Commentary on Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonians Timothy Titus and Philemon John Calvin (continued)
CHAPTER 6
Faithful and upright teachers, and all who allow themselves to conform to this rule, must derive singular encouragement from this passage, in which God, by the mouth of Paul, pronounces on them a blessing. We have no cause to dread the thunders of the Pope, if God promises to us from heaven peace and mercy. The word walk may apply both to a minister and to his people, though it refers chiefly to ministers. The future tense of the verb, ({ὅσοι} {στοιχήσουσιν},) as many as shall walk, is intended to express perseverance.
And upon the Israel of God 114 This is an indirect ridicule of the vain boasting of the false apostles, who vaunted of being the descendants of Abraham according to the flesh. There are two classes who bear this name, a pretended Israel, which appears to be so in the sight of men, --- and the Israel of God. Circumcision was a disguise before men, but regeneration is a truth before God. In a word, he gives the appellation of the Israel of God to those whom he formerly denominated the children of Abraham by faith, (Galatians 3:29,) and thus includes all believers, whether Jews or Gentiles, who were united into one church. On the contrary, the name and lineage are the sole boast of Israel according to the flesh; and this led the apostle to argue in the Epistle to the Romans, that ``they are not all Israel which are of Israel, neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children.'' (Romans 9:6, 7.)
17. Let no man trouble me. He now speaks with the voice of authority for restraining his adversaries, and employs language which his high rank fully authorized. ``Let them cease to throw hinderances in the course of my preaching.'' He was prepared, for the sake of the church, to encounter difficulties, but does not choose to be interrupted by contradiction. Let no man trouble me. Let no man make opposition to obstruct the progress of my work.
As to everything else, ({τοῦ} {λοιποῦ},) that is, as to everything besides the new creature. ``This one thing is enough for me. Other matters are of no importance, and give me no concern. Let no man question me about them.'' He thus places himself above all men, and allows to none the power of attacking his ministry. Literally, the phrase signifies, as to the rest or the remainder, which Erasmus, in my opinion, has improperly applied to time.
For I bear 115 in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. This accounts for his bold, authoritative language. And what were those marks? Imprisonment, chains, scourging, blows, stoning, and every kind of injurious treatment which he had incurred in bearing testimony to the gospel. Earthly warfare has its honors, in conferring which a general holds out to public view the bravery of a soldier. So Christ our leader has his own marks, of which he makes abundant
114{Ισραηλιτικὸν} {γὰρ} {τὸ} {ἀληθινὸν} {πνευματικὸν} {καὶ} {Ἰακὼβ} {καὶ} {Ἰσαὰκ} {καὶ} {᾿Αβραὰμ} {τοῦ} {ἐν} {ἀκροβυστίᾳ} {ἐπὶ} {τὣ} {πίστει} {μερτυρηθέντος} {ὑπὸ} {τοῦ} {Θεοῦ} {καὶ} {εὐλογηθέντος} {καὶ} {πατρὸς} {πολλῶν} {κληθέντος} {ἡμεῖς} {ἐσμεν}, {οἱ} {διὰ} {τούτου} {σταυρωθέντος} {Χριστοῦ} {τῷ} {Θεῷ} {προσαχθώντες}. ``We, who have been brought to God by this crucified Christ are the true spiritual Israel, and the seed of Judah, and of Jacob, and of Isaac, and of Abraham, whose faith was attested, and who was blessed by God, and called the father of many nations, while he was in circumcision`` --- Justin Martyr.
115{Οὐκ} {εἴπε} {δὲ} {ἔχω} {ἀλλὰ} {βαστάζω} {ὣσπερ} {τι} {τρόπαιον} {ἢ} {σημεῖον} {βασιλικὸν} {καὶ} {τούτοις} {ἐναβρύνομαι}. ``He does not say, I have, but, I bear, as some trophy or royal symbol; and I deck myself with them.'' --- Theophylact