Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians

Comm on Phil, Col, Thes
that Paul was descended from the seed of Jacob from the most ancient date, so that he could reckon
up grandfathers and great-grandfathers, and could even go still farther back.
According to the law, a Pharisee Having spoken of the nobility of his descent, he now proceeds
to speak of special endowments of persons, as they are called. It is very generally known, that the
sect of the Pharisees was celebrated above the others for the renown in which it was held for sanctity
and for doctrine. He states, that he belonged to that sect. The common opinion is, that the Pharisees
were so called from a term signifying separation 176 ; but I approve rather of what I learned at one
time from Capito, a man of sacred memory 177 , that it was because they boasted that they were
endowed with the gift of interpreting Scripture, for (parash,) among the Hebrews, conveys the
idea of interpretation. 178 While others declared themselves to be literals 179 , they preferred to be
regarded as Pharisees 180 , as being in possession of the interpretations of the ancients. And assuredly
it is manifest that, under the pretext of antiquity, they corrupted the whole of Scripture by their
inventions; but as they, at the same time, retained some sound interpretations, handed down by the
ancients, they were held in the highest esteem.
But what is meant by the clause, according to the law? For unquestionably nothing is more
opposed to the law of God than sects, for in it is communicated the truth of God, which is the bond
of unity. Besides this, Josephus tells us in the 13th book of his Antiquities, that all the sects took
their rise during the high priesthood of Jonathan. Paul employs the term law, not in its strict sense,
to denote the doctrine of religion, however much corrupted it was at that time, as Christianity is at
this day in the Papacy. As, however, there were many that were in the rank of teachers, who were
less skillful, and exercised 181 he makes mention also of his zeal. It was, indeed, a very heinous sin
on the part of Paul to persecute the Church, but as he had to dispute with unprincipled persons,
who, by mixing up Christ with Moses, pretended zeal for the law, he mentions, on the other hand,
that he was so keen a zealot of the law, that on that ground he persecuted the Church
6. As to the righteousness which is in the law There can be no doubt he means by this the entire
righteousness of the law, for it were too meagre a sense to understand it exclusively of the
ceremonies. The meaning, therefore, is more general — that he cultivated an integrity of life, such
as might be required on the part of a man that was devoted to the law. To this, again, it is objected,
that the righteousness of the law is perfect in the sight of God. For the sum of it is — that men be
fully devoted to God, and what beyond this can be desired for the attainment of perfection? I answer,
that Paul speaks here of that righteousness which would satisfy the common opinion of mankind.
For he separates the law from Christ. Now, what is the law without Christ but a dead letter? To
make the matter plainer, I observe, that there are two righteousnesses of the law. The one is spiritual
— perfect love to God, and our neighbors: it is contained in doctrine, and had never an existence
in the life of any man. The other is literal — such as appears in the view of men, while, in the mean
time, hypocrisy reigns in the heart, and there is in the sight of God nothing but iniquity. Thus, the
176 “Que les Pharisiens ont este ainsi nommez, pource qu’ils estoyent separez d’auec les autres, comme estans saincts;” —
“That the Pharisees were so called, because they were separated from others, as being holy.”
177 See Calvin On the Corinthians, vol. 2, p. 82.
178 The reader will find the etymology of the term Pharisees, discussed at considerable length in the Harmony, vol. 1, p. 281,
n. 4. — Ed.
179 The meaning is, that in interpreting Scripture, they did not go beyond the bare letter.— Ed.
180 See Harmony, vol. 1, pp. 281, 282, and vol. 3, p. 74.
181 “Exercez en l’Ecriture;” — “Exercised in Scripture.”
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John Calvin