The Concept of Equity in Calvin’s Ethics

Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Equity as the Harmonizer of Biblical Law Unity of Old TestamentLaw and Christ's Teachings Calvin acknowledges that there are differences in the teachings of the Old and New Testaments, but he believes that these differences do not detract from Scripture's basic unity. "All these [differences] pertain to the matter of dispensation rather than to the substance."1 The unity between these two dispensations is explained by the covenant which is one and the same for both Testaments. Ever since the beginning of the world all those adopted by God into the company of His people are covenanted to Him by the same law and by the bond of the same doctrine.2 This is because the whole of the revelation of God in Scripture has as its centre and its end Jesus Christ, and the gospel of salvation in Him. When Scripture is taken as not referring to Christ, it is distorted and perverted, and contains no light of the truth.3 "First, then, we must hold that Christ cannot be properly known from anywhere but the Scriptures. And if that is so, it follows that the Scriptures should be read with the aim of finding Christ in them."4 The heart of the unity of the covenant and, thus, of the Old and New Testaments is Christ. Any promises that the Old Testament sets forth have as their foundation the same as that of the New Testament, namely, Jesus Christ.5 Calvin does differentiate between the two Testaments according to their chronological position in the plan of salvation. This is evident in the different methods employed by the Holy Spirit in imparting the same content to the recipients of revelation.6 Calvin uses the analogy of growing and spreading light for the progressive revelation of the promise of salvation in Christ. From the first glow of the feeble spark, with the promise of salvation to Adam in Gen. 3:15, the light grew in fullness and shed its radiance more widely, until, when all the clouds were dispersed, "Christ, the Sun of Righteousness , fully illuminated the whole earth."7 Scriptural revelation is ade79 80 The Concept of Equity in Calvin's Ethics quately understood when the fullness of the covenant is revealed. "Now that the gospel has more plainly and clearly revealed the grace of the future life, the Lord leads our minds to meditate upon it directly, laying aside the lower mode of training that he used with the Israelites."8 Prior to the fulfillment in Christ, the Old Testament showed images and shadows, ceremonies and sacrifices in place of the substance; but the New Testament reveals "the very substance of truth as present."9 This accords with Calvin's view of accommodation , whereby, in revealing Himself to men and women, God accommodates Himself by speaking in forms adapted to human capacity. That is, God does not reveal Himself in His glorious essence, but He reveals Himself according to our ability to grasp Him.10 "We could not comprehend what he is saying unless he condescended to us.11 This is evidence of God's graciousness to us in our weakness "in order that we might not be frightened in coming to him, but that we might be drawn to him in all gentleness."12 Calvin's view is that, although God taught the Jews with different outward forms and manner in the Old Testament than in the New, God remains constant in teaching the same doctrine to all ages and in requiring the same worship of His name.13 This leads Calvin to interpret earlier scriptural revelation in the light of the later fullness after the coming of Christ. He appeals to the principle of accommodation to justify this. The Old Testament necessarily looks forward to the fullness of revelation in Christ in the New Testament.14 Calvin argues that the apostles, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, were called to do essentially the same thing, that is, "to expound the ancient Scripture and to show that what is taught there has been fulfilled in Christ."15 Calvin draws upon the same assumptions and principles of interpretation in his exposition of scriptural law. All law revealed in the Bible must be interpreted in and through Jesus Christ and His gracious work.16 "Without Christ the law is empty and insubstantial."17 In terms of the first use of the law, this means that the law is meant to drive us to Christ...