Sárospataki Füzetek 13. (2009)
2009 / 4. szám - TANULMÁNYOK - I. John Hesselink: Kálvin a jelen és az eljövendő élethez való helyes viszonyulásról
Erik Alexander de Boer Badius urges his readers who are brought ‘in the fold of that great prince of shepherds, Jézus Christ, in order to rest in his true and living Word, to listen, yes to listen to the faithful herdsmen, whom He gives us. Let us taste, feast, and savour the words of life which they announce to us, let us be intend on the prophecy and true interpretation of the Scriptures, listen to the admonitions, tremble for the judgments, cling to the promises,, feed our faith, learn to fear God, te endure for his Name, to live and die well [...]’ The publisher and salesman Badius brings his message home as follows: ‘When we harvest such fruit from the sermons, given by the faithful ministers and herdsmen who keep watch over us, we will not hold the prophecy in disrespect. We will realize that a more necessary gift would not happen to us.’26 This is not only said of Calvin’s sermons in particular, but of all sermons in Geneva in general. Badius applies this evaluation to his present edition: ‘Therefore I have chosen (among others) the sermons of our faithful pastor Jean Calvin on the Ten commandments of God. These sermons have been collected in his audience (as also all others which he held) by the usual scribe, without him [Calvin] taking them to hand since, nor having revised them in any way. I state this because one could think that he has planed and polished them at home at his leisure, in order to show off. No, I can assure you they are such as God provided to pronounce them publicly, without a word being added to it or taken away from it.’2? This is how Badius explains the subtitle to the collection of sermons. ‘How God has given it to him to pronounce’: a sermon is characterized as an actual gift of God at that point in time to those people. Prophecy is the gift of the Spirit, not so much to the preacher, as to the Church. Preaching is prophecy because the people hear the Scriptures being explained and accommodated to the present and to their persons. 5. Preaching as prophecy The various forms of Bible study in 16th century Westen Europe, varying between the original Prophezei and the later Puritan ‘prophesyings’, are cate26 Calvin, Sermons sur les dix commandements: ‘Quand nous recueillerons tel fruit des predications qui nous sont faites par les fideles Ministres et bergers qui veillent sur nous, nous n’aurons point la Prophetie en mespris, ains cognoistrons qu’un bien plus necessaire ne nous scauroit advenir’ (a.iii). 2? Calvin, Sermons sur les dix commandements: ‘Parquoy j’ay choisi entre autres les sermons de nostre fidele Pasteur Jean Calvin sur les dix Commandemens de Dieu, lesquels ont esté recueillis sous luy (comme aussi tous les autres qu’il fait) par l’escrivain ordinaire, sans que depuis il y ait mis la main, ou les ait reveus en sorte que se soit. Ce que je di pource qu’on pourroit penser qu’il les auroit limez et polis en la maison tout ä son loisir, pour en faire monstre; mais je vous puis asseurer qu’ils sont tels que Dieu n’y a donné de prononcer publiquement, sans qu’il y ait adjousté ou diminué un mot’ (a.iii). Badius also informs us that Calvin never would allow his sermons to be published, except for the Quatres sermons (1554; cf. BC II, 52/9), but that he did so now ‘pour s’acquitter d’une promesse qu’il avoit faite de mettre quelque jour quelques Homelies en lumiere’. 48 Siiruspiiliiki Fiizi'lok
