Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians

Comm on Phil, Col, Thes
from faith, they might rest assured that what they had heard was not a mere sound of the human
voice vanishing into air, but the living and efficacious doctrine of God.
As to the expression, the word of the preaching of God, it means simply, as I have rendered it,
the word of God preached by man. For Paul meant to state expressly that they had not looked upon
the doctrine as contemptible, although it had proceeded from the mouth of a mortal man, inasmuch
as they recognized God as the author of it. He accordingly praises the Thessalonians, because they
did not rest in mere regard for the minister. but lifted up their eyes to God, that they might receive
his word. Accordingly, I have not hesitated to insert the particle ut, (that,) which served to make
the meaning more clear. There is a mistake on the part of Erasmus in rendering it, “the word of the
hearing of God,” as if Paul meant that God had been manifested. He afterwards changed it thus,
“the word by which you learned God,” for he did not advert to the Hebrew idiom. 542
14 For ye became imitators. If you are inclined to restrict this to the clause in immediate
connection with it, the meaning will be, that the power of God, or of his word, shews itself in their
patient endurance, while they sustain persecutions with magnanimity and undaunted courage. I
prefer, however, to view it as extending to the whole of the foregoing statement, for he confirms
what he has stated, that the Thessalonians had in good earnest embraced the gospel, as being
presented to them by God, inasmuch as they courageously endured the assaults which Satan made
upon them, and did not refuse to suffer anything rather than leave off obedience to it. And,
unquestionably, this is no slight test of faith when Satan, by all his machinations, has no success
in moving us away from the fear of God.
In the mean time, he prudently provides against a dangerous temptation which might prostrate
or harass them; for they endured grievous troubles from that nation which was the only one in the
world that gloried in the name of God.
This, I say, might occur to their minds: “If this is the true religion, why do the Jews, who are
the sacred people of God, oppose it with such inveterate hostility?” With the view of removing this
occasion of offense, 543 he, in the first place, shews them that they have this in common with the
first Churches that were in Judea: afterwards, he says that the Jews are determined enemies of God
and of all sound doctrine. For although, when he says that they suffered from their own countrymen,
this may be explained as referring to others rather than to the Jews, or at least ought not to be
restricted to the Jews exclusively, yet as he insists farther in describing their obstinacy and impiety,
it is manifest that these same persons are adverted to by him from the beginning. It is probable,
that at Thessalonica some from that nation were converted to Christ. It appears, however, from the
narrative furnished in the Acts, that there, no less than in Judea, the Jews were persecutors of the
gospel. I accordingly take this as being said indiscriminately of Jews as well as of Gentiles, inasmuch
as both endured great conflicts and fierce attacks from their own countrymen
15 Who killed the Lord Jesus. As that people had been distinguished by so many benefits from
God, in consequence of the glory of the ancient fathers, the very name 544 was of great authority
among many. Lest this disguise should dazzle the eyes of any one, he strips the Jews of all honor,
so as to leave them nothing but odium and the utmost infamy.
542 “Car il n’a pas prins garde que c’estoit yci vne façon de parler prinse de la langue Hebraique;” — “For he did not take
notice that it was a manner of expression taken from the Hebrew language.”
543 “Aux Thessaloniciens;” — “To the Thessalonians.”
544 “De Juif;” — “Of Jew.”
160
John Calvin