John Calvin Commentary Matthew 13:12

"For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath." — Matthew 13:12 (ASV)

For whosoever hath, it shall be given to him. Christ pursues the subject which I have just mentioned, for He reminds His disciples how kindly God acts towards them, so that they may more highly prize His grace and acknowledge themselves to be under deeper obligations to His kindness. He repeats the same words afterwards, but in a different sense (Matthew 25:29), for on that occasion the discourse relates to the lawful use of gifts.¹⁸³ But here He simply teaches that more is given to the apostles than to the generality of men, because the heavenly Father is pleased to display His kindness towards them in perfection.

He does not forsake the work of His own hand,
(Psalms 138:8)

Those whom He has once begun to form are continually polished more and more, until they are at length brought to the highest perfection. The multiplied favors that are continually flowing from Him to us, and the joyful progress we make, spring from God’s contemplation of His own liberality, which prompts Him to an uninterrupted course of bounty.

And as His riches are inexhaustible,¹⁸⁴ so He is never weary of enriching His children. Whenever He advances us to a higher degree, let us remember that every increase of the favors we daily receive from Him flows from this source: that it is His purpose to complete the work of our salvation already commenced.

On the other hand, Christ declares that the reprobate are continually proceeding from bad to worse, until, at length exhausted, they waste away in their own poverty.

And he that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken from him. This may appear to be a harsh expression. But instead of saying that what the ungodly have not is taken from them, Luke softens the harshness and removes the ambiguity by a slight change of the words: and whosoever hath not, even that which he thinketh that he hath shall be taken from him.

And indeed, it frequently happens that the reprobate are endued with eminent gifts and appear to resemble the children of God: but there is nothing of real value about them; for their mind is destitute of piety and has only the glitter of an empty show.

Matthew is therefore justified in saying that they have nothing, for what they have is of no value in the sight of God and has no permanency within. Equally appropriate is the statement of Luke that the gifts with which they have been endued are corrupted by them, so that they shine only in the eyes of men but have nothing more than splendor and empty display.

Hence, also, let us learn to aim at progress throughout our whole life, for God grants to us the taste of His heavenly doctrine on the express condition that we feed on it abundantly from day to day, until we come to be fully satiated with it.

The manner in which Mark introduces this sentence has some appearance of confusion. Consider, says our Lord, what you hear; and then, if they make due progress, He holds out the expectation of more plentiful grace: it shall be added to you that hear.

Lastly, the clause follows which agrees with the words of Matthew, but it is inserted in the middle of a sentence which I expounded under the seventh chapter of Matthew;¹⁸⁵ for it is not probable that these words are here placed in their proper order.

The Evangelists, as we have remarked on former occasions, were not very exact in arranging Christ’s discourses, but frequently threw together a variety of sayings uttered by Him.

Luke mixes this sentence with other discourses of Christ spoken at different times, and likewise points out a different purpose for which Christ used these words. It was that they might be attentive to His doctrine, and not permit the seed of life to pass away unimproved, which ought to be cordially received and take root in their minds. “Beware,” He says, “lest what has been given be taken away from you, if it yield no fruit.”

¹⁸³ “Car la le propos sera touchant le droict et legitime usage des dons de Dieu;” — “for there the discourse will relate to the right and lawful use of the gifts of God.”;” — “for there the discourse will relate to the right and lawful use of the gifts of God.”

¹⁸⁴ “Et comme ses richesses sont infinies, et ne se peuvent espuiser;”— “and as his riches are infinite, and cannot be exhausted.”;”— “and as his riches are infinite, and cannot be exhausted.”

¹⁸⁵ Harmony, volume 1 p. 345..