John Calvin Commentary Habakkuk 2:4

"Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him; but the righteous shall live by his faith." — Habakkuk 2:4 (ASV)

This verse is connected with the last, for the Prophet means to show that nothing is better than to rely on God’s word, however much various temptations may assault our souls. We therefore see that nothing new is said here, but that the former doctrine is confirmed—that our salvation is made safe and certain through God’s promise alone, and that therefore we should not seek any other haven where we might securely withstand all the attacks of Satan and of the world. But he sets the two clauses in opposition to each other: every man who would fortify himself would always be subject to various changes and never achieve a peaceful mind; then comes the other clause—that man cannot obtain rest in any other way than by faith.

But the former part is explained in various ways. Some interpreters think the word עפלה, ophle, to be a noun, and translate it as elevation, which is not unsuitable; and indeed I do not hesitate to regard this as its real meaning, for the Hebrews call a citadel עופל, ouphel, rightly deriving it from עפל, ophle, to ascend.

The claim by some others that it signifies "to strengthen" is not well founded. Others again give this explanation—that the unbelieving seek a stronghold for themselves, so that they may fortify themselves; and this makes little difference to the matter itself. But interpreters vary and differ as to the meaning of the sentence. Some substitute the predicate for the subject, and the subject for the predicate, and derive this meaning from the Prophet’s words: "Everyone whose mind is not at ease seeks a fortress, where he may safely rest and strengthen himself.” Others give this view: “He who is proud, or who thinks himself well fortified, shall always have an unquiet mind.” This latter meaning is what I approve, only I retain the import of the word עפלה, ophle, as if it were said: “where there is an elation of mind, there is no tranquility.”

Let us first see what their view is who give the other explanation. They say that the unbelieving, being obstinate and perverted in their minds, always seek a place where they may be safe, for they are full of suspicions, and disregarding God, they resort to the world for those remedies by which they may escape evils and dangers.

This is their view. But the Prophet, as I have already said, on the contrary, denounces punishment on the unbelieving here, as if he had said: “This reward, which they have deserved, will be repaid to them—that they shall always torment themselves.” The contrast will thus be more obvious. When we say that God punishes the unbelieving by allowing them to be driven here and there, and also harasses their minds with various tormenting thoughts, a more fruitful doctrine is derived.

Therefore, when the Prophet says that those who consider themselves well fortified possess no calmness of mind, he intimates that they are their own executioners. They seek for themselves many troubles, many sorrows, many anxieties, and contrive and combine many designs and purposes; they think of one thing, then turn to another. For the Hebrews say that the soul is made right when we accept something and remain in a tranquil state of mind; but when confused thoughts distract us, then they say that our soul is not right in us. Now we perceive the real meaning of the Prophet.

Behold, he says: by this demonstrative particle he intimates that what he teaches us may be clearly seen if we pay attention to daily events. The meaning then is, that a proof of this fact is evident in the common life of men—that he who fortifies himself, and is also elated with self-confidence, never finds a tranquil haven, for some new suspicion or fear always disturbs his mind.

Thus it happens that the soul entangles itself in various cares and anxieties. This is the reward, as I have said, which is allotted by God’s just judgment to the unbelieving. For God, as He testifies by Isaiah, offers us rest; and those who reject this invaluable benefit, freely offered to them by God, deserve not only to be tormented in one way, but also to be harassed by endless agitations, and also to vex and torment themselves.

It is indeed true that he who is fortified may also rest in God’s word; but the word עפלה, ophle, refers to the state of the mind. Whoever, then, swells with vain confidence, when he finds that he has many human aids, shall always be agitated, and will at length find that there is rest nowhere, except when the mind rests on God’s grace alone. Now we understand the meaning of this clause.

It follows, but the just shall live by his faith. The Prophet, I have no doubt, here places faith in opposition to all those defenses by which men so blind themselves as to neglect God and to seek no aid from Him. As men therefore rely on what the earth affords, depending on their fallacious supports, the Prophet here ascribes life to faith. But faith, as is well known, and as we shall presently show in more detail, depends on God alone. That we may then live by faith, the Prophet intimates that we must willingly give up all those defenses which tend to disappoint us. He, then, who finds that he is deprived of all protections, will live by his faith, provided he seeks in God alone what he wants, and leaving the world, fixes his mind on heaven.

As אמוגת, amunat, is "truth" in Hebrew, some regard it as meaning integrity; as if the Prophet had said that the just man has more safety in his faithfulness and pure conscience than the children of this world have in all those fortifications in which they glory. But in this case, they coldly diminish the Prophet’s declaration, for they do not understand what that righteousness of faith is from which our salvation proceeds. It is indeed certain that the Prophet understands by the word אמוגת, amunat, that faith which strips us of all arrogance and leads us naked and needy to God, so that we may seek salvation from Him alone, which would otherwise be far removed from us.

Now many limit the first part to Nebuchadnezzar, but this is not suitable. The Prophet indeed speaks to the end of the chapter about Babylon and its ruin; but here he makes a distinction between the children of God, who cast all their cares on Him, and the unbelieving, who cannot go beyond the world, where they seek to be made secure, and gather their defenses from there in which they trust.

And this is especially worth observing, for it greatly helps us to understand the meaning of the Prophet. If this part—Behold the proud, his soul is not right in him—is applied to Nebuchadnezzar, the other part will lose much of its significance. But if we consider that the Prophet, as it were, in these two tablets, shows what it is to glory in our own powers or in earthly aids, then what it is to rest on God alone will appear much clearer, and this truth will penetrate our minds with more force; for we know how much such comparisons illustrate a subject that would otherwise be obscure or less evident.

For if the Prophet had only declared that our faith is the cause of life and salvation, it might indeed be understood; but as we are inclined to entertain worldly hopes, the former truth would not have been sufficient to correct this evil and to free our minds from all empty confidence.

But when he affirms that all the unbelieving are deceived while they fortify or exalt themselves, because God will always confound them, and that though no one disturbs them outwardly, they will yet be their own tormentors, as they have nothing that is right, nothing that is certain—when therefore all this is said to us, it is as if God drew us forcibly to Himself, seeing us deluded by the allurements of Satan, and seeing us too inclined to be ensnared by deceptions, which would at length lead us to destruction.

Now, then, we perceive why Habakkuk has put these two things in opposition to each other—that the defenses of this world are not only fleeting, but also always bring with them many tormenting fears—and then, that the just lives by his faith. And from this also comes a confirmation of what I have already mentioned: that faith is not to be taken here for man’s integrity, but for that faith which sets man before God emptied of all good things, so that he seeks what he needs from His free goodness. For all the unbelieving try to fortify themselves; and thus they strengthen themselves, thinking that anything in which they trust is sufficient for them.

But what does the just do? He brings nothing before God except faith: then he brings nothing of his own, because faith borrows, as it were, through favor, what is not in man’s possession. He, then, who lives by faith, has no life in himself; but because he lacks it, he flees for it to God alone.

The Prophet also puts the verb in the future tense in order to show the perpetual nature of this life. For the unbelieving glory in a fleeting life; but the Lord will at last reveal their folly, and they themselves will truly know that they have been deceived. But as God never disappoints the hope of His people, the Prophet here promises a perpetual life to the faithful.

Let us now come to Paul, who has applied the Prophet’s testimony for the purpose of teaching us that salvation is not by works, but by the mercy of God alone, and therefore by faith. Paul seems to have misapplied the Prophet’s words and to have used them beyond what they mean; for the Prophet speaks here of the state of the present life, and he has not previously spoken of the heavenly life, but exhorted, as we have seen, the faithful to patience, and at the same time testified that God would be their deliverer. And now he adds, the just shall live by faith, though he may be lacking all help, and though he may be exposed to all the attacks of fortune, and of the wicked, and of the devil.

What has this to do, someone may say, with the eternal salvation of the soul? It seems, then, that Paul has with too much refinement introduced this testimony into his discussion respecting free justification by faith. But this principle should always be remembered—that whatever benefits the Lord bestows on the faithful in this life are intended to confirm them in the hope of the eternal inheritance; for however generously God may deal with us, our condition would yet be indeed miserable if our hope were confined to this earthly life.

Since God then intends to raise up our minds to the hopes of eternal salvation whenever He aids us in this world and declares Himself to be our Father, therefore, when the Prophet says that the faithful shall live, he certainly does not confine this life to such narrow limits that God will only defend us for a day or two, or for a few years. Instead, he goes much further and says that we will be made truly and genuinely happy; for though this whole world may perish or be exposed to various changes, yet the faithful will continue in permanent and real safety.

Hence, when Habakkuk promises future life to the faithful, he no doubt transcends the boundaries of this world and sets before the faithful a better life than that which they have here, which is accompanied with many sorrows and proves by its shortness to be unworthy of being greatly desired.

Now we perceive that Paul wisely and suitably applies the Prophet’s words to his subject—that the just lives by faith; for there is no salvation for the soul except through God’s mercy.

Quoting this passage in Romans 1:17, he says that the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, and then adds:

“As it is written, The just shall live by faith.”

Paul very rightly connects these things together: that righteousness is revealed in the Gospel, and that it comes to us by faith only. For he argues there that men cannot obtain righteousness by the law, or by the works of the law; it follows that it is revealed in the Gospel alone. How does he prove this? By the testimony of the Prophet Habakkuk—

“If by faith the just lives, then he is just by faith; if he is just by faith, then he is not so by the works of the law.”

And Paul assumes this principle, to which I have previously referred—that men are emptied of all works when they present their faith before God. For as long as man possesses anything of his own, he does not please God by faith alone, but also by his own worthiness.

If then faith alone obtains grace, the law must necessarily be set aside, as the apostle also explains more clearly in Galatians 3:11:

‘That righteousness,’ he says, ‘is not by the works of the law, is evident; for it is written, The just shall live by faith, and the law is not of faith.’

Paul assumes that these, even faith and law, are contrary to each other—contrary as to the work of justifying. The law indeed agrees with the gospel; indeed, it contains the gospel in itself. And Paul has solved this question in Romans 1:1-32 by saying that the law cannot assist us to attain righteousness, but that it is offered to us in the gospel, and that it receives a testimony from the Law and the Prophets.

Though then there is a complete concord between the law and the gospel, as God, who is not inconsistent with Himself, is the author of both, yet as to justification, the law does not accord with the gospel any more than light with darkness. For the law promises life to those who serve God, and the promise is conditional, dependent on the merits of works. The gospel also does indeed promise righteousness under condition, but it has no respect to the merits of works. What then? It is only this: that those who are condemned and lost should embrace the favor offered to them in Christ.

Now then we see how, by the testimony of our Prophet, Paul rightly confirms his own doctrine that eternal salvation is to be attained by faith only. For we are lacking all merits by works and are compelled to stand naked and needy before God; and then the Lord justifies us freely.

But that this may be more evident, let us first consider why men must come completely naked before God; for if there were any worthiness in them, the Lord would in no way deprive them of such an honor. Why then does the Lord justify us freely, except so that He may thereby appear just?

He has indeed no need of this glory, as if He could not Himself be glorified except by doing wrong to men. But we obtain righteousness by faith alone for this reason: because God finds nothing in us which He can approve, or which may be sufficient to obtain righteousness. Since this is so, we then see that to be true which the Holy Spirit everywhere declares respecting the character of men.

Men indeed glory in a foolish conceit as to their own righteousness. But all philosophic virtues, as they call them, which men think they possess through free will, are mere illusions; indeed, they are the delusions of the devil, by which he bewitches the minds of men, so that they do not come to God, but, on the contrary, hurl themselves into the lowest depths, where they seek to exalt themselves beyond measure.

Be that as it may, let us be fully convinced that in man there is not even a particle of either rectitude or righteousness, and that whatever men may try to do of themselves is an abomination before God. This is one thing.

Now after God has extended His hand to His elect, it is still necessary that they should confess their own need and nakedness, as to justification. For though they have been regenerated by the Spirit of God, yet in many things they are lacking, and thus in innumerable ways they become exposed to eternal death in the sight of God, so that they have in themselves no righteousness.

The Papists differ from us in the first place, imagining that there are certain necessary preparations; for that false notion about free will cannot be eradicated from their hearts. Since then they will have man to be endowed with free will, they always connect some power with it, as if they could obtain grace by their own doings.

They indeed confess that man by himself can do nothing, except by the helping grace of God; but in the meantime they blend, as I have said, their own invented preparations. Others confess that until God precedes us with His grace, there is no power whatever in free will; but afterwards they suppose that free will concurs with God’s grace, as it would be by itself ineffective unless received by our consent.

Thus they always reserve some worthiness for men; but a greater difference exists as to the second subject. For after we have been regenerated through God’s grace, the Papists imagine that we are justified by the merits of works. They confess that until God precedes us with His grace, we are condemned and cannot attain salvation except through the assisting grace of God; but as soon as God works in us, we are then, they say, able to attain righteousness by our own works.

But we object and say that the faithful, after having been regenerated by the Spirit of God, do not fulfill the law. They allow this to be true, but say that they could if they wished, for God has commanded nothing which is beyond what men are capable of doing.

And this also is a most pernicious error. They are at the same time forced to confess that experience itself teaches us that no man is entirely free from sin; then some guilt always remains. But they say that if we kept half the law, we could obtain righteousness by that half.

Hence, if one by adultery offended God and thus becomes exposed to eternal death, and yet abstains from theft, he is just, they say, because he is no thief. He is an adulterer, it is true; but he is yet just in part, because he keeps a part of the law; and they call this partial righteousness.

But God has not promised salvation to men unless they fully and truly fulfill whatever He has commanded in His law. For it is not said, “He that fulfills a part of the law shall live”; but he who shall do these things shall live in them. Moses does not point out two or three commandments but includes the whole law (Leviticus 18:5). There is also a declaration made by James:

‘He who has forbidden to commit adultery, has also forbidden to steal: whosoever then transgresses the law in one particular, is a transgressor of the whole law’ (James 2:8, 11).

He is then excluded from any hope of righteousness. We therefore see that the Papists are most grossly mistaken, who imagine that men, when they keep the law only in part, are just.

If indeed anyone were found who strictly kept God’s law, he could not be counted just, except by virtue of a promise. And here also the Papists stumble and are at the same time inconsistent with themselves, for they confess that merits do not obtain righteousness for men by their own intrinsic worth, but only by the covenant of the law.

But as soon as they have said this, they immediately forget themselves and say the contrary, like men carried away by passion. If then the Papists were to join together these two things—that there is no righteousness except by covenant, and that there is a partial righteousness—they would see that they are inconsistent. For where is this partial righteousness? If we are not righteous except according to the covenant of the law, then we are not righteous except through a full and perfect observance of the law. This is certain.

They err still more grievously as to the remission of sins; for as is well known, they obtrude their own satisfactions, and thus seek to expiate the sins of men by their own merits, as if the sacrifice of Christ were not sufficient for that purpose. This is why they will not allow that we are freely justified by faith; for they cannot be brought to acknowledge a free remission of sins. And unless the remission of sins is free, we must confess that righteousness is not by faith alone, but also by merits.

But the whole Scripture proves that expiation is to be sought nowhere else than through the sacrifice of Christ alone. This error, then, of the Papists is extremely gross and false. They further err in pleading for the merits of works, for they boast of their own inventions, the works of supererogation, or as they call them, satisfactions.

And these meritorious works, under the Papacy, are gross errors and worthless superstitions, and yet they toil in them and lacerate themselves; indeed, they almost wear themselves out. If they mutter many short prayers, if they run to altars and to various churches, if they buy masses—in a word, if they accumulate all these invented acts of worship—they think that they merit righteousness before God.

Thus they forget their own saying that righteousness is by covenant; for if it is by covenant, it is certain that God does not promise it to invented works, which men of themselves invent and contrive. It then follows that what men bring to God, devised by themselves, can do nothing towards the attainment of righteousness.

There is also another error which must be noticed, for in good works they do not perceive those blemishes which justly displease God, so that our works could be deservedly condemned if they were strictly examined and tried. The Papists rightly say that we are not justified by the intrinsic worthiness of works, but afterwards they do not consider how imperfect our works are, for no work proceeds from mortal man which can fully answer to what God’s covenant requires.

How so? For no work proceeds from the perfect love of God, and where the perfect love of God does not exist, corruption is there. It therefore follows that all our works are polluted before God, for they flow only from the impure fountain of the heart. If anyone were to object and say that the hearts of men are cleansed by the regeneration of the Spirit, we allow this; but at the same time, much filth always remains in our hearts, and it should be sufficient for us to know that nothing is pure and genuine before God except where the perfect love of Him exists.

Since, then, the Papists are blind to all these things, it is no wonder that they contend with us with so much hostility about righteousness and can in no way allow that the righteousness of faith is free. For from the beginning, this invention about free will has been used—“if men of themselves come to God, then they are not freely justified.” They, then, as I have said, imagine a partial righteousness; they suppose the deficiency to be made up by satisfactions; they also have, as they say, their devotions, that is, their own invented modes of worship.

Thus it happens that they always persuade themselves that the righteousness of man, at least in part, is made up by himself or by works. They indeed allow that we are justified by faith, but when it is added, "by faith alone," then they begin to be furious. But they do not consider that righteousness, if obtained by faith, cannot be by works, for Paul, as I have shown above, reasons from the contrary when he says that righteousness, if it is by the works of the law, is not by faith. For faith, as has been said, strips man of everything, so that he may seek from God what he needs.

But the Papists, though they think that man does not have enough for himself, do not yet acknowledge that he is so needy and miserable that righteousness must be sought in God alone. Yet the doctrine of Paul is sufficiently clear, and if Paul had never spoken, reason itself is sufficient to convince us that men cannot be justified by faith until they cast away every confidence in their own works. For if righteousness is of faith, then it is of grace alone, and if by grace alone, then it cannot be by works.

It is entirely childish for the Papists to think that it is partly by grace and partly by the merits of works. For as salvation cannot be divided, so righteousness, by which we attain salvation itself, cannot be divided. Since, then, faith acquires favor for us before God, and by this favor we are counted just, so all works must necessarily fall to the ground when righteousness is ascribed to faith.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as the corruption of our flesh always leads us to pride and empty confidence, we may be illuminated by Your word, so as to understand how great and how grievous our poverty is, and thus be taught completely to deny ourselves, and so to present ourselves naked before You, that we may not hope for righteousness or for salvation from any other source than from Your mercy alone, nor seek any rest but only in Christ. And may we cling to You by the sacred and inviolable bond of faith, that we may boldly despise all those empty boastings by which the ungodly exult over us, and that we may also so cast ourselves down in true humility, that thereby we may be carried upward above all heavens and become partakers of that eternal life which Your only begotten Son has purchased for us by His own blood. Amen.

[Exposition continues from previous day's lecture]

We yesterday compared this passage of Habakkuk with the interpretation of Paul, who draws this inference: that we are justified by faith without the works of the law, because the Prophet teaches us that we are to live by faith. For the way of life and of righteousness is the same, since life is not to be sought by us in any other way than through the paternal favor of God.

This then is our life—to be united to God. But this union with God cannot be hoped for by us while He imputes sins to us; for as He is just and cannot deny Himself, iniquity must always be hated by Him. As long as He regards us as sinners, He must necessarily hold us as hateful to Him. Where the hatred of God is, there is death and ruin.

It then follows that we can have no hope of life until we are reconciled to God, and there is no other way by which God can restore us to favor but by regarding and counting us as just. It therefore follows that Paul reasons correctly when he leads us from life to righteousness, for they are two things which are connected and inseparable.

Hence the error of the Papists comes to light, who think that to be justified is nothing other than to be renewed in righteousness, so that we may lead a pious and a holy life. Hence their righteousness is a quality. But Paul’s view is very different, for he connects our justification and salvation together, since God cannot be favorable to us without being reconciled to us.

And how is this done? Even by not imputing our sins to us. Hence they speak correctly and truly express what the Holy Spirit everywhere teaches us, who call it imputative righteousness; for they thus show that it is not a quality but, on the contrary, a relative righteousness. Therefore, we said yesterday that he who lives by faith derives life from another, and that everyone who is just by faith is just through what is not in himself—even through the free mercy of God.

Now then we see how suitably Paul joins righteousness with life and cites the Prophet’s testimony to prove free justification, who affirms that we are to live by faith. But it is no wonder that the Papists go astray in so many ways in this instance, for they even differ with us in the meaning of the word faith.

This is why they so obstinately deny that we are justified by faith alone. They are forced, as we said yesterday, to admit the righteousness of faith; but the exclusive particle they cannot endure, for they imagine that it is a "moulded faith" that justifies, and this moulded or formed faith is piety, or the fear of God.

And by calling faith "unformed," they seem to think that we can embrace the promises of God without the fruit of regeneration, which is very absurd, as if faith were not the special gift of the Spirit and a pledge of our adoption. But these are principles of which the Papists are entirely ignorant, for they are given up to a reprobate mind, so that they stumble at the very first elements of religion.

But it is sufficient for us, in order to understand this passage, to know that we live by faith. For our life is a shadow or a passing cloud, and hence our only remedy is to seek life from God alone. And how does God communicate this life to us? Even by free promises which we embrace by faith; hence salvation is by faith.

Now, salvation cannot be ascribed to faith and to works also; for faith refers the praise for life and salvation to God alone, and works show that something is due to man. Faith, then, as to justification, entirely excludes all works, so that they are of no account before God. And hence I have said that salvation is by faith, for we are accepted by God through the free remission of sins.

The union of God with us is true and real salvation. But no one can be united to God without righteousness, and no righteousness is found in us; hence God Himself freely imputes it to us. And as we are justified freely, so our salvation is said to be free.

I will not now repeat what may be said of justification by faith, for it is better to proceed with the Prophet’s subject; only it may be necessary to add two things to what has been said. The Prophet testified to the men of his age that salvation is by faith; it then follows that they looked to Christ, for without relying on a mediator they could not have trusted in God.

For as our righteousness is said to be the remission of sins, so a sacrifice must necessarily intervene, by which God is pacified, so as not to impute our sins. They had indeed their sacrifices according to the law, but these were to direct their minds to Christ; for they were in no way acceptable to God, except through that Mediator on whom our faith at this day is founded.

There is also another thing: the Prophet, by distinctly expressing that the just live by faith, clearly shows that through the whole course of this life we cannot be deemed just in any other way than by a free imputation. He does not say that the children of Adam, born in a state exposed to eternal death, recover life by faith, but that the just, who are now endowed with the true fear of God, live by faith. And thus the romance about initial justification is refuted. Let us now then proceed.