Sermons from Job

by John Calvin, Leroy Nixon (Translator)

Leroy Nixon, the translator of these sermons wrote, "Of all the sermons by Calvin, the 159 on the book of Job have probably been the most famous. They express clearly his sense of the majesty of God. To work with them over the past three years has been a rich and exciting spiritual experience. . . If the reader gets only a fraction of the benefit which came to the translator, the reader will be amply rewarded. Calvin's piety is well expressed in the sermons titled, 'The Lord Gave; the Lord has taken Away'; 'Blessed is the Man whom God Corrects'; 'Though He Slay Me, Yet Will I Trust in Him;' 'Does Not God Count My Steps'; ' and 'The Right Use of Affliction.' Pervading these sermons is the prayer and conviction that whatever comes to pass may all be for the glory of God."

Genres: Christian, Theology

312 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1952

About the author

French-Swiss theologian John Calvin broke with the Roman Catholic Church in 1533 and as Protestant set forth his tenets, known today, in Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536).

The religious doctrines of John Calvin emphasize the omnipotence of God, whose grace alone saves the elect.

* Jehan Cauvin
* Iohannes Calvinus (Latin)
* Jean Calvin (French)

Originally trained as a humanist lawyer around 1530, he went on to serve as a principal figure in the Reformation. He developed the system later called Calvinism.

After tensions provoked a violent uprising, Calvin fled to Basel and published the first edition of his seminal work. In that year of 1536, William Farel invited Calvin to help reform in Geneva. The city council resisted the implementation of ideas of Calvin and Farel and expelled both men. At the invitation of Martin Bucer, Calvin proceeded to Strasbourg as the minister of refugees. He continued to support the reform movement in Geneva, and people eventually invited him back to lead. Following return, he introduced new forms of government and liturgy. Following an influx of supportive refugees, new elections to the city council forced out opponents of Calvin. Calvin spent his final years, promoting the Reformation in Geneva and throughout Europe.

Calvin tirelessly wrote polemics and apologia. He also exchanged cordial and supportive letters with many reformers, including Philipp Melanchthon and Heinrich Bullinger. In addition, he wrote commentaries on most books of the Bible as well as treatises and confessional documents and regularly gave sermons throughout the week in Geneva. The Augustinian tradition influenced and led Calvin to expound the doctrine of predestination and the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation.

Calvin's writing and preaching provided the seeds for the branch of Protestantism that bears his name. His views live on chiefly in Presbyterian and Reformed denominations, which have spread throughout the world. Calvin's thought exerted considerable influence over major figures and entire movements, such as Puritanism, and some scholars argue that his ideas contributed to the rise of capitalism, individualism, and representative democracy in the west.

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it. I will look for more of Calvin's sermons. It was very well translated.

[Ben Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the few staples of my devotions. Calvin is known for his systematic theology, but his sermons are even better.

[Jeremy Counts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming and theologically sound collected sermons on the book of Job by Calvin. These along with his sermons on Ephesians are some of my favorite sermons to read on a Sunday evening.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have struggled with the book of Job as I have, this book will be a great help. I have separated out the words of his three "friends" and not weighed them of much importance. But Calvin here opened my eyes to see that there is value in even the words of these mistaken men. The words of Elihu confused me, for I thought there must be something wrong with his assessment because he was rather harsh with Job. But Calvin was able to sort this out for me as well. Then there is Job. I always treated him as the hero of the story, but Calvin points out his and our failings. Who are you, oh man, to speak to God? Calvin's assessment of humility must be ours. This book will give you an understanding of Job that will open your eyes and heart to our longsuffering and Almighty God. The translation from French into English is masterfully done and provides excellent footnotes for the words that could be confusing for us English speakers. The humility of Calvin is expressed at the end of each sermon (chapter) when he says, "Now we shall bow in humble reverence before the face of our God." Calvinism receives such a bad rap from ignorant (not a pejorative but a description of lack of knowledge) people but if one actually reads his works, one will discover the Biblical basis for the doctrine he unveils. This is a must-read.