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Calvin's Concept of Revelation
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 February 2009
Extract
In his commentary on John 1.1 Calvin distinguishes between the words sermo (word) and verbum (word). The Greek text runs: ɛv αρχη ηνoγos, and for the translation of “Latin theology wavered between verbum, sermo and ratio before accepting verbum, the least satisfactory, perhaps, of the three.” Verbum was used in the Vulgate. Erasmus, however, went back to sermo in his translation, and Calvin followed him. “In the beginning was the Word” (sermo). In a brief note he justifies the word: “I wonder what induced the Latins to render ⋯ λ⋯γο ς by verbum; for that would have been the translation of τo ρημα. But granting that they had some plausible reason, yet it cannot be denied that sermo would have been far more appropriate.” It would seem as if we have here the basis for a distinction universal in his writings and upon which a consistent doctrine could be constructed. In fact, we have nothing of the sort, for Calvin uses the two words indiscriminately, even to the extent of using verbum when he quotes John 1.1! The most that can be said is that he always seems to couple “eternal” (aeternus) and sermo together, and never “eternal” (aeternum) and verbum, and that, on the whole, he uses sermo rather than verbum as the synonym for the “wisdom of God” (sapientia Dei), though there are exceptions.
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- Copyright © Scottish Journal of Theology Ltd 1949
References
page 337 note 1 W. R. Inge, Logos in H.E.R.E. 8, pp. 134–3
page 337 note 2 Comm. on John 1.1, Calvin Translation Soc., 1, p. 28.
page 337 note 3 Inst. 1.13.7.
page 338 note 1 Inst. 1.13.7.
page 338 note 2 Inst. 1.13.7.
page 338 note 3 Comm. on John 1.1, C.T.S. p. 26.
page 338 note 4 Inst. 1.13.6.
page 339 note 1 Inst. 1.13.6.
page 339 note 2 Inst. 1.13.18.
page 339 note 3 Inst. 1.13.9.
page 339 note 4 Inst. 2.6.2.
page 340 note 1 Inst. 2.10.20.
page 340 note 2 Argument to Commentary on Harmony of Gospels, C.T.S. 1, p. 36.
page 341 note 1 Comm. on Matt. 1.23, pp. 48–49 (Geneva. 1563).
page 341 note 2 Inst. 2.14.5.
page 341 note 3 Comm. on 1 John 2.22. C.T.S. p. 196.
page 342 note 1 Comm. on Matt. 11.27. C.T.S. 2, pp. 41–2.
page 342 note 2 Comm. on Col. 1.16. C.T.S. pp. 149−50.
page 343 note 1 Comm. on Matt. 12.17. C.T.S. 2, p. 58
page 343 note 2 Inst. 2.13.4.
page 343 note 3 Comm. on Phil. 2.7. C.T.S. pp. 56 f.
page 343 note 4 Comm. on John 1.32. C.T.S. 1, p. 68.
page 344 note 1 Comm. on John 17.4. C.T.S. 2, p. 168
page 344 note 2 Comm. on John 14.10. C.T.S. 2, pp. 87 f.
page 344 note 3 Comm. on 1 John 1.1. C.T.S. p. 159.
page 344 note 4 Comm. on Matt. 12.16. C.T.S. 2, p. 57.
page 345 note 1 Comm. on John 11.1. C.T.S. 1, p. 424.
page 345 note 2 Comm. on John 2.11. C.T.S. 1, p. 89.
page 345 note 3 Comm. on John 15.24. C.T.S. 2, pp. 128 f.
page 345 note 4 Comm. on John 3.2. C.T.S. 1, p. 107.
page 346 note 1 Commn. on John 6.62. C.T.S. 1, pp. 272 f.
page 346 note 2 Comm. on John 17.4. C.T.S. 2, p. 168.
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page 347 note 1 Inst. 2.12.4.
page 347 note 2 De Incarnatione ch. 6. (Eng. Trans, by A Religious of C.S.M.V.S.Th. 1944.)
page 348 note 1 Inst. 2.16.3.
page 348 note 2 Comm. on John 17.1, C.T.S. 2, p. 164.
page 348 note 3 Comm. on John 19.18. C.T.S. 2, p. 226
page 348 note 4 Inst. 2.16.5.
page 349 note 1 Credo (Eng. Trans. 1936), p. 73.
page 349 note 2 Inst. 2.16.5.
page 350 note 1 Comm. on John 14.9. C.T.S. 2, p. 87.
page 350 note 2 Inst. 2.6.1.
page 350 note 3 Inst. 2.2.20.
page 351 note 1 Comm. on Matt. 2.27. C.T.S. 2, p. 42.
page 351 note 2 Comm. on Eph. 5.29. C.T.S. p. 323.
page 351 note 3 Inst. 3.1.1.
page 351 note 4 Comm. on John 20.29. C.T.S. 2, p. 279