Commentary on Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonians Timothy Titus and Philemon John Calvin
John Calvin from the life and conduct of those men. At the same time, in order to guard them against ingratitude to God, he refreshes their remembrance of their own past life. ``You ought,'' he says, ``to be very different persons from what you formerly were; for out of darkness God hath made you light.'' Darkness is the name here given to the whole nature of man before regeneration; for, where the brightness of God does not shine, there is nothing but fearful darkness. Light, again, is the name given to those who are enlightened by the Spirit of God; for immediately afterwards in the same sense, he calls them children of light, and draws the inference, that they ought to walk in light, because by the mercy of God they had been rescued from darkness. Observe here, we are said to be light in the Lord, because, while we are out of Christ, all is under the dominion of Satan, whom we know to be the Prince of darkness.
9. For the fruit of the light. 170 This parenthesis is introduced, to point out the road in which the children of light ought to walk. A complete description is not given, but a few parts of a holy and pious life are introduced by way of example. To give them a general view of duty, their attention is again directed to the will of God. Whoever desires to live in a proper and safe manner, let him resolve to obey God, and to take his will as the rule. To regulate life entirely by his command is, as he says in another Epistle, a reasonable service, (Romans 12:1,) or, as another inspired man expresses it, To obey is better than sacrifice. (1 Samuel 15:22.) I wonder how the word Spirit ({πνεὐματος}) has crept into many Greek manuscripts, as the other reading is more consistent, --- the fruit of the light Paul's meaning indeed is not affected; for in either case it will be this, that believers must walk in the light, because they are ``children of the light.'' This is done, when they do not live according to their own will, but devote themselves entirely to obedience to God, --- when they undertake nothing but by his command. Besides, such obedience is testified by its fruits, such as goodness, righteousness, and truth.
11. And have no fellowship. As ``the children of light'' dwell amidst the darkness, or, in other words, in the midst of ``a perverse and crooked generation,'' (Deuteronomy 32:5,) --- there is good reason for warning them to keep themselves apart from wicked actions. It is not enough that we do not, of our own accord, undertake anything wicked. We must beware of joining or assisting those who do wrong. In short, we must abstain from giving any consent, or advice, or approbation, or assistance; for in all these ways we have fellowship. And lest any one should imagine that he has done his duty, merely by not conniving, he adds, but rather reprove them. 171 Such a course is opposed to
170The English version reads, The fruit of the Spirit; Calvin's, The fruit of light. Without attempting, in a brief note, to balance the various readings, it may be proper to mention, that, instead of {πνεύματος}, (of the Spirit,) many Greek manuscripts have {θωτὸς}, (of the light,) and the latter reading has been adopted by Griesbach. --- Ed
171"Most expositors supply {αὐτοὺς}, meaning the doers of the works; and they render {ἐλέγχετε}, reprove, viz., by wholesome correction. This, however, is so harsh, that it is better (with Theodoret, the Pesch. Syr., Wakefield, Schleusner, Photius, and Wahl) to supply {αὐτὰ}, that is, {ἔργα} {τοῦ} {σκότους}, and to interpret {ἐλέγχετε} `bring to the light, and evince their evil nature,' namely, by shewing in contrast the opposite virtues. This sense is required by verse 13, with which the present closely connects; and so {ἐλέγχω} is used both in the Scriptural and Classical writers.'' --- Bloomfield.