John Calvin, Commentary on Habakkuk
Commentaries on the Twelve Minor Prophets by John Calvin.
Now first translated from the original Latin, by the Rev. John Owen,
vicar of Thrussington, Leicestershire.
Volume Fourth. Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai
WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, 1950, Michigan.
Printed in the United States of America.
Translator's Preface
The present Volume, though it contains the Works of THREE PROPHETS,
is yet considerably smaller in size than the preceding Volumes; but
the last will more than compensate for this deficiency.
The two first Prophets, HABAKKUK and ZEPHANIAH, lived before
the Captivity; and the other, HAGGAI, began his prophetic office
about sixteen years after the return of the great body of the people
from Babylon by the permission given them by King Cyrus.
It is commonly thought that HABAKKUK prophesied after
ZEPHANIAH, though placed before him in our Bibles. The reign of
JEHOIAKIM is assigned as his age, about 608 years before Christ,
while Zephaniah performed his office in the reign of JOSIAH, about
30 years earlier. Like the other prophets he is mainly engaged in
reproving the extreme wickedness of the people, on account of which
he denounces on them the judgements of God, while he gives
occasional intimations of a better state of things, and affords some
glimpses of the blessings of the gospels.
In the first CHAPTER he begins with a complaint as to the
oppression which he witnessed, foretells the dreadful invasion of
the CHALDEANS, describes the severity which would be exercised by
them, and appeals to God on the subject. In the second he waits for
an answer, receives it, and predicts the downfall of the Chaldeans,
and refers to blessings in reserve for God's people. The third
contains what is called the "Prayer of Habakkuk," an ode of a
singular character, in which he briefly describes, for the
encouragement of the faithful, the past interpositions of God on
behalf of his people, and concludes with expressing a full and
joyful confidence in God, notwithstanding the evils which were
coming on the nation.
"The style of HABAKKUK", says Bishop Lowth, "is poetical,
especially in his Ode, which may justly be deemed one of the most
complete of its kind." And in describing the character of this ode
he says - "The Prophet indeed embellishes the whole of this poem
with a magnificence equal to its commencement, selecting from so
great an abundance of wonderful events the grandest, and setting
them forth in the most splendid dress, by images and figures, and
the most elevated diction; the high sublimity of which he augments
and enhances by the elegance of a remarkable conclusion: so that
hardly any thing of this kind would be more beautiful or more
perfect than this poem, were it not for one or two spots of
obscurity which are to be found in it, occasioned, as it seems, by
its ancientness."
ZEPHANIAH was in part contemporary with JEREMIAH, that is,
during the former portion of the reign of JOSIAH. He foretells the
FALL OF NINEVEH, (ch. 2: 13,) and mentions "the remnant of Baal,"
(ch. 1: 4,) two things which prove that he prophesied during the
former half of that king's reign; for NINEVEH was destroyed about
the sixteenth year of his reign, and it was after that time that the
worship of Baal was demolished by that king.
The sins of THE JEWS and their approaching judgements occupy
the first Chapter. The second contains an exhortation to Repentance,
encouraged by a promise of protection during the evils that God
would bring on neighbouring nations. In the third the Prophet
particularises the sins of JERUSALEM, announces its punishment, and
then refers to the future blessings which God would freely confer on
His Church.
The style of ZEPHANIAH has been represented as being in some
parts prosaic; and Lowth says that "he seems to possess nothing
remarkable or superior in the arrangement of his matter or in the
elegance of his diction." But it is Henderson's opinion that "many
of the censures that have been passed on his language are either
without foundation or much exaggerated." He appears to be as poetic
in his ideas as most of the Prophets, and in the manner in which he
arranges them, though he deals not much in parallelisms, which
constitute a prominent feature in Hebrew poetry.
The matters handled by the Prophet are said by Marckius to be
"most worthy of God, whether we regard His serious reproofs or His
severe threatening, or His kind warnings, or His gracious promises,
which especially appertain to the dispensation of the New Testament.
In all these particulars he not only agrees with the other prophets,
but also adopts their expressions." He then gives the following
examples: -
Ch. 1: 6 compared with Jer. 15: 6.
Ch. 1: 15 compared with Joel 2: 1, 2.
Ch. 1: 18 compared with Ezek. 7: 19, and Jer. 4: 27.
Ch. 2: 8, 9 compared with Jer. 48: 2, and Ezek. 25: 1.
Ch. 3: 3, 4 compared with Ezek. 22: 26, 27, 28, &c.
It does not appear at what time HAGGAI returned from exile,
though probably at the first return of the Jews under ZERUBBABEL,
before Christ 536. But he did not commence his prophetic office till
about sixteen years after; and he delivered what his Book contains
in the space of three months. His messages, which are five, are very
short; and hence some have concluded that they are but summaries of
what he had delivered.
Much of this Book is historical, interspersed with what is
conveyed in a poetic style. The Prophet, in the first Chapter,
remonstrates with the people, who were very attentive to their own
private concerns, but neglected to build the Lord's Temple; he
refers to the judgements with which they had been visited on this
account, encourages them to undertake the work, and promises them
the favour of God; and then he tells us of his success. In the
second Chapter he removes an apparent ground of discouragement, the
temple then in building being not so splendid as the former, and
promises an additional glory to it, evidently referring to the
Gospel times. He then warns them against relaxing in their work and
thinking it enough merely to offer sacrifices, assures them of God's
blessing, and concludes with a special promise to Zerubbabel.
What Lowth says of this Prophet's style, that "it is altogether
prosaic," is not strictly true; for there are some parts highly
poetical. See ch. 1: 6, and from 8 to 11 inclusive. "The style of
HAGGAI," observes Henderson, "is not distinguished by any peculiar
excellence; yet he is not destitute of pathos and vehemence, when
reproving his countrymen for their negligence, exhorting them to the
performance of duty."
Though in some instances our COMMENTATOR may not give the
precise import of a passage, yet he never advances but what is
consistent with Divine Truth, and always useful and practical, and
often what betokens a profound acquaintance with the operations of
the human mind under the various trials and temptations which we
meet with in this life; so that the observations made are ever
interesting and instructive. CALVIN never deduces from a passage
what is in itself erroneous or unsound, though in all cases he may
not deduce what the text may legitimately warrant. There is,
therefore, nothing dangerous in what he advances, though it may not
be included in the passage explained. But for the most part his
application of doctrine is what may be fully justified, and is often
very striking, and calculated to instruct and edify.
Some may think that our Author does not always give that full
range of meaning to the promises and predictions which he explains.
A reason for this may probably be found in the fact, that most of
the Commentators who had preceded him had indulged in very great
extravagancies on the subject; and a reaction generally drives men
to an opposite extreme. But it is very seldom that CALVIN can be
justly charged with a fault of this kind; for, entertaining the
profoundest veneration for the Word of God, he strictly followed
what he conceived the words imported, and what he apprehended to be
the general drift of a passage. Possibly, in the estimation of those
who possess a very vivid imagination, he may be thought to have kept
too closely to what the text and the context require; but in
explaining the Divine Oracles, nothing is more to be avoided than to
let loose the imagination, and nothing is more necessary than to
possess a sound judgement, and to exercise it in the fear of God,
and with prayer for His guidance and direction.
J. O.
THRUSSINGTON,
October 1848.
The Commentaries of John Calvin on the Prophet Habakkuk
Calvin's Preface to Habakkuk.
Now follows THE PROPHET HABAKKUK; but the time in which he
discharged his office of a Teacher is not quite certain. The
Hebrews, according to their usual manner, unhesitatingly assert that
he prophesied under the king MANASSEH; but this conjecture is not
well founded. We are however led to think that this prophecy was
announced when the contumacy of the people had become irreclaimable.
It is indeed probable, from the complaint which we shall have
presently to notice, that the people had previously given many
proofs of irremediable wickedness. To me it appears evident that the
Prophet was sent, when others had in vain endeavoured to correct the
wickedness of the people. But as he denounces an approaching
judgement on the CHALDEANS, he seems to have prophesied either under
Manasseh or under the other kings before the time of ZEDECHIAH; but
we cannot fix the exact time.
The substance of the Book may be thus stated: - In the First
chapter he complains of the rebellious obstinacy of the people, and
deplores the corruptions which then prevailed; he then appears as
the herald of God, and warns the Jews of their approaching ruin; he
afterwards applies consolation, as God would punish the Chaldeans
when their pride became intolerable. In the second chapter he
exhorts the godly to patience by his own example, and speaks at
large of the near ruin of Babylon; and in the third chapter, as we
shall see, he turns to supplication and prayer.
We shall now come to the words.
(Calvin... on Habakkuk)
Continued in Part 1...
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