Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians

Comm on Phil, Col, Thes
For he contrasts shadows with revelation, and absence with manifestation. Those, therefore, who
still adhere to those shadows, act like one who should judge of a man’s appearance from his shadow,
while in the mean time he had himself personally before his eyes. For Christ is now manifested to
us, and hence we enjoy him as being present. The body, says he, is of Christ, that is, IN Christ. For
the substance of those things which the ceremonies anciently prefigured is now presented before
our eyes in Christ, inasmuch as he contains in himself everything that they marked out as future.
Hence, the man that calls back the ceremonies into use, either buries the manifestation of Christ,
or robs Christ of his excellence, and makes him in a manner void. 387 Accordingly, should any one
of mortals assume to himself in this matter the office of judge, let us not submit to him, inasmuch
as Christ, the only competent Judge, sets us free. For when he says, Let no man judge you, he does
not address the false apostles, but prohibits the Colossians from yielding their neck to unreasonable
requirements. To abstain, it is true, from swine’s flesh, is in itself harmless, but the binding to do
it is pernicious, because it makes void the grace of Christ.
Should any one ask, “What view, then, is to be taken of our sacraments? Do they not also
represent Christ to us as absent?” I answer, that they differ widely from the ancient ceremonies.
For as painters do not in the first draught bring out a likeness in vivid colors, and (εἰκονικῶς)
expressively, but in the first instance draw rude and obscure lines with charcoal, so the representation
of Christ under the law was unpolished, and was, as it were, a first sketch, but in our sacraments it
is seen drawn out to the life. Paul, however, had something farther in view, for he contrasts the
bare aspect of the shadow with the solidity of the body, and admonishes them, that it is the part of
a madman to take hold of empty shadows, when it is in his power to handle the solid substance.
Farther, while our sacraments represent Christ as absent as to view and distance of place, it is in
such a manner as to testify that he has been once manifested, and they now also present him to us
to be enjoyed. They are not, therefore, bare shadows, but on the contrary symbols 388 of Christ’s
presence, for they contain that Yea and Amen of all the promises of God, (2 Corinthians 1:20,)
which has been once manifested to us in Christ.
18. Let no one take from you the palm. 389 He alludes to runners, or wrestlers, to whom the palm
was assigned, on condition of their not giving way in the middle of the course, or after the contest
had been commenced. He admonishes them, therefore, that the false apostles aimed at nothing else
than to snatch away from them the palm, inasmuch as they draw them aside from the rectitude of
their course. Hence it follows that they must be shunned as the most injurious pests. The passage
is also carefully to be marked as intimating, that all those who draw us aside from the simplicity
of Christ cheat us out of the prize of our high calling. (Philippians 3:14.)
Desirous in humility. Something must be understood; hence I have, inserted in the text id facere,
(to do it.) For he points out the kind of danger which they required to guard against. All are desirous
to defraud you of the palm, who, under the pretext of humility, recommend to you the worship of
angels. For their object is, that you may wander out of the way, leaving the one object of aim. I
read humility and worship of angels conjointly, for the one follows the other, just as at this day the
Papists make use of the same pretext when philosophizing as to the worship of saints. For they
387 “Inutile et du tout vuide;” — “Useless and altogether void.”
388 “Signes et tesmoignages;” — “Signs and evidences.”
389 “The Latin, ‘seducat,’ correctly gives the intention of καταβραβευέτω which signifies, to cause a competitor to lose his
prize, by drawing him aside from the goal, (seorsim ducendo, or seducendo.)” — Penn. — Ed.
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John Calvin