John Calvin Commentary Luke 4:25

"But of a truth I say unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land;" — Luke 4:25 (ASV)

There were many widows. After He cast the blame back upon them for being deprived of miracles, He presents two examples to prove that they should not think it strange if God prefers strangers to the inhabitants of the country. Furthermore, they should not find fault with Him for obeying God's call, as Elijah and Elisha had previously done.

He also indirectly hints at their vanity and presumption in disliking Him because He had been brought up among them.

When there was a great famine for three years and a half, there were many widows in Israel, whose lack of food Elijah was not commanded to relieve. Instead, he was sent to a woman who belonged to a foreign nation, Zidon (1 Kings 17:9). In the same way, Elisha healed no lepers among his countrymen, but he healed Naaman, a Syrian (2 Kings 5:10).

Though His reproofs strike the inhabitants of Nazareth with particular severity, He charges the whole nation with ingratitude. For a long time, almost all of them had shown increasingly shameful contempt for the Lord, the closer He had come to them. For how did it happen that a foreign woman was preferred by God over all the Israelites, if not because the prophet had been rejected by them and forced to seek refuge in a pagan land? And why did God choose for Naaman, a Syrian, to be healed by Elisha, if not to bring shame upon the nation of Israel? The meaning, therefore, is that the same thing happens now as in previous times: God sends His power to distant foreigners because He is rejected by the inhabitants of the country.

Meanwhile, Christ suggests that, though He is despised by His countrymen, His glory is not diminished in any way. This is because God will still be able, to their shame and confusion, to dignify and exalt His Son, just as He previously gave honor to His prophets among the Gentiles.

In this way, foolish glorying in the flesh is suppressed when we see the Lord bestow blessings not only where and when He pleases, but also upon distant places, while passing over the country He had chosen for His dwelling.

From this, we can also derive the general doctrine that we have no right to prescribe any rule to God for distributing His benefits, thereby preventing Him from rejecting those who hold the highest rank and from conferring honor on the lowest and most despised. Furthermore, we are not free to oppose Him when He completely overturns the order that would have seemed right to our own judgment.

Our attention is undoubtedly drawn to a contrast between Israel and the Gentile nations. However, we must still maintain that no one is chosen over others because of their own excellence. Instead, this choice proceeds from the wonderful purpose of God, whose height and depth—though the reason for it may be hidden from us—we are obligated to acknowledge and adore.