Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians

Comm on Phil, Col, Thes
powerfully. Farther, he leads their views to experience, that they may recognize in themselves the
benefit of that redemption of which he had made mention. “You are yourselves a sample 318 of that
grace which I declare to have been offered to mankind through Christ. For ye were alienated, that
is, from God. Ye were enemies; now ye are received into favor: whence comes this? It is because
God, being appeased by the death of Christ, has become reconciled to you.” At the same time, there
is in this statement a change of person, for what he has previously declared as to the Father, he now
affirms respecting Christ; for we must necessarily explain it thus, in the body of HIS flesh
The term διανοίας (thought) I explain, as employed by way of amplification, as though he had
said, that they were altogether, and in the whole of their mental system, alienated from God, that
no one may imagine, after the manner of philosophers, that the alienation is merely in a particular
part, as Popish theologians restrict it to the lower appetites. “Nay,” says Paul, “what made you
odious to God, had taken possession of your whole mind.” In fine, he meant to intimate, that man,
whatever he may be, is wholly at variance with God, and is an enemy to him. The old interpreter
renders it (sensum) sense. Erasmus renders it mentem, (mind.) I have made use of the term
cogitationis, to denote what the French call intention. For such is the force of the Greek word, and
Paul’s meaning requires that it should be rendered so.
Farther, while the term enemies has a passive as well as active signification, it is well suited to
us in both respects, so long as we are apart from Christ. For we are born children of wrath, and
every thought of the flesh is enmity against God. (Romans 8:7.)
In wicked works. He shews from its effects the inward hatred which lies hid in the heart. For
as mankind endeavor to free themselves from all blame, until they have been openly convicted,
God shews them their impiety by outward works, as is more amply treated of in Romans 1:19.
Farther, what is told us here as to the Colossians, is applicable to us also, for we differ nothing in
respect of nature. There is only this difference, that some are called from their mother’s womb,
whose malice God anticipates, so as to prevent them from breaking forth into open fruits, while
others, after having wandered during a great part of their life, are brought back to the fold. We all,
however, stand in need of Christ as our peace maker, because we are the slaves of sin, and where
sin is, there is enmity between God and men.
22. In the body of his flesh. The expression is in appearance absurd, but the body of his flesh
means that human body, which the Son of God had in common with us. He meant, therefore, to
intimate, that the Son of God had put on the same nature with us, that he took upon him this vile
earthly body, subject to many infirmities, that he might be our Mediator. When he adds, by death,
he again calls us back to sacrifice. For it was necessary that the Son of God should become man,
and be a partaker of our flesh, that he might be our brother: it was necessary that he should by dying
become a sacrifice, that he might make his Father propitious to us.
That he might present us holy. Here we have the second and principal part of our salvation —
newness of life. For the entire blessing of redemption consists mainly in these two things, remission
of sins, and spiritual regeneration. (Jeremiah 31:33.) What he has already spoken of was a great
matter, that righteousness has been procured for us through the death of Christ, so that, our sins
being remitted, we are acceptable to God. Now, however, he teaches us, that there is in addition to
this another benefit equally distinguished — the gift of the Holy Spirit, by which we are renewed
in the image of God. This, also, is a passage worthy of observation, as shewing that a gratuitous
318 “Vn miroir;” — “A mirror.”
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John Calvin