Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians

Comm on Phil, Col, Thes
THE AUTHOR’S DEDICATORY EPISTLE.
TO THAT DISTINGUISHED MAN
BENEDICT TEXTOR, PHYSICIAN.
While you are reckoned to excel in the knowledge of your profession by those who are competent
judges in that matter, I, for my part, have always regarded as a very high excellence that strict
fidelity and diligence which you are accustomed to exercise, both in attending upon the sick, and
in giving advice. But more especially in either restoring or establishing my own health, I have
observed you to be so carefully intent, that it was easy to perceive that you were influenced not so
much by regard to a particular individual, as by anxiety and concern for the common welfare of
the Church. Another, perhaps, might think, that the kindness was smaller from its not having been
shewn simply to himself as an individual; but as for me, I think myself on the contrary to be under
a double obligation to you, on the ground, that while you omitted nothing whatever in discharging
the office of a friend, you were at the same time equally concerned as to my ministry, too, which
ought to be dearer to me than my life. The remembrance, besides, of my departed wife reminds me
daily how much I owe you, not only because she was frequently through your assistance raised up,
and was in one instance restored from a serious and dangerous distemper, but that even in that last
disease, which took her away from us, you left nothing undone in the way of industry, labor, and
effort, with a view to her assistance. Farther, as you do not allow me to give you any other
remuneration, I have thought of inscribing your name upon this <strong>Commentary</strong>, in order that there
may be some token of my good wishes towards you in return.
Geneva, 1st July 1550.
THE ARGUMENT
ON
THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS.
It does not appear to me probable that this Epistle was sent from Rome, as the Greek manuscripts
commonly bear; for he would have made some mention of his bonds, as he is accustomed to do in
other Epistles. Besides, about the end of the third Chapter, he intimates that he is in danger from
unreasonable 625 men. From this it may be gathered, that when he was going to Jerusalem, he wrote
this Epistle in the course of the journey. It was also from an ancient date a very generally received
opinion among the Latins, that it was written at Athens. The occasion, however, of his writing was
this — that the Thessalonians might not reckon themselves overlooked, because Paul had not visited
them, when hastening to another quarter. In the first Chapter, he exhorts them to patience. In the
second, a vain and groundless fancy, which had got into circulation as to the coming of Christ being
625 “Importuns et malins;” — “Unreasonable and wicked.”
192
John Calvin