Calvin's Commentaries
The Harmony of the Gospels (Volume XVII)
Matthew 20:24-28; Mark
10:41-45; Luke 22:24-27
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Matthew
20:24-27 |
Mark
10:41-45 |
Luke
22:24-27 |
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24. And when the ten
heard it,
1 they were displeased with the two
brethren. 25. And Jesus called them to him, and said, You
know that the princes of the Gentiles rule over them, and they who
are great exercise authority over them. 26. It shall not be
so among you: but whoever wishes to be great among you, let him be
your minister; 27. And he that wishes to be chief among you,
let him be your servant: 28. Even as the Son of man came not
that he might be served, but that he might serve, and that he might
give his life a ransom for many. |
41. And when the ten
heard it, they began to be displeased with James and John. 42. And
Jesus, when he had called them to him, saith to them, You know that
they who appear to rule over the Gentiles exercise dominion over
them; and they who are princes among them exercise power over them.
43. But it shall not be so among you; but whoever wishes to
become great among you, shall be your minister;. And whoever wishes
to be chief among you, shall be your servant. 45. For even
the Son of man came not that he might be served, but that he might
serve, and that he might give his life a ransom for many.
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24. And there arose also
a dispute among them, which of them appeared to be greatest. 25. And
he said to them, The kings of the Gentiles rule over them; and they
that have power over them are called benefactors. 26. But you
are not so: but he that is greatest among you, let him become as the
younger; and he that is ruler, as he that serves. 27. For
which is greater, he that sitteth at table, or her that serveth? Is
it not he that sitteth at table? But I am in the midst of you as he
that serveth.
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Matthew 20:24.
And when the ten
heard it.
2
Luke appears to refer this dispute to a different
time. But any one who shall carefully examine that twenty-second chapter
will plainly see that discourses delivered at different times are there
brought together, without any regard to order. The dispute about the
primacy, therefore which Luke mentions, flowed from this source, that
the sons of Zebedee
aspired to the first places in the kingdom of Christ. And yet the
displeasure of the rest was far from being well-founded; for, while the
foolish ambition of the two disciples
was so severely blamed, that they retired from Christ with
disgrace, what injury was it to the other ten,
that those disciples foolishly wished what they did
not obtain?
3 For though they had a good
right to be offended at the ambition of those disciples, yet when it was put
down they ought to have been satisfied. But our Lord intended to seize on
this occasion for laying open a disease which was lurking within them; for
there was not one of them who would willingly yield to others, but every one
secretly cherished within himself the expectation of the primacy; in
consequence of which, they envy and dispute with one another, and yet in all
there reigns wicked ambition. And if this fault was found to be natural to
uneducated men of ordinary rank, and if it broke out on a slight occasion,
and almost without any occasion at all, how much more ought we to be on our
guard, when there is abundance of fuel to feed a concealed flame? We see
then how ambition springs up in any man who has great power and honors, and
sends out its flames far and wide, unless the spirit of modesty, coming from
heaven, extinguish the pride which has a firm hold of the nature of man.
25. You know that the princes of the Gentiles rule
over them.
It is first said that Christ
called them to him,
that he might reprove them in private; and next we
learn from it that, being ashamed of their ambition, they did not openly
complain, but that a sort of hollow murmur arose, and every one secretly
preferred himself to the rest. He does not explain generally how deadly a
plague ambition is, but simply warns them, that nothing is more foolish than
to fight about nothing.
4 He shows that the primacy,
which was the occasion of dispute among them, has no existence in his
kingdom. Those persons, therefore, who extend this saying indiscriminately
to all the godly are mistaken; for Christ only takes occasion from the
present occurrence to show that it is absurd in the apostles to dispute
about the degree of power and honor in their own rank, because the office of
teaching, to which they were appointed, has no resemblance to the
governments of the world. I do acknowledge that this doctrine applies both
to private persons and to kings and magistrates; for no man deserves to be
reckoned one of Christ's flock, unless he has made such proficiency under
the teacher of humility, as to claim nothing for himself, but condescend to
cultivate brotherly love. This is, no doubt, true; but the design of Christ
was, as I have said, to distinguish between the spiritual government of his
Church and the empires of the world, that the apostles might not look for
the favors of a court; for in proportion as any of the nobles is loved by
kings, he rises to wealth and distinction. But Christ appoints pastors of
his Church, not to rule,
but to serve.
This reflects the error of the
Anabaptists, who exclude kings and magistrates from the Church of God,
because Christ declares
5 that they are not like his disciples; though
the comparison is here made not between Christians and ungodly men, but
between the nature of their offices. Besides, Christ did not look so much at
the persons of men as at the condition of his Church. For it was possible
that one who was governor of a village or of a city might, in a case of
urgent necessity, discharge also the office of teaching; but Christ
satisfied himself with explaining what belongs to the apostolic office and
what is at variance with it.
But a question arises, Why does
Christ, who appointed separate orders in his Church, disown in this passage
all degrees? For he appears to throw them all down, or, at least, to place
them on a level, so that not one rises above the rest. But natural reason
prescribes a very different method; and Paul, when describing the government
of the Church, (Ephesians
4:11,) enumerates the various departments of the ministry, in such a
manner as to make the rank of apostleship higher than the office of pastors.
Timothy and Titus also, are unquestionably enjoined by him to exercise
authoritative superintendence over others, according to the command of God.
I reply, if we carefully examine the whole, it will be found that even kings
do not rule justly or lawfully, unless they serve; but that the apostolic
office differs from earthly government in this respect, that the manner in
which kings and magistrates serve does not prevent them from governing, or
indeed from rising above their subjects in magnificent pomp and splendor.
Thus David, Hezekiah, and others of the same class, while they were the
willing servants of all, used a scepter, a crown, a throne, and other
emblems of royalty. But the government of the Church admits nothing of this
sort; for Christ allowed the pastors nothing more than to be ministers, and
to abstain entirely from the exercise of authority. Here, to it ought to be
observed, that the discourse relates to the thing itself rather than to the
disposition. Christ distinguishes between the apostles and the rank of
kings, not because kings have a right to act haughtily, but because the
station of royalty is different from the apostolic office. While, therefore,
both ought to be humble, it is the duty of the apostles always to consider
what form of government the Lord has appointed for his Church.
As to the words
which Matthew employs,
the princes of the Gentiles rule over them,
Luke conveys the same import by saying, they are called benefactors;
which means, that kings possess great wealth and
abundance, in order that they may be generous and bountiful. For though
kings have greater delight in their power, and a stronger desire that it
should be formidable, than that it should be founded in the consent of the
people, still they desire the praise of munificence.
6
Hence, too, they take the name in the Hebrew language, Mybydn,
(nedibim.)
They are so called from
bestowing gifts;
7
for taxes and tributes are paid to them for no
other purpose than to furnish the expense necessary to the magnificence of
their rank.
26.
It shall not be so among you.
There can be no doubt that Christ refers to the
foolish imagination by which he saw that the apostles were deceived. "It is
foolish and improper in you," he says, "to
imagine a kingdom, which is unsuitable to me; and therefore, if you desire
to serve me faithfully, you must resort to a different method, which is,
that each of you may strive to serve others."
8
But whoever wishes to be great among you, let
him be ,your servant.
These words are employed in an unusual sense; for ambition
does not allow a man to be devoted,
or, rather, to be
subject
to his brethren. Abject flattery, I do acknowledge, is
practiced by those who aspire to honors, but nothing is farther from their
intention than to serve.
But Christ's meaning is not difficult to be
perceived. As every man is carried away by a love of himself, he declares
that this passion ought to be directed to a different object. Let the only
greatness, eminence, and rank, which you desire, be, to submit to your
brethren; and let this be your primacy, to be the
servants of all.
28. As the Son of man.
Christ confirms the preceding doctrine by his
own example; for he voluntarily took upon himself
the form of a servant, and
emptied himself,
as Paul also informs us, (Philippians
2:7.) To prove more clearly how far he was from
indulging in lofty views, he reminds them of his death. "Because I have
chosen you to the honor of being near me, you are seized by a wicked
ambition to reign. But I -- by whose example you ought to regulate your life
-- came not to exalt myself, or to claim any royal dignity. On the contrary,
I took upon me, along with the mean and despised form of the flesh, the
ignominy of the cross. "If it be objected, that Christ was:
exalted by the Father,
in order that every knee might bow to him, (Philippians
2:9,10,)
it is easy to reply, that what he
now says refers to the period of his humiliation. Accordingly, Luke adds,
that he lived among them, as if he were a servant: not that in
appearance, or in name, or in reality, he was inferior to them, (for he
always wished to be acknowledged as their Master and Lord,) but because from
the heavenly glory he descended to such meekness, that he submitted to bear
their infirmities. Besides, it ought to be remembered that a comparison is
here made between the greater and the less, as in that passage,
If I, who am your
Master and Lord, have washed your feet, much more ought you to perform this
service to one another,
(John
13:14.)
Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:28-30
Matt 19:28.
Verily I say to you.
That the disciples may not think that they have
lost their pains, and repent of having begun the course, Christ warns them
that the glory of his kingdom, which at that time was still hidden, was
about to be revealed. As if he had said, "There
is no reason why that mean condition should
discourage you; for I, who am scarcely equal to the lowest, will at length
ascend to my throne of majesty. Endure then for a little, till the time
arrive for revealing nay glory." And what does he then promise to them? That
they shall be partakers of the same glory.
You also shall sit on twelve thrones.
By assigning to them
thrones,
from which they may judge the twelve tribes of Israel,
he compares them to assessors, or first councilors
and judges, who occupy the highest seats in the royal council. We know that
the number of those who were chosen to be apostles was
twelve,
in order to testify that, by the agency of Christ,
God purposed to collect the remnant of his people which was scattered. This
was a very high rank, but hitherto was concealed; and therefore Christ holds
their wishes in suspense till the latest revelation of his kingdom, when
they will fully receive the fruit of their election. And though the kingdom
of Christ is, in some respects, manifested by the preaching of the Gospel,
there is no doubt that Christ here speaks of the last day.
Luke 22:28.
You are they who have
continued with me.
Although Luke appears to relate a different discourse of
Christ, and one which was delivered at a different time, yet I have no doubt
that it refers to the same time. For it is not a continued discourse of
Christ that is here related, but detached sentences, without any regard to
the order of time, as we shall shortly afterwards have occasion to state.
But he employs more words than Matthew; for he declares that, as the
apostles had accompanied him, and had
remained steadfastly in his temptations,
they would also be partakers of his glory. It is
asked, in what sense does he call them his
temptations?
I think that he means the contests by which God tried him
and the apostles in common. And properly did he use the word temptations;
for, according to the feeling of human nature, his
faith and patience were actually tried.
29. And I appoint to you the kingdom.
Here he makes them not only judges, but
kings;
for he shares with them
the kingdom
which he received from
the Father.
There is an emphasis in the word appoint,
that they may not, by warmth and vehemence of
desire, hasten too eagerly to possess the kingdom
of which he alone has the lawful right to dispose.
By his own example, also, he exhorts them to patience; for, though he was
ordained by the
Father
to be a King, yet he was not immediately raised to his
glory, but even emptied Himself,
(Philippians
2:7,) and by the ignominy of the cross obtained kingly
honor. To eat and drink
at his table
is put metaphorically for being made partakers of the same glory.
