Commentary on Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonians Timothy Titus and Philemon John Calvin (continued)
CHAPTER 1
2. Gratias agimus Deo semper de omnibus vobis, memoriam vestri facientes in precibus nostris,
3. Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
3. Indesinenter 659 memores vestri, propter opus fidei, et laborem caritatis, 660 et patientiam spei Domini nostri Iesu Christi coram Deo et Patre nostro, 4. Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. 4. Scientes, fratres dilecti, 661 a Deo esse electionem vestram. 5. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
5. Quia Evangelium nostrum non fuit erga vos in sermone solum, sed in potentia, et in Spiritu sancto, et in certitudine multa: quemadmodum nostis quales fuerimus in vobis propter vos.
2 We give thanks to God. He praises, as he is wont, their faith and other virtues, not so much, however, for the purpose of praising them, as to exhort them to perseverance. For it is no small excitement to eagerness of pursuit, when we reflect that God has adorned us with signal endowments, that he may finish what he has begun, and that we have, under his guidance and direction, advanced in the right course, in order that we may reach the goal. For as a vain confidence in those virtues, which mankind foolishly arrogate to themselves, puffs them up with pride, and makes them careless and indolent for the time to come, so a recognition of the gifts of God humbles pious minds, and stirs them up to anxious concern. Hence, instead of congratulations, he makes use of thanksgivings, that he may put them in mind, that everything in them that he declares to be worthy of praise, is a kindness from God. 662 He also turns immediately to the future, in making mention of his prayers. We thus see for what purpose he commends their previous life.
3 Unceasingly remembering you. While the adverb unceasingly might be taken in connection with what goes before, it suits better to connect it in this manner. What follows might also be rendered in this way: Remembering your work of faith and labor of love, etc. Nor is it any objection to this that there is an article interposed between the pronoun {ὑμῶν} and the noun {ἔργου}, 663 for this manner of expression is frequently made use of by Paul. I state this, lest any one should charge the old translator with ignorance, from his rendering it
659"En nos prieres, sans cesse ayans souuenance; ou, En nos prieres sans cesse, Ayans souuenance;" — "In our prayers, without ceasing having remembrance; or, In our prayers without ceasing, Having remembrance."
660"De vous pour l'œuure de la foy, et pour le trauail de vostre charite; ou, de l'effect de vostre foy, et du trauail de vostre charite;" — "Of you for the work of faith, or for the labor of your love; or, of the effect of your faith, or of the labor of your love."
661"Freres bien—aimez, vostre election estre de Dieu; ou, freres bien—aimez de Dieu, vostre election; ou, vostre election, qui est de Dieu;" — "Brethren beloved, your election to be of God; or, brethren beloved of God, your election; or, your election, which is of God."
662"Est vn benefice procedant de la liberalite de Dieu;" —"Is a kindness proceeding from God's liberality."
663The words are {ὑμῶν} {τοῦ} {ἔργου}. ---Ed