John Calvin Commentary Deuteronomy 23:19

"Thou shalt not lend upon interest to thy brother; interest of money, interest of victuals, interest of anything that is lent upon interest:" — Deuteronomy 23:19 (ASV)

From these passages we learn that it is not enough to refrain from taking the goods of another, unless we also constantly exercise humanity and mercy in the relief of the poor. Pagan authors also saw this, although not with sufficient clearness (when they declared¹⁰⁹ that since all people are born for the sake of each other, human society is not properly maintained except by an interchange of mutual services). Therefore, so that we may not defraud our neighbors and so be considered thieves in God’s sight, let us learn, according to our respective means, to be kind to those who need our help. For liberality is a part of righteousness, so that a person must rightly be considered unrighteous who does not relieve the necessities of others when they can. This is the tendency of Solomon’s exhortation, that we should drink waters out of our own cistern,¹¹⁰ and that our fountains should be dispersed abroad among our neighbors, (Proverbs 5:15–16).

For, after he has enjoined us each to be contented with what is our own, without seeking to enrich ourselves by the loss of others, he adds that those who have abundance do not enjoy their possessions as they ought, unless they share them with the poor for the relief of their poverty. For this is the reason, as Solomon tells us elsewhere, why the rich and the poor meet together; and the Lord is the maker of them all (Proverbs 22:2).

¹⁰⁹ Added from Fr. “Atque ita placet Stoicis, quae in terris gignuntur ad usum hominum omnia creari, homines autem hominum causa esse generatos, ut ipsi inter se aliis alii prodesse possent.” — Cic. de Off. 1:7.. “Atque ita placet Stoicis, quae in terris gignuntur ad usum hominum omnia creari, homines autem hominum causa esse generatos, ut ipsi inter se aliis alii prodesse possent.” — Cic. de Off. 1:7.

¹¹⁰ It will be seen that these verses are abbreviated, and slightly paraphrased by C. His exposition of them, which is not the ordinary one, agrees with that of Junins in Poole’s Syn.. His exposition of them, which is not the ordinary one, agrees with that of Junins in Poole’s Syn.