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 />
sin. It is because their falsehood and slanders betrayed what was not so visible in the rest of their<br />
life, that Christ attacks them with such severity. “There is no reas<strong>on</strong> to w<strong>on</strong>der,” he says, “that you<br />
vomit out wicked words; for your heart is full of malice.” Nor are we to suppose that he ought to<br />
have treated them with greater gentleness, because some might regard this reproof as excessively<br />
severe. There are other sins, no doubt, that call for harsh reproofs; but when hypocritical pers<strong>on</strong>s<br />
pervert what is right, or put a false coloring <strong>on</strong> what is sinful, such wickedness renders it necessary<br />
that God should thunder against it in a more terrible manner than against other sins.<br />
Now the design of Christ, suggested by the present occurrence, was to c<strong>on</strong>demn the wicked<br />
sophistry which turns light into darkness. This passage shows how highly valuable in the sight of<br />
the Lord truth is, since he maintains and defends it with such rigor. Would that this were earnestly<br />
c<strong>on</strong>sidered by those pers<strong>on</strong>s, whose ingenuity is too ready to be employed in defending any cause,<br />
and whose venal t<strong>on</strong>gue disguises impostures! In a particular manner, Christ waxes wroth against<br />
those whom ambiti<strong>on</strong>, or envy, or some other fraudulent design, prompts to slander, even when<br />
there is nothing that their c<strong>on</strong>science c<strong>on</strong>demns. Against the Pharisees, too, as his custom was,<br />
Christ used greater harshness, because they were so captivated by an unfounded c<strong>on</strong>victi<strong>on</strong> of their<br />
righteousness, that an ordinary warning had no effect up<strong>on</strong> them. And till hypocrites are sharply<br />
pierced, 136 all that is said to them is treated with scorn and c<strong>on</strong>tempt.<br />
How can you speak what is good? We have formerly hinted, that proverbial sayings ought not<br />
to be rigidly interpreted as an invariable rule, for they state nothing more than the ordinary fact.<br />
Sometimes, no doubt, a cruel man will deceive the simple by h<strong>on</strong>ied flatteries, a cunning man will<br />
cheat under the garb of simplicity, and a man of very wicked thoughts will breathe almost angelical<br />
purity of language. 137 But the ordinary practice dem<strong>on</strong>strates the truth of what Christ here says,<br />
that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh; agreeably to the old proverb, which<br />
declared the t<strong>on</strong>gue to be the index of the mind. 138 And, indeed, whatever hidden and crooked<br />
recesses may exist in the heart of man, and whatever may be the amazing c<strong>on</strong>trivances by which<br />
every man c<strong>on</strong>ceals his vices, yet the Lord extorts from each of them some kind of c<strong>on</strong>fessi<strong>on</strong>, so<br />
that they discover by the t<strong>on</strong>gue their natural dispositi<strong>on</strong> and hidden feelings. We must also observe<br />
the purpose for which Christ employs those parables; for he reproaches the Pharisees with having<br />
manifested by words the malice which they had inwardly c<strong>on</strong>ceived. Besides, knowing them to be<br />
sworn enemies, he takes occasi<strong>on</strong> from, single calumny to expose their whole life, and to destroy<br />
their credit with the people, which gave them too great influence in deceiving and in doing mischief.<br />
Though good speeches do not always proceed from the inmost heart, but originate (as the phrase<br />
136 “Iusques a ce qu’ils sentent qu’<strong>on</strong> le poigne a b<strong>on</strong> escient;” — “till they feel that they are pierced in good earnest.”<br />
137 “Il semblera, a l’ouir parler, qu’il ait une purete Angelique;” — “to hear him speak, you would imagine that he has the<br />
purity of an Angel.”<br />
138 “Comme aussi le proverbe ancien portoit, Que la langue est le charactere ou pourtrait du coeur;” — “as also the old proverb<br />
bore, That the t<strong>on</strong>gue is the type or portrait of the heart.”<br />
54<br />
John Calvin