John Calvin Commentary Genesis 50:6

"And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear." — Genesis 50:6 (ASV)

And Pharaoh said. We have seen that Joseph adopts a middle course. For he was not willing completely to fail in his duty; yet, by using a pretext founded on the command of his father, he did not conduct himself with sufficient firmness. It is possible that Pharaoh was inclined, by the modesty of his manner, more easily to assent to his requests.

Yet this cowardice is not, for this reason, so sanctioned that the sons of God are at liberty to indulge themselves in it: for if they intrepidly follow where duty calls, the Lord will give the desired outcome, beyond all expectation. For, although, humanly speaking, Joseph’s bland submission succeeded prosperously, it is nevertheless certain that the proud mind of the king was influenced by God to graciously concede what had been desired. It should also be noted what great respect for an oath prevailed among unbelievers. For, though Pharaoh himself had not sworn, he still deemed it unlawful for him to violate, by his own authority, the pledge given by another. But today, reverence for God has become so greatly diminished that people commonly regard it as a mere trifle to deceive, in one way or another, in the name of God. But such unbridled license, which even Pharaoh himself denounces, will not escape God's judgment unpunished.