to be engaged in trading The life of the godly, 691 is justly compared to
trading, for they ought naturally to exchange and barter with each other, in order to maintain
intercourse; and the industry with which every mall discharges the office assigned him, the calling
itself, the power of acting properly, and other gifts, are reckoned to be so many kinds of merchandise;
because the use or object which they have in view is, to promote mutual intercourse among men.
688 “Il n’y a ne puissance, ne industrie, ou dexterit;” — “there is neither power, nor industry, nor skill.”
689 “Le translateur Latin ancien;” — “the old Latin translator.”
690 An interpreter who was willing to twist a passage, so as to bring out of it any meaning that he chose, would find the vagueness
of the Latin word virtus to be well suited to his purpose. Its derivation from vir, a man, shows that it originally signified manliness,
from which it easily passed to denote courage, and, from the high estimation in which courage was held among warlike nations,
became the general expression for moral excellence, out of which arose the application of it to other kinds of excellence, as in
the phrase, virtutes orationis, the ornaments of style. Again, from denoting manly vigor it came naturally to denote ability; and
it is undoubtedly in this sense, with which our English version accords, that rirtus is employed by the Vulgate in this passage.
— Ed.
691 “Des fideles;” — “of believers.”
312
John Calvin