John Calvin Commentary Deuteronomy 27:15

"Cursed be the man that maketh a graven or molten image, an abomination unto Jehovah, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and setteth it up in secret. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen." — Deuteronomy 27:15 (ASV)

Cursed be the man that makes any graven. From this it appears that Moses is silent about half (of what he had spoken of before; ¹⁹⁹) because no mention is made of the blessings²⁰⁰ that previously held the first place. Perhaps the Spirit intended to indirectly rebuke the wickedness of the people, which is why He was not free to proclaim the praises conveyed in the blessings. For when they should have cheerfully embraced the reward promised to them, their ungodliness deprived them of this honor, and nothing remained except for them to submit to the just punishment of their iniquities.

Meanwhile, it cannot be doubted that they were taught by the forms of cursing that we read here what course should be followed in blessing. For when God pronounces His condemnation of transgressors, from this we may infer that the hope of blessedness is laid up for His true servants, if any fulfill His law. Besides, in the list of curses recorded here, a synecdoche is to be observed, since no special curse is separately denounced against blasphemers, perjurers, Sabbath-breakers, slanderers, and adulterers.

It is clear, therefore, that some kinds of crime, worthy of the greatest abomination, were selected so that the people might learn from this that transgression against any specific part of the Law would not go unpunished. For by speaking of graven images, God undoubtedly defends His worship from all pollutions, and thus this curse extends to every breach of the First Table. Moreover, when He threatens to punish secret sins, we may readily infer that, although offenders might be hidden from earthly judges and escape from their hands a hundred times, God would still be the avenger of His polluted worship.

If anyone had put an idol in a secret place, or had struck his neighbor secretly, he will not suffer the punishment that cannot be inflicted unless his crime is detected and he is convicted of the offense. However, so that impunity would not encourage anyone to become hardened in sin, the people are summoned before God's heavenly tribunal, that they may be kept in the path of duty not only by the fear of punishment but also for conscience's sake. From this, again, it is clear that God did not deliver only a political Law, which would merely direct their outward morals, but one that would require true sincerity of heart.

¹⁹⁹ Added from Fr..

²⁰⁰ “Howbeit, though Moses appointed these to bless, yet he expresseth not the blessings; by such silence leading his prudent reader to look for them by another, which is Christ. John 1:17, , Acts 3:26. For silence in the holy story often implieth great mysteries, as the Apostle (in . For silence in the holy story often implieth great mysteries, as the Apostle (in Hebrews 7.) teacheth from the narration of Melchisedek, in .) teacheth from the narration of Melchisedek, in Genesis 14.” — Ainsworth..” — Ainsworth.