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Calvin's Commentaries
Ephesians 4:7-16
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Ephesians
4:7-10 |
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7. But unto every one of us is
given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. |
7. Unicuique autem nostrum data
est gratia; secundum mensuram donationis Christi. |
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8. Wherefore he saith, When he
ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave
gifts unto men. |
8. Propterea dicit: Postquam
ascendit in altum, captivam duxit captivitatem, et dedit
dona hominibus. (Psalm 68:19.) |
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9. (Now that he ascended, what is
it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of
the earth? |
9. Illud autem Ascendit, quid est,
nisi quod etiam descenderat prius in inferiores partes
terrae? |
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10. He that descended is the same
also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might
fill all things.) |
10. Qui descendit, ipse est etiam
qui ascendit super omnes coelos, ut impleret omnia. |
7.
But to every one. He now describes the manner in which God
establishes and preserves among us a mutual relation. No member of
the body of Christ is endowed with such perfection as to be able,
without the assistance of others, to supply his own necessities. A
certain proportion is allotted to each; and it is only by
communicating with each other, that all enjoy what is sufficient for
maintaining their respective places in the body. The diversity of
gifts is discussed in another Epistle, and very nearly with the same
object. “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit”
(1 Corinthians 12:4.) Such a diversity, we are there taught, is so
far from injuring, that it tends to promote and strengthen, the
harmony of believers.
The meaning of this verse may be thus summed up.
“On no one has God bestowed all things. Each has received a certain
measure. Being thus dependent on each other, they find it necessary
to throw their individual gifts into the common stock, and thus to
render mutual aid.” The words grace and gift remind us
that, whatever may be our attainments, we ought not to be proud of
them, because they lay us under deeper obligations to God. These
blessings are said to be the gift of Christ; for, as the
apostle, first of all, mentioned the Father, so his aim, as we shall
see, is to represent all that we are, and all that we have, as
gathered together in Christ.
8.
Therefore he saith. To serve the purpose of his argument,
Paul has departed not a little from the true meaning of this
quotation. Wicked men charge him with having made an unfair use of
Scripture. The Jews go still farther, and, for the sake of giving to
their accusations a greater air of plausibility, maliciously pervert
the natural meaning of this passage. What is said of God, is applied
by them to David or to the people. “David, or the people,” they say,
“ascended on high, when, in consequence of many victories, they rose
superior to their enemies.” But a careful examination of the Psalm
will convince any reader that the words, he ascended up on high,
are applied strictly to God alone.
The whole Psalm may be regarded as an ἐπίνικιον,
a song of triumph, which David sings to God on account of the
victories which he had obtained; but, taking occasion from the
narrative of his own exploits, he makes a passing survey of the
astonishing deliverances which the Lord had formerly wrought for his
people. His object is to shew, that we ought to contemplate in the
history of the Church the glorious power and goodness of God; and
among other things he says, Thou hast ascended on high.
(Psalm 68:18.) The flesh is apt to imagine that God remains idle and
asleep, when he does not openly execute his judgments. To the view
of men, when the Church is oppressed, God is in some manner humbled;
but, when he stretches out his avenging arm for her deliverance, he
then appears to rouse himself, and to ascend his throne of judgment.
“Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and
like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine. And he smote his
enemies in the hinder parts; he put them to a perpetual reproach.”
(Psalm 78:65, 66.)
This mode of expression is sufficiently common
and familiar; and, in short, the deliverance of the Church is here
called the ascension of God.
Perceiving that it is a song of triumph, in
which David celebrates all the victories which God had wrought for
the salvation of his Church, Paul very properly quoted the account
given of God’s ascension, and applied it to the person of Christ.
The noblest triumph which God ever gained was when Christ, after
subduing sin, conquering death, and putting Satan to flight, rose
majestically to heaven, that he might exercise his glorious reign
over the Church. Hitherto there is no ground for the objection, that
Paul has applied this quotation in a manner inconsistent with the
design of the Psalmist. The continued existence of the Church is
represented by David to be a manifestation of the Divine glory. But
no ascension of God more triumphant or memorable will ever occur,
than that which took place when Christ was carried up to the right
hand of the Father, that he might rule over all authorities and
powers, and might become the everlasting guardian and protector of
his people.
He led captivity captive. Captivity is a
collective noun for captive enemies; and the plain meaning
is, that God reduced his enemies to subjection, which was more fully
accomplished in Christ than in any other way. He has not only gained
a complete victory over the devil, and sin, and death, and all the
power of hell, — but out of rebels he forms every day “a willing
people,” (Psalm 110:3,) when he subdues by his word the obstinacy of
our flesh. On the other hand, his enemies — to which class all
wicked men belong — are held bound by chains of iron, and are
restrained by his power from exerting their fury beyond the limits
which he shall assign.
And gave gifts to men. There is rather
more difficulty in this clause; for the words of the Psalm are,
“thou hast received gifts for men,” while the apostle changes
this expression into gave gifts, and thus appears to exhibit
an opposite meaning. Still there is no absurdity here; for Paul does
not always quote the exact words of Scripture, but, after referring
to the passage, satisfies himself with conveying the substance of it
in his own language. Now, it is clear that the gifts which
David mentions were not received by God for himself, but for
his people; and accordingly we are told, in an earlier part of the
Psalm, that “the spoil” had been “divided” among the families of
Israel. (Psalm 68:12.) Since therefore the intention of receiving
was to give gifts, Paul can hardly be said to have departed
from the substance, whatever alteration there may be in the words.
At the same time, I am inclined to a different
opinion, that Paul purposely changed the word, and employed it, not
as taken out of the Psalm, but as an expression of his own, adapted
to the present occasion. Having quoted from the Psalm a few words
descriptive of Christ’s ascension, he adds, in his own language,
and gave gifts, — for the purpose of drawing a comparison
between the greater and the less. Paul intends to shew, that this
ascension of God in the person of Christ was far more illustrious
than the ancient triumphs of the Church; because it is a more
honorable distinction for a conqueror to dispense his bounty largely
to all classes, than to gather spoils from the vanquished.
The interpretation given by some, that Christ
received from the Father what he would distribute to us, is forced,
and utterly at variance with the apostle’s purpose. No solution of
the difficulty, in my opinion, is more natural than this. Having
made a brief quotation from the Psalm, Paul took the liberty of
adding a statement, which, though not contained in the Psalm, is
true in reference to Christ — a statement, too, by which the
ascension of Christ is proved to be more illustrious, and more
worthy of admiration, than those ancient manifestations of the
Divine glory which David enumerates.
9.
Now that he ascended. Here again the slanderers exclaim, that
Paul’s reasoning is trifling and childish. “Why does he attempt to
make those words apply to a real ascension of Christ, which were
figuratively spoken about a manifestation of the Divine glory? Who
does not know that the word ascend is metaphorical? The
conclusion, that he also descended first, has therefore no
weight.”
I answer, Paul does not here reason in the
manner of a logician, as to what necessarily follows, or may be
inferred, from the words of the prophet. He knew that what David
spake about God’s ascension was metaphorical. But neither can it be
denied, that the expression bears a reference to some kind of
humiliation on the part of God which had previously existed. It is
this humiliation which Paul justly infers from the declaration that
God had ascended. And at what time did God descend lower than when
Christ emptied himself? (Αλλ eαυτoν
eκeνωσε,
Philippians 2:7.) If ever there was a time when, after appearing to
lay aside the brightness of his power, God ascended gloriously, it
was when Christ was raised from our lowest condition on earth, and
received into heavenly glory.
Besides, it is not necessary to inquire very
carefully into the literal exposition of the Psalm, since Paul
merely alludes to the prophet’s words, in the same manner as, on
another occasion, he accommodates to his own subject a passage taken
from the writings of Moses. “The righteousness which is of faith
speaketh in this manner, Say not in thine heart, who shall ascend
into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above;) or, who
shall descend into the deep (that is, to bring up Christ again from
the dead.”) (Romans 10:6,7 Deuteronomy 30:12.) But the
appropriateness of the application which Paul makes of the passage
to the person of Christ is not the only ground on which it must be
defended. Sufficient evidence is afforded by the Psalm itself, that
this ascription of praise relates to Christ’s kingdom. Not to
mention other reasons which might be urged, it contains a distinct
prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles.
Into the lower parts of the earth.
These words mean nothing more than the condition of the present
life. To torture them so as to make them mean purgatory or hell, is
exceedingly foolish. The argument taken from the comparative degree,
“the lower parts,” is quite untenable. A comparison is drawn,
not between one part of the earth and another, but between the whole
earth and heaven; as if he had said, that from that lofty habitation
Christ descended into our deep gulf.
10.
That ascended up far above all heavens; that is, beyond this
created world. When Christ is said to be in heaven, we must not view
him as dwelling among the spheres and numbering the stars. Heaven
denotes a place higher than all the spheres, which was assigned to
the Son of God after his resurrection.
Not that it is literally a place beyond the world,
but we cannot speak of the kingdom of God without using our ordinary
language. Others, again, considering that the expressions, above
all heavens, and ascension into heaven, are of the same
import, conclude that Christ is not separated from us by distance of
place. But one point they have overlooked. When Christ is placed
above the heavens, or in the heavens, all that surrounds the earth —
all that lies beneath the sun and stars, beneath the whole frame of
the visible world — is excluded.
That he might fill all things. To fill
often signifies to Finish, and it might have that meaning here; for,
by his ascension into heaven, Christ entered into the possession of
the authority given to him by the Father, that he might rule and
govern all things. But a more beautiful view, in my opinion, will be
obtained by connecting two meanings which, though apparently
contradictory, are perfectly consistent. When we hear of the
ascension of Christ, it instantly strikes our minds that he is
removed to a great distance from us; and so he actually is, with
respect to his body and human presence. But Paul reminds us, that,
while he is removed from us in bodily presence, he fills all
things by the power of his Spirit. Wherever the right hand of
God, which embraces heaven and earth, is displayed, Christ is
spiritually present by his boundless power; although, as respects
his body, the saying of Peter holds true, that “the heaven must
receive him until the times of restitution of all things, which God
hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world
began.” (Acts 3:21.)
By alluding to the seeming contradiction, the
apostle has added not a little beauty to his language. He
ascended; but it was that he, who was formerly bounded by a
little space, might fill all things But did he not fill them
before? In his divine nature, I own, he did; but the power of his
Spirit was not so exerted, nor his presence so manifested, as after
he had entered into the possession of his kingdom.“The Holy Ghost
was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John
7:39.) And again,“It is expedient for you that I go away; for, if
I go not away, the Comforter will not come to you.” (John 16:7.)
In a word, when he began to sit at
the right hand of the Father, he began also to fill all things.
]
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Ephesians
4:11-14 |
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11. And he gave some, apostles;
and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors
and teachers; |
11. Et ipse dedit alios quidem
apostolos, alios autem prophetas, alios vero evangelistas,
alios pastores et doctores, |
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12. For the perfecting of the
saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of
the body of Christ: |
12. Ad instaurationem sanctorum,
in opus ministerii, in aedificationem corporis Christi, |
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13. Till we all come in the unity
of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a
perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness
of Christ: |
13. Usquedum occurramus omnes in
unitatem fidei, et cognitionis Filii Dei, in virum perfectum,
in mensuram aetatis plenitudinis Christi; |
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14. That we henceforth be
no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with
every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and
cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. |
14. Ne amplius simus pueri, qui
fluctuemur, et circumferamur quovis vento doctrinae, per
aestum hominum, per versutiam ad circumventionem imposturae. |
He returns to explain the
distribution of gifts, and illustrates at greater length what he had
slightly hinted, that out of this variety arises unity in the
church, as the various tones in music produce sweet melody. The
meaning may be thus summed up. “The external ministry of the word is
also commended, on account of the advantages which it yields.
Certain men appointed to that office, are employed in preaching the
gospel. This is the arrangement by which the Lord is pleased to
govern his church, to maintain its existence, and ultimately to
secure its highest perfection.”
It may excite surprise, that, when the gifts of
the Holy Spirit form the subject of discussion, Paul should
enumerate offices instead of gifts. I reply, when men are called by
God, gifts are necessarily connected with offices. God does not
confer on men the mere name of Apostles or Pastors, but also endows
them with gifts, without which they cannot properly discharge their
office. He whom God has appointed to be an apostle does not bear an
empty and useless title; for the divine command, and the ability to
perform it, go together. Let us now examine the words in detail.
11. And he gave. The government
of the church, by the preaching of the word, is first of all
declared to be no human contrivance, but a most sacred ordinance of
Christ. The apostles did not appoint themselves, but were chosen by
Christ; and, at the present day, true pastors do not rashly thrust
themselves forward by their own judgment, but are raised up by the
Lord. In short, the government of the church, by the ministry of the
word, is not a contrivance of men, but an appointment made by the
Son of God. As his own unalterable law, it demands our assent. They
who reject or despise this ministry offer insult and rebellion to
Christ its Author. It is himself who gave them; for, if he
does not raise them up, there will be none. Another inference is,
that no man will be fit or qualified for so distinguished an office
who has not been formed and moulded by the hand of Christ himself.
To Christ we owe it that we have ministers of the gospel, that they
abound in necessary qualifications, that they execute the trust
committed to them. All, all is his gift.
Some, apostles. The different names and
offices assigned to different persons take their rise from that
diversity of the members which goes to form the completeness of the
whole body, — every ground of emulation, and envy, and ambition,
being thus removed. If every person shall display a selfish
character, shall strive to outshine his neighbor, and shall
disregard all concerns but his own, — or, if more eminent persons
shall be the object of envy to those who occupy a lower place, — in
each, and in all of these cases, gifts are not applied to their
proper use. He therefore reminds them, that the gifts bestowed on
individuals are intended, not to be held for their personal and
separate interests, but to be employed for the benefit of the whole.
Of the offices which are here enumerated, we have already spoken at
considerable length,
]
and shall now say nothing more than the exposition of the passage
seems to demand. Five classes of office-bearers are mentioned,
though on this point, I am aware, there is a diversity of opinion;
for some consider the two last to make but one office. Leaving out
of view the opinions of others, I shall proceed to state my own.
I take the word apostles not in that
general sense which the derivation of the term might warrant, but in
its own peculiar signification, for those highly favored persons
whom Christ exalted to the highest honor. Such were the twelve, to
whose number Paul was afterwards added. Their office was to spread
the doctrine of the gospel throughout the whole world, to plant
churches, and to erect the kingdom of Christ. They had not churches
of their own committed to them; but the injunction given to all of
them was, to preach the gospel wherever they went.
Next to them come the Evangelists, who
were closely allied in the nature of their office, but held an
inferior rank. To this class belonged Timothy and others; for, while
Paul mentions them along with himself in the salutations of his
epistles, he does not speak of them as his companions in the
apostleship, but claims this name as peculiarly his own. The
services in which the Lord employed them were auxiliary to those of
the apostles, to whom they were next in rank.
To these two classes the apostle adds
Prophets. By this name some understand those persons who
possessed the gift of predicting future events, among whom was
Agabus. (Acts 11:28; 21:10.) But, for my own part, as doctrine is
the present subject, I would rather define the word prophets,
as on a former occasion,
to mean distinguished interpreters of prophecies, who, by a
remarkable gift of revelation, applied them to the subjects which
they had occasion to handle; not excluding, however, the gift of
prophecy, by which their doctrinal instruction was usually
accompanied.
Pastors and Teachers are supposed by
some to denote one office, because the apostle does not, as in the
other parts of the verse, say, and some, pastors; and some,
teachers; but, τοuς δe,
ποιμeνας και διδασκaλους,
and some, pastors and teachers Chrysostom and Augustine are
of this opinion; not to mention the commentaries of Ambrose, whose
observations on the subject are truly childish and unworthy of
himself. I partly agree with them, that Paul speaks indiscriminately
of pastors and teachers as belonging to one and the same class, and
that the name teacher does, to some extent, apply to all
pastors. But this does not appear to me a sufficient reason why
two offices, which I find to differ from each other, should be
confounded. Teaching is, no doubt, the duty of all pastors; but to
maintain sound doctrine requires a talent for interpreting
Scripture, and a man may be a teacher who is not qualified to
preach.
Pastors, in my opinion, are those who
have the charge of a particular flock; though I have no objection to
their receiving the name of teachers, if it be understood
that there is a distinct class of teachers, who preside both
in the education of pastors and in the instruction of the whole
church. It may sometimes happen, that the same person is both a
pastor and a teacher, but the duties to be performed are entirely
different.
It deserves attention, also, that, of the five
offices which are here enumerated, not more than the last two are
intended to be perpetual. Apostles, Evangelists, and Prophets were
bestowed on the church for a limited time only, — except in those
cases where religion has fallen into decay, and evangelists are
raised up in an extraordinary manner, to restore the pure doctrine
which had been lost. But without Pastors and Teachers there can be
no government of the church.
Papists have some reason to complain, that
their primacy, of which they boast so much, is openly insulted in
this passage. The subject of discussion is the unity of the church.
Paul inquires into the means by which its continuance is secured,
and the outward expressions by which it is promoted, and comes at
length to the government of the church. If he knew a primacy which
had a fixed residence, was it not his duty, for the benefit of the
whole church, to exhibit one ministerial head placed over all the
members, under whose government we are collected into one body? We
must either charge Paul with inexcusable neglect and foolishness, in
leaving out the most appropriate and powerful argument, or we must
acknowledge that this primacy is at variance with the appointment of
Christ. In truth, he plainly rejects it as without foundation, when
he ascribes superiority to Christ alone, and represents the
apostles, and all the pastors, as indeed inferior to Him, but
associated on an equal level with each other. There is no passage of
Scripture by which that tyrannical hierarchy, regulated by one
earthly head, is more completely overturned. Paul has been followed
by Cyprian, who gives a short and clear definition of what forms the
only lawful monarchy in the church. There is, he says, one
bishoprick, which unites the various parts into one whole. This
bishoprick he claims for Christ alone, leaving the
administration of it to individuals, but in a united capacity, no
one being permitted to exalt himself above others.
12.
For the renewing of the saints. In this
version I follow Erasmus, not because I prefer his view, but to
allow the reader an opportunity of comparing his version with the
Vulgate and with mine, and then choosing for himself. The old
translation was, (ad
consummationem,) for the completeness. The
Greek word employed by Paul is καταρτισμoς,
which signifies literally the adaptation of things possessing
symmetry and proportion; just as, in the human body, the members are
united in a proper and regular manner; so that the word comes to
signify perfection. But as Paul intended to express here a
just and orderly arrangement, I prefer the word (constitutio)
settlement or constitution, taking it in that sense in
which a commonwealth, or kingdom, or province, is said to be
settled, when confusion gives place to the regular
administration of law.
For the work of the ministry. God might
himself have performed this work, if he had chosen; but he has
committed it to the ministry of men. This is intended to
anticipate an objection. “Cannot the church be constituted and
properly arranged, without the instrumentality of men?” Paul asserts
that a ministry is required, because such is the will of God.
For the edifying of the body of Christ.
This is the same thing with what he had formerly denominated the
settlement or perfecting of the saints. Our true
completeness and perfection consist in our being united in the one
body of Christ. No language more highly commendatory of the ministry
of the word could have been employed, than to ascribe to it this
effect. What is more excellent than to produce the true and complete
perfection of the church? And yet this work, so admirable and
divine, is here declared by the apostle to be accomplished by the
external ministry of the word. That those who neglect this
instrument should hope to become perfect in Christ is utter madness.
Yet such are the fanatics, on the one hand, who pretend to be
favored with secret revelations of the Spirit, — and proud men, on
the other, who imagine that to them the private reading of the
Scriptures is enough, and that they have no need of the ordinary
ministry of the church.
If the edification of the church proceeds from
Christ alone, he has surely a right to prescribe in what manner it
shall be edified. But Paul expressly states, that, according to the
command of Christ, no real union or perfection is attained, but by
the outward preaching. We must allow ourselves to be ruled and
taught by men. This is the universal rule, which extends equally to
the highest and to the lowest. The church is the common mother of
all the godly, which bears, nourishes, and brings up children to
God, kings and peasants alike; and this is done by the ministry.
Those who neglect or despise this order choose to be wiser than
Christ. Woe to the pride of such men! It is, no doubt, a thing in
itself possible that divine influence alone should make us perfect
without human assistance. But the present inquiry is not what the
power of God can accomplish, but what is the will of God and the
appointment of Christ. In employing human instruments for
accomplishing their salvation, God has conferred on men no ordinary
favor. Nor can any exercise be found better adapted to promote unity
than to gather around the common doctrine — the standard of our
General.
13.
Till we all come. Paul had already said, that
by the ministry of men the church is regulated and governed, so as
to attain the highest perfection. But his commendation of the
ministry is now carried farther. The necessity for which he had
pleaded is not confined to a single day, but continues to the end.
Or, to speak more plainly, he reminds his readers that the use of
the ministry is not temporal, like that of a school for children, (παιδαγωγια,
Galatians 3:24,) but constant, so long as we remain in the world.
Enthusiasts dream that the use of the ministry ceases as soon as we
have been led to Christ. Proud men, who carry their desire of
knowledge beyond what is proper, look down with contempt on the
elementary instruction of childhood. But Paul maintains that we must
persevere in this course till all our deficiencies are supplied;
that we must make progress till death, under the teaching of Christ
alone; and that we must not be ashamed to be the scholars of the
church, to which Christ has committed our education.
In the unity of the faith. But ought not
the unity of the faith to reign among us from the very commencement?
It does reign, I acknowledge, among the sons of God, but not so
perfectly as to make them come together. Such is the weakness
of our nature, that it is enough if every day brings some nearer to
others, and all nearer to Christ. The expression, coming
together, denotes that closest union to which we still aspire,
and which we shall never reach, until this garment of the flesh,
which is always accompanied by some remains of ignorance and
weakness, shall have been laid aside.
And of the knowledge of the Son of God.
This clause appears to be added for the sake of explanation. It was
the apostle’s intention to explain what is the nature of true faith,
and in what it consists; that is, when the Son of God is known. To
the Son of God alone faith ought to look; on him it relies; in him
it rests and terminates. If it proceed farther, it will disappear,
and will no longer be faith, but a delusion. Let us remember, that
true faith confines its view so entirely to Christ, that it neither
knows, nor desires to know, anything else.
Into a perfect man. This must be read in
immediate connection with what goes before; as if he had said, “What
is the highest perfection of Christians? How is that perfection
attained?” Full manhood is found in Christ; for foolish men do not,
in a proper manner, seek their perfection in Christ. It ought to be
held as a fixed principle among us, that all that is out of Christ
is hurtful and destructive. Whoever is a man in Christ, is, in every
respect, a perfect man.
The AGE of fullness means — full or
mature age. No mention is made of old age, for in the Christian
progress no place for it is found. Whatever becomes old has a
tendency to decay; but the vigor of this spiritual life is
continually advancing.
14.
That we may be no more children. Having spoken
of that perfect manhood, towards which we are proceeding throughout
the whole course of our life, he reminds us that, during such a
progress, we ought not to resemble children. An intervening period
is thus pointed out between childhood and man’s estate. Those are
“children” who have not yet advanced a step in the way of the Lord,
but who still hesitate, — who have not yet determined what road they
ought to choose, but move sometimes in one direction and sometimes
in another, always doubtful, always wavering. Those, again, who are
thoroughly founded in the doctrine of Christ, though not yet
perfect, have so much wisdom and vigor as to choose properly, and
proceed steadily, in the right course. Thus we find that the life of
believers, marked by a constant desire and progress towards those
attainments which they shall ultimately reach, bears a resemblance
to youth. At no
period of this life are we men. But let not such a statement be
carried to the other extreme, as if there were no progress beyond
childhood. After being born to Christ, we ought to grow, so as “not
to be children in understanding.” (1 Corinthians 14:20.) Hence it
appears what kind of Christianity the Popish system must be, when
the pastors labor, to the utmost of their power, to keep the people
in absolute infancy.
Tossed to and fro, and carried about.
The distressing hesitation of those who do not place absolute
reliance on the word of the Lord, is illustrated by two striking
metaphors. The first is taken from small ships, exposed to the fury
of the billows in the open sea, holding no fixed course, guided
neither by skill nor design, but hurried along by the violence of
the tempest. The next is taken from straws, or other light
substances, which are carried hither and thither as the wind drives
them, and often in opposite directions. Such must be the changeable
and unsteady character of all who do not rest on the foundation of
God’s eternal truth. It is their just punishment for looking, not to
God, but to men. Paul declares, on the other hand, that faith, which
rests on the word of God, stands unshaken against all the attacks of
Satan.
By every wind of doctrine. By a
beautiful metaphor, all the doctrines of men, by which we are drawn
away from the simplicity of the gospel, are called winds God
gave us his word, by which we might have placed ourselves beyond the
possibility of being moved; but, giving way to the contrivances of
men, we are carried about in all directions.
By the cunning of men. There will always
be impostors, who make insidious attacks upon our faith; but, if we
are fortified by the truth of God, their efforts will be unavailing.
Both parts of this statement deserve our careful attention. When new
sects, or wicked tenets, spring up, many persons become alarmed. But
the attempts of Satan to darken, by his falsehoods, the pure
doctrine of Christ, are at no time interrupted; and it is the will
of God that these struggles should be the trial of our faith. When
we are informed, on the other hand, that the best and readiest
defense against every kind of error is to bring forward that
doctrine which we have learned from Christ and his apostles, this
surely is no ordinary consolation.
With what awful wickedness, then, are Papists
chargeable, who take away from the word of God everything like
certainty, and maintain that there is no steadiness of faith, but
what depends on the authority of men! If a man entertain any doubt,
it is in vain to bid him consult the word of God: he must abide by
their decrees. But we have embraced the law, the prophets, and the
gospel. Let us therefore confidently expect that we shall reap the
advantage which is here promised, — that all the impostures of men
will do us no harm. They will attack us, indeed, but they will not
prevail. We are entitled, I acknowledge, to look for the
dispensation of sound doctrine from the church, for God has
committed it to her charge; but when Papists avail themselves of the
disguise of the church for burying doctrine, they give sufficient
proof that they have a diabolical synagogue.
The Greek word κυβεiα,
which I have translated cunning, is taken from players at
dice, who are accustomed to practice many arts of deception. The
words, εν πανουργiᾳ, by craftiness,
intimate that the ministers of Satan are deeply skilled in
imposture; and it is added, that they keep watch, in order to
insnare, (προς την μεθοδεiαν τwς
πλaνης.) All this should rouse and
sharpen our minds to profit by the word of God. If we neglect to do
so, we may fall into the snares of our enemies, and endure the
severe punishment of our sloth.
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Ephesians
4:15-16 |
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15. But, speaking the truth in
love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head,
even Christ: |
15. Veritatem autem sectantes in
charitate, crescamus in eum per omnia, qui est caput, nempe
Christum; |
|
16. From whom the whole body fitly
joined together and compacted by that which every joint
supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure
of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the
edifying of itself in love. |
16. Ex quo totum corpus compositum
et compactum per omnem juncturam subministrationis, secundum
efficaciam in mensura uniuscujusque partis, incrementum
corporis facit in aedificationem sui, in charitate. |
15.
But, speaking the truth. Having already said that we ought
not to be children, destitute of reason and judgment, he now enjoins
us to grow up in the truth.
Though we have not arrived at man’s estate, we
ought at least, as we have already said, to be advanced children.
The truth of God ought to have such a firm hold of us, that all the
contrivances and attacks of Satan shall not draw us from our course;
and yet, as we have not hitherto attained full and complete
strength, we must make progress until death.
He points out the design of this progress, that
Christ may be the head, “that in all things he may have the
pre-eminence,” (Colossians 1:18,) and that in him alone we may grow
in vigor or in stature. Again, we see that no man is excepted; all
are enjoined to be subject, and to take their own places in the
body.
What aspect then does Popery present, but that
of a crooked, deformed person? Is not the whole symmetry of the
church destroyed, when one man, acting in opposition to the head,
refuses to be reckoned one of the members? The Papists deny this,
and allege that the Pope is nothing more than a ministerial head.
But such cavils do them no service. The tyranny of their idol must
be acknowledged to be altogether inconsistent with that order which
Paul here recommends. In a word, a healthful condition of the church
requires that Christ alone “must increase,” and all others “must
decrease.” (John 3:30.) Whatever increase we obtain must be
regulated in such a manner, that we shall remain in our own place,
and contribute to exalt the head.
When he bids us give heed to the truth in
love, he uses the preposition in, (ν,)
like the corresponding Hebrew preposition
ב, (beth,)
as signifying with, — speaking the truth With love
[
If each individual, instead of attending exclusively to his own
concerns, shall desire mutual intercourse, there will be agreeable
and general progress. Such, the Apostle assures us, must be the
nature of this harmony, that men shall not be suffered to forget the
claims of truth, or, disregarding them, to frame an agreement
according to their own views. This proves the wickedness of the
Papists, who lay aside the word of God, and labor to force our
compliance with their decisions.
16.
From whom the whole body. All our increase should tend to
exalt more highly the glory of Christ. This is now proved by the
best possible reason. It is he who supplies all our wants, and
without whose protection we cannot be safe. As the root conveys sap
to the whole tree, so all the vigor which we possess must flow to us
from Christ. There are three things here which deserve our
attention. The first is what has now been stated. All the life or
health which is diffused through the members flows from the head; so
that the members occupy a subordinate rank. The second is, that, by
the distribution made, the limited share of each renders the
communication between all the members absolutely necessary. The
third is, that, without mutual love, the health of the body cannot
be maintained. Through the members, as canals, is conveyed from the
head all that is necessary for the nourishment of the body. While
this connection is upheld, the body is alive and healthy. Each
member, too, has its own proper share, — according to the
effectual working in the measure of every part.
Lastly, he shows that by love the church is
edified, — to the edifying of itself in love. This means that
no increase is advantageous, which does not bear a just proportion
to the whole body. That man is mistaken who desires his own separate
growth. If a leg or arm should grow to a prodigious size, or the
mouth be more fully distended, would the undue enlargement of those
parts be otherwise than injurious to the whole frame? In like
manner, if we wish to be considered members of Christ, let no man be
anything for himself, but let us all be whatever we are for the
benefit of each other. This is accomplished by love; and where it
does not reign, there is no “edification,” but an absolute
scattering of the church.
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