Calvin commenting at Matthew 25:15: To every one according to his own ability

The kingdom is also like what happened when a man went away and put his three servants in charge of all he owned. The man knew what each servant could do. So he handed five thousand coins to the first servant, two thousand to the second, and one thousand to the third. Then he left the country.
(Mat 25:14-15 CEV)

“14  “For this may be compared to a Master about to go on a long journey, who called his slaves and handed over to them his possessions.15 To one slave he gave five talents, to another two, and to yet another, one talent–all according to their ability. Then he left on his trip abroad. (Mt 25:14-15 mhm)

See Calvin_Bible 05068

Matthew 25:15.

To every one according to his own ability. By this term Christ does not distinguish between natural gifts and the gifts of the Spirit; for we have neither power nor skill {1 } which ought not to be acknowledged as having been received from God; and, therefore, whoever shall determine to give God his share will leave nothing for himself.

What then is meant by saying, that the master of the house gives to each person more or less, according to his own ability?

It is because God, as he has assigned to every one his place, and has bestowed on him natural gifts, gives him also this or the other injunction, employs him in the management of affairs, raises him to various offices, furnishes him with abundant means of eminent usefulness, and presents to him the opportunity.

It is absurd, however, in the Papists to infer from this, that the gifts of God are conferred on every man according to the measure which he deserves. For, though the old translator, {2 } employed the word virtus, {3 } he did not mean that God bestows his gifts, according as men have acquitted themselves well, and obtained the praise of virtue, but only so far as the master of the house has judged them to be suitable. Now we know that no man is found by God to be suitable till He has made him so; and the Greek word δυναμις, ( power, ability,) which Christ employed, is free from all ambiguity.

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{1 } “Il n’y a ne puissance, ne industrie, ou dexterit”;  —  “there is neither power, nor industry, nor skill.”

{2 } “Le translateur Latin ancien”;  — ” the old Latin translator.”

{3 } An interpreter who was willing to twist a passage, so as to bring out of it any meaning that he chose, would find the vagueness of the Latin word virtus to be well suited to his purpose. Its derivation from vir, a man, shows that it originally signified manliness, from which it easily passed to denote courage, and, from the high estimation in which courage was held among warlike nations, became the general expression for moral excellence, out of which arose the application of it to other kinds of excellence, as in the phrase, virtutes orationis, the ornaments of style. Again, from denoting manly vigor it came naturally to denote ability; and it is undoubtedly in this sense, with which our English version accords, that rirtus is employed by the Vulgate in this passage.  —  Ed.

 

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Preceding

Calvin looking at Matthew 25:1-12: The kingdom of heaven and foolishness

Matthew 25:14-30 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Keep Busy until the Parousia