Commentary on Harmony of the Law Volume 2 Complete John Calvin
JOHN CALVIN
came," which is to be understood not of the general instruction addressed to all God's children, but of the special command to rule.
It is a signal exaltation of magistrates, that God should not only count them in the place of parents, but present them to us dignified by His own name; whence also it clearly appears that they are not to be obeyed only from fear of punishment, "but also for conscience sake," (Romans 13:5,) and to be reverently honored, lest God should be despised in them. If any should object, that it would be wrong to praise the vices of those whom we perceive to abuse their power; the answer is easy, that although judges are to be borne with even if they be not the best, 13 still that the honor with which they are invested, is not a covering for vice. Nor does God command us to applaud their faults, but that the people should rather deplore them in silent sorrow, than raise disturbances in a licentious and seditious spirit, and so subvert political government.
Leviticus 19:32
Leviticus 19
Leviticus 19:32
32. Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord.
32. Ante canitiem assurge, et honora faciem senis, metueque Deum tuum: ego Jehova.
32. Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head. God teaches us that some sparks of His majesty shine forth in old men, whereby they approach to the honor of parents. It is not my purpose to gather quotations from profane authors in reference to the honor due to the old; let it suffice that what God here commands is dictated by nature itself. This appeared at Athens, 14 when an old man had come into the theater, and found no place among his fellow-citizens; but, when at length he was admitted with honor by the Spartan ambassador, (because old age is greatly reverenced among the Lacedemonians,) applause was raised on all sides; and then the Lacedemonian exclaimed, that "the Athenians knew what was right, but "Encore qu'ils ne sont pas tels qu'ils devroyent;" even though they be not what they should. — Fr.
Cicero, de Senectute, 18; and Val. Max., lib. 4:5.