John Calvin Commentary Hebrews 13:17

"Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit [to them]: for they watch in behalf of your souls, as they that shall give account; that they may do this with joy, and not with grief: for this [were] unprofitable for you." — Hebrews 13:17 (ASV)

Obey them, etc. I have no doubt that he speaks of pastors and other rulers of the Church, for there were then no Christian magistrates; and what follows, for they watch for your souls, properly belongs to spiritual government. He commands first obedience and then honor to be given to them. These two things are necessarily required, so that the people might have confidence in their pastors, and also reverence for them. But it ought at the same time to be noted that the Apostle speaks only of those who faithfully performed their office. For those who have nothing but the title, indeed, who use the title of pastors for the purpose of destroying the Church, deserve little reverence and still less confidence. And this also is what the Apostle plainly states when he says that they watched for their souls—a duty which is not performed except by those who are faithful rulers, and are really what they are called.

Doubly foolish, then, are the Papists, who from these words confirm the tyranny of their own idol: “The Spirit bids us obediently to receive the doctrine of godly and faithful bishops, and to obey their wholesome counsels; he bids us also to honor them.” But how does this favor mere apes of bishops?

And yet not only are all those who are bishops under the Papacy such, but they are also cruel murderers of souls and rapacious wolves.

But to pass over a description of them, this only will I say at present: when we are instructed to obey our pastors, we ought carefully and wisely to identify those who are true and faithful rulers. For if we give this honor to all indiscriminately, first, a wrong will be done to the good; and secondly, the reason added here—to honor them because they watch for souls—will be rendered meaningless.

Therefore, in order that the Pope and those who belong to him may derive support from this passage, they must first necessarily prove that they are among those who watch for our salvation. If this is made evident, there will then be no doubt that they ought to be reverently treated by all the godly.

For they watch, etc. His meaning is that the heavier the burden they bear, the more honor they deserve. For the more labor anyone undertakes for our sake, and the more difficulty and danger he incurs for us, the greater are our obligations to him. And such is the office of bishops that it involves the greatest labor and the greatest danger. If, then, we wish to be grateful, we can hardly give them what is due; and especially, since they are to give an account of us to God, it would be disgraceful for us to disregard them.

He further reminds us of what great importance their labor is to us; for if the salvation of our souls is precious to us, those who watch for it ought by no means to be considered of no account.

He also instructs us to be teachable and ready to obey, so that what pastors do as required by their office, they may also do willingly and joyfully. For if their minds are restrained by grief or weariness, though they may be sincere and faithful, they will yet become disheartened and careless, because vigor in acting will fail along with their cheerfulness.

Hence the Apostle declares that it would be unprofitable to the people to cause sorrow and mourning to their pastors by their ingratitude. He did this to suggest to us that we cannot be troublesome or disobedient to our pastors without hazarding our own salvation.

Since hardly one in ten considers this, it is therefore evident how great the neglect of salvation generally is; nor is it a wonder how few today are found who strenuously watch over the Church of God. For besides this, there are very few who are like Paul, who have their mouth open when the people’s ears are closed, and who enlarge their own heart when the heart of the people is restricted. The Lord also punishes the ingratitude that everywhere prevails. Let us then remember that we are suffering the punishment of our own perverseness whenever pastors grow cold in their duty, or are less diligent than they ought to be.