Commentary on Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonians Timothy Titus and Philemon John Calvin (continued)
John Calvin
Iudaea in Christo Iesu: quia eadem passi estis et vos a propriis tribulibus, quemadmodum et ipsi a Iudaeis.
15. Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
15. Qui Dominum Iesum occiderunt, et proprios Prophetas, et nos persequuti sunt, et Deo non placent, et cunctis hominibus adversi sunt:
16. Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
16. Qui obsistunt ne Gentibus loquamur, ut salvae fiant, ut compleantur eorum peccata semper: pervenit enim in eos ira usque in finem.
13 Wherefore we give thanks. Having spoken of his ministry, he returns again to address the Thessalonians, that he may always commend that mutual harmony of which he has previously made mention. 708 He says, therefore, that he gives thanks to God, because they had embraced the word of God which they heard from his mouth, as the word of God, as it truly was. Now, by these expressions he means, that it has been received by them reverently, and with the obedience with which it ought. For so soon as this persuasion has gained a footing, it is impossible but that a feeling of obligation to obey takes possession of our minds. 709 For who would not shudder at the thought of resisting God? Who would not regard contempt of God with detestation? The circumstance, therefore, that the word of God is regarded by many with such contempt, that it is scarcely held in any estimation --- that many are not at all actuated by fear, arises from this, that they do not consider that they have to do with God.
Hence we learn from this passage what credit ought to be given to the gospel --- such as does not depend on the authority of men, but, resting on the sure and ascertained truth of God, raises itself above the world; and, in fine, is as far above mere opinion, as heaven is above earth: 710 and, secondly, such as produces of itself reverence, fear, and obedience, inasmuch as men, touched with a feeling of Divine majesty, will never allow themselves to sport with it. Teachers 711 are, in their turn, admonished to beware of bringing forward anything but the pure word of God, for if this was not allowable for Paul, it will not be so for any one in the present day. He proves, however, from the effect produced, that it was the word of God that he had delivered, inasmuch as it had produced that fruit of heavenly doctrine which the Prophets celebrate, (Isaiah 55:11,13; Jeremiah 23:29) in renewing their life, 712 for the doctrine of men could accomplish no such thing. The relative pronoun may be taken as refer-
708Calvin refers here to the harmony which happily subsisted between the preaching of Paul and the faith of the Thessalonians.—Ed.
709"Il ne se pent faire que nous ne venions quant et quant a auoir vne saincte affection d'obeir;" — "It cannot but be that we come at the same time to have a holy disposition to obey."
710"Aussi lois d'vne opinion, ou d'vn cuider;" — "As far above opinion, or imagination." 711"Les Docteurs, c'est a dire ceux qui ont la charge d'enseigner;" — "Teachers, that is to say, those that have the task of instructing."
712"En renouelant et reformant la vie des Thessaloniciens;" — "In renewing and reforming the life of the Thessalonians."