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John Calvin Preaching
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QUOTE: John Calvin
commentary on Romans 13 verse 4: For he is God’s
minister for good, etc. Magistrates may
hence learn what their vocation is, for they are not to rule for their own
interest, but for the public good; nor are they endued with unbridled power,
but what is restricted to the wellbeing of their subjects; in short, they are
responsible to God and to men in the exercise of their power. For as they are
deputed by God and do his business, they must give an account to him: and then
the ministration which God has committed to them has a regard to the subjects,
they are therefore debtors also to them. And private men are reminded, that it
is through the divine goodness that they are defended by the sword of princes
against injuries done by the wicked.
For
they bear not the sword in vain, etc. It
is another part of the office of magistrates, that they ought forcibly to
repress the waywardness of evil men, who do not willingly suffer themselves to
be governed by laws, and to inflict such punishment on their offenses as God’s
judgment requires; for he expressly declares, that they are armed with the
sword, not for an empty show, but that they may smite evil-doers.
And
then he says, An avenger, to execute wrath, “a revenger to execute wrath,”
Com. Ver., Doddridge; “a revenger for wrath,” Hammond. Wrath is here taken to
mean punishment, by Luther, Beza, Grotius, Mede, etc. see Romans 2:5; Romans 3:5; Romans 4:15. The phrase then might be rendered,
“condemning to punishment the doer of evil.” There is a contrast between “for
wrath” and “for good” at the beginning of the verse. — This is the same as if
it had been said, that he is an executioner of God’s wrath; and this he shows
himself to be by having the sword, which the Lord has delivered into his hand.
This is a remarkable passage for the purpose of proving the right of the sword;
for if the Lord, by arming the magistrate, has also committed to him the use of
the sword, whenever he visits the guilty with death, by executing God’s
vengeance, he obeys his commands. Contend then do they with God who think it
unlawful to shed the blood of wicked men.
John Calvin (/ˈkælvɪn/; French:
Jean Calvin,
pronounced: [ʒɑ̃ kalvɛ̃]; born Jehan
Cauvin: 10
July 1509 – 27 May 1564) was an influential French theologian and
pastor during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal
figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism,
aspects of which include the doctrine of predestination
and the absolute
sovereignty of God in salvation of the human soul from death and eternal
damnation. In these areas Calvin was influenced by the Augustinian tradition. Various Congregational, Reformed
and Presbyterian
churches, which look to Calvin as the chief expositor of their beliefs, have
spread throughout the world.
Calvin was a tireless polemic and apologetic writer who generated much
controversy. He also exchanged cordial and supportive letters with many
reformers, including Philipp Melanchthon and Heinrich Bullinger. In addition to his seminal
work Institutes of the Christian
Religion, he wrote commentaries on most books of the Bible, as well as
theological treatises and confessional documents.
Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the Roman
Catholic Church around 1530. After religious tensions provoked a violent
uprising against Protestantism in France, Calvin fled to Basel, Switzerland,
where he published the first edition of the Institutes in 1536. In that year,
Calvin was recruited by another Frenchman William
Farel to help reform the church in Geneva, where he
regularly preached sermons throughout the week. The city council resisted the
implementation of Calvin's and Farel's ideas, and both men were expelled. At
the invitation of Martin Bucer, Calvin proceeded to Strasbourg,
where he became the minister of a church of French refugees. He continued to
support the reform movement in Geneva, and was eventually invited back to lead
its church in 1541.
Following his return, Calvin introduced
new forms of church government and liturgy,
despite opposition from several powerful families in the city who tried to curb
his authority. During this period, Michael
Servetus, a Spaniard regarded by both Catholics
and Protestants
as having a heretical view of the Trinity, arrived
in Geneva. He was denounced by Calvin and burned at the stake for heresy by the
city council. Following an influx of supportive refugees and new elections to
the city council, Calvin's opponents were forced out. Calvin spent his final
years promoting the Reformation both in Geneva and throughout Europe.
OTHER LINKS:
Calvin and the Christian Calling by
Alister McGrath June 1999
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