Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians

Comm on Phil, Col, Thes
The dead who are in Christ. He again says that the dead who are in Christ, that is, who are
included in Christ’s body, will rise first, that we may know that the hope of life is laid up in heaven
for them no less than for the living. He says nothing as to the reprobate, because this did not tend
to the consolation of the pious, of which he is now treating.
He says that those that survive will be carried up together with them. As to these, he makes no
mention of death: hence it appears as if he meant to say that they would be exempted from death.
Here Augustine gives himself much distress, both in the twentieth book on the City of God and in
his Answer to Dulcitius, because Paul seems to contradict himself, inasmuch as he says elsewhere,
that seed cannot spring up again unless it die. (1 Corinthians 15:36) The solution, however, is easy,
inasmuch as a sudden change will be like death. Ordinary death, it is true, is the separation of the
soul from the body; but this does not hinder that the Lord may in a moment destroy this corruptible
nature, so as to create it anew by his power, for thus is accomplished what Paul himself teaches
must take place — that mortality shall be swallowed up of life. (2 Corinthians 5:4) What is stated
in our Confession, 584 that “Christ will be the Judge of the dead and of the living,” 585 Augustine
acknowledges to be true without a figure. 586 He is only at a loss as to this — how those that have
not died will rise again. But, as I have said, that is a kind of death, when this flesh is reduced to
nothing, as it is now liable to corruption. The only difference is this — that those who sleep 587 put
off the substance of the body for some space of time, but those that will be suddenly changed will
put off nothing but the quality
17 And so we shall be ever. To those who have been once gathered to Christ he promises eternal
life with him, by which statements the reveries of Origen and of the Chiliasts 588 are abundantly
refuted. For the life of believers, when they have once been gathered into one kingdom, will have
no end any more than Christ’s. Now, to assign to Christ a thousand years, so that he would afterwards
cease to reign, were too horrible to be made mention of. Those, however, fall into this absurdity
who limit the life of believers to a thousand years, for they must live with Christ as long as Christ
himself will exist. We must observe also what he says — we shall be, for he means that we profitably
entertain a hope of eternal life, only when we hope that it has been expressly appointed for us.
18 Comfort. He now shews more openly what I have previously stated — that in the faith of
the resurrection we have good ground of consolation, provided we are members of Christ, and are
truly united to him as our Head. At the same time, the Apostle would not have each one to seek for
himself assuagement of grief, but also to administer it to others.
CHAPTER 5
584 “En la confession de nostre foy;” — “In the confession of our faith.”
585 Our author manifestly refers here to the Formula of Confession, commonly called the “Apostles’ Creed,” which the reader
will find explained at considerable length by Calvin in the “Catechism of the Church of Geneva.” See Calvin’s Tracts, vol. 2.
586 “Sans aucune figure;” — “Without any figure.” Our author, in his French translation, appends the following marginal note:
— “C’est a dire sans le prendre comme ceux qui entendent par ces mots les bons et les mauuais;” — “That is to say, without
taking it as those do, who understand by the words the good and the bad.”
587 “Ceux qui dorment, c’est a dire qui seront morts auant le dernier iour;” — “Those who sleep, that is to say, who will have
died before the last day.”
588 See Calvin’s Institutes, vol. 2.
177
John Calvin