Expounding scripture and applying it to our use: Calvin's sermons on Ephesians

Scottish Journal of Theology

Volumn 56, Issue 4, 2003, Pages 481-507

  Zachman, Randall C ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 70350137407     PISSN: 00369306     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1017/S0036930603211169     Document Type: Article

References (111)

1. T. H. L. Parker, Calvin's New Testament Commentaries, 2nd edn (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 1993)
2. David Steinmetz, Calvin in Context (New York: Oxford University Press, 1995)
3. Susan Schreiner, The Theater of His Glory: Nature and the Natural Order in the Thought of John Calvin (Durham, NC: Labyrinth, 1991)
4. John Thompson, John Calvin and the Daughters of Sarah: Women in Regular and Exceptional Roles in the Exegesis of Calvin, His Predecessors and His Contemporaries (Geneva: Droz, 1992)
5. Thomas Davis, The Clearest Promises of God: The Development of Calvin's Eucharistic Teaching (New York: AMS, 1995)
6. David Puckett, John Calvin's Exegesis of the Old Testament (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 1995)
7. Elsie A. McKee, 'Exegesis, Theology, and Development in Calvin's Institutio: A Methodological Suggestion', in Probing the Reformed Tradition: Historical Studies in Honor of Edward A. Dowey, ed. Brian Armstrong and Elsie A. McKee (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 1989), pp. 154-72
8. Richard Muller, The Unaccommodated Calvin: Studies in the Foundation of a Theological Tradition (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000)
9. Barbara Pitkin, What Pure Eyes Could See: Calvin's Doctrine of Faith in its Exegetical Context (New York: Oxford University Press, 1999)
10. Susan Schreiner, Where Shall Wisdom Be Found? Calvin's Exegesis of Job from Medieval and Modern Perspectives (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1994)
11. Randall C. Zachman, '"Do You Understand What You Are Reading?" Calvin's Guidance for the Reading of Scripture', Scottish Journal of Theology 54 (2001)
12. Randall C. Zachman, 'What Kind of Book is the Institutes?', Calvin Theological Journal (Nov. 2002)
13. Erwin Muelhaupt, Die Predigt Calvins, ihre Geschichte, ihre Form und ihre Religiösen Grundgedanken (Berlin and Leipzig: de Gruyter & Co., 1931)
14. Leroy Nixon, John Calvin, Expository Preacher (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1950)
15. T. H. L. Parker, Calvin's Preaching (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 1992)
16. Dawn de Vries, Jesus Christ in the Preaching of Calvin and Schleiermacher (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 1996)
17. Parker points out that Calvin's sermons always move from exposition to application, and that the application often includes exhortations, rebukes, and the like (Parker, Calvin's Preaching, Ch. 11)
18. However, he is wary of attributing any method to Calvin's sermons, as he sees them as having their own unpredictable dynamic. 'The sermons are like rivers, moving strongly in one direction, alive with eddies and cross-currents, now thundering in cataracts, now a calm mirror of the banks and the sky; but never still, never stagnant' (Parker, Calvins Preaching, p. 132). I agree that the method Calvin follows is not always explicitly clear, but I would argue nonetheless that Calvin does follow such a method quite consistently in his sermons
19. 'Most Greek copies omit the word all; but I was unwilling to strike it out, because it must at least be understood' (Comm. Eph. 1:1, in Ioannis Calvini opera quae supersunt omnia, ed. Wilhelm Baum, Edward Cunitz, and Eduard Reuss (Brunswick: A. Schwetschke and Son (M. Bruhn), 1863-1900), vol. 51, p. 145C henceforth CO 51:145C
20. Calvin's New Testament Commentaries, ed. David W Torrance and Thomas F. Torrance (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1959-72), vol. 11, p. 123 henceforth CNTC 11:123)
21. See also Comm. Eph. 1:16, 5:9, 5:14, 5:21
22. Comm. Eph. 1:10, CO 51:151A CNTC 11:129
23. see also Comm. Eph. 2:6, 2:16, 2:22, 3:9, 4:6, 5:13, 5:14, 6:23
24. Comm. Eph. 4:32, CO 51:213B CNTC 11:195
25. See also Comm. Eph. 1:21, 2:2, 3:16, 4:15, 4:26
26. One time he cites Plato's Republic (Comm. Eph. 4:17, CO 51:204B CNTC 11:186)
27. See also Comm. Eph. 1:12, 1:19, 4:8, 4:13, 5:30, 6:1
28. See also Comm. Eph. 2:14, 2:18, 4:17, 5:28, 6:1, 6:18
29. See also Comm. Eph. 1:3, 1:10, 3:3, 3:10, 3:18, 4:9, 4:19, 4:30, 5:3, 5:23, 5:27, 6:15
30. See also Comm Eph. 2:10, 2:20, 3:14, 4:5, 5:27, 6:12
31. See also Comm. Eph. 1:4, 1:5, 3:12, 4:11, 4:17, 5:26, 5:32
32. Comm. Eph. 4:11, CO 51:198A CNTC 11:179
33. Sermons on the Epistle to the Ephesians, trans. Leslie Rawlinson and S. M. Houghton (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1973), p. 17 (henceforth Sermons)
34. Calvin also notes how the word love' can refer either to God's love for us, or our love for each other (Sermon 2 on Ephesians, CO 51:269B Sermons, p. 33; Sermon 20, CO 51:493C, Sermons, p. 293)
35. In one instance he refers to 'the communion of saints' (Sermon 8 on Ephesians, CO 51:338C Sermons, p. 114
36. See also Muelhaupt, Die Predigt Calvins, pp. 39-63, and his attempt to catalogue Calvin's sayings and images by category
37. Sermon 25 on Ephesians, CO 51:554B Sermons, p. 362
38. Sermon 25 on Ephesians, CO 51:442B Sermons, p. 233
39. Sermon 42 on Ephesians, CO 51:773C Sermons, p. 607
40. Sermon 19 on Ephesians, CO 51:478-9 Sermons, p. 275
41. Sermon 16 on Ephesians, CO 51:445-6 Sermons, pp. 237-8
42. Sermon 15 on Ephesians, CO 51:427C Sermons, p. 217
43. Sermon 20 on Ephesians, CO 51:499B Sermons, p. 299
44. Sermon 15 on Ephesians, CO 51:427B Sermons, p. 216
45. Sermon 7 on Ephesians, CO 51:326A Sermons, p. 99
46. Sermon 26 on Ephesians, CO 51:262 Sermons, p. 26
47. Sermon 1 on Ephesians, CO 51:253C Sermons, p. 16
48. Sermon 20 on Ephesians, CO 51:496A Sermons, p. 295
49. Sermon 25 on Ephesians, CO 51:555B Sermons, p. 363
50. Sermon 1 on Ephesians, CO 51:251C Sermons, p. 14
51. Sermon 31 on Ephesians, CO 51:636B Sermons, p. 453
52. Sermon 42 on Ephesians, CO 51:778C Sermons, p. 612
53. Sermon 37 on Ephesians, CO 51:715A Sermons, p. 542
54. Sermon 14 on Ephesians, CO 51:414-15 Sermons, p. 202
55. Sermon 7 on Ephesians, CO 51:326-7 Sermons, p. 100
56. Sermon 25 on Ephesians, CO 51:555B Sermons, p. 363, my emphasis
57. Sermon 30 on Ephesians, CO 51:623B Sermons, p. 439
58. Sermon 30 on Ephesians, CO 51:623C Sermons, p. 439
59. Sermon 43 on Ephesians, CO 51:783B Sermons, p. 618
60. Sermon 30 on Ephesians, CO 51:624-5 Sermons, p. 440
61. 'vraye exposition de l'Escriture, et qu'elle est applique droitment a nostre usage' (Sermon 25 on Ephesians, CO 51:555B) Sermons, p. 363
62. Sermon 1 on Ephesians, CO 51:245B, Sermons, p. 7 Sermon 2 on Ephesians, CO 51:269C, Sermons, p. 33
63. Sermon 39 on Ephesians, CO 51:744C, Sermons, p. 575
64. Sermon 23 on Ephesians, CO 51:529C, Sermons, p. 334
65. Sermon 1 on Ephesians, CO 51:255C, Sermons, p. 18
66. Calvin indicates that the terms for the inner and outer person 'are not yet common use in French' (Sermon 19 on Ephesians, CO 51:482B) Sermons, p. 279
67. Sermon 5 on Ephesians, CO 51:306B Sermons, p. 76
68. Sermon 46 on Ephesians, CO 51:823B Sermons, p. 663
69. Sermon 1 on Ephesians, CO 51:254B, Sermons, p. 7
70. Sermon 2 on Ephesians, CO 51:260B, Sermons, p. 23
71. Sermon 24 on Ephesians, CO 51:546A, Sermons, p. 352
72. Sermon 2 on Ephesians, CO 51:269C, Sermons, p. 33
73. Sermon 1 on Ephesians, CO 51:251A, Sermons, p. 12
74. Sermon 25 on Ephesians, CO 51:561C, Sermons, p. 370
75. Sermon 27 on Ephesians, CO 51:589C, Sermons, p. 401
76. Sermon 4 on Ephesians, CO 51:294A Sermons, p. 62
77. Sermon 29 on Ephesians, CO 51:607A Sermons, p. 421
78. Sermon 4 on Ephesians, CO 51:294C Sermons, p. 62
79. Sermon 1 on Ephesians, CO 51:245B Sermons, p. 7
80. Sermon 1 on Ephesians, CO 51:246B Sermons, p. 8
81. Sermon 24 on Ephesians, CO 51:546B, Sermons, p. 353
82. Sermon 1 on Ephesians, CO 51:257A, Sermons, p. 20
83. Thus, for example, Sermon 7 onEphesians, CO 51:332C, ISermons, p. 101
84. and Sermon 5 on Ephesians, CO 51:300A, Sermons, p. 70. He will also use all of his synonyms for Paul's intention, as we have given above
85. Sermon 3 on Ephesians, CO 51:282B, Sermons, p. 48
86. Sermon 6 on Ephesians, CO 51:317B, Sermons, p. 89
87. Sermon 1 on Ephesians, CO 51:249A, Sermons, p. 11
88. Sermon 1 on Ephesians, CO 51:249C, Sermons, p. 12
89. Sermon 45 on Ephesians, CO 51:810C, Sermons, p. 649
90. Sermon 41 on Ephesians, CO 51:766A, Sermons, p. 598
91. Sermon 47 on Ephesians, CO 51:843A, Sermons, p. 685
92. Sermon 14 on Ephesians, CO 51:416C Sermons, p. 202
93. Sermon 14 on Ephesians, CO 51:417A Sermons, p. 202
94. Sermon 23 on Ephesians, CO 51:537B Sermons, pp. 341-2
95. Sermon 34 on Ephesians, CO 51:674-5 Sermons, p. 497
96. Sermon 41 on Ephesians, CO 51:763-4 Sermons, pp. 596-7
97. Sermon 47 on Ephesians, CO 51:843A Sermons, p. 685
98. Sermon 38 on Ephesians, CO 51:462B Sermons, p. 257
99. Sermon 6 on Ephesians, CO 51:310C Sermons, p. 82
100. Sermon 13 on Ephesians, CO 51:402-3 Sermons, pp. 188-9
101. Sermon 1 on Ephesians, CO 51:256B Sermons, p. 19
102. Sermon 31 on Ephesians, CO 51:632B Sermons, p. 449
103. Sermon 31 on Ephesians, CO 638A Sermons, p. 455
104. Sermon 42 on Ephesians, CO 51:778 Sermons, p. 612
105. Sermon 45 on Ephesians, CO 51:817-18 Sermons, pp. 656-7
106. Sermon 31 on Ephesians, CO 51:636A Sermons, p. 453
107. Sermon 21 on Ephesians, CO 51:507B Sermons, p. 308
108. Sermon 18 on Ephesians, CO 51:471-2 Sermons, pp. 267-8
109. See also Parker, Calvin's Preaching, Ch. 10, for similar descriptions of the central message of scripture
110. Sermon 20 on Ephesians, CO 51:496A
111. Sermons, p. 295