Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians

Comm on Phil, Col, Thes
pretext of faith and calling, darken this first grace, from which faith itself flows. “By faith,” say
they, “we obtain salvation: there is, therefore, no eternal predestination of God that distinguishes
between us and reprobates.” It is as though they said — “Salvation is of faith: there is, therefore,
no grace of God that illuminates us in faith.” Nay rather, as gratuitous election must be conjoined
with calling, as with its effect, so it must necessarily, in the mean time, hold the first place. It matters
little as to the sense, whether you connect ὑπὸ with the participle beloved or with the term election
503
5 As ye know. Paul, as I have said before, has it as his aim, that the Thessalonians, influenced
by the same considerations, may entertain no doubt that they were elected by God. For it had been
the design of God, in honoring Paul’s ministry, that he might manifest to them their adoption.
Accordingly, having said that they know what manner of persons they had been, 504 he immediately
adds that he was such for their sake, by which he means that all this had been given them, in order
that they might be fully persuaded that they were loved by God, and that their election was beyond
all controversy.
1 Thessalonians 1:6-8
6. And ye became followers of us, and of the 6. Et vos imitatores nostri facti estis et
Lord, having received the word in much Domini, dum sermonem amplexi estis in
affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: tribulatione multa, cum gaudio Spiritus sancti:
7. So that ye were ensamples to all that 7. Ita ut fueritis exemplaria omnibus
believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
credentibus in Macedonia et in Achaia.
8. For from you sounded out the word of the 8. A vobis enim personuit sermo Domini: nec
Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in Macedonia tantum et in Achaia, sed etiam in
in every place your faith to God-ward is spread omni loco, fides vestra quae in Deum est manavit:
abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. ita ut non opus habeamus quicquam loqui.
6 And ye became imitators. With the view of increasing their alacrity, he declares that there is
a mutual agreement, and harmony, as it were, between his preaching and their faith. For unless
men, on their part, answer to God, no proficiency will follow from the grace that is offered to them
— not as though they could do this of themselves, but inasmuch as God, as he begins our salvation
by calling us, perfects it also by fashioning our hearts to obedience. The sum, therefore, is this —
that an evidence of Divine election shewed itself not only in Paul’s ministry, in so far as it was
furnished with the power of the Holy Spirit, but also in the faith of the Thessalonians, so that this
conformity is a powerful attestation of it. He says, however, “Ye were imitators of God and of us,”
503 “Au reste, les mots de ceste sentence sont ainsi couchez au texte Grec de Sainct Paul, Scachans freres bien-aimez de Dieu,
vostre election: tellement que ce mot de Dieu, pent estre rapporté a deux endroits, ascauoir Bien-aimez de Dieu, ou vostre election
estre de Dieu: mais c’est tout vn comment on le prene quant au sens;” — “Farther, the words of this sentence are thus placed in
the Greek text of St. Paul; knowing, brethren beloved of God, your election: in such a way, that this phrase of God may be taken
as referring to two things, as meaning beloved of God, or, your election to be of God; but it is all one as to the sense in what
way you take it.”
504 “Quels auoyent este St. Paul et ses compagnons;” — “What manner of persons St. Paul and his associates had been.”
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John Calvin