John Calvin Commentary Matthew 12
John Calvin Commentary
Matthew 12
John Calvin Commentary
Matthew 12
"At that season Jesus went on the sabbath day through the grainfields; and his disciples were hungry and began to pluck ears and to eat." — Matthew 12:1 (ASV)
Jesus was walking on the Sabbath. It was the design of the Evangelists, in this history, to show partly what a malicious disposition the Pharisees had, and partly how superstitiously they were attached to outward and slight matters, so as to make holiness consist in them entirely.
They blame the disciples of Christ for plucking the ears of corn on the Sabbath, during their journey, when they were pressed with hunger, as if, by doing so, they were violating the Sabbath.
The keeping of the Sabbath was, indeed, a holy thing, but not such a manner of keeping it as they imagined, so that one could scarcely move a finger without making the conscience tremble.76 It was hypocrisy, therefore, that made them so exact in trifling matters, while they spared themselves in gross superstitions, as Christ elsewhere upbraids them with paying tithe of mint and anise, and neglecting the important matters of the Law (Matthew 23:23).
It is the invariable practice of hypocrites to allow themselves liberty in matters of the greatest consequence, and to pay close attention to ceremonial observances. Another reason why they demand that outward rites should be more rigorously observed is that they wish to make their duty toward God consist only in carnal worship.
But it was malevolence and envy, still more than superstition, that led them to this act of censure, for towards others they would not have been equally stern. It is proper for us to observe the feelings by which they were animated, lest anyone should be distressed by the fact that the very Doctors of the Law were so hostile to Christ.
76 “Avec tremblement et incertitude de conscience;” — “with trembling and uncertainty of conscience.”;” — “with trembling and uncertainty of conscience.”
"But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was hungry, and they that were with him;" — Matthew 12:3 (ASV)
Have you not read what David did? Christ employs five arguments to refute their slander. First, he defends his disciples by citing the example of David, (1 Samuel 21:6). While David was fleeing from Saul’s rage, he sought provisions from the high priest Ahimelech; and as no ordinary food was available, he succeeded in obtaining some of the holy bread. If David’s necessity excused him, the same argument should apply to others. It follows, then, that the ceremonies of the Law are not violated when there is no compromise of godliness.77
Now Christ assumes that David was free from blame, because the Holy Spirit commends the priest who allowed him to eat the holy bread. When he says that it was not lawful to eat that bread except for the priests alone, we must understand that he is referring to the ordinary law:
they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was made,
to consecrate and to sanctify them; but a stranger shall not
eat thereof, because they are holy, (Exodus 29:33).
If David had attempted to do what was against the law, it would have been useless for Christ to cite his example. For no necessity could make lawful what had been prohibited for a specific purpose.
77 “Quand on ne derogue rien a la reverence deue, a Dieu;” — “when nothing is taken away from the reverence that is due to God.”;” — “when nothing is taken away from the reverence that is due to God.”
"Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless?" — Matthew 12:5 (ASV)
That on the Sabbaths the priests profane the Sabbath. This is the second argument by which Christ proves that the violation of the Sabbath, of which the Pharisees complained, was free from all blame; because on the Sabbaths it is lawful to slay beasts for sacrifice, to circumcise infants, and to do other things relating to the worship of God. Therefore, it follows that the duties of piety are in no way inconsistent with each other.78 But if the temple sanctifies manual operations connected with sacrifices, and with the whole of the outward service, the holiness of the true and spiritual temple has greater efficacy, in exempting its worshippers from all blame, while they are discharging the duties of godliness.79 Now the disciples' objective was to present to God souls which were consecrated by the Gospel.
Matthew alone glances at this argument. When Christ says that the priests Profane the Sabbath, the expression is not strictly accurate, and is accommodated to his hearers; for when the Law requires men to abstain from their employments, it does not forbid them to perform the services of religion. But Christ admits that to be true which might appear to be so in the eye of ignorant persons,80 and rests satisfied with proving that the labors performed in the temple are not offensive to God.
78 “Que les exercices de piete ne sont point contraires les uns aux autres, mais s’accordent bien ensemble;” — “that the exercises of godliness are not opposed to each other, but agree well together.”;” — “that the exercises of godliness are not opposed to each other, but agree well together.”
79 “Quand ils s’employent a oeuvres qui tendent a l’honneur de Dieu;” — “when they are employed in works which tend to the honor of God.”;” — “when they are employed in works which tend to the honor of God.”
80 “Ainsi Christ accorde estre vray, ce qui ne l’est pas de faict, mais qui pourroit sembler l’estre en apparence a gens qui ne scavent pas bien iuger et discerner les choses;” — “thus Christ admits that to be true which is not so in reality, but which might appear to be so to persons who do not know how to judge and distinguish matters properly.”;” — “thus Christ admits that to be true which is not so in reality, but which might appear to be so to persons who do not know how to judge and distinguish matters properly.”
"But if ye had known what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless." — Matthew 12:7 (ASV)
But if you knew—this third argument is also mentioned by Matthew alone. Christ indirectly reproves the Pharisees for not considering why ceremonies were appointed and for what purpose they are intended. This has been a common fault in almost every age; and therefore, the prophet Hosea (Hosea 6:6) exclaims against the people of his own time for being too attached to ceremonies and caring little about the duties of kindness. But God declares aloud that He sets a higher value on mercy than on sacrifice. He uses the word mercy, by a figure of speech, for acts of kindness, just as sacrifices include the outward service of the Law. Christ applies this statement to His own time and charges the Pharisees with wickedly distorting the Law of God from its true meaning, disregarding the second table of the Law, and being entirely preoccupied with ceremonies.
But a question arises: Why does God declare that He is indifferent to ceremonies when He strictly commanded in His Law that they should be observed? The answer is easy. External rites have no value in themselves and are required by God only insofar as they are directed to their proper purpose. Besides, God does not absolutely reject them; instead, by comparing them with acts of kindness, He declares that ceremonies are inferior to kindness in actual value.
Nor is it inconsistent with this to say that, in the perfection of righteousness, the highest rank belongs to the worship of God, and the duties that people owe to each other occupy the second rank. For, though piety is justly considered to be as much superior to charity as God is higher than humans, yet, since believers, by practicing justice towards each other, prove that their service of God is sincere, it is not without reason that this subject is brought to the attention of hypocrites, who imitate piety by outward signs and yet pervert it by confining their laborious efforts to carnal worship alone.81 From the testimony of the Prophet, Christ justly infers that no blame attaches to His disciples; for while God trained His people in the basic principles of the Law, it was far from being His design to kill wretched people with famine.
81 “Et cependant neantmoins la renversent et falsifient, s’arrestans au seul service charnel, auquel ils prenent grande peine;” — “and yet nevertheless overthrow and falsify it, confining themselves to the carnal service alone, on which they bestow great pains.”;” — “and yet nevertheless overthrow and falsify it, confining themselves to the carnal service alone, on which they bestow great pains.”
"For the Son of man is lord of the sabbath." — Matthew 12:8 (ASV)
For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath. Some connect this sentence with a preceding statement, that one greater than the temple is in this place, (Matthew 12:6); but I look upon them as different. In the former case, Christ, by an allusion to the temple, affirmed that whatever was connected with his personal holiness was not a transgression of the Law; but now, he declares that he has received authority to exempt his followers from the necessity of observing the Sabbath. The Son of man, (he says,) in the exercise of his authority, can relax the Sabbath in the same manner as other legal ceremonies. And certainly, apart from Christ, the bondage of the Law is wretched, from which he alone delivers those on whom he bestows the free Spirit of adoption,82 (Romans 8:15).
82 “Ausquels il donne l’Esprit d’adoption, qui est l’Esprit de la liberte;” — “to whom he gives the Spirit of adoption which is the Spirit of liberty.”;” — “to whom he gives the Spirit of adoption which is the Spirit of liberty.”
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