John Calvin Commentary Matthew 7:23

"And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." — Matthew 7:23 (ASV)

And then will I confess to them.⁴⁸² By using the word ὁμολογήσω, I will confess,⁴⁸³ Christ appears to allude to the vain boasting by which hypocrites now boast. “They indeed have confessed me with the tongue and imagine that they have fully discharged their duty. The confession of my name is now heard aloud from their tongue. But I too will confess on the opposite side, that their profession is deceitful and false.” And what is contained in Christ’s confession? That he never counted them among his own people, even at the time when they boasted that they were the pillars of the church.

Depart from me. He orders those persons to depart from his presence, who had stolen, under a false title, an unjust and temporary possession of his house. From this passage in our Lord’s discourse Paul seems to have taken what he says to Timothy:

The Lord knoweth who are his: and, let every one who calleth on the name of Christ depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19).

The former clause is intended to prevent weak minds from being alarmed or discouraged by the desertion of those who had a great and distinguished reputation,⁴⁸⁴ for he declares that they were disowned by the Lord, though by a vain show they captivated the eyes of men. He then exhorts all those who wish to be counted among the disciples of Christ to withdraw early from iniquity, that Christ may not drive them from his presence when he shall “separate the sheep from the goats,” (Matthew 25:33).

⁴⁸² “Et lors je leur diray ouvertement;” — “and then will I openly say to them.”;” — “and then will I openly say to them.”

⁴⁸³ “Le mot Grec dont use l'Evangeliste signifie proprement, Je leur confesseray;” — “the Greek word, which the Evangelist uses, literally signifies ‘I will confess to them.’“;” — “the Greek word, which the Evangelist uses, literally signifies ‘I will confess to them.’“

⁴⁸⁴ “D’aucuns qui auront en grand bruit, et auront este fort estimez;”— “of any who shall have made great noise, and shall have been greatly esteemed.”;”— “of any who shall have made great noise, and shall have been greatly esteemed.”