Commentary on Hebrews and the Catholic Epistles John Calvin (continued)
CHAPTER 3
It now appears what is the use of admonitions, and how necessary they are; for the sloth of the flesh smothers the truth once received, and renders it inefficient, except the goads of warnings come to its aid. It is not then enough, that men should be taught to know what they ought to be, but there is need of godly teachers, to do this second part, deeply to impress the truth on the memory of their hearers. And as men are, by nature, for the most part, fond of novelty and thus inclined to be fastidious, it is useful for us to bear in mind what Peter says, so that we may not only willingly suffer ourselves to be admonished by others, but that every one may also exercise himself in calling to mind continually the truth, so that our minds may become resplendent with the pure and clear knowledge of it.
2. That ye may be mindful. By these words he intimates that we have enough in the writings of the prophets, and in the gospel, to stir us up, provided we be as diligent as it behoves us, in meditating on them; and that our minds sometimes contract a rust, or become bedimmed through darkness, is owing to our sloth. That God may then continually shine upon us, we must devote ourselves to that study: let our faith at the same time acquiesce in witnesses so certain and credible. For when we have the prophets and apostles agreeing with us, nay, as the ministers of our faith, and God as the author, and angels as approvers, there is no reason that the ungodly, all united, should move us from our position. By the commandment of the apostles he means the whole doctrine in which they had instructed the faithful. 431
3. Knowing this first. The participle knowing may be applied to the Apostle, and in this way, ``I labor to stir you up for this reason, because I know what and how great is your impending danger from scoffers.'' I however prefer this explanation, that the participle is used in place of a verb, as though he had said, ``Know ye this especially.'' For it was necessary that this should have been foretold, because they might have been shaken, had impious men attacked them suddenly with scoffs of this kind. He therefore wished them to know this, and to feel assured on the subject, that they might be prepared to oppose such men.
But he calls the attention of the faithful again to the doctrine which he touched upon in the second chapter. For by the last days is commonly meant the kingdom of Christ, or the days of his kingdom, according to what Paul says, ``Upon whom the ends of the world are come.'' (1 Corinthians 10:11.) 432 The meaning is, that the more God offers himself by the gospel to the world, and the more he invites men to his kingdom, the more audacious on the other hand
Ed.
431The construction of the passage is as follows: — "In both which I, by admonition, arouse your sincere mind to remember the words, aforetime spoken by the holy prophets, and the doctrine of us, the apostles of our Lord and Savior." The verb {μνησθὢναι} is connected with ``arouse;'' and it is in this tense used actively as well as passively. See Matthew 26:75, and Acts 10:31. There is in the noun {ἐντολὴ}, a metonymy, the commandment for what was commanded to be taught, the doctrine. It has this meaning, according to Schleusner, in John 12:50, and in this Epistle, chapter 2:21. --- Ed
432It is literally, "the last of the days," according to the Hebrew form {{`` }הימים{, אחריתthe extremity of the days,'' (Isaiah (;2:2 but the meaning is the same as ``the last days,'' as used in Hebrews ,1:2 and in other places, that is, the days of the gospel dispensation. --- Ed.