Commentary on Hebrews and the Catholic Epistles John Calvin
John Calvin
Through the knowledge of him. He now describes the manner in which God makes us partakers of so great blessings, even by making himself known to us by the gospel. For the knowledge of God is the beginning of life and the first entrance into godliness. In short, spiritual gifts cannot be given for salvation, until, being illuminated by the doctrine of the gospel, we are led to know God. But he makes God the author of this knowledge, because we never go to him except when called. Hence the effectual cause of faith is not the perspicacity of our mind, but the calling of God. And he speaks not of the outward calling only, which is in itself ineffectual; but of the inward calling, effected by the hidden power of the Spirit when God not only sounds in our ears by the voice of man, but draws inwardly our hearts to himself by his own Spirit.
To glory and virtue, or, by his own glory and power. Some copies have {ἰδία} {δόξὟ}, ``by his own glory,'' and it is so rendered by the old interpreter; and this reading I prefer, because the sentence seems thus to flow better For it was Peter's object expressly to ascribe the whole praise of our salvation to God, so that we may know that we owe every thing to him. And this is more clearly expressed by these words, --- that he has called us by his own glory and power. However, the other reading, though more obscure, tends to the same thing; for he teaches us, that we are covered with shame, and are wholly vicious, until God clothes us with glory and adorns us with virtue. He further intimates, that the effect of calling in the elect, is to restore to them the glorious image of God, and to renew them in holiness and righteousness.
4. Whereby are given to us. It is doubtful whether he refers only to glory and power, or to the preceding things also. The whole difficulty arises from this, --- that what is here said is not suitable to the glory and virtue which God confers on us; but if we read, ``by his own glory and power,'' there will be no ambiguity nor perplexity. For what things have been promised to us by God, ought to be properly and justly deemed to be the effects of his power and glory. 403
At the same time the copies vary here also; for some have {δι} {᾿} {ὃν}, ``on account of whom;'' so the reference may be to Christ. Whichsoever of the two readings you choose, still the meaning will be, that first the promises of God ought to be most highly valued; and, secondly, that they are gratuitous, because they are offered to us as gifts. And he then shews the excellency of the promises, that they make us partakers of the divine nature, than which nothing
403The received text no doubt contains the true rending. The word {ἀρετὴ} never means ``power'' either in the classics, or in the Sept., or in the New Testament. Beza and also Schleusner, regard {διὰ} as expressing the final cause, to; it is also used in the sense of ``for the sake of,'' or, ``on account of.'' ``Glory and virtue'' are in a similar order as the previous words, ``life and godliness,'' and also in the same order with the concluding words of the next verse, ``partakers of the divine nature,'' and ``escaping the corruptions of the world.'' So that there is a correspondence as to the order of the words throughout the whole passage. With respect to {δι} {᾿} {ὦν}, the rendering may be, ``for the sake of which,'' that is, for the purpose of leading us to ``glory and virtue,''`` many and precious promises have been given; and then the conclusion of the verse states the object in other words, that we might by these promises become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the pollutions of the world. Escaping the corruption of the world is ``godliness,'' is ``virtue;'' and partaking of the divine nature is ``life,'' is ``glory.'' This complete correspondence confirms the meaning which Beza and our version give to the preposition {διὰ} at the end of the third verse. --- Ed.