Calvin's Commentaries
The Harmony of the Gospels
St. Luke 24:44-49
44.
These are the words. Though it
will afterwards appear from Matthew and Mark that a discourse similar to
this was delivered in Galilee, yet I think it probable that Luke now relates
what happened on the day after his resurrection. For what John says of that
day, that he breathed on them, that they might
receive the Holy Ghost, (20:22)
agrees with the words of Luke which here immediately follow, that
he opened their understanding, that they might understand
the Scriptures. By these words Christ
indirectly reproves their gross and shameful forgetfulness, that, though
they had long ago been fully informed of his future resurrection, they were
as much astonished as if it had never been mentioned to them. The import of
his words is: "Why do you hesitate as if this had been a new and unexpected
occurrence, while it is only what I frequently predicted to you? Why do you
not rather remember my words? For if hitherto you have reckoned me worthy of
credit, this ought to have been known to you from my instructions before it
happened." In short, Christ tacitly complains that his labor has been thrown
away on the apostles, since his instruction has been forgotten.
All things which are written concerning me.
He now rebukes them more sharply for their slowness, by
declaring that he brought forward nothing that was new but that he only
reminded them of what had been declared by
the Law and the Prophets,
with which they ought to have been familiar from their
childhood. But though they had been ignorant of the whole doctrine of
religion, nothing could have been more unreasonable than not to embrace
readily what they knew to have undoubtedly proceeded from God; for it was a
principle admitted by the whole nation, that there was no religion but what
was contained in the Law and
the Prophets. The present division of
the Scriptures is more copious than what we find in other passages; for
besides the Law and the
Prophets, he adds, in the third place,
the Psalms,
which, though they might with propriety have been reckoned
among the Prophets,
have, something distinct and peculiar to themselves. Yet
the division into two par which we have seen elsewhere, (Luke
16:16;
John 1:45,) embraces notwithstanding the whole of
Scripture.
45.
Then he opened their
understanding. As the Lord had
formerly discharged the office of Teacher, with little or no improvement on
the part of the disciples, he now begins to teach them inwardly by his
Spirit; for words are icily wasted on the air, until the :minds are
enlightened by the gift of understanding. It is true, indeed, that
the word of God is like a lamp, (Psalm
119:105;)
but it shines in
darkness and amidst the blind, until the inward light is given by the Lord,
to whom it peculiarly belongs to enlighten the
blind,
(Psalm
146:8.) And hence it is evident how great is the
corruption of our nature, since the light of life exhibited to us in the
heavenly oracles is of no avail to us. Now if we do not perceive by the understanding
what is right, how would the will be sufficient for
yielding obedience? We ought, therefore, to acknowledge that we come short
in every respect, so that the heavenly doctrine proves to be useful and
efficacious to us, only so far as the Spirit both forms our minds to
understand it, and our hearts to submit to its yoke; and, therefore, that in
order to our being properly qualified for becoming his disciples, we must
lay aside all confidence in our own abilities, and seek light from heaven;
and, abandoning the foolish opinion of free-will, must give ourselves up to
be governed by God. Nor is it without reason that Paul bids men
become fools, that they may be wise to God,
(1
Corinthians 3:18;)
for no darkness is more dangerous for
quenching the light of the Spirit than reliance on our own sagacity.
That they might understand the Scriptures.
Let the reader next observe, that the disciples had not
the eyes of their mind opened, so as to comprehend the mysteries of God
without any assistance, but so far as they are contained in
the Scriptures; and
thus was fulfilled what is said,
(Psalm
119:18,) Enlighten mine eyes,
that I may behold the wonders of thy law.
For God does not
bestow the Spirit on his people, in order to set aside the use of his word,
but rather to render it fruitful. It is highly improper, therefore, in
fanatics, under the pretense of revelations, to take upon themselves the
liberty of despising the
Scriptures; for what we now read in
reference to the apostles is daily accomplished by Christ in all his people,
namely, that by his Spirit he guides us
to understand the Scriptures,
and does not hurry us away into the idle raptures of
enthusiasm.
But it may be
asked, Why did Christ choose to lose his labor, during the entire period of
three years, in teaching them, rather than to
open their understandings
from the very outset? I reply, first, though the fruit of
his labor did not immediately appear, still it was not useless; for when the
new light was given to them, they likewise perceived the advantage of the
former period. For I regard these words as meaning, not only that
he opened their understandings,
that, in future they might be ready to receive
instruction, if any thing were stated to them, but that they might call to
remembrance his doctrine, which they had formerly heard without any
advantage. Next, let us learn that this ignorance, which lasted during three
years, was of great use for informing them that from no other source than
from the heavenly light did they obtain their new discernment. Besides, by
this fact Christ gave an undoubted proof of his Divinity; for he not only
was the minister of the outward voice, which sounded in their ears, but by
his hidden power he penetrated into their minds, and thus showed that what,
Paul tells us, does not belong to the teachers of the Church is the
prerogative of Him alone, (1
Corinthians 3:7.) Yet it ought to be observed, that
the apostles were not so destitute of the light of understanding as not to
hold certain elementary principles; but as it was only a slight taste, it is
reckoned to be a commencement of true
understanding when
the veil is removed, and they behold Christ in
the Law and the Prophets.
46.
And he said to them, Thus
it is written. The connection of
these words refutes the calumny of those who allege that outward doctrine
would be superfluous, if we did not naturally possess some power of
understanding. "Why," say they, "would the Lord speak to the deaf?" But we
see that, when the Spirit of Christ, who is the inward Teacher, performs his
office, the labor of the minister who speaks is not thrown away; for Christ,
after having bestowed on his followers the gift of
understanding,
instructs them out of the
Scriptures with real advantage. With
the reprobate, indeed, though the outward word passes away as if it were
dead, still it renders them inexcusable.
As to the words of
Christ, they are founded on this principle:
Whatever is written must be fulfilled,
for God declared nothing by his prophets but what he will
undoubtedly accomplish." But by these words we are likewise taught what it
is that we ought chiefly to learn from
the Law and the Prophets;
namely, that since Christ is the
end
and the soul of the law,
(Romans
10:4,) whatever we learn without him, and apart from
him, is idle and unprofitable. Whoever then desires to make great
proficiency in the
Scriptures ought always to keep this
end in view. Now Christ here places first in order his death and
resurrection, and afterwards the fruit which we derive from both. For whence
come repentance and forgiveness of sins, but because
our old man is crucified with Christ,
(Romans
6:6,) that by his grace we may rise to newness of life;
and because our sins have been expiated by the sacrifice
of his death, our pollution has been washed away by his blood, and we have,
obtained righteousness through his resurrection? He teaches, therefore, that
in his death and resurrection we ought to seek the cause and grounds of our
salvation; because hence arise reconciliation to God, and regeneration to a
new and spiritual life. Thus it is expressly stated that neither forgiveness
of sins nor repentance can be preached but in his name; for, on the one
hand, we have no right to expect the imputation of righteousness, and, on
the other hand, we do not obtain self-denial and newness of life, except so
far as
he is made to us righteousness and
sanctification,
(1
Corinthians 1:30.)
But as we have elsewhere treated
copiously of this summary of the Gospel, it is better to refer my readers to
those passages for what they happen not to remember, than to load them with
repetitions.
47.
To all nations, beginning
at Jerusalem. Christ now discovers
clearly what he had formerly concealed--that the grace of the redemption
brought by him extends alike
to all nations. For
though the prophets had frequently predicted the calling of the Gentiles,
still it was not revealed in such a manner that the Jews could willingly
admit the Gentiles to share with them in the hope of salvation. Till his
resurrection, therefore, Christ was not acknowledged to be any thing more
than the Redeemer of the chosen people alone; and then, for the first time,
was the wall of partition
(Ephesians
2:14) thrown down, that they who had been strangers, (Ephesians
2:19,) and who had formerly been scattered, might be
gathered into the fold of the Lord. In the meantime, however, that the
covenant of God might not seem to be made void, Christ has assigned to the
Jews the first rank, enjoining the apostles to
begin at Jerusalem.
For since God had peculiarly adopted the posterity of Abraham, they must
have been preferred to the rest of the world. This is the privilege of the
firstborn which Jeremiah ascribes to them, when Jehovah says,
I am a father to
Israel, and Ephraim is first-born, (30:9.)
This order, too, Paul everywhere observes with the greatest care, telling us
that Christ came and
proclaimed peace to those who were near,
and afterwards to strangers who were
at a distance,
(Ephesians
2:17.)
48.
And you are witnesses of
those things. He does not yet
commission them to preach the gospel, but only reminds them to what service
he has appointed them, that they may prepare themselves for it in due time.
He holds out this, partly as a consolation to soothe their grief, and partly
as a spur to correct their sloth. Conscious of their recent departure from
their Master, they must have been in a state of dejection and here, contrary
to all expectation, Christ bestows on them incredible honor, enjoining them
to publish to the whole world the message of eternal salvation. In this
manner he not only restores them to their former condition, but by the
extent of this new favor he utterly obliterates the recollection of their
heinous crimes; but at the same time, as I have said, he stimulates them,
that they may not be so slow and dilatory in reference to the faith of which
they were appointed to be preachers.
49.
And, lo, I send.
That the apostles may not be terrified by their
weakness, he invites them to expect new and extraordinary grace; as if he
had said, though you feel yourselves to be unfit for such a charge, there is
no reason why you should despond, because I will send you from heaven that
power which I know that you do not possess. The more fully to confirm them
in this confidence, he mentions that
the Father had promised to them the Holy Spirit;
for, in order that they might prepare themselves with
greater alacrity for the work, God had already encouraged them by his promise, as a
remedy for their distrust. Christ now puts himself in the place of the
Father, and undertakes to perform the promise; in which he again claims for
himself divine power. To invest feeble men with heavenly power, is a part of
that glory
which God swears that
he will not give to another:
and, therefore, if it belongs to Christ, it follows that
he is that God who formerly spoke by the mouth of the prophet, (Isaiah
42:8.) And though God promised special grace to the
apostles, and Christ bestowed it on them, we ought to hold universally that
no mortal is of himself qualified for preaching the gospel, except so far as
God clothes him with his Spirit, to supply his nakedness and poverty. And
certainly, as it is not in reference to the apostles alone that Paul
exclaims,
(2
Corinthians 2:16,)
And who shall be found sufficient for these things?
so all whom God raises up to be
ministers of the gospel must be endued with the heavenly Spirit; and,
therefore, in every part of Scripture he is promised to all the teachers of
the Church without exception.
But remain you in the city of Jerusalem.
That they may not advance to teach before the proper
time, Christ enjoins on them silence and repose, until, sending them out
according to his pleasure, he may make a seasonable use of their labors. And
this was a useful trial of their obedience, that, after having been endued
with the understanding of the Scripture, and after having had the grace of
the Spirit breathed on them,
(John
20:22;)
yet because the Lord had forbidden them
to speak, they were silent as if they had been dumb. For we know that those
who expect to gain applause and admiration from their hearers are very
desirous to appear in public. Perhaps, too, by this delay, Christ intended
to punish them for indolence, because they did not, in compliance with his
injunction, set out immediately, on the same day, for Galilee. However that
may be, we are taught by their example, that we ought to attempt nothing but
as the Lord calls us to it; and, therefore, though they may possess some
ability to teach in public, let men remain in silence and retirement, until
the Lord lead them by the hand into the public assembly. When they are
commanded to remain at
Jerusalem, we must understand this to
mean, after they had returned from Galilee. For, as we shortly afterwards
learn from Matthew, though he gave them an opportunity of seeing him at
Jerusalem, still he did not change his original intention
to go to Galilee, (Matthew
26:32, and 28:10.) The meaning of the word, therefore,
is, that after having given them injunctions at the appointed place, he
wishes them to remain silent for a time, until he supplies them with new
rigor.
