John Calvin Commentary Luke 17
John Calvin Commentary
Luke 17
John Calvin Commentary
Luke 17
"But who is there of you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say unto him, when he is come in from the field, Come straightway and sit down to meat;" — Luke 17:7 (ASV)
The object of this parable is to show that God claims all that belongs to us as His property and possesses complete control over our persons and services. Therefore, any zeal we might show in discharging our duty does not place Him under obligation to us by any sort of merit. For, as we are His property, He, on His part, can owe us nothing.317
He presents the comparison of a servant, who, after spending the day in severe toil, returns home in the evening and continues his labors until his master is pleased to relieve him.318 Christ is not speaking of the kind of servants we have today, who work for wages, but of the slaves who lived in ancient times.
Their condition in society was such that they gained nothing for themselves; instead, all that belonged to them—their toil, their diligence, and their industry, even to their very blood—was the property of their masters. Christ now shows that a bond of servitude no less rigorous binds and obliges us to serve God, from which He infers that we have no way of placing Him under obligation to us.
It is an argument drawn from the lesser to the greater. For if a mortal man is permitted to hold such power over another man as to require of him uninterrupted services by night and by day, and yet incur no sort of mutual obligation as if he were that man's debtor, how much more will God have a right to demand the services of our whole life, to the fullest extent of our ability, and yet be in no way indebted to us? We see then that all who imagine they deserve anything from God, or that He is bound to them in any way, are held guilty of wicked arrogance. And yet, no crime is more commonly practiced than this kind of arrogance, for there is no one who would not willingly call God to account, and thus the notion of merits has prevailed in almost every age.
But we must pay closer attention to the statement made by Christ: that we render nothing to God beyond what He has a right to claim, but are so strongly bound to His service that we owe Him everything that lies in our power. It consists of two points:
- Our life, even to the very end of our course, belongs entirely to God. Therefore, if a person were to spend a part of it in obedience to God, he would have no right to bargain that he should rest for the remainder of the time, just as a considerable number of men, after serving as soldiers for ten years, would gladly apply for a discharge.
- God is not bound to pay us wages for any of our services, a point we have already touched upon.
Let each of us remember that he has been created by God for the purpose of laboring and of being vigorously employed in His work—not only for a limited time, but until death itself. And what is more, he shall not only live, but die, to God (Romans 14:8).
Regarding merit, we must address the difficulty that perplexes many. For Scripture so frequently promises a reward for our works that they think it allows them some merit. The answer is simple: a reward is promised, not as a debt, but from God's mere good pleasure.
It is a great mistake to assume a mutual relationship between Reward and Merit, for it is by His own undeserved favor, and not by the value of our works, that God is moved to reward them. Under the terms of the Law319, I readily acknowledge, God is bound to men if they were to fully discharge all that is required of them. But still, since this is a voluntary obligation on God's part, it remains a fixed principle that man can demand nothing from God, as if he had merited anything.
And so, the arrogance of the flesh collapses. For, even if someone fulfilled the Law, he cannot claim that he has any demands on God, having done no more than he was bound to do. When He says that we are unprofitable servants, His meaning is that God receives from us nothing beyond what is justly due, but only collects the lawful revenues of His dominion.
Therefore, two principles must be maintained:
- God naturally owes us nothing, and all the services we render to Him are not worth a single straw.
- According to the terms of the Law, a reward is attached to works, not because of their value, but because God is graciously pleased to become our debtor.320
It would show intolerable ingratitude if, on such a basis, any person were to indulge in proud boasting. The kindness and liberality God shows towards us are so far from giving us a right to swell with foolish confidence that we are only placed under deeper obligations to Him.
Whenever we encounter the word reward, or whenever it comes to mind, let us regard this as the crowning act of God's goodness to us: that, though we are completely in His debt, He condescends to enter into an agreement with us.
All the more detestable, then, is the invention of the Sophists, who have had the shameless audacity to fabricate a kind of merit that claims to be founded on a just claim.321 The word merit, in itself, was already profane enough and inconsistent with the standard of piety; but to intoxicate people with diabolical pride, as if they could merit anything by a just claim, is far worse.
317 “Il ne pent pas estre nostre deteur;” — “he cannot be our debtor.”;” — “he cannot be our debtor.”
318 “Iusqu’a ce qu’il se soit acquitte au bon plaisir du maistre; et qu’on luy dise, C’est assez;” — “till he is discharged at the good pleasure of the master; and till he is told, It is enough.”;” — “till he is discharged at the good pleasure of the master; and till he is told, It is enough.”
319 “Selon les conventions contenus en la Loy;” — “according to the engagements contained in the Law.”;” — “according to the engagements contained in the Law.”
320 “Mais en telle sorte que Dieu se rend volontairement deteur, sans qu’il y soit tenu;” — “but in such a manner that God voluntarily becomes our debtor, though he is under no obligation to do so.”;” — “but in such a manner that God voluntarily becomes our debtor, though he is under no obligation to do so.”
321 “Et d’antant plus est detestable la sophisterie des Theologiens Scho- lastiques, ou Sorbonnistes, lesquels ont ose forger leur merite, qu’ils appellent De condigno;” — “And so much the more detestable is the sophistry of the Scholastic Theologians, or Sorbonnists, ;” — “And so much the more detestable is the sophistry of the Scholastic Theologians, or Sorbonnists, (see p. 142, n. 2, , of this volume,) who have dared to forge their merit, which they call who have dared to forge their merit, which they call De condigno.” The reader will find not only the general doctrine of m” The reader will find not only the general doctrine of merit, but this particular aspect of it, fully treated by our Author in his but this particular aspect of it, fully treated by our Author in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book III. ch. 15:Book III. ch. 15:
"Even so ye also, when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do." — Luke 17:10 (ASV)
We have done what we were bound to do. That is, “we have brought nothing of our own, but have only done what we were bound by the law to do.” Christ speaks here of an entire observance of the law, which is nowhere to be found; for the most perfect of all men is still at a great distance from that righteousness which the law demands.
The present question is not, Are we justified by works? but, Is the observance of the law meritorious of any reward from God? This latter question is answered in the negative; for God holds us as his slaves, and therefore reckons all that can proceed from us to be his just right.
Indeed, even if it were true that a reward is due to the observance of the law regarding merit, it will not therefore follow that any man is justified by the merits of works; for we all fail: and not only is our obedience imperfect, but there is not a single part of it that corresponds exactly to the judgment of God.
"And it came to pass, as they were on their way to Jerusalem, that he was passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee." — Luke 17:11 (ASV)
As on a previous occasion, Matthew and the other two Evangelists (Matthew 8:1; Mark 1:40; Luke 5:12) related that a leper had been cleansed by Christ, so Luke mentions that the same miracle of healing was performed on ten lepers.
The purpose of this narrative, however, is different, for it describes the base and incredible ingratitude of the Jewish nation. This is told so that we do not wonder why so many of Christ’s favors were suppressed, and so many of his wonderful works buried, among them.
One circumstance is also added that greatly heightens the infamy of their crime. Our Lord had cured nine Jews. Yet not one of them returned thanks; instead, intending to erase the memory of their disease, they privately slipped away. Only one man—a Samaritan—acknowledged his obligation to Christ.
Therefore, on the one hand, this narrative displays Christ’s divine power. On the other hand, it reproves the impiety of the Jews, because of which such a remarkable miracle received scarcely any attention.
"and they lifted up their voices, saying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." — Luke 17:13 (ASV)
Jesus, Master338
It is evident that all of them possessed some measure of faith, not only because they implore Christ's assistance, but also because they honor him with the title of Master. That they used that expression sincerely, and not in hypocrisy, can be inferred from their ready obedience. For, although they perceive that the filthy scab still remains in their flesh, as soon as they are commanded to show themselves to the priests, they do not refuse to obey.
Furthermore, without the influence of faith, they would never have set out to show themselves to the priests; for it would have been absurd for them to present themselves to the judges of leprosy to attest that they had been cleansed, if Christ's promise had been regarded by them as no more valuable than a mere inspection of the disease. They bear a visible leprosy in their flesh; yet, trusting to Christ’s word alone, they do not hesitate to declare that they are clean.
Therefore, it cannot be denied that some seed of faith had been implanted in their hearts. Now, although it is certain that they were not regenerated by the Spirit of adoption, there is no absurdity in supposing that they had some beginnings of piety.
There is all the more reason to fear that sparks of faith, which appear in us, may be extinguished. For, although living faith, which has its roots deeply fixed by the Spirit of regeneration, never dies, we have previously seen that many conceive a temporary faith, which immediately disappears.
Above all, it is a very common ailment that when we are urged by strong necessity, and when the Lord himself prompts us by a secret movement of the Spirit, we seek God; but when we have obtained our wishes, ungrateful forgetfulness swallows up that feeling of piety. Thus, poverty and hunger produce faith, but abundance kills it.
338 “Iesus, nostre Maistre;” — “;” — “Jesus,our our Master.”
"And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go and show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were cleansed." — Luke 17:14 (ASV)
Show yourselves to the priests. This reply was equivalent to saying, “You are clean;” for we know that the discernment of leprosy belonged to the priests, who were commanded in the Law to distinguish between the clean and the unclean (Leviticus 14:2). Thus Christ preserves their right fully, and appeals to them as witnesses to approve the miracle He had performed. And we have previously said that pious and devout sentiments concerning Christ must have been held by those men who were instantly led, by His mere word, to entertain the hope of a cure.
On this passage, the Papists absurdly build their auricular confession. I admit the lepers were sent by Christ to the priests, but it was not for the purpose of vomiting out their sins into their ears. On the contrary, they were sent to offer a sacrifice, as the Law had commanded. They were not sent to cleanse themselves, as the Papists imagine that cleanness is produced by confession, but to show to the priests that they were already clean.
It is an additional proof of the folly of the Papists that they do not consider what a foul stain of infamy they throw on their confession. For, according to their reasoning, it will be quite enough if, out of the whole troop of those who have gone to the priests, only a tenth part returns to Christ, and all the rest wickedly revolt. They cannot use this passage to support their confession without allowing us to turn back on them the implication it yields: that none return from the priests to give glory to God. But, not to dwell on these fooleries, we have ascertained the reason why the priests were mentioned.
It happened that, while they were going, they were cleansed. Here the divine power of Christ and of His words was displayed, and there was also a proof of the high regard God has for the obedience of faith. For the great suddenness of the cure arose from the confident hope that induced them to undertake the journey without hesitation at the command of Christ. But if that transitory faith—which lacked a living root and produced nothing more than a blade—was honored by God with such a remarkable effect, how much more valuable is the reward that awaits our faith if it is sincerely and permanently fixed on God? Though the nine lepers derived no benefit for salvation from the healing of their bodies, but only obtained a temporary gift by means of a fleeting and transitory faith, yet this illustration points out to us the great efficacy that will accompany true faith.
Jump to: