John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2, Chapter 23 (Sections 1–7)

In this reading, Calvin addresses a critical theological question: Did the believers under the Old Testament share the same salvation that Christians experience today? His answer is clear—yes. Calvin argues that the covenant made with the patriarchs was not fundamentally different from the covenant believers enjoy now. The substance of the covenant was always the same: salvation through the grace of God and through the Mediator, Christ. What differed was the administration—the Old Testament revealed these realities through shadows, promises, and types, while the New Testament reveals them clearly in the person of Christ.

Calvin strongly rejects the idea—held by Servetus and some Anabaptists—that Israel’s hope was merely earthly or temporal. The fathers were not promised only material prosperity; they were invited to the hope of eternal life. The Gospel itself was already promised in the Law and the Prophets. The same righteousness of God revealed in Christ today was witnessed to in the Old Testament. Abraham, Calvin reminds us, rejoiced to see Christ’s day, and the promises given to Israel always pointed toward eternal life through the Mediator.

He also emphasizes that the covenant with Israel was grounded entirely in God’s mercy, not in human merit, just as it is today. Even the sacraments of the Old Testament foreshadowed the same spiritual realities Christians now experience. Paul’s teaching that Israel ate “spiritual food” and drank from the “spiritual Rock… and that Rock was Christ” demonstrates that Christ was already active among the people of God before the incarnation.

In short, Calvin insists that there has never been more than one way of salvation. From Adam to Abraham, from Moses to the prophets, believers were saved by the same grace, through the same Mediator, and with the same hope of eternal life that Christians possess today. The difference between the Testaments lies not in the substance of salvation, but in the clarity with which Christ and his promises have now been revealed.

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John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2, Chapter 9

In this reading, Calvin explains that the saints under the Old Testament truly knew Christ, but only dimly and through shadows. The sacrifices, prophecies, and promises all pointed forward to the Messiah, giving the fathers a real—though partial—knowledge of the redemption to come. With the coming of Christ, however, the light of the Gospel shines far more clearly. Calvin then clarifies the meaning of the word Gospel: in its broad sense it includes all God’s promises of mercy throughout the Law and the Prophets, but in its proper sense it refers to the full manifestation of grace in Jesus Christ. He also rejects the error of Servetus, who claimed that the promises ended with the Law, arguing instead that believers still live by hope as we await the full realization of salvation. Finally, Calvin explains that the Gospel does not abolish the Law but fulfills what it foreshadowed, and he places John the Baptist at the turning point between the two covenants—greater than the prophets who preceded him, yet surpassed by the clearer proclamation of Christ that followed.

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Calvin concludes his exposition of the law by showing that true obedience directs life away from self-love and toward the good of others. The command to love our neighbor as ourselves means that the natural energy of self-concern must be redirected outward so that we seek the welfare of others with the same eagerness we show for ourselves. This love extends even to enemies, for Christ’s command to bless, pray for, and do good to those who oppose us is not optional advice but a binding requirement for all who would be called children of God. Calvin also warns against the dangerous teaching that some sins are harmless or “venial” in themselves, reminding us that every violation of God’s law deserves death because it rebels against the authority of the Lawgiver. Yet the gospel offers hope: while sin in its nature is deadly, the faults of believers are forgiven through the mercy of God. In this way the law ultimately exposes our need for grace while directing us toward a life shaped by love for God and for all people.

Readings:

John Calvin — Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2, Chapter 8 (Sections 54–59)

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Calvin explains that the Tenth Commandment reaches deeper than outward actions and exposes the hidden movements of the heart. While earlier commandments forbid deliberate acts of harm such as theft, adultery, or falsehood, this commandment addresses the first stirrings of desire itself. God requires that even the thoughts of the mind be governed by love so that no impulse arises that seeks the loss or disadvantage of our neighbor. From this Calvin moves to the broader purpose of the law: God has revealed his commandments so that human life might reflect his own righteousness, forming a living image of his character. The law therefore directs us to love God with the whole heart and to allow that love to flow outward toward our neighbor. When Scripture often emphasizes justice, mercy, and fairness among people, it is not neglecting the worship of God but revealing the visible evidence of genuine piety, since true love for God inevitably produces sincere charity toward others.

Readings:

John Calvin — Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2, Chapter 8 (Sections 49–53)

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Calvin explains that the Ninth Commandment reaches far beyond lying in court and addresses the entire way we speak about others. Because God himself is truth, believers are called not only to avoid false accusations and slander but also to protect and defend the good name of their neighbors. Calvin warns that malicious gossip, subtle insinuations, sarcastic mockery, and the eager spreading of damaging stories all violate this commandment, even when the statements themselves are technically true. The law therefore governs not only the tongue but also the ear and the heart, condemning the desire to listen to slander and the habit of forming harsh suspicions about others. True obedience to this commandment requires that Christians become careful interpreters of one another’s words and actions, striving to preserve their neighbor’s reputation through fair judgment, restrained speech, and a sincere commitment to truth.

Readings:

John Calvin — Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2, Chapter 8 (Sections 47–48)

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Calvin shows that the Eighth Commandment reaches far beyond simple theft and speaks to the entire fabric of justice in human relationships. Because God himself distributes the goods of this world, to seize what belongs to another—whether by violence, fraud, manipulation, or neglect of duty—is to violate God’s ordering of society. Yet the commandment does more than forbid stealing; it calls believers to actively preserve the good of their neighbors. Calvin explains that justice requires honest labor, contentment with what God has given, generosity toward those in need, and faithfulness within every calling—from rulers and pastors to parents, servants, and citizens. In this way the commandment exposes not only outward wrongdoing but also the deeper greed and selfishness of the heart, calling Christians to a life marked by integrity, responsibility, and sincere concern for the welfare of others.

Readings:

John Calvin — Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2, Chapter 8 (Sections 45–46)

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Calvin pushes the Sixth and Seventh Commandments far deeper than outward behavior, showing that God’s law governs not only the hand but the heart. Murder is not merely the act of shedding blood; it begins wherever anger, hatred, or the desire to harm another person takes root, because every human being bears the image of God and belongs to the same human family. Likewise, chastity is not merely the avoidance of adultery but the disciplined ordering of desire according to God’s design for marriage. Calvin argues that purity of life requires both inward restraint and outward obedience: we must defend our neighbor’s life, guard our own hearts from hatred, honor the dignity of marriage, and recognize our limitations honestly before God. Celibacy is a gift given only to some, while marriage stands as the ordinary remedy for human weakness. In both commandments the law exposes the depth of human sin and calls believers to lives marked by self-control, reverence for God’s image in others, and sincere devotion of body and soul to the Lord.

Readings:

John Calvin — Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2, Chapter 8 (Sections 39–44)

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Calvin reminds us that the Fifth Commandment is about far more than family etiquette—it is about God’s entire order for human authority. When Scripture commands us to “honour your father and your mother” (Exod. 20:12), Calvin explains that God is teaching us to respect every legitimate authority he places over us. Parents serve as the first and most natural example because their authority is easiest for us to recognize, but the principle extends outward to rulers, leaders, and all positions of responsibility that God establishes (1 Tim. 5:17). The honour commanded here includes reverence, obedience, and gratitude, because authority itself reflects a small participation in God’s own rule. Calvin also explains the promise attached to the commandment: long life is not presented as the ultimate reward, but as a visible sign of God’s favour. Even when believers die young, God has not failed his promise, since his favor can be shown even more fully beyond this life. At the same time, the command carries a warning—rebellion against rightful authority ultimately places a person under God’s judgment. Yet Calvin carefully adds an important limit: obedience to parents, rulers, and all authorities is required only “in the Lord.” Because their authority comes from God, it must never lead us away from obedience to him. In the end, the Fifth Commandment teaches that honouring earthly authority is part of learning to honour the heavenly Father himself.

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The Fourth Commandment is not about protecting a calendar but about teaching the soul to rest in God. In Book 2, Chapter 8, Sections 28–34 of Institutes of the Christian Religion, Calvin explains that the Sabbath first signified spiritual rest—ceasing from our own works so that God may work in us by His Spirit (Hebrews 3:13; 4:3, 9). The seventh day pointed forward to the perfection of that rest, fulfilled in Christ, the substance of the shadow (Colossians 2:16–17; Romans 6:4). Yet while the ceremonial aspect has been abolished, two enduring purposes remain: the orderly gathering of the Church for Word, sacraments, and prayer (1 Corinthians 14:40; 16:2), and humane rest for those under our authority (Deuteronomy 5:14; Exodus 23:12). Calvin sharply rejects both Judaizing superstition and careless neglect. Christians are not bound to the number seven, but they are bound to pursue lifelong mortification, disciplined worship, and charity toward others. The Lord’s Day stands not as a revived shadow, but as a wise and necessary appointment for preserving peace, order, and the flourishing of true religion.

Readings: John Calvin — Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2, Chapter 8, Sections 28–34

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Calvin takes the Third Commandment and presses it past “don’t swear falsely” into a whole posture of reverence: God’s name must be treated as holy in thought, speech, doctrine, and interpretation, so that we neither trivialize his Word nor slander his works, and especially so that we do not drag his name into careless talk, spiritual theatrics, or manipulative religion (Exodus 20:7). From there he defines an oath as calling God to witness the truth, which makes swearing a kind of worship and explains why perjury is not merely a social sin but a direct profanation of God’s truthfulness (Leviticus 19:12; Joshua 7:19; Isaiah 19:18; Jeremiah 12:16). He then argues that even true oaths can violate the command when they are unnecessary, habitual, or frivolous, and he rejects both the culture of casual swearing and the practice of substituting creatures or saints in God’s place (Hebrews 6:16). Finally, he answers the “swear not at all” objection by reading Christ as restoring the Law’s intent—condemning evasive, vain, and indirect swearing—while preserving lawful oaths for sober necessity, whether public or private, aimed at God’s glory and a neighbor’s edification (Matthew 5:34; James 5:12; Exodus 22:11; Romans 1:9; 2 Corinthians 1:23).

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