It was written to the Philippians from Rome by Epaphroditus. (continued)
CHAPTER 4
not laid out anything on his account. What base ingratitude, and how very unseemly, to treat such an Apostle with neglect, to whom they knew themselves to be under obligation beyond their power to discharge! On the other hand, how great the forbearance of this holy man, to bear with their inhumanity with so much gentleness and indulgence, as not to make use of one sharp word by way of accusing them!
17. Not that I demand a gift. Again he repels an unfavourable opinion that might be formed of immoderate cupidity, that they might not suppose that it was an indirect hint, 423 as if they ought singly to stand in the room of all, 424 and as if he abused their kindness. He accordingly declares, that he consulted not so much his own advantage as theirs. ``While I receive from you,'' says he, *``there* is proportionably much advantage that redounds to yourselves; for there are just so many articles that you may reckon to have been transferred to the table of accounts.'' The meaning of this word 425 is connected with the similitude formerly employed of exchange or compensation in pecuniary matters.
18 I have received all things, and abound He declares in more explicit terms, that he has what is sufficient, and honors their liberality with a remarkable testimony, by saying, that he has been filled. It was undoubtedly a moderate sum that they had sent, but he says, that by means of that moderate sum he is filled to satiety. It is, however, a more distinguished commendation that he bestows upon the gift in what follows, when he calls it a sacrifice acceptable, and presented as the odour of a good fragrance For what better thing can be desired than that our acts of kindness should be sacred offerings, which God receives from our hands, and takes pleasure in their sweet odour? For the same reason Christ says, Whatsoever ye shall have done unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto me.
The similitude of sacrifices, however, adds much emphasis, by which we are taught, that the exercise of love which God enjoins upon us, is not merely a benefit conferred upon man, but is also a spiritual and sacred service which is performed to God, as we read in the Epistle to the Hebrews, that he is well pleased with such sacrifices. (Hebrews 13:16.) Alas for our indolence! 426 --- which appears in this, that while God invites us with so much kindness to the honor of priesthood, and even puts sacrifices in our hands, we nevertheless do not sacrifice to him, and those things which were set apart for sacred oblations we not only lay out for profane uses, but squander them wickedly upon the most polluted contaminations. 427 For the altars, on which sacrifices from our
423"Pour les induire a continuer;" — "To induce them to hold on." 424"Comme si eux deussent tenir la place de tous, et faire pour les autres;" — "As if they ought to hold the place of all, and to act in the room of others."
425Calvin evidently refers to the word {λόγον}, (account,) which the Apostle had made use of in the fifteenth verse, in the phrase {εἰς} {λόγον} {δόσεω}; {καὶ} {λήψεω};, (in the matter of giving and receiving.) It is noticed by Beza, that the Rabbins make use of a corresponding phrase {{( }ןחמ{ אשמוmattan umassa) --- giving and taking. --- Ed.
426"Or maudite soit nostre paresse;" — "But accursed be our indolence." 427"Les consumons prodigalement et meschamment en choses infames et abominables;" —
John Calvin resources ought to be presented, are the poor, and the servants of Christ. To the neglect of these some squander their resources on every kind of luxury, others upon the palate, others upon immodest attire, others upon magnificent dwellings. 428
19 My God will supply Some read impleat --- in the optative --- May he supply. 429 While I do not reject this reading, I approve more of the other. He expressly makes mention of God as his, because he owns and acknowledges as done to himself whatever kindness is shewn to his servants. They had therefore been truly sowing in the Lord's field, from which a sure and abundant harvest might be expected. Nor does he promise them merely a reward in the future life, but even in respect of the necessities of the present life: ``Do not think that you have impoverished yourselves; God, whom I serve, will abundantly furnish you with everything necessary for you.'' The phrase, in glory, ought to be taken in place of the adverb gloriously, as meaning magnificently, or splendidly. He adds, however, by Christ, in whose name everything that we do is acceptable to God.
20 Now to our God and Father This may be taken as a general thanksgiving, by which he closes the epistle; or it may be viewed as bearing more particularly upon the last clause in reference to the liberality shewn to Paul. 430 For in respect of the assistance which the Philippians had afforded him, it became him to reckon himself indebted to them for it in such a manner as to acknowledge, that this aid had been afforded to them by the mercy of God.
22 The brethren that are with me salute you In these salutations he names first of all his intimate associates, 431 afterwards all the saints in general, that is, the whole Church at Rome, but chiefly those of the household of Nero --- a thing well deserving to be noticed; for it is no common evidence of divine mercy, that the gospel had made its way into that sink of all crimes and iniquities. It is also the more to be admired, in proportion as it is a rare thing for holiness to reign in the courts of sovereigns. The conjecture formed by some, that Seneca is here referred to among others, has no appearance of foundation; for he never gave any evidence, even the smallest, of his being a Christian; nor did he belong to the household of Caesar, but was a senator, and had at one time held the office of praetor. 432
END OF THE COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS.
"We lay them out lavishly and wickedly on things infamous and abominable."
428"Les vns dependent tout leur bien en toutes de dissolutions, les autres en gouermandise et yurognerie, les autres en brauetes excessiues, les autres a bastir des palais somptueux;" — "Some lay out all their wealth on all kinds of luxuries, others on eating and drinking, others superfluous elegance of dress, others in building sumptuous palaces."
429"Comme si c'estoit vn souhait que sainct Paul feist;" — "As if it were a wish that St. Paul expressed."
430"La liberalite de laquelle les Philippiens auoyent vse enuers sainct Paul;" — "The liberality which the Philippians had exercised towards St. Paul."
431"Les compagnons, qui demeuroyent auec luy;" — "His associates who lived with him." 432"Some imagine," says Dr. A. Clarke, "that Seneca, the preceptor of Nero, and the poet Lucan, were converted by St. Paul; and there are still extant, and in a MS. now before me, letters which profess to have passed between Paul and Seneca; but they are worthy of neither. They have been printed in some editions of Seneca's works." — Ed.
Colossians
Colossians: The Argument
THE ARGUMENT
ON THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE COLOSSIANS. There were three neighboring cities in Phrygia, as made mention of by Paul in this Epistle --- Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Colosse which, as Orosius 433 informs us, were overthrown 434 by an earthquake in the times of the emperor Nero. Accordingly, not long after this Epistle was written, three Churches of great renown perished by a mournful as well as horrible occurrence --- a bright mirror truly of divine judgment, if we had but eyes to see it. The Colossians had been, not indeed by Paul, but with fidelity and purity by Epaphras and other ministers, instructed in the gospel; but immediately afterwards, Satan had, with his tares, crept in, (Matthew 13:25,) 435 according to his usual and invariable manner, that he might there pervert the right faith. 436
Some are of opinion that there were two classes of men that endeavored to draw aside the Colossians from the purity of the gospel; --- that, on the one hand, the philosophers, by disputing in reference to stars, fate, and trifles of a like nature, and that the Jews, on the other hand, by urging the observance of their ceremonies, had raised up many mists with the view of throwing Christ into the shade. 437 Those, however, who are of this opinion are influenced by a conjecture of exceedingly little weight --- on the ground that PAUL makes mention of thrones, and powers, and heavenly creatures. For as to their adding also the term elements, 438 it is worse than ridiculous. As, however, it is not my intention to refute the opinions of others, I shall simply state what appears to me to be the truth, and what may be inferred by sound reasoning.
In the first place, it is abundantly evident, from Paul's words, that those profligates were intent upon this --- that they might mix up Christ with Moses, and might retain the shadows of the law along with the gospel. Hence it is probable that they were Jews. As, however, they coloured over their fallacies
433Orosius, (Paulus,) a "Spanish presbyter, a native of Tarragona, flourished under Arcadius and Honorius." — Smith's Dictionary of Greek Biography and Mythology. — Ed.
434"Toutes trois furent destructes et renversees;" — "They were, all the three, destroyed and overthrown."
435"Satan y estoit entré cauteleusement auec son yuroye;" — "Satan had entered in there craftily with his tares."
436"Pour y corrompre et peruertir la vraye foy;" — "That he might there corrupt and pervert the true faith."
437"Auoyent comme fait leuer beaucoup de brouillars pour offusquer la clarte de Christ, voire pour la suffoquer;" — "Had, as it were, raised up many mists with the view of darkening Christ's brightness; nay, more, with the view of choking it."
438"Car quant au mot d'elemens, sur lequel aussi ils fondent leur opinion;" — "For as to the word elements, on which also they found their opinion."
COLOSSIANS: THE ARGUMENT
with specious disguises, 439 Paul, on this account, calls it a vain philosophy. (Colossians 2:8) At the same time, in employing that term, he had in his eye, in my opinion, the speculations with which they amused themselves, which were subtle, it is true, but at the same time useless and profane: for they contrived a way of access to God through means of angels, and put forth many speculations of that nature, such as are contained in the books of Dionysius on the Celestial Hierarchy, 440 drawn from the school of the Platonists. This, therefore, is the principal object at which he aims --- to teach that all things are in Christ, and that he alone ought to be reckoned amply sufficient by the Colossians.
The order, however, which he follows is this: --- After the inscription usually employed by him, he commends them, with the view of leading them to listen to him more attentively. He then, with the view of shutting up the way against all new and strange contrivances, bears testimony to the doctrine which they had previously received from Epaphras. Afterwards, in entreating that the Lord would increase their faith, he intimates that something is still wanting to them, that he may pave the way for imparting to them more solid instruction. On the other hand, he extols with suitable commendations the grace of God towards them, that they may not lightly esteem it. Then follows the instruction, in which he teaches that all parts of our salvation are to be found in Christ alone, that they may not seek anything elsewhere; and he puts them in mind that it was in Christ that they had obtained every blessing that they possessed, in order that they might the more carefully make it their aim to retain him to the end. 441 And, truly, even this one article were of itself perfectly sufficient to lead us to reckon this Epistle, short as it is, to be an inestimable treasure; for what is of greater importance in the whole system of heavenly doctrine than to have Christ drawn to the life, that we may distinctly behold 442 his excellence, his office, and all the fruits that arise to us from it.
For in this respect especially we differ from Papists, that while we are both of us called Christians, and profess to believe in Christ, they picture to themselves one that is torn, disfigured, divested of his excellence, denuded of his office, in fine, such as to be a spectre 443 rather than Christ himself: we, on the other hand, embrace him such as he is here described by Paul --- loving and efficacious. This Epistle, therefore, to express it in one word, distinguishes the true Christ from a fictitious one 444 --- than which nothing better or more
439"Pource qu'ils couuroyent de belles couleurs leurs fallaces et tromperies, et fardoyent leur doctrine;" — "As they covered over their fallacies and deceptions with beautiful colors, and painted their doctrine."
440See Calvin on the Corinthians, vol. 2, p. 370, n. 3. 441"Et pour les faire plus songneux de la retenir iusqu'a la fin, et s'arrester tousiours en luy, il recite que par Christ ils sont entrez en participation de tout bien et benediction;" — "And with the view of making them more careful to retain him unto the end, and remain always in him, he reminds them that it is through Christ that they have begun to participate of every benefit and blessing."
442"Afin que nous puissions aiseement veoir et contempler;" — "That we may be able easily to perceive and contemplate."
443"Tel, que c'est plustost vn phantasme qu' vn vray Christ;" — "Such, that it is rather a phantasm than a true Christ."
444"Imaginatif, ou faict a plaiser;" — "Imaginary, or fictitious."
John Calvin excellent can be desired. Towards the end of the First Chapter he again endeavors to secure authority for himself from the station assigned him, 445 and in magnificent terms extols the dignity of the gospel.
In the Second Chapter he opens up more distinctly than he had done the reason which had induced him to write --- that he might provide against the danger which he saw to be impending over them, while he touches, in passing, on the affection which he cherishes towards them, that they may know that their welfare is the object of his concern. From this he proceeds to exhortation, by which he applies the foregoing doctrine, as it were, to present use; 446 for he bids them rest in Christ alone, and brands as vanity everything that is apart from Christ. 447 He speaks particularly of circumcision, abstinence from food, and of other outward exercises --- in which they mistakingly made the service of God to consist; and also of the absurd worship of angels, whom they put in Christ's room. Having made mention of circumcision, he takes occasion to notice also, in passing, what is the office, and what is the nature of ceremonies --- from which he lays it down as a settled point that they have been abrogated by Christ. These things are treated of till the end of the Second Chapter.
In the Third Chapter, in opposition to those vain prescriptions, to the observance of which the false apostles were desirous to bind believers, he makes mention of those true offices of piety in which the Lord would have us employ ourselves; and he begins with the very spring-head --- that is, mortification of the flesh and newness of life. From this he derives the streams --- that is, particular exhortations, some of which apply to all Christians alike, while others relate more especially to particular individuals, according to the nature of their calling.
In the beginning of the Fourth Chapter he follows out the same subject: afterwards, having commended himself to their prayers, he shews by many tokens 448 how much he loves them, and is desirous to promote their welfare.
445"Pour estre plus authorizé entr' eux, il fait derechef mention de la charge qu'il auoit receuë de Dieu;" — "That he may have more authority among them, he again makes mention of the charge which he had received from God."
446"A son propos, et a ce dont ils auoyent affaire;" — "To his subject, and to what they had to do with."
447"Monstrant, que tout ce qui hors Christ, n'est que vanite;" — "Shewing that everything that is apart from Christ is mere vanity."
448"Par plusieurs signes et tesmoignages;" — "By many signs and evidences."