8. And the multitudes who saw Instead of astonishment which Matthew mentions, (511) the other two Evangelists employ the word ἔκστασις, or amazement: and Luke adds fear But the design of all the Evangelists is to show, that the power of God was not merely acknowledged, but that all were struck with astonishment, and compelled to give glory to God. The fear, which followed the astonishment, had the effect of preventing them from opposing Christ, and of making them submit to him with reverence as a Prophet of God. Matthew expressly says, that they glorified God, who had given such authority to men Here they appear to be partly mistaken: for, though they see a man with their eyes, they ought to have perceived in him, by the mind, something higher than man. They are no doubt right in saying, that the nature of man received great honor in Christ for the general advantage of the human race: but as they do not perceive him to be God manifested in the flesh, (1 Timothy 3:6,) their confession is involved in some error. (512) In a word, it was true, that God gave such authority to men: but the form and manner of giving was not yet understood by those who were not aware that the majesty of God was united to flesh.
(511) It is remarkable that all the Latin editions which I have examined, — the highly and justly celebrated Amsterdam edition, two Geneva editions, and Tholuck's, — give the reading, “ cujus meminit Lucas ,” which Luke mentions, instead of “ cujus meminit Matthoeus ,” which Matthew mentions, as the sense would have required. Matthew says, ἐθαύμασαν, they wondered, or were astonished Mark uses a part of the verb ἐξίσταμαι ὥστε ἐξίστασθαι πάντας,, so that all were amazed; and Luke uses the cognate noun, καὶ ἔκστασις ἔλαβν ἅπανατας and amazement seized all Still, the blunder must have been a slip of Calvin's pen, and would have been permitted to remain in the text, if there had not been express authority for the alteration in his own French version. — Ed.
(512) “ De quelque erreur et ignorance;” — “in some error and ignorance.”