John Calvin Commentary Luke 11
John Calvin Commentary
Luke 11
John Calvin Commentary
Luke 11
"And it came to pass, as he was praying in a certain place, that when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, even as John also taught his disciples." — Luke 11:1 (ASV)
It is uncertain whether this form was delivered by Christ to his disciples only once or twice.429 Some think that the latter is more probable, because Luke says that he was requested to do it, while Matthew represents him as teaching it of his own accord. But as we have said, Matthew collects all the leading points of doctrine, so that their full extent may be more clearly perceived by readers when they are placed in close succession. It is possible, therefore, that Matthew may have omitted to mention the occasion related by Luke. However, on this subject, I am unwilling to debate with anyone.
As John also taught his disciples. John delivered to his disciples a particular form of prayer; and he did so, in my opinion, because the time required it. The state of affairs among the Jews was, at that time, exceedingly corrupted. Everything connected with religion had so miserably fallen that we need not be surprised to find few among them by whom prayer was offered in a proper manner.430 Besides, it was fitting that the minds of believers should be stirred by prayer to hope for and desire the promised redemption, which was at hand. John might, therefore, have gathered from various passages of Scripture a particular prayer adapted to the time, and more closely approaching the spiritual kingdom of Christ, which had already begun to be revealed.
429 “Il est incertain si Christ a enseigne ceste formule de prier a ses disciples une fois seulement, ou bien par deux diverses fois.” — “It is uncertain if Christ taught this form of prayer to his disciples once only, or rather at two separate times.”.” — “It is uncertain if Christ taught this form of prayer to his disciples once only, or rather at two separate times.”
430 “Il ne se faut pas fort esbahir si la vraye et pure maniere de prier estoit pratiquee par bien peu de gens.” — “We ought not to be greatly surprised, if the true and pure manner of praying was practiced by very few people.”.” — “We ought not to be greatly surprised, if the true and pure manner of praying was practiced by very few people.”
"And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves;" — Luke 11:5 (ASV)
Which of you shall have a friend (Luke 11:5), Luke adds this comparison, which is not mentioned by Matthew. The general instruction conveyed by it is this: Believers ought not to be discouraged if they do not immediately obtain their desires, or if they find them difficult to obtain. For if, among people, persistence in asking compels what a person would not willingly do, we have no reason to doubt that God will listen to us, if we persevere constantly in prayer, and if our minds do not falter through difficulty or delay.
"And others, trying [him], sought of him a sign from heaven." — Luke 11:16 (ASV)
And others tempting sought from him a sign. Something similar to this is later related by Matthew (Matthew 16:4) and by Mark (Mark 8:11–12). Therefore, it is evident that Christ repeatedly attacked them on this subject, so that there was no end to the wickedness of those men who had once resolved163 to oppose the truth.
There can be no doubt that they ask for a sign to plead, as a plausible pretext for their unbelief, that Christ’s calling has not been properly attested. They do not express such submissiveness as to be prepared to yield to two or three miracles, and even less to be satisfied with a single miracle. Instead, as I hinted a little earlier, they excuse their unbelief in the Gospel with the pretext that Christ shows no sign of it from heaven.164
He had already performed miracles before their eyes that were sufficiently numerous and clear. But, as if these were not enough for the confirmation of doctrine, they wish to have something shown from heaven, by which God will, so to speak, make a visible appearance.
They call him Master, according to custom, for such was the title given at that time to all scribes and expounders of the law. But they do not acknowledge him to be a prophet of God until he produces a testimony from heaven. The meaning therefore is: “Since you profess to be a teacher and Master, if you desire that we should be your disciples, let God declare from heaven that He is the Author of your teaching, and let Him confirm your calling by a miracle.”
163 “Qui une fois s’estoyent endurcis;” — “who had once become hardened.”;” — “who had once become hardened.”
164 “Que Christ ne leur monstre aucun signe d’enhaut qui soit pour seelet ceste doctrine;” — “that Christ shows them no sign from above that is sufficient to seal this doctrine.”;” — “that Christ shows them no sign from above that is sufficient to seal this doctrine.”
"And it came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breasts which thou didst suck." — Luke 11:27 (ASV)
Blessed is the womb. By this praise the woman intended to magnify the excellence of Christ; for she had no reference to Mary,154 whom, perhaps, she had never seen. And yet it greatly tends to illustrate the glory of Christ, that she pronounces the womb that bore him to be noble and blessed. Nor was the blessing inappropriate, but in strict accordance with the manner of Scripture; for we know that offspring, and particularly when endowed with distinguished virtues, is declared to be a remarkable gift of God, preferable to all others. It cannot even be denied that God conferred the highest honor on Mary, by choosing and appointing her to be the mother of His Son. And yet Christ’s reply is so far from agreeing with this woman's exclamation, that it contains an indirect reproof.
Nay, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God. We see that Christ treats almost as a matter of indifference that point on which the woman had set a high value. And undoubtedly what she supposed to be Mary’s highest honor was far inferior to the other favors which she had received; for it was of vastly greater importance to be regenerated by the Spirit of God than to conceive Christ, according to the flesh, in her womb; to have Christ living spiritually within her than to suckle him with her breasts. In a word, the highest happiness and glory of the holy Virgin consisted in her being a member of His Son, so that the heavenly Father counted her among the new creatures.
In my opinion, however, it was for another reason, and for another purpose, that Christ now corrected the saying of the woman. It was because people are commonly guilty of neglecting even those gifts of God, on which they gaze with astonishment, and bestow the highest praise. This woman, in applauding Christ, had left out what was of the very highest consequence: that in Him salvation is offered to all. Therefore, it was a feeble commendation that made no mention of His grace and power, which is extended to all. Christ justly claims for Himself another kind of praise: not that His mother alone is considered blessed, but that He brings to us all perfect and eternal happiness.
We never form a just estimate of the excellence of Christ until we consider for what purpose He was given to us by the Father, and perceive the benefits which He has brought to us, so that we who are wretched in ourselves may become happy in Him. But why does He say nothing about Himself, and mention only the word of God? It is because in this way He opens to us all His treasures; for without the word He has no dealings with us, nor we with Him. Communicating Himself to us by the word, He rightly and properly calls us to hear and keep it, that by faith He may become ours.
We now see the difference between Christ’s reply and the woman’s commendation. The blessedness, which she had limited to His own relatives, is a favor which He offers freely to all. He shows that we ought to entertain no ordinary esteem for Him, because He has all the treasures of life, blessedness, and glory, hidden in Him, (Colossians 2:3), which He dispenses by the word, that they may be communicated to those who embrace the word by faith. For God’s free adoption of us, which we obtain by faith, is the key to the kingdom of heaven.
The connection between two things must also be observed: we must first hear, and then keep; for as faith cometh by hearing, (Romans 10:17), it is in this way that the spiritual life must be begun. Now, as simple hearing is like a transitory looking into a mirror,155 as James says (James 1:23), He likewise adds the keeping of the word, which means the effectual reception of it, when it strikes its roots deep into our hearts and yields its fruit.
The forgetful hearer, whose ears alone are struck by the outward doctrine, gains no advantage. On the other hand, those who boast that they are satisfied with secret inspiration, and on this ground disregard outward preaching, shut themselves out from the heavenly life. What the Son of God hath joined let not men, with wicked rashness, put asunder, (Matthew 19:6).
The Papists reveal amazing stupidity by singing, in honor of Mary, those very words by which their superstition is expressly condemned. In giving thanks, they detach the woman’s saying and leave out the correction.156 But it was fitting that such a universal stupefaction should come upon those who intentionally profane, at their pleasure, the sacred word of God.
154 “Il ne faut pas penser qu’elle eust regard a Marie;” — “we must not suppose that she had reference to Mary.”;” — “we must not suppose that she had reference to Mary.”
155 “Autant que l’ouye simple est comme quand on regarde en un mirroir, et que la memoire s’en escoule incontinent;” — “since the simple hearing is as when we look into a mirror, and the remembrance of it immediately passes away.”;” — “since the simple hearing is as when we look into a mirror, and the remembrance of it immediately passes away.”
156 “Et en leurs graces apres le repas, ils prenent le dire de la femme, laissans la correction qui estoit le principal;” — “and in their thanksgivings after a meal, they employ the woman’s saying leaving out the correction, which was the most important matter,”;” — “and in their thanksgivings after a meal, they employ the woman’s saying leaving out the correction, which was the most important matter,”
"For even as Jonah became a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation." — Luke 11:30 (ASV)
As Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites. He declares that he will be a sign to them, as Jonah was to the inhabitants of Nineveh. But the word sign is not taken in its ordinary sense, as pointing out something, but as denoting what is widely removed from the ordinary course of nature. In this sense Jonah’s mission was miraculous, when he was brought out of the belly of the fish, as if from the grave, to call the Ninevites to repentance. Three days and three nights—this is in accordance with a well-known figure of speech. 166 As the night is an appendage to the day, or rather, as the day consists of two parts, light and darkness, he expresses a day by a day and a night, and where there was half a day, he puts down a whole day.
166 “Quant aux trois nuits, il y a ici (cornme on scait bien) une figure que les Grecs et Latins appellent Synecdoche;” — “as to the ;” — “as to the three nights, there is here (as is well known) a figure which the Greek and Latin writers call Synecdoche.”there is here (as is well known) a figure which the Greek and Latin writers call Synecdoche.”
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