Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

¹⁰  Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples.

¹¹  When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?”

¹²  But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.

¹³  “But go and learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”  Matthew 9:9-13. 

Here are some quotes (not contiguous) from Calvin’s Commentary on these verses:

“In the choice of Matthew out of that place, not only to be admitted into the family of Christ, but even to be called to the office of Apostle, we have a striking instance of the grace of God.  It was the intention of Christ to choose simple and ignorant persons to that rank, in order to cast down the wisdom of the world, (1 Corinthians 2:6.)  But this publican, who followed an occupation little esteemed and involved in many abuses, was selected for additional reasons, that he might be an example of Christ’s undeserved goodness, and might show in his person that the calling of all of us depends, not on the merits of our own righteousness, but on his pure kindness. 

In the same manner Paul says:  This is a faithful saying, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief, (1 Timothy 1:15.)

Not they who are in health need a physician   It is evident from Christ’s reply that the scribes erred in two ways: they did not take into account the office of Christ; and, while they spared their own vices, they proudly despised all others.  This deserves our particular attention, for it is a disease which has been always very general. Hypocrites, being satisfied and intoxicated with a foolish confidence in their own righteousness, do not consider the purpose for which Christ was sent into the world, and do not acknowledge the depth of evils in which the human race is plunged, or the dreadful wrath and curse of God which lies on all, or the accumulated load of vices which weighs them down.

This quotation is made from Hosea 6:6:  For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice;  and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings.

The subject of the prophet’s discourse (BH – in Hosea) had been the vengeance of God against the Jews. That they might not excuse themselves by saying that they were performing the outward worship of God, (as they were wont to boast in a careless manner about their ceremonies,) he declares that God has no delight in sacrifices, when their minds are destitute of piety, and when their conduct is at variance with uprightness and righteousness. That the statement, I desired not sacrifice, must be understood comparatively, is evident from the second clause, that the knowledge of God is better than burnt-offerings   By these words he does not absolutely reject burnt-offerings, but places them in a rank inferior to piety and faith. We ought to hold, that faith and spiritual worship are in themselves pleasing to God, and that charity and the duties of humanity towards our neighbors are in themselves required; but that sacrifices are but appendages, so to speak, which are of no value or estimation, where substantial truth is not found.”

Here is the link to the full Commentary by Calvin on these verses – Click here: Commentary on Matthew, Mark, Luke – Volume 1 | Christian Classics Ethereal Library

Bill’s Comments:

So, as we try to learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ we come across the following verses:

James 5:20
let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:8
Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

In Calvin’s Commentary to James 5:20, Calvin states:  “And shall hide a multitude of sins.  He makes an allusion to a saying of Solomon, rather than a quotation. (Proverbs 10:12.)  Solomon says that love covers sins, as hatred proclaims them.  For they who hate burn with the desire of mutual slander; but they who love are disposed to exercise mutual forbearance.”

³  And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This fellow blasphemes.”

⁴  And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?

⁵  “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’?

⁶  “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.”

⁷  And he got up and went home.

⁸  But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.”  Matthew 9:1-8.  

Here are some quotes from Calvin’s Commentary on these verses:

“Now, as Christ granted to their faith the favor which he bestowed on the paralytic, a question is usually raised on this passage how far do men derive advantage from the faith of others?  And, first, it is certain, that the faith of Abraham was of advantage to his posterity, when he embraced the free covenant offered to him and to his seed.  We must hold a similar belief with regard to all believers, that, by their faith, the grace of God is extended to their children and their children’s children even before they are born. The same thing takes place in infants, who are not yet of such an age as to be capable of faith.  With regard to adults, on the other hand, who have no faith of their own, (whether they be strangers, or allied by blood,) the faith of others can have nothing more than an indirect influence in promoting the eternal salvation of their souls.  As the prayers, by which we ask that God will turn unbelievers to repentance, are not without advantage, our faith is evidently of such advantage to them, that they do not arrive at salvation, till they have been made partakers of the same faith with us in answer to our prayers.  But where there is a mutual agreement in faith, it is well known that they promote the salvation of each other. It is also beyond all question, that earthly blessings are often, for the sake of the godly, bestowed on unbelievers.

With regard to the present passage, though Christ is said to have been moved by the faith of others, yet the paralytic could not have obtained the forgiveness of his sins, if he had had no faith of his own. Unworthy persons were often restored by Christ to health of body, as God daily maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, (Matthew 5:45) but there is no other way in which he is reconciled to us than by faith. There is a synecdoche, therefore, in the word their, when it is said that Jesus saw their faith: for Christ not only looked at those who brought the paralytic, but looked also at his faith.

Thy sins are forgiven thee.   Christ appears here to promise to the paralytic something different from what he had requested: but, as he intends to bestow health of body, he begins with removing the cause of the disease, and at the same time reminds the paralytic of the origin of his disease, and of the manner in which he ought to arrange his prayers. As men usually do not consider that the afflictions which they endure are God’s chastisements, they desire nothing more than some alleviation in the flesh, and, in the meantime, feel no concern about their sins: just as if a sick man were to disregard his disease, and to seek only relief from present pain.

But the only way of obtaining deliverance from all evils is to have God reconciled to us. It does sometimes happen, that wicked men are freed from their distresses, while God is still their enemy: but when they think that they have completely escaped, the same evils immediately return, or more numerous and heavier calamities overwhelm them, which make it manifest that they will not be mitigated or terminated. until the wrath of God shall be appeased, as God declares by the Prophet Amos

If thou escape a lion, a bear shall meet thee;
if thou shut thyself up at home, a serpent shall bite thee,
(Amos 5:19.)

³⁰  Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them.

³¹  The demons began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.”

³²  And He said to them, “Go!”  And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters.  (Emphasis added.) 

³³  The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs.

³⁴  And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region.”  Matthew 8:28-34.

Notice that Jesus did not argue with the demons.  Jesus did not answer their questions.  Jesus did not even explain what he was doing other than simply command:  “Go!”. 

We read the powerful and completely obedient results of that simple command.  “And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters.”  Matthew 8:32.

If Jesus can do that to the demons who caused the two men to be “so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way”, then can He deal with our temper?  Can he deal with our other sinful propensities? 

Let us be both ashamed for doubting Him and also be encouraged that He can perform all of His promises that we read in Scripture to sanctify us and bear fruit within us.

²⁵  And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!”

²⁶  He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.

 ²⁷  The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”  Matthew 8:23-27. 

²¹  Another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.”

²²  But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.”  Matthew 8:19-22.  

Here are some quotes from Calvin’s Commentary on these verses:

“It might at first sight appear strange, that Christ sends back, and does not admit into his family, one who offers to follow him immediately and without delay: while he detains another along with him who, by asking leave for a time, showed himself to be slower and less willing. But there are the best reasons for both. Whence arose the great readiness of the scribe to prepare himself immediately to accompany Christ, but from his not having at all considered the hard and wretched condition of his followers? We must bear in mind that he was a scribe, who had been accustomed to a quiet and easy life, had enjoyed honor, and was ill-fitted to endure reproaches, poverty, persecutions, and the cross. He wishes indeed to follow Christ, but dreams of an easy and agreeable life, and of dwellings filled with every convenience; whereas the disciples of Christ must walk among thorns, and march to the cross amidst uninterrupted afflictions. The more eager he is, the less he is prepared. He seems as if he wished to fight in the shade and at ease, neither annoyed by sweat nor by dust, and beyond the reach of the weapons of war. There is no reason to wonder that Christ rejects such persons: for, as they rush on without consideration, they are distressed by the first uneasiness of any kind that occurs, lose courage at the first attack, give way, and basely desert their post. Besides, this scribe might have sought a place in the family of Christ, in order to live at his table without expense, and to feed luxuriously without toil. Let us therefore look upon ourselves as warned, in his person, not to boast lightly and at ease, that we will be the disciples of Christ, while we are taking no thought of the cross, or of afflictions; but, on the contrary, to consider early what sort of condition awaits us. The first lesson which he gives us, on entering his school, is to deny ourselves, and take up his cross, (Matthew 16:24.)

Foxes have holes.   The Son of God describes by these words what was his condition while he lived on the earth, but, at the same time, informs his disciples what sort of life they must be prepared to expect.

Lord, permit me to go first and bury my father.   We have said, that the scribe was rejected by Christ as a follower, because he made his offer without consideration, and imagined that he would enjoy an easy life. The person whom Christ retains had an opposite fault. He was prevented from immediately obeying the call of Christ by the weakness of thinking it a hardship to leave his father. It is probable that his father was in extreme old age: for the mode of expression, Permit me to bury, implies that he had but a short time to live. 

From Christ’s reply we learn, that children should discharge their duty to their parents in such a manner that, whenever God calls them to another employment, they should lay this aside, and assign the first place to the command of God. Whatever duties we owe to men must give way, when God enjoins upon us what is immediately due to himself. All ought to consider what God requires from them as individuals, and what is demanded by their particular calling, that earthly parents may not prevent the claims of the highest and only Father of all from remaining entire.”

Here is the link to the full Commentary by Calvin on these verses –  

I am soft and lazy.  I crave comfort even luxury.  I fear that I may flee if times got too tough.  So, I turn to my Savior and admit my weakness and ask for help.  “Lord, these words are hard to read.  I am soft and lazy.  I crave comfort even luxury.  I fear that I may flee if times got too tough.  Help me!” 

Our Savior and Lord will indeed strengthen us to handle whatever we face:

1. Ephesians 3:16
   that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
   
2. Philippians 4:13
   I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
   
3. Colossians 1:11
   strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously
   
4. 1 Thessalonians 3:2
   and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith,
   
5. 2 Thessalonians 2:17
   comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.
   
6. 2 Thessalonians 3:3
   But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
   
7. 1 Timothy 1:12
   I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service,
   
8. 2 Timothy 4:17
   But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth.
   
9. Hebrews 12:12
   Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble,
   
10. Hebrews 13:9
    Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.
    
11. James 5:8
    You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.
    
12. 1 Peter 5:10
    After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.
     

⁷  Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

⁸  But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.

⁹  “For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

¹⁰  Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.

¹¹  “I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;

¹²  but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

¹³  And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very moment.”  Matthew 8:5-13. 

²⁶  “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.

²⁷  “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell–and great was its fall.”

²⁸  When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching;

²⁹  for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.”  Matthew 7:24-29.  

Here are some quotes (not contiguous) from Calvin’s Commentary on these verses:

¹⁷  “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.

¹⁸  “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.

¹⁹  “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

²⁰  “So then, you will know them by their fruits.”  Matthew 7:15-20.  

Here are some quotes (not contiguous) from Calvin’s Commentary on these verses:

“It was a general expectation among the Jews that, under the reign of Christ, their condition would be delightful, and free from all contest or uneasiness. He therefore warns his disciples that, if they desire to persevere, they must prepare themselves to avoid the snares of Satan. It is the will of the Lord, (as has been already said,) that his Church shall be engaged in uninterrupted war in this world. That we may continue to be his disciples to the end, it is not enough that we are merely submissive, and allow ourselves to be governed by his Word.  Our faith, which is constantly attacked by Satan, must be prepared to resist.

(P.S.  Professor Hanko – This paragraph above reminds me very much of what you said to me before.  )

It is of the greatest consequence, undoubtedly, that we should suffer ourselves to be directed by good and faithful ministers of Christ.

“The sheep hear the voice of the shepherd; and a stranger they do not follow, but flee from him,” (John 10:3, 5).  Hence too we infer, that there is no reason why believers should be discouraged or alarmed, when wolves creep into the fold of Christ, when false prophets endeavor to corrupt the purity of the faith by false doctrines. They ought rather to be aroused to keep watch: for it is not without reason that Christ enjoins them to be on their guard. Provided that we are not led astray through our own sluggishness, we shall be able to avoid every kind of snares; and, indeed, without this confidence, we would not have the courage necessary for being on our guard. Now that we know that the Lord will not fail to perform his promises, whatever may be the attacks of Satan, let us go boldly to the Lord, asking from him the Spirit of wisdom, by whose influences he not only seals on our hearts the belief of his truth, but exposes the tricks and impositions of Satan, that we may not be deceived by them.

From their fruits you shall know them.  Had not this mark of distinction been added, we might have called in question the authority of all teachers without exception. If there is a mortal danger to be dreaded in teachers, and if we see no way of avoiding it, we shall be under the necessity of holding them all suspected: and there will be no better or shorter method than to keep our ears shut against them all. We see that ungodly men, to screen themselves when rejecting every kind of doctrine, hold out this danger, and that weak and ill-informed persons remain in a state of perplexity. That our reverence for the Gospel, and for its faithful ministers and teachers, may not be diminished, Christ enjoins us to form our opinion of the false prophets from their fruits.

Under the fruits the manner of teaching is itself included, and indeed holds the chief place: for Christ proves that he was sent by God from this consideration, that “he seeketh not his own glory, but the glory of the Father who sent him,” (John 7:18.)

Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?  By these proverbs, which were then in common use and universally received, Christ confirms his statement, that no man can be deceived by false prophets, unless he is wilfully blind: for the fruits as plainly discover upright servants of God, and unfaithful workmen, as the fruits point out the nature of the tree.”

Here is the link to the full Commentary by Calvin on these verses –

¹⁴  “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”  Matthew 7:13-14. 

Arminianism is like the broad way leading to destruction, and Calvinism is like the narrow way that leads to life. 

In TULIP – The Five Points of Calvinism in the Light of Scripture by Duane Edward Smith, 2nd Edition, Baker Books, 2003, pages 13-14, it is stated:  “… in 1618, a National Synod of the Church was convened in Dort to examine the teachings of Arminius in the light of Scripture. After 154 earnest sessions, which lasted seven months the Five Points of Arminianism were found contrary to Scripture and declared heretical (heresy).”

So, how is Arminianism like the broad way?  In regards to this third point, Arminianism believes that God loves everyone, Christ died for everyone, and God wants to save everyone, and that the only difference between the unsaved and saved is that the saved take what I will call “man’s free will leap of faith” from that wide bridge of universal atonement (which wide bridge illustrates that Christ died for everyone). Arminians believe that everyone has an equal opportunity to be saved, but that Christ’s death saved no one.  Only those who take “the free will leap of faith” (to the other shore as the illustration) will be saved. Thus, the bridge is wide, but it only goes halfway across the stream.

So, how is Calvinism like the narrow way?  In contrast to Arminianism, Calvinism believes that God only loves His elect and only wants to save them. Christ died only for the elect, and God does everything necessary for the salvation of His elect.  In comparison to the wide bridge of Arminianism, Calvinism is the narrow bridge because salvation is only available for the Elect, but unlike the Arminian bridge which only goes half-way across the stream, Calvinism’s narrow bridge completely crosses the stream because God handles all the points of salvation. Because Man is so totally depraved (first point of Calvinism) that he is “dead” in sin, hostile to God, cannot please God, cannot understand the things of God, and is in bondage to sin and Satan, God must make His elect “born again” or “alive” or “draw” them to Christ, or else no one would believe and be saved. God does everything for the elect, including giving them faith, sanctifying them, and preserving them to salvation, so that all the Elect will be saved. See the golden chain of salvation in Romans 8: 29-30.

As our Scripture for today, Jesus tells us in Matthew 7: 12: “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.” This Scripture should cause us to pause and consider whether or not Arminian’s doctrine in universal atonement which alleges a broad free will way of salvation open to everyone and is based on “man’s free will man’s leap of faith” may be the broad way that leads to destruction.

Arminianism appears to rest on “the wisdom of man” while Calvinism appears to rest on “the power of God”? Is it true faith to believe that salvation is dependent on man’s free will choice – “the wisdom of man”? Certainly, Arminianism is more attractive and wise and just to our natural human mind to believe that everyone has an equal opportunity to be saved and to believe in free will and to believe in sufficient goodness in man and to believe that salvation is ultimately controlled by us as to whether or not we will choose Christ and be saved. However, our faith should not rest on the wisdom of men (Arminianism) but on power of God (Calvinism). See I Corinthians 2: 5.

Do we trust the broad way of man’s free will?  Or, do we trust the narrow way of God’s election?  “Enter through the narrow gate”.