Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians John Calvin
John Calvin prohibits us from having partnership with unbelievers in drawing the same yoke, he means simply this, that we should have no fellowship with them in their pollutions. For one sun shines upon us, we eat of the same bread, we breathe the same air, and we cannot altogether refrain from intercourse with them; but Paul speaks of the yoke of impiety, that is, of participation in works, in which Christians cannot lawfully have fellowship. On this principle marriage will also be prohibited, inasmuch as it is a snare, by which both men and women are entangled into an agreement with impiety; but what I mean is simply this, that Paul's doctrine is of too general a nature to be restricted to marriage exclusively, for he is discoursing here as to the shunning of idolatry, on which account, also, we are prohibited from contracting marriages with the wicked.
For what fellowship He confirms his exhortation on the ground of its being an absurd, and, as it were, monstrous connecting together of things in themselves much at variance; for these things can no more coalesce than fire and water. In short it comes to this, that unless they would have everything thrown into confusion, they must refrain from the pollutions of the wicked. Hence, too, we infer, that even those that do not in their hearts approve of superstitions are, nevertheless, polluted by dissimulation if they do not openly and ingenuously stand aloof from them.
15. What concord has Christ with Belial? As to the etymology of the word Belial, even the Hebrews themselves are not agreed 1506 The meaning, however, is not doubtful. 1507 For Moses takes a word or thought of Belial 1508 to mean a wicked and base thought, 1509 and in various instances 1510 those who are wicked and abandoned to iniquity, are called men, or sons suggests, that {ἐτεροζυγοῦντες}, may have a reference to a balance, and that Paul --- would not have the Corinthians unequally balanced with unbelievers. The verb {ζυγοστατειν}, as he observes, is employed to denote the adjusting of scales in balance. It seems more natural, however, to understand the word, as Calvin and most other interpreters do, as derived from {ἓτερος}, (Another,) and {ζυγὸς}, as meaning a yoke, and as employed by Paul to mean, drawing on the other side of a yoke with another; or, as Beza explains it, ``Qui cum sint divers' conditionis, tamen in eodem opere mutuam operam pr'stant;'' --- ``Those who, while in a different condition from each other, do nevertheless take their corresponding part in the same work.'' --- Ed.
1506Beza, when mentioning the different views which have been taken of the etymology of the term Belial, remarks, that some derive it from {{}יעל{ בליbeli jahal, (not profitable,) or from {}מועיל{ }בליbeli mohil, (worthless,) and that the term, viewed as having this derivation, is peculiarly appropriate to Satan, as being diametrically opposed to Christ, the Greatest and Best; while Jerome derives it from {}בליbeli, (not) and {}עילhol, (a yoke,) as though you should say --- without a yoke, not subject to the yoke. Beza gives the preference to the former etymology, while he observes that the latter is also most appropriate to Satan as an apostate spirit. --- The original term Belial is rendered in various instances in the Septuagint }παράνομος}, lawless. --- There is here a slight variation in reading. The Edit. Princ. and the Textus Receptus have {Βελίαλ}. The Erasmian, Stephanic, and other early editions have {Βελίαρ}, which has been restored by Bengelius, Matthias, Griesbach, and Tittmann; and justly, for both external and internal evidence are in its favor; it being found in the majority of the MSS., in many early ecclesiastical writers, and Greek Fathers.'' --- Bloomfield. --- Ed
1507"Et assez notoire;" — "And is sufficiently well known." 1508Thus in Deuteronomy 15:9, "Beware that there be not a thouqht in thy wicked heart." The expression made use of is {{}יחיה-{}לבבך{ }דבר{ פך-{`` }בליעל{ }עםLest there be in thine heart a thing of Belial.'' The same expression occurs in Psalm ,41:9 where David's enemies represent him as suffering the punishment of detestable wickedness,{}בליעל{ }דברa thing of Belial.'' --- See Calvin on the Psalms, vol. ,2 p. .120 --- Ed.
1509"Vne meschante et abominable parolle ou pensee;" — "A wicked and abominable word or thought."
1510"Souvent en l'Escriture;" — "Frequently in Scripture."