John Calvin Commentary Luke 10:16

"He that heareth you heareth me; and he that rejecteth you rejecteth me; and he that rejecteth me rejecteth him that sent me." — Luke 10:16 (ASV)

He that heareth you heareth me. It is a mistake to suppose that this passage is a repetition of what we previously encountered in the Gospel of Matthew 10:40: he that receiveth you receiveth me.⁴⁷ Then, Christ was speaking of persons, but now, of doctrine. The former receiving referred to acts of kindness; but now He recommends faith, which receives God in His Word. The general meaning is that the godliness of people is determined by the obedience of faith,⁴⁸ and that those who reject the Gospel, though they may boast of being the most eminent worshippers of God, show that they wickedly despise Him.

We must now consider the purpose of Christ. Since a considerable portion of the world foolishly evaluates the Gospel according to the social standing of people, and despises it because it is professed by individuals of humble and despised condition, our Lord here contradicts such a perverse judgment. Again, almost everyone is so proud that they do not willingly submit to their equals, or to those whom they look down upon as inferior to them.

God, on the other hand, has determined to govern His Church by the ministry of human beings, and indeed frequently selects the ministers of the Word from among the lowest dregs of society. It was, therefore, necessary to uphold the majesty of the Gospel, so that it might not appear to be degraded by coming from human lips.

This is a remarkable commendation⁴⁹ of the external ministry, when Christ declares that whatever honor and respect is given to the preaching of human beings—provided that the preaching is faithful—God acknowledges as done to Himself.

This recommendation is useful in two ways. First, nothing should be a stronger encouragement for us to embrace the doctrine of the Gospel than to learn that it is the highest worship of God, and a sacrifice of the sweetest aroma, to hear Him speaking through human lips and to submit to His word—brought to us by human beings—just as if He were descending from heaven or making His will known to us by angels.

Second, our confidence is established, and all doubt is removed, when we learn that the testimony of our salvation, when delivered to us by human beings whom God has sent, is no less worthy of belief than if His voice resounded from heaven. To deter us, on the other hand, from despising the Gospel, He adds a severe threat:

He that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. Those who disdain to listen to ministers, however humble and despised they may be, offer an insult not only to human beings but to Christ Himself and to God the Father.

While a magnificent eulogy is here pronounced on the office of pastors who honestly and faithfully carry out their office, it is absurd for the Pope and his clergy to use this as a pretext for cloaking their tyranny. Certainly, Christ does not speak in such a way as to surrender into human hands the power that the Father has given Him, but only to protect His Gospel against contempt.

Therefore, it follows that He does not transfer to persons the honor due to Himself, but only maintains that this honor cannot be separated from His Word. If the Pope wishes to be received, let him bring forward the doctrine by which he may be recognized as a minister of Christ; but as long as he continues to be what he now is—a mortal enemy of Christ and lacking any resemblance to the Apostles—let him stop adorning himself with borrowed feathers.

⁴⁷ Harmony, volume 1 p. 475..

⁴⁸ “Que la crainte de Dieu qui est es hommes, se monstre par l’obeissance de la foy;” — “that the fear of God which is in men is manifested by the obedience of faith.”;” — “that the fear of God which is in men is manifested by the obedience of faith.”

⁴⁹ “C’est donc une louange et recommendation singuliere;” — “it is then a singular praise and recommendation.”;” — “it is then a singular praise and recommendation.”