John Calvin Commentary Matthew 18
John Calvin Commentary
Matthew 18
John Calvin Commentary
Matthew 18
"In that hour came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" — Matthew 18:1 (ASV)
At that time the disciples came to Jesus. It is evident from the other two Evangelists that the disciples did not come to Christ of their own accord. Instead, having secretly disputed on the road, they were brought out of their hiding places and dragged forth to light. There is nothing inconsistent with this in the account given by Matthew, who moves quickly to Christ’s reply. He does not relate all the circumstances of the case but passes over the beginning and relates in a summary manner the reason why Christ rebuked the foolish ambition of his disciples for the highest rank. When Christ inquires about a secret conversation and forces the disciples to acknowledge what they would willingly have kept back, this teaches us that we should beware of all ambition, however carefully it may be concealed.
We must also pay attention to the time at which this occurred. The prediction of His death had made them sad and perplexed. Yet, as if they had received from it pure delight, as if they had tasted the fabled nectar of the poets,497 they immediately entered into a dispute about the highest rank.498 How could their distress of mind have vanished in a moment, except because the minds of men are so devoted to ambition that, forgetting their present state of warfare, they continually rush forward under the delusive influence of a false imagination to obtain a triumph? And if the apostles so soon forgot a teaching they had recently heard, what will become of us if, dismissing for a long period meditation on the cross, we give ourselves up to indifference and laziness, or to idle speculations?
But it is asked, what occasioned the dispute among the disciples? I reply, as their sinful nature willingly shakes off all uneasiness, they overlooked everything that had given rise to grief and focused on what had been said about the resurrection. Out of this, a debate sprang up among idle persons. And as they refused the first part of the teaching, for which their sinful nature has no appetite, God permitted them to fall into a mistake about the resurrection. They began to dream of what would never take place: that by mere preaching, Christ would obtain an earthly kingdom and would immediately rise to the highest prosperity and wealth.
There were two faults in this debate:
- The apostles were to blame for setting aside anxiety about the warfare to which they had been called, and for demanding beforehand rest, wages, and honors, as if they were soldiers who had completed their service.
- Instead of working with one accord, as they should have done, to provide mutual assistance and to secure for their brothers as large a share of honors as for themselves, they strove with wicked ambition to excel each other.
If we wish for our way of life to receive the Lord’s approval, we must learn to bear patiently the burden of the cross that has been laid on us, until the proper time arrives for obtaining the crown. As Paul exhorts, in honor preferring one another (Romans 12:10).
Closely related to the first of these faults is the vain curiosity of those people today who, leaving the proper duties of their calling, eagerly attempt to fly above the clouds. The Lord, who in the Gospel invites us to His kingdom, points out to us the road by which we are to reach it. Fickle people, who are not concerned about faith, patience, calling on God, and other exercises of religion, dispute about what is going on in heaven. It is as if a man who was about to start a journey asked where a lodging place was located, but did not move a step. Since we are commanded by the Lord to walk on the earth, those who make the condition of departed saints in heaven the subject of eager debate will, in so doing, hinder their own progress towards heaven.
497 “Comme si tout alloit a souhait et comme si ce qu’on leur a dit estoit aussi doux a avaller que sucre;” — “as if every thing went to their wish, and as if what was said to them were as pleasant to swallow as sugar.”;” — “as if every thing went to their wish, and as if what was said to them were as pleasant to swallow as sugar.”
498 “De la primaute;” — “about the primacy.”;” — “about the primacy.”
"And he called to him a little child, and set him in the midst of them," — Matthew 18:2 (ASV)
And Jesus called a child to him. The general meaning is that those who desire to obtain greatness by rising above their brothers will be so far from achieving their goal that they do not even deserve to occupy the humblest place. He reasons from opposites, because it is humility alone that exalts us. As we are more powerfully affected by appearances presented to the eyes, he holds up to them a little child as a symbol of humility.
When he instructs his followers to become like a child, this does not extend indiscriminately to all points. We know that in children there are many things wrong; and accordingly Paul instructs us to be children, not in understanding, but in malice (1 Corinthians 14:20); and in another passage he exhorts us to strive to reach the state of a perfect man (Ephesians 4:13). But as children know nothing about being preferred to each other, or about competing for the highest rank, Christ desires that their example should banish from the minds of his followers those eager desires for distinction, which wicked men and the children of the world continually indulge, so that they may not be tempted by any kind of ambition.
Perhaps it will be objected that children, even from the womb, have an innate pride, which leads them to desire the highest honor and distinction; but the reply is obvious, that comparisons must not be pressed too closely or too exactly, so as to apply in every detail. The tender age of little children is distinguished by such simplicity that they are unacquainted with the degrees of honor, and with all the incentives to pride; so that Christ properly and justly presents them as an example.
"and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven." — Matthew 18:3 (ASV)
Unless you are converted. The conversion he now speaks of must be referred to the example of little children. Previously, they had been too much accustomed to ordinary human customs; and if they were to gain their objective, they would have to pursue a completely different course.499 Everyone wished for himself the first or the second rank; but Christ does not allot even the lowest place to any man who does not lose sight of distinctions and humble himself. On the contrary, he says,
499 “Il leur est besoin de tourner bride, et de s’accoustumer a tout cela;” — “they must wheel round, and get accustomed to all this.”;” — “they must wheel round, and get accustomed to all this.”
"Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." — Matthew 18:4 (ASV)
Whosoever shall humble himself like this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. This is intended to guard us against supposing that we degrade ourselves in any way by freely surrendering every kind of distinction. And from this we may obtain a short definition 500 of humility. That man is truly humble who neither claims any personal merit in the sight of God, nor proudly despises fellow believers, or aims at being thought superior to them, but considers it enough that he is one of the members of Christ, and desires nothing more than that the Head alone should be exalted.
500 “La vraye definition;” — “the true definition.”;” — “the true definition.”
"And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me:" — Matthew 18:5 (ASV)
And he who receives such a child. The term children is now applied metaphorically by Christ to those who have set aside arrogance and who conduct themselves with modesty and humility.
This is added as a consolation, so that we do not consider it troublesome or disagreeable to exercise humility, through which Christ not only receives us under His protection but also recommends us to the favor of others.
And so believers are taught how they should esteem each other: it is by everyone humbling himself. How is mutual friendship usually maintained among the children of the world, except by each person complying with the wishes of another?
The more eager a person is to obtain renown, the more insolently he grasps for power, so that he may be raised to a high position and others may be ridiculed or despised. But Christ instructs that the more a person humbles himself, the more highly he will be honored.
This is also the meaning of the words given by Luke, he that is least among you shall be great; for our Lord does not instruct us to think more highly of those who justly deserve to be despised, but of those who rid themselves of all pride and are perfectly willing to occupy the lowest place.
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