Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians

Comm on Phil, Col, Thes
shew here how competent a witness he is for confirming that thing of which he was a minister. He
accordingly puts himself forward as a surety, that the Thessalonians may not doubt that the gospel,
in which they had been instructed by him, is the safety-bringing voice of God, by which they are
aroused from death, and are delivered from the tyranny of Satan. He calls it his gospel, not as though
it had originated with him, 690 but inasmuch as the preaching of it had been committed to him.
What he adds, to the acquisition or possession of the glory of Christ, may be taken either in an
active or in a passive signification — either as meaning, that they are called in order that they may
one day possess a glory in common with Christ, or that Christ acquired them with a view to his
glory. And thus it will be a second means of confirmation that he will defend them, as being nothing
less than his own inheritance, and, in maintaining their salvation, will stand forward in defense of
his own glory; which latter meaning, in my opinion, suits better.
2 Thessalonians 2:15-17
15. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold 15. Itaque fratres, state, et tenete institutiones,
the traditions which ye have been taught, whether quas didicistis vel per sermonem, vel per
by word, or our epistle.
epistolam nostram.
16. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and 16. Ipse vero Dominus noster Iesus Christus,
God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and et Deus, ac Pater noster, qui dilexcit nos, et dedit
hath given us everlasting consolation and good consolationem aeternam, et spem bonam per
hope through grace,
gratiam,
17. Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in 17. Consoletur corda vestra, et stabiliat vos
every good word and work.
in omni opere et sermone bono.
He deduces this exhortation on good grounds from what goes before, inasmuch as our
steadfastness and power of perseverance rest on nothing else than assurance of divine grace. When,
however, God calls us to salvation, stretching forth, as it were, his hand to us; when Christ, by the
doctrine of the gospel, presents himself to us to be enjoyed; when the Spirit is given us as a seal
and earnest of eternal life, though the heaven should fall, we must, nevertheless, not become
disheartened. Paul, accordingly, would have the Thessalonians stand, not merely when others
continue to stand, but with a more settled stability; so that, on seeing almost all turning aside from
the faith, and all things full of confusion, they will, nevertheless, retain their footing. And assuredly
the calling of God ought to fortify us against all occasions of offense in such a manner, that not
even the entire ruin of the world shall shake, much less overthrow, our stability.
15 Hold fast the institutions. Some restrict this to precepts of external polity; but this does not
please me, for he points out the manner of standing firm. Now, to be furnished with invincible
strength is a much higher thing than external discipline. Hence, in my opinion, he includes all
doctrine under this term, as though he had said that they have ground on which they may stand
firm, provided they persevere in sound doctrine, according as they had been instructed by him. I
690 “Non pas qu’il soit creu en son cerueau;” — “Not as though it had been contrived in his brain.”
214
John Calvin