©2006, Banner of Truth, 114 pages in hardback.

My set of Calvin’s commentaries is close by my desk for reference in my studies; however, I have found Calvin's sermons to often be more practical than his commentaries. This should not be a surprise as it reveals that Calvin desired application of the doctrine he set forth from scripture.

This volume of sermons is an excellent example of Calvin’s desire to apply the truth of God’s Word to the daily life of his hearers. These four sermons on the Beatitudes are drawn from Matthew 5:1-12 and Luke 6:22-26 (a parallel passage).

Prior to expositing Christ’s opening words in the Sermon on the Mount, Calvin preached about Jesus’ calling of the Twelve entitled “Called and Chosen.” Herein the pastor has much to say regarding our laxness in prayer compared to the incarnate Christ and the forward thinking of Christ in training the disciples to be ready to proclaim the message of salvation to Jews and Gentiles after His ascension. Additionally, Calvin draws out from the text thought-provoking applications regarding humility and the importance of trials in keeping us dependent on the Lord.

This sermon also provides a lens for the reader to better understand Calvin’s interpretive approach to the Beatitudes. He understands Christ’s words as being directed to His followers, not to non-Christians. We are assured, as a result of Christ’s finished work on our behalf, that we will spend eternity with God. His promises are real. This world is not our home. Calvin calls us to have mercy on those suffering who are around us and seek to minister in terms of God’s Word. As we should expect, these messages are not just self-directed, but also turn our attention to our need to be other-directed.

Endnotes for each sermon provide further insight for the readers’ understanding. The translator has provided a work that reads smoothly.

This book is the first time these sermons have been printed in English. They reflect Calvin as a mature preacher. The sermons will be of particular interest to members of the reformed world, but I hope they will find a wider audience. These sermons can be read with profit by any Christian. In them we see the heart of a pastor for the proclamation of God’s Word in such a way that his hearers can live out scripture in daily life. Such preaching is much needed in our day.

Review ©2007 Byron Snapp, Hampton, Virginia