Calvin: The Theologian
John
Calvin had an insatiable appetite for writing and it showed itself true in his
theological writings. He had a special way of crafting words together,
especially as it pertained to theology. Of all of Calvin’s giftedness given to
him by God, his ability to write is ranked as one of the highest. Calvin’s depth
and breadth in education helped make him one of the most prolific writers in
all of church history. His giftedness in writing is noticed even today, as
there are still a vast number of his theological writings that are being
published.
Calvin
handwrote the majority of his work published. Calvin was known for his fast and
efficient handwriting. His writings were in Latin, which were “largely Ciceronian
in style and wonderfully clear.”[1] He
wrote mostly concise and lucid sentences; however, there were times where he
would interweave sentences that were full of imagery. God gifted Calvin with
the intellectual wherewithal of piecing together the language with his prose.
One
of the greatest theological contributions Calvin made was his writing of the Institutes. The Institutes of the Christian Religion was first published in 1536 when
Calvin was only 27 years old. The book became famous almost instantaneously and
became the doctrinal compass for the Protestant movement. Not only did Calvin
produce the Institutes, but he also
published commentaries. His commentaries had the largest impact on the
Protestant movement, not because he produced the largest amount of writings,
but because of his scholarly methods of approach within the scriptures.
Calvin’s
commentaries were pastoral in content and sumptuous in scholarship. The Commentary on Romans was the first
commentary published by Calvin in 1539, which was a masterpiece. Calvin, like
Luther, saw the book of Romans as the most important book of the Bible. Calvin,
in his brilliance and consistency, would eventually write commentaries on most
of the Old Testament and all the books of the New Testament, except for
Revelation, 2 and 3 John. Within the commentaries, one can sense the theological
mind and heart of Calvin.
Calvin
rarely wrote a manuscript out and usually preached extemporaneously from his
Greek or Hebrew Bible. However, some of Calvin’s more well-to-do parishioners
thought it would be a good idea to hire someone to write out his sermons. Nevertheless,
“the preservation of the sermons in published form was not Calvin’s idea and
was not a project he was particularly enthusiastic about.”[2] The
purpose for his sermons to be transcribed was for the common man to be able to
read and understand Calvin, since his other writings were too challenging to
some.
The
letters of Calvin may be the most underrated of all his writings. There are
over four thousand that have been published called, Corpus Refomatorum. As Calvin grew older and more physically
fatigued, the duty of answering all the correspondences he received was
overwhelming. Yet, he continued to write and respond to those who contacted
him. During his correspondence to Servetus, he employed the pseudonym “Charles
d’Espeville,” but his true identity was no secret to Servetus and others who
received his letters. These letters were easily recognized due to Calvin’s
pastoral heart, theological precision, and doctrinal dogma when he was trying
to encourage, exhort, or rebuke the recipient.
Calvin’s
theological writings and mind was not only used on paper, but also in the
classroom. John Strum, a native of France, who was a scholar at the University
of Paris, started a school in Strasbough, which Calvin was appointed as lecture
of the Scriptures. Calvin lectured three days a week by giving exegetical
courses on the Gospel of John and the Epistles of Paul. Calvin’s teaching in
Strasbourgh would eventually pave the way for his academy in Geneva. Although
Calvin was a faithful preacher, writer, and professor, he earned only a “florin
per week for his lectures.”[3] He
would supplement his income by other means such as lawyering on the side,
giving private lessons, or land lording. One of the greatest pains he must have
experienced was when he had to sell part of his library. He was noted for
complaining about the cost of living in Strasbourgh when he stated, “I can not
claim a single penny my own. It is astonishing how money slips away in
extraordinary expenses.”[4]
Calvin’s
theological writing gives one insight to his mind and heart as it pertains to
the Bible. Calvin’s theology was defiantly more reformed than that of his
Catholic upbringing. By being a pastor, writer, and professor of the Scriptures,
Calvin had an outlet when it came to his theological convictions. Calvin was
known largely for his strong convictions on the sinfulness of man and God’s
decree in predestination of his elect. Sadly, Calvin’s views on other
theological convictions are just as helpful, yet these two doctrinal positions
seem to have acquired him the most opposition.
Calvin
did not set out to base his whole ministry of pastoring, writing, and teaching
around the doctrine of election. As a matter of fact, “Calvin did not begin
with predestination and then proceed to atonement, regeneration, justification,
and other doctrines. Predestination became an issue in the context of the
history of salvation.”[5]
The issue arose for Calvin as he reflected on why, when the gospel is
proclaimed, there are some who respond to God by repentance and faith and others
do not?
Calvin’s
understanding of election started with salvation. He taught and wrote those who
were saved, i.e., the elect, were only saved because of God’s sovereign election
and predestination. The same sovereign choice of those to salvation was the
same sovereign choice of God for others to condemnation. Calvin wrote,
“Therefore, as any man has been created to one or the other of these ends, we
speak of him as predestined to life or to death.”[6]
Thus, Calvin’s assertion is that the purpose behind God’s predestination and
election is in God, and not the creature.
Likewise,
Calvin’s understanding of man’s spiritual inability gave the logical reasoning
behind Calvin’s doctrine of unconditional election. This would also be the
reasoning why some are saved and others are not. Those who are not sovereignly
elected to salvation are not elected to hell, but are passed over by God’s
grace for reasons only He will ever know. Calvin gave this insight to election
and reprobation when he said, “We assert that, with respect to the elect this
plan was founded upon his freely given mercy, without regard to human worth;
but by his just and irreprehensible but incomprehensible judgment he has barred
the door of life to those whom he has given over to damnation.”[7]
Calvin’s understanding of election and predestination was not something he made
up; rather it was based upon the clear teaching from Scripture.
Consequently,
lest someone think Calvin to be arrogant in the doctrine of election, he was
sympathetic toward others who delayed in teaching it when he wrote, “Their
moderation in this matter is rightly to be praised, because they feel that
these mysteries ought to be discussed with great soberness.”[8]
Calvin’s only desire was to stay committed to the Scripture as he exegeted the
text, unlike today, where sermon series are stopped at Romans 8 or Ephesians 1
due to the lack of confidence in the Word of God. Calvin believed that the scriptures
were sufficient because he believed that Christians have a duty to know and
believe all that God sees fit to teach them in His Word.
Calvin
was an impressive writer, preacher, and professor; however, all of Calvin’s
accomplishments were due to him being rooted and grounded in his theology.
Calvin was a brilliant theologian and it affected every area of his life. His
doctrine and theology was Christocentric and God-glorifying, which made him a
brilliant writer, professor, and theologian. He never intended for a
theological system or specific doctrines to be ascribed to him with his name
attached to them. Thus, Calvin believed and held that the doctrine of
predestination and election brought about humility to the Christian, rather
than boasting. Calvin’s theology and the boldness to write changed the course
of church history, affected a generation of pastors, and the people of God in a
major way, the effects of which can still be felt today.
[1] Ibid., p.148.
[2] Ibid p.104
[3] Timothy George, Theology
of the Reformers, (Nashville: B&H Publishers, 2013), 189.
[4] T.H. L. Parker, John
Calvin: A Biography, (London:
Westminister John Knox Press, 1975), 69.
[5] George, 241.
[6] John Calvin, Institutes
of the Christian Religion, ed. John T. McNeill; trans. Ford Lewis Battles;
Library of Christian Classics, XX-XXI (Philadelphia: Westminster John Knox,
1960), 3.21.3.
[7] Ibid., 3.21.7.
[8] Ibid., 3.21.3
