John Calvin Commentary Matthew 25:15

"And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his several ability; and he went on his journey." — Matthew 25:15 (ASV)

To every one according to his own ability. By this term Christ does not distinguish between natural gifts and the gifts of the Spirit, for we have no power or skill⁶⁸⁸ that should not be acknowledged as having been received from God; and therefore, whoever determines to give God his share will leave nothing for himself. What then is meant by saying that the master of the house gives to each person more or less, according to his own ability? It is because God, just as He has assigned to everyone his place and bestowed on him natural gifts, also gives him this or that injunction, employs him in managing affairs, raises him to various offices, furnishes him with abundant means for eminent usefulness, and presents him with the opportunity.

It is absurd, however, for Papists to infer from this that the gifts of God are conferred on everyone according to the measure he deserves. For, although the old translator,⁶⁸⁹ employed the word virtus,⁶⁹⁰ he did not mean that God bestows His gifts according to how well people have acquitted themselves and obtained the praise of virtue, but only insofar as the master of the house has judged them to be suitable. Now we know that no one is found by God to be suitable until He has made him so; and the Greek word δύναμις, (power, ability,) which Christ employed, is free from all ambiguity.

⁶⁸⁸ “Il n’y a ne puissance, ne industrie, ou dexterit;” — “there is neither power, nor industry, nor skill.”;” — “there is neither power, nor industry, nor skill.”

⁶⁸⁹ “Le translateur Latin ancien;” — “the old Latin translator.”;” — “the old Latin translator.”

⁶⁹⁰ An interpreter who was willing to twist a passage, so as to bring out of it any meaning that he chose, would find the vagueness of the Latin word virtus to be well suited to his purpose. Its derivation from to be well suited to his purpose. Its derivation from vir,, a man, shows that it originally signified man, shows that it originally signified manliness, from which it easily passed to denote , from which it easily passed to denote courage, and, from the high estimation in which , and, from the high estimation in which courage was held among warlike nations, became the general expression for was held among warlike nations, became the general expression for moral excellennce, out of which arose the application of it to other kinds of , out of which arose the application of it to other kinds of excellence, as in the phrase, , as in the phrase, virtutes orationis,, the ornaments of style. Again, from denoting . Again, from denoting manly vigor it came naturally to denote it came naturally to denote ability; and it is undoubtedly in this sense, with which our English version accords, that and it is undoubtedly in this sense, with which our English version accords, that rirtus is employed by the Vulgate in this passage. — is employed by the Vulgate in this passage. — Ed.