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

<strong>Commentary</strong> on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
Nay, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God. We see that Christ treats almost as a
matter of indifference that point on which the woman had set a high value. And undoubtedly what
she supposed to be Mary’s highest honor was far inferior to the other favors which she had received;
for it was of vastly greater importance to be regenerated by the Spirit of God than to conceive
Christ, according to the flesh, in her womb; to have Christ living spiritually within her than to
suckle him with her breasts. In a word, the highest happiness and glory of the holy Virgin consisted
in her being a member of his Son, so that the heavenly Father reckoned her in the number of new
creatures.
In my opinion, however, it was for another reason, and with a view to another object, that Christ
now corrected the saying of the woman. It was because men are commonly chargeable with
neglecting even those gifts of God, on which they gaze with astonishment, and bestow the highest
praise. This woman, in applauding Christ, had left out what was of the very highest consequence,
that in him salvation is exhibited to all; and, therefore, it was a feeble commendation, that made
no mention of his grace and power, which is extended to all. Christ justly claims for himself another
kind of praise, not that his mother alone is reckoned blessed, but that he brings to us all perfect and
eternal happiness. We never form a just estimate of the excellence of Christ, till we consider for
what purpose he was given to us by the Father, and perceive the benefits which he has brought to
us, so that we who are wretched in ourselves may become happy in him. But why does he say
nothing about himself, and mention only the word of God? It is because in this way he opens to us
all his treasures; for without the word he has no intercourse with us, nor we with him. Communicating
himself to us by the word, he rightly and properly calls us to hear and keep it, that by faith he may
become ours.
We now see the difference between Christ’s reply and the woman’s commendation; for the
blessedness, which she had limited to his own relatives, is a favor which he offers freely to all. He
shows that we ought to entertain no ordinary esteem for him, because he has all the treasures of
life, blessedness, and glory, hidden in him, (Colossians 2:3,) which he dispenses by the word, that
they may be communicated to those who embrace the word by faith; for God’s free adoption of us,
which we obtain by faith, is the key to the kingdom of heaven. The connection between the two
things must also be observed. We must first hear, and then keep; for as faith cometh by hearing,
(Romans 10:17,) it is in this way that the spiritual life must be commenced. Now as the simple
hearing is like a transitory looking into a mirror, 155 as James says, (1:23,) he likewise adds, the
keeping of the word, which means the effectual reception of it, when it strikes its roots deep into
our hearts, and yields its fruit. The forgetful hearer, whose ears alone are struck by the outward
doctrine, gains no advantage. On the other hand, they who boast that they are satisfied with the
secret inspiration, and on this ground disregard the outward preaching, shut themselves out from
the heavenly life. What the Son of God hath joined let not men, with wicked rashness, put asunder,
155 “Autant que l’ouye simple est comme quand on regarde en un mirroir, et que la memoire s’en escoule incontinent;” —
“since the simple hearing is as when we look into a mirror, and the remembrance of it immediately passes away.”
60
John Calvin