Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians

Comm on Phil, Col, Thes
is at variance with the clemency of Christ to cast off his Church in this manner. For though the
domination of Antichrist has been cruel, none have perished but those who were deserving of it,
nay more, did of their own accord choose death. (Proverbs 8:36.) And unquestionably, while the
voice of the Son of God has sounded forth everywhere, it finds the ears of men deaf, nay obstinate,
677 and while a profession of Christianity is common, there are, nevertheless, few that have truly
and heartily given themselves to Christ. Hence it is not to be wondered, if similar vengeance quickly
follows such a criminal 678 contempt.
It is asked whether the punishment of blindness does not fall on any but those who have on set
purpose rebelled against the gospel. I answer, that this special judgment by which God has avenged
open contumacy, 679 does not stand in the way of his striking down with stupidity, 680 as often as
seems good to him, those that have never heard a single word respecting Christ, for Paul does not
discourse in a general way as to the reasons why God has from the beginning permitted Satan to
go at large with his falsehoods, but as to what a horrible vengeance impends over gross despisers
of new and previously unwonted grace. 681
He uses the expression — receiving the love of the truth, to mean — applying the mind to the
love of it. Hence we learn that faith is always conjoined with a sweet and voluntary reverence for
God, because we do not properly believe the word of God, unless it is lovely and pleasant to us.
11 The working of delusion. He means that errors will not merely have a place, but the wicked
will be blinded, so that they will rush forward to ruin without consideration. For as God enlightens
us inwardly by his Spirit, that his doctrine may be efficacious in us, and opens our eyes and hearts,
that it may make its way thither, so by a righteous judgment he delivers over to a reprobate mind
(Romans 1:28) those whom he has appointed to destruction, that with closed eyes and a senseless
mind, they may, as if bewitched, deliver themselves over to Satan and his ministers to be deceived.
And assuredly we have a notable specimen of this in the Papacy. No words can express how
monstrous a sink of errors 682 there is there, how gross and shameful an absurdity of superstitions
there is, and what delusions at variance with common sense. None that have even a moderate taste
of sound doctrine, can think of such monstrous things without the greatest horror. How, then, could
the whole world be lost in astonishment at them, were it not that men have been struck with blindness
by the Lord, and converted, as it were, into stumps?
12 That all may be condemned. That is, that they may receive the punishment due to their
impiety. Thus, those that perish have no just ground to expostulate with God, inasmuch as they
have obtained what they sought. For we must keep in view what is stated in Deuteronomy 13:3,
that the hearts of men are subjected to trial, when false doctrines come abroad, inasmuch as they
have no power except among those who do not love God with a sincere heart. Let those, then, who
take pleasure in unrighteousness, reap the fruit of it. When he says all, he means that contempt of
God finds no excuse in the great crowd and multitude of those who refuse to obey the gospel, for
God is the Judge of the whole world, so that he will inflict punishment upon a hundred thousand,
no less than upon one individual.
677 “Eudurcies et obstinees;” — “Hardened and obstinate.”
678 “Si execrable;” — “So execrable.”
679 “Le mespris orgueilleux de sa Parolle;” — “Proud contempt of his Word.”
680 “Estourdissement et stupidite;” — “Giddiness and stupidity.”
681 “C’est ascauoir de l’Euangile;” — “That is, of the Gospel.”
682 “Quel monstrueux et horrible retrait d’erreurs;” — “What a monstrous and horrible nest of errors.”
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John Calvin