John Calvin Commentary Amos 5:15

"Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish justice in the gate: it may be that Jehovah, the God of hosts, will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph." — Amos 5:15 (ASV)

The Prophet impresses upon us the same truth; and he did this intentionally, for he saw that nothing was more difficult than to bring this people to repentance, who, in the first place, were by nature stubborn, and, in the second place, were hardened by long habit in their vices. For Satan gains dominion by degrees in the hearts of men, until he makes them completely senseless so that they cannot discern between right and wrong. Such, then, was the blindness that prevailed among the people of Israel: it was therefore necessary often to prod them as Amos does here.

Therefore he commands them to hate evil and to love good. And this order should be preserved when we desire really to turn to God and to repent. Amos here addresses perverse men, who were so immersed in their own wickedness that they no longer distinguished between light and darkness: it was therefore not without reason that he begins with this sentence, that they should hate evil; as if he had said that there had been until now a hostile disagreement between them and God, and that therefore a change was necessary, so that they might return to Him. For when anyone has already wished to devote himself to God’s service, this exhortation to hate evil is superfluous: but when one is still sunk in his own vices, he has need of such a stimulant. The Prophet therefore rebukes them here; and though they flattered themselves, he yet shows that they were greatly addicted to their vices.

He later adds, Love good. He implies that it would be a new thing for them to cultivate benevolence and to apply themselves to what was right. The meaning of the whole is this: that the Israelites would have no peace with God until they were completely changed and became new men, for they were now strangers to goodness and given to wickedness and depravity. But Amos mentions here only a part of repentance: for טוב, thub, no doubt means the doing of good, as iniquity is properly called רע, ro [the doing of evil]. He does not speak here of faith or of prayer to God, but describes repentance by its fruits; for our faith, as has been stated in other places, is proved in this way: it manifests itself when sincerity and uprightness toward one another flourish in us, when we spontaneously love one another and perform the duties of love. Thus, repentance is described here by stating a part for the whole; that is, the whole, as they commonly say, is shown by a part.

But now the Prophet adds, And set up judgment in the gate. He here alludes to the public state of things, of which we have spoken at length in our yesterday’s lecture. A deluge of iniquity had so inundated the land that in the very courts of justice, and in the passing of judgments, there was no longer any equity, any justice.

Since, then, corruption had taken possession of the very gates, the Prophet exhorts them to set up judgment in the gate; it may be, he says, that God will show mercy to the remnants of Joseph. The Prophet shows here that it was hardly possible that the people should continue safe; indeed, that this was completely hopeless.

But as the general degeneracy, like a violent tempest, carried away the good along with it, the Prophet here urges the faithful not to lose heart, though they were few in number, but to return to God, to let others fall away and run headlong to ruin, and at the same time to provide for their own safety, like those who flee from a fire.

So now we understand the Prophet's purpose: for when the whole multitude, given up to destruction, had laid aside all care for their safety, a few remained, who yet allowed themselves to be carried along, as though a tempest, as has been said, had carried them away. The Prophet then here gives comfort to such good men as were still alive, and shows that though the people were sinking, there was no reason for them to despair, for the Lord still promised to be gracious to them.

What this doctrine teaches is this: that ten should not pay attention to what a thousand may do, but they should hear God speaking, rather than abandon themselves with the multitude. When they see men blindly and recklessly running headlong to their own ruin, they should not follow them, but rather listen to God, and not reject His offered salvation. However much, then, their small number may discourage them, they should not yet allow God’s promises to be forced or snatched away from them, but fully embrace them.

The expression, it may be, is not one of doubt, as has been stated in another place (Joel 2:1), but the Prophet, on the contrary, intended to sharply stimulate the faithful, so that he might, as was necessary, increase their eagerness. Whenever, then, פן (pen), meaning 'lest perhaps', or אולי (auli), meaning 'it may be', is used, let us understand that these terms are not intended to leave men’s minds in suspense or perplexity, causing them to lose heart or come to God in doubt. Instead, a difficulty is thereby implied, in order to stir them up and to increase the fervor of their desire; and this is necessary in a mixed state of things, for we see how great is the indolence of our flesh.

Even those who desire to return to God do not hasten with the fervor that is fitting for them, but creep slowly and can hardly drag themselves along. Then, when many obstacles meet them, those who would have otherwise been full of courage almost despair at every step. It is therefore necessary to apply such urging as this: “Take heed; for when anyone is surrounded on every side by fire, he will not delay long, nor consider how he may escape without any harm and without any inconvenience. He will risk danger rather than, by delay or slowness, cut off his way of escape. So also you see that iniquity surrounds you on every side. What then is to be done, except for each of you to flee away quickly?”

So now we perceive the Prophet's purpose in saying, It may be that he will show mercy. The sum of the whole is this:

1. That there was need of a great change, so that they might become completely new men, who had previously devoted themselves to wickedness.
2. That the few should not wait until the whole multitude joined them; for though the people resolved to go astray, yet God should have been heeded when recalling the few to Himself and bidding them to escape, as it were, from the fire.
3. That a difficulty is stated here, so that those still receptive to healing might not come slowly to God, but that they might strive against obstacles and quickly run to Him, since they could not extricate themselves without great effort. Therefore, they were to come to God, not slowly, but rather, having overcome all difficulties, they were to flee to Him.