Commentaries on Catholic Epistles by John Calvin Contents Commentary on James, Peter, 1 John, Jude 1 Translator's Preface 2 Calvin's Dedication 6 Commentary on First Peter 13 The Argument 14 Chapter 1 16 1 Peter 1:1-2 17 1 Peter 1:3-5 20 1 Peter 1:6-9 24 1 Peter 1:10-12 29 1 Peter 1:13-16 34 1 Peter 1:17-22 38 1 Peter 1:23-25 45 Chapter 2 49 1 Peter 2:1-5 50 1 Peter 2:6-8 55 1 Peter 2:9-10 61 1 Peter 2:11-12 64 1 Peter 2:13-16 66 1 Peter 2:17 70 1 Peter 2:18-20 71 1 Peter 2:21-23 74 1 Peter 2:24-25 77 Chapter 3 80 1 Peter 3:1-4 81 1 Peter 3:5-6 84 ii 1 Peter 3:5-6 85 1 Peter 3:8-9 87 1 Peter 3:10-15 89 1 Peter 3:15-16 93 1 Peter 3:17-18 95 1 Peter 3:19-22 97 Chapter 4 103 1 Peter 4:1-5 104 1 Peter 4:6-11 108 1 Peter 4:12-17 114 1 Peter 4:17-19 119 Chapter 5 121 1 Peter 5:1-4 122 1 Peter 5:5-7 126 1 Peter 5:8-11 129 1 Peter 5:12-14 132 Commentary on First John 134 The Argument 134 Chapter 1 135 1 John 1:1-2 136 1 John 1:3-7 140 1 John 1:8-10 145 Chapter 2 148 1 John 2:1-2 149 1 John 2: 3-6 152 1 John 2: 7-11 155 1 John 2:12-14 159 1 John 2:15-17 163 1 John 2:18-19 166 1 John 2:20-23 169 1 John 2:24-29 173 Chapter 3 177 iii 1 John 3:1-3 178 1 John 3:4-6 182 1 John 3:7-10 185 1 John 3:10-13 189 1 John 3:15-18 191 1 John 3:19-22 194 1 John 3:23-24 198 Chapter 4 200 1 John 4:1-3 201 1 John 4:4-6 206 1 John 4:7-10 210 1 John 4:11-16 213 1 John 4:17-18 216 1 John 4:19-21 219 Chapter 5 221 1 John 5:1-5 222 1 John 5:6-9 227 1 John 5:9-12 231 1 John 5:13-15 234 1 John 5:16-18 237 1 John 5:19-21 241 Commentary on James 245 The Argument 245 Chapter 1 246 James 1:1-4 247 James 1:5-8 250 James 1:9-11 253 James 1:12-15 255 James 1:16-18 258 James 1:19-21 260 James 1:22-27 263 Chapter 2 267 iv James 2:1-4 268 James 2:5-7 270 James 2:8-11 272 James 2:12-13 275 James 2:14-17 277 James 2:18-19 279 James 2:20-26 281 Chapter 3 284 James 3:1-5 285 James 3:5-6 288 James 3:7-12 290 James 3:13-18 292 Chapter 4 296 James 4:1-3 297 James 4:4-6 299 James 4:7-10 301 James 4:11-12 304 James 4:13-17 307 Chapter 5 309 James 5:1-6 310 James 5:7-9 315 James 5:10-11 317 James 5:12-13 319 James 5:14-15 322 James 5:16-18 324 James 5:19-20 327 Commentary on Second Peter 328 The Argument 328 Chapter 1 330 2 Peter 1:1-4 331 2 Peter 1:5-9 336 2 Peter 1:10-15 339 v 2 Peter 1:16-18 344 2 Peter 1:19-21 347 Chapter 2 353 2 Peter 2:1-3 354 2 Peter 2:4-8 358 2 Peter 2:9-11 361 2 Peter 2:12-16 364 2 Peter 2:17-19 367 2 Peter 2:20-22 370 Chapter 3 372 2 Peter 3:1-4 373 2 Peter 3:5-8 376 2 Peter 3:9-13 379 2 Peter 3:14-18 382 Commentary on Jude 386 The Argument 386 Chapter 1 387 Jude 1-2 388 Jude 3-4 390 Jude 5-7 393 Jude 8-10 396 Jude 11-13 399 Jude 14-16 402 Jude 17-19 404 Jude 20-25 406 Scripture Translations 410 First Peter 410 Chapter 1 411 Chapter 2 413 Chapter 3 415 Chapter 4 417 Chapter 5 418 vi First John 419 Chapter 1 420 Chapter 2 421 Chapter 3 423 Chapter 4 425 Chapter 5 427 James 429 Chapter 1 430 Chapter 2 432 Chapter 3 434 Chapter 4 435 Chapter 5 436 Second Peter 437 Chapter 1 438 Chapter 2 440 Chapter 3 442 Jude 443 Chapter 1 444 Indexes 446 Index of Scripture References 447 Index of Scripture Commentary 450 Greek Words and Phrases 451 Hebrew Words and Phrases 457 Latin Words and Phrases 458 vii Commentary on James, Peter, 1 John, Jude Commentary on James, Peter, 1 John, Jude COMMENTARIES ON THE CATHOLIC EPISTLES BY JOHN CALVIN TRANSLATED AND EDITED BY THE REV. JOHN OWEN, VICAR OF THRUSSINGTON, AND RURAL DEAN, LEICESTERSHIRE CHRISTIAN CLASSICS ETHEREAL LIBRARY GRAND RAPIDS, MI http://www.ccel.org 1 Translator's Preface Translator's Preface TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE THE Dedication to King Edward the Sixth is remarkably interesting, as it refers to the character of Popery at that day, and to its manoeuvres with regard to a General Council. The language is strong, and perhaps rougher than what would be at present used, but still true according to all we gather from history as to the state of things in those days. The main principles of Popery are still the same, and similar are its proceedings, though they may be more disguised, and its spirit is equally intolerant and persecuting. Like Mahomedanism, it is exclusive, and ever injurious to the harmony and peace of society. The order in which the Epistles are arranged is not the same as in our version. There has not been a uniformity in this respect among the ancients. The reason for the arrangement here adopted was probably this, that the First Epistle of Peter, and the First of John, had, from the beginning, been universally acknowledged as genuine, while the Epistle of James, the Second of Peter, and that of Jude, had not from the first been universally received as canonical, though they were eventually so received. The Second and the Third Epistle of John were evidently not deemed by Calvin as “catholic;” and for this reason, as it seems, he omitted them. The word “Catholic,” or General, as applied to the Epistles here explained, has been differently understood. Some have thought that they have been thus called, because they contain catholic truths; but other Epistles might, for this reason, be also called catholic. Others have supposed that catholic is synonymous with canonical; but in this case also there is no more reason for applying the word to these Epistles than to any other Epistles. But the more probable opinion is, that they were called Catholic, or General, because they were not written to any particular Church, but to Jewish or to Gentile Christians generally. Moreover, the term was not given them at first, but in subsequent ages. The most probable dates of the five Epistles here explained are the following: — BOOK DATE The Epistle of James, A.D. 61 The First Epistle of Peter, A.D. 65 The Second Epistle of Peter, A.D. 65 The Epistle of Jude, A.D. 66 The First, Epistle of John A.D. 68 This is the order according to the dates most approved by the learned. There is, for the most part, a unanimity as to the dates of the three first Epistles; but with regard to the Epistle of Jude, and the First Epistle of John, there is not the same agreement. There are many who fix later dates: to Jude, 90, and to John, 91 or 92. But this is a matter of no great consequence. 2 Translator's Preface No doubt can be justly entertained but that James, called the Less, was the author of the Epistle. He was the son of Alphaeus or Cleopas, and of Mary, probably a cousin, not a sister, of Mary the mother of our Lord. Hence he is called our Lord’s brother, (Galatians 1:19;) that is, a near relative, as the Word brother is often taken in Scripture. He took a leading part in the council held at Jerusalem, mentioned in Acts 15; and, according to Jerome, he resided there thirty years, and presided over the Church. He was put to death, as Hegesippus relates, who flourished in the second century, by a tumultuous mob, excited by Jewish zealots, in the year 62. The canonicity of James’s Epistle has been a subject of dispute, though almost universally allowed in the present day. The facts respecting it, according to Basnage, are these, — During the three first centuries it was not extensively known; in the fourth century its authenticity was by some disputed; but in the fifth century it was universally acknowledged as genuine; and it has ever since been so acknowledged, with a very few exceptions. What seems to be a sufficient evidence in its favor is the fact, that it is found as a part of Holy Scripture in the first Syriac Version, which was made early in the second century.