John Calvin Commentary 1 Timothy 3:16

"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen of angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory." — 1 Timothy 3:16 (ASV)

Great is the mystery of godliness. Again, here is another enhancement. So that the truth of God might not, through human ingratitude, be less esteemed than it should be, he extols its value by stating that

“great is the secret of godliness;”

that is, because it does not treat of insignificant subjects, but of the revelation of the Son of God,

in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom (Colossians 2:3).

From the greatness and importance of such matters, pastors should assess their office, so that they may devote themselves to fulfilling its duties with greater conscientiousness and deeper reverence.

God manifested in the flesh. The Vulgate’s translator, by leaving out the name of God, refers what follows to “the mystery,” but altogether unskillfully and inappropriately, as will clearly be seen on a mere reading, though he has Erasmus on his side. However, Erasmus himself undermines the authority of his own views, so it is unnecessary for me to refute them.

All the Greek copies undoubtedly agree in this rendering: God manifested in the flesh. But even if Paul did not express the name of God, still anyone who carefully examines the whole matter will acknowledge that the name of Christ ought to be supplied. Personally, I have no hesitation in following the reading adopted in the Greek copies.

The reason for calling the manifestation of Christ (as he afterwards describes it) a “great mystery” is obvious; for this is the height, depth, and breadth of wisdom, which he has elsewhere mentioned (Ephesians 3:18), by which all our senses must unavoidably be overwhelmed.

Let us now examine the various clauses in order. He could not have spoken more appropriately about the person of Christ than in these words: God manifested in the flesh.

1. We have here an explicit testimony to both natures, for he declares at the same time that Christ is true God and true man.
2. He points out the distinction between the two natures when, on the one hand, he calls him God, and, on the other, expresses his manifestation in the flesh.
3. He asserts the unity of the person when he declares that it is one and the same who was God and who has been manifested in the flesh.

Thus, by this single passage, the true and orthodox faith is powerfully defended against Arius, Marcion, Nestorius, and Eutyches. There is also great emphasis in the contrast of the two words, God in flesh. How great is the difference between God and man! And yet in Christ we behold the infinite glory of God united to our polluted flesh in such a way that they become one.

Justified in the Spirit. As the Son of God emptied himself (Philippians 2:7) by taking upon himself our flesh, so a spiritual power was displayed in him which testified that he is God. This passage has received various interpretations. But, for my own part, being satisfied with having explained the Apostle’s real meaning as far as I understand it, I will add nothing more.

First, justification here denotes an acknowledgment of divine power, as in Psalm 19:9, where it is said that the judgments of God are justified—that is, they are wonderfully and absolutely perfect.

And in Psalm 51:5, that God is justified, meaning that the praise of his justice is illustriously displayed.

So also (Matthew 11:19 and Luke 7:35), when Christ says that Wisdom hath been justified by her children, he means that they have given honor to her.

And when Luke (Luke 7:29) relates that the publicans justified God, he means that they acknowledged, with due reverence and gratitude, the grace of God which they saw in Christ.

What we read here, therefore, has the same meaning as if Paul had said that he who appeared clothed with human flesh was, at the same time, declared to be the Son of God, so that the weakness of the flesh did not diminish his glory.

Under the word Spirit, he includes everything in Christ that was divine and superior to man, and he does so for two reasons:

1. Because he had been humbled in “the flesh,” the Apostle now, by exhibiting the illustration of his glory, contrasts “the Spirit” with “the flesh.”
2. That glory, worthy of the only-begotten Son of God, which John affirms to have been seen in Christ (John 1:14), did not consist in outward display, or in earthly splendor, but was almost wholly spiritual.

The same form of expression is used by him (Romans 1:3–4),

Who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared by the power of the Spirit to be the Son of God;

but with this difference, that in that passage he mentions one kind of manifestation, namely, the resurrection.

Seen by angels, preached to the Gentiles. All these statements are wonderful and astonishing: that God deigned to bestow on the Gentiles, who had until then wandered in the blindness of their minds, a revelation of his Son that had been unknown even to the angels in heaven.

When the Apostle says that he was seen by angels, he means that the sight was such as drew the attention of angels, both by its novelty and by its excellence.

We have stated in the exposition of Ephesians chapter 2 how uncommon and extraordinary the calling of the Gentiles was.

Nor is it surprising that it was a new spectacle to angels. Although they knew about the redemption of mankind, they did not at first understand the means by which it would be accomplished, and from whom it must have been concealed, so that this remarkable display of God’s goodness might be seen by them with greater admiration.

Obtained belief in the world. It was, above all things, astonishing that God made both the Gentiles (who were heathens) and the angels (who held uninterrupted possession of his kingdom) to be equal partakers of the same revelation.

But this great efficacy of the preached gospel was no ordinary miracle, when Christ, overcoming all obstacles, subdued to the obedience of faith those who seemed entirely incapable of being tamed.

Certainly, nothing appeared less probable—so completely was every entrance closed and shut. Yet faith vanquished, but by an incredible kind of victory.

Lastly, he says that he was received into glory; that is, from this mortal and wretched life. Accordingly, as in the world, so far as related to the obedience of faith, so also in the person of Christ, the change was wonderful, when, from the lowly condition of a servant, he was exalted to the right hand of the Father, that every knee may bow to him.