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Voices and influences

John Calvin

# John Calvin (1509–1564) French-born Reformer, theologian, and exegete.

Summary

This site quotes John Calvin 326 times across 37 books, and lists 1 work.

  • Lived 1509 to 1564.
  • Quoted here most in Psalms: 59 of 326.
John Calvin. Painted by Anonymous ( France) Unknown author. The file is marked public domain. This site's record does not give the artist's death year, which is what settles the painting's own rights. The file record

John Calvin

Lived
1509 to 1564
Tradition
Reformed

5 of 326 quotations

Own words

Quoted in full, because John Calvin died in 1564 and these works are out of copyright. Each citation below names its edition and its year. A citation naming a modernised text means that edition makes its own editorial changes, and that edition's terms are not in this site's record.

Yet many fanatics repel rich men from the hope of salvation; as if poverty were the only gate of heaven; which yet, sometimes, involves men in more hindrances than riches.

Commentaries, 1554

The rest of the quotation

But Augustine wisely teaches us, that the rich and poor are collected together in the same inheritance of life; because poor Lazarus was received into the bosom of rich Abraham.

Genesis 13:2 And Abram had become extremely wealthy in livestock and silver and gold. BSB

It is also possible that the promise was repeated for the sake of Sarah. What shall we say, if in this manner, he chose to do honor to the greatness of his grace?

Commentaries, 1554

The rest of the quotation

For the promise concerning Isaac, from whom, at length, redemption and salvation should shine forth to the world, cannot be extolled in terms adequate to its dignity.

Genesis 18:1 Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. BSB

And this was done designedly, in order that he, receiving them as men, might give proof of his charity. For angels do not need those services of ours, which are the true evidences of charity.

Commentaries, 1554

The rest of the quotation

Moreover, hospitality holds the chief place among these services; because it is no common virtue to assist strangers, from whom there is no hope of reward.

Genesis 18:2 And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. BSB

For (as we have seen) one of the messengers held the principal place, as being superior to the others in dignity.

Commentaries, 1554

The rest of the quotation

Now, although Christ was always the Mediator, yet, because he manifested himself more obscurely to Lot than he did to Abraham, the two angels only came to Sodom.

Genesis 19:1 Now the two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them, bowed facedown, BSB

Therefore the angels act, as if it were safe to sleep on the highway; and thus conceal their knowledge of the abandoned wickedness of the whole people.

Commentaries, 1554

The rest of the quotation

For if the gates of cities are shut, to prevent the incursions of wild beasts and of enemies; how wrong and absurd it is that they who are within should be exposed to still more grievous dangers?

Genesis 19:2 and said, “My lords, please turn aside into the house of your servant; wash your feet and spend the night. Then you can rise early and go on your way.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.” BSB

Influence, on the record

The life, in order

The life told as one accountfrom this site's record

# John Calvin (1509–1564) French-born Reformer, theologian, and exegete. Primary systematic-theology voice of the Reformed tradition; his Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536, revised 1559) and his Commentaries on most books of the Bible shaped Protestant biblical interpretation for five centuries.

1 work

How to read this voice

  1. Commentaries (Calvin Translation Society edition)

    1843

    Calvin wrote commentaries on most of the Bible. The Calvin Translation Society edition (1843–1855), translated into English by John King, John Owen, William Pringle, Thomas Myers, and others, is the authoritative PD text. MannaFest uses this edition as ingested from CCEL plain-text.

    Not quoted on this site yet

    Search archive.orgSearch the Christian Classics Ethereal Library

326 quotations across 37 books

Where this voice is quoted

Psalms 140:1Commentaries (1554)

Rescue me, O LORD, from evil men. Protect me from men of violence,

Being as he was a figure of Christ, we need not wonder that the agents of the devil directed so much of their rage against him. And this is the reason why he animadverts so sharply upon their rancor and treachery.

Psalms 142:1Commentaries (1554)

I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift my voice to the LORD for mercy.

I cried to Jehovah, etc. It showed singular presence of mind in David that he was not paralyzed with fear, or that he did not in a paroxysm of fury take vengeance upon his enemy, as he easily might have done; and that he was…

Psalms 142:3Commentaries (1554)

Although my spirit grows faint within me, You know my way. Along the path I travel they have hidden a snare for me.

The figure which he uses of his spirit being perplexed, aptly represents the state of the mind in alternating between various resolutions when there was no apparent outgate from danger, and increasing its distress by resorting to all kinds of devices.

Psalms 143:1Commentaries (1554)

O LORD, hear my prayer. In Your faithfulness, give ear to my plea; in Your righteousness, answer me.

Under the term justice, or righteousness, we are not to suppose that he speaks of merit, or hire, as some ignorantly imagine, but of that goodness of God which leads him to defend his people.

Psalms 143:2Commentaries (1554)

Do not bring Your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous before You.

We are to hold this as a general rule in seeking to conciliate God, that we must pray for the pardon of our sins.

Psalms 144:1Commentaries (1554)

Blessed be the LORD, my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.

Blessed be Jehovah, my strength It is very evident that David, since he celebrates the favor of God in such high terms, had not only obtained the kingdom, but gained signal victories.

Psalms 147:2Commentaries (1554)

The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers the exiles of Israel.

When he is here called the builder of Jerusalem, the allusion is not so much to the outward form and structure, as to the spiritual worship of God.

Psalms 150:1Commentaries (1554)

Hallelujah! Praise God in His sanctuary. Praise Him in His mighty heavens.

Praise God in his sanctuary. This psalm in general commends the spiritual worship of God, which consists in sacrifices of praise. By the sanctuary there is little doubt that heaven is here meant, as is often the case elsewhere.

Psalms 150:3Commentaries (1554)

Praise Him with the sound of the horn; praise Him with the harp and lyre.

Nor was it without reason that God under the law enjoined this multiplicity of songs, that he might lead men away from those vain and corrupt pleasures to which they are excessively addicted, to a holy and profitable joy.