Calvin's Exposition of the Ten Commandments

I really enjoyed and profited from Calvin's exposition of the Ten
Commandments. I believe his approach is true and helpful. It's also
interesting to see how much Calvin must've influenced the Westminster
Assembly. If you've ever read the Westminster Larger Catechism (WLC)
section on the Ten Commandments, you can see a great deal of similarity
of thought. For each commandment, they address 1) the duties required
and 2) the sins forbidden. See
http://www.reformed.org/documents/wlc_w_proofs/WLC_091-150.html to read
the specific questions and answers for each commandment. The specific
commandments begin with Q. 103, though the stuff above that is excellent
reading on a biblical understanding of the uses of the law and the
proper interpretation of the Ten Commandments.

Reading Calvin also reminds me of the privilege of being pygmies
standing on the shoulders of giants. I believe the WLC provides a more
mature exposition of the commandments than Calvin did. While Calvin
demonstrates tremendous insight in his exposition, I was disappointed in
some ways by his handling of the 4th and 10th commandments.

Calvin has a rather odd view of the 4th Commandment. There is much to
commend, but some of it is confusing. He tells us that servants should
not be forced to work on Sunday. However, he also says that the day is
fulfilled in the rest we continually have in the gospel. He doesn't
explain clearly (at least to me) how the command continues to require us
to give servants rest while it is fulfilled in the gospel. In addition,
there are three aspects of the Sabbath data that he doesn't deal with
adequately. First, he doesn't sufficiently wrestle with the fact that
the Sabbath is rooted in creation. It is not simply a ceremony to be
set aside, and it is not merely a pointer to the gospel since it was
given before the fall. Second, he doesn't adequately deal with Jesus'
painstaking efforts to recover proper observance of the Sabbath from its
Pharisaical abuses. This makes little sense if the day as a day of rest
was to be done away with after his resurrection. Third, he doesn't
explain on what basis the apostles chose to establish weekly
gatherings. The view expounded in the WLC seems to do a better job with
all the biblical data.

I also felt that Calvin missed an important part of the 10th
Commandment. He seems to relate it entirely to the attitude of love
toward our neighbor that should possess our whole souls. He does not
show how it addresses our Godward disposition. I wonder if this relates
to a too-rigid imposition of the view that the commandments are divided
into two tables -- the first 4 Godward and the las 6 manward. But these
divisions are not so rigid that a commandment in the 2nd table says
nothing about a Godward disposition. The 5th commandment, for example,
speaks of our response to authority, which begins with God's authority.
The 6th commandment forbids murder, because it requires us to honor God
by honoring those in his image. Likewise, the 10th commandment
addresses our response to God's providence. I like what the WLC says:
"The sins forbidden in the tenth commandment are, discontentment with
our own estate...." To allow the possessions or blessings of others to
generate discontentment in our hearts is to question God's goodness. It
says that we can do a better job than God in this area. In other words,
"covetousness...is idolatry." (Col. 3:5)

I continue to marvel at the biblical insight that God gave the man
Calvin. At the same time, I am reminded to read with discernment and to
recognize the wisdom of a multitude of counselors in the church.

Stan

keeping up with Calvin

I don't know about you, but I've found that keeping up with the Calvin
reading is a major challenge. It is relentless. Just when I get ahead
by a half day, I have a busy stretch for a couple of evenings. The next
thing I know, I'm looking at 20 pages to catch up on over the weekend.

That's one side of my experience. The other side is that this has been
some of the most edifying, heart-searching reading I've done in a long
time. Calvin's discussion of the spirituality of the law has caused me
to search my heart. It has revealed double-mindedness and hypocrisy. I
am seeing in a new way how good I am at dressing up the outside without
giving much concern for the inside. And Calvin reminds me that God sees
the inside just as clearly as he sees the outside. Who has become my
audience?

Calvin brings me back to the heart work that I need to do before the
all-seeing eye of God. Calvin reminds me that the law reveals my own
weakness and drives me to the one who supplies strength. I will make no
genuine headway at all until I come to the end of myself and look to
Christ who supplies all our strength in the power of the Spirit.

By God's grace, I intend to persevere in this reading and see what
further exhortation and encouragement I can glean from this gifted
servant of God.

Stan