John Calvin Commentary Genesis 5:22

"and Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:" — Genesis 5:22 (ASV)

And Enoch walked with God. Undoubtedly, Enoch is honored with special praise among the men of his time when it is said that he walked with God. Yet both Seth and Enoch, and Cainan, and Mahalaleel, and Jared, were then living, whose piety was celebrated in the earlier part of the chapter. Since that age could not have been more primitive or uncivilized, having so many excellent teachers; from this we infer that the integrity of this holy man, whom the Holy Spirit exempted from the common order, was rare and almost unique.

Meanwhile, a method is pointed out here for guarding against being carried away by the corrupt ways of those with whom we associate. For public custom is like a violent storm, both because we easily allow ourselves to be led this way and that by the multitude, and because everyone thinks that what is commonly accepted must be right and lawful; just as swine contract an itch from each other; nor is there any contagion worse and more repulsive than that of evil examples.

Therefore, we ought more diligently to notice the brief description of a holy life contained in the words, Enoch walked with God.

So, let those who wish to, glory in living according to the customs of others; yet the Spirit of God has established a rule for living well and rightly, by which we depart from the examples of people who do not shape their lives and conduct according to the law of God.

For he who, despising the word of God, surrenders himself to imitating the world, must be regarded as living for the devil.

Moreover (as I have just hinted), all the other patriarchs are not denied the praise for righteousness. However, a remarkable example is set before us in one man who stood firm in a time of most dreadful depravity, so that, if we wish to live rightly and in an orderly way, we may learn to regard God more than people.

For the language Moses uses has the same force as if he had said that Enoch, so that he would not be drawn aside by the corruptions of people, looked to God alone, so that with a pure conscience, as if in God’s sight, he might cultivate uprightness.