A Few Calvin Quotes on the Extent of Christ's Sufferings

But how can such an imprecation be reconciled with the mildness of an apostle, who ought to wish that all should be saved, and that not a single person should perish? So far as men are concerned, I admit the force of this argument; for it is the will of God that we should seek the salvation of all men without exception, as Christ suffered for the sins of the whole world.

Calvin's Commentaries on Gal 5:12. The Torrance edition says:

But such a curse does not seem to fit with the mildness of an apostle, who ought to wish that all should be saved and therefore that not one should perish. I reply that this is true when we have men in mind; for God commends to use the salvation of all men without exception, even as Christ suffered for the sins of the whole world.

John Calvin, "The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians," in Calvin's New Testament Commentaries, ed. D. W. Torrance and T. F. Torrance, trans. T. H. L. Parker, 12 vols. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994–96), 11:99.

Christ interceded as his advocate, took upon himself and suffered the punishment that, from God's righteous judgment, threatened all sinners; that he purged with his blood those evils which had rendered sinners hateful to God; that by this expiation he made satisfaction and sacrifice to God the Father.

Calvin, Institutes, II.16.2.

It is that He must be Redeemer of the world. He must be condemned, indeed, not for having preached the Gospel, but for us He must be oppressed, as it were, to the lowest depths and sustain our curse, since He was there, as it were, in the person of all cursed ones and all transgressors, and of those who had deserved eternal death. Since then, Jesus Christ has this office, and He bears the burdens of all those who had offended God mortally, that is why He keeps silence.

Calvin, Sermons on the Deity of Christ, p. 95.

I further testify and declare that as a suppliant I humbly implore of him to grant me to be so washed and purified by the blood of that sovereign Redeemer, shed for the sins of the human race, that I may be permitted to stand before his tribunal in the image of the Redeemer himself.

From Calvin's Last Will.

When he saw the wrath of God exhibited to him, as he stood at the tribunal of God charged with the sins of the whole world, he unavoidably shrunk with horror from the deep abyss of death.

Calvin's Commentaries on Matthew 26:39. The Torrance edition says:

When He saw the wrath of God put before Him, as He set Himself before His tribunal, burdened with the sins of the whole world, He was bound to be terrified at the profound abyss of death.

John Calvin, "A Harmony of the Gospels Matthew, Mark and Luke: Volume 3 and the Epistles of James and Jude," in Calvin's New Testament Commentaries, ed. D. W. Torrance and T. F. Torrance, trans. A. W. Morrison, 12 vols. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994–96), 3:152. A few pages prior to this (3:150), Calvin said Jesus "was sent to be the Redeemer of the human race."

And the first thing to be attended to is, that so long as we are without Christ and separated from him, nothing which he suffered and did for the salvation of the human race is of the least benefit to us. To communicate to us the blessings which he received from the Father, he must become ours and dwell in us.

Calvin, Institutes, III.3.1.

I approve of the ordinary reading, that he alone bore the punishment of many, because on him was laid the guilt of the whole world. It is evident from other passages, and especially from the fifth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, that 'many' sometimes denotes 'all.'

Calvin's Commentaries on Isa 53:12.

For though Christ suffered for the sins of the whole world, and is offered through God's benignity indiscriminately to all, yet all do not receive him.

Calvin's Commentaries on Rom 5:18. The Torrance edition says:

Paul makes grace common to all men, not because it in fact extends to all, but because it is offered to all. Although Christ suffered for the sins of the world, and is offered by the goodness of God without distinction to all men, yet not all receive Him.

John Calvin, “The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Romans and to the Thessalonians,” trans. R. MacKenzie, in Calvin's New Testament Commentaries, ed. D. W. Torrance and T. F. Torrance, 12 vols. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994–96), 8:117–18.

And again, has not our Lord Jesus Christ redeemed men’s souls: true it is that the effect of his death comes not to the whole world: Nevertheless for as much as it is not in us too discern between the righteous and the sinners that go to destruction, but that Jesus Christ has suffered his death and passion as well for them as for us: therefore it behooves us to labour to bring every man to salvation that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ made be available to them.

Calvin, Sermons on Job, p. 454.

Therefore when we see any man do amiss, let us learn that it is no love nor charity to cloak his evil doings, so as we should dissemble them and make no countenance at all of them: but that if we have a care of him that is so fallen, we must turn him away. If a man be in the mire, we will reach him our hand to help him out: and if we pass by him and will not seem to see him, shall he not say it is too shameful an unkindness? Even so is it when we suffer a man to fall asleep in his sins: for by that means he is sunk down to the bottom of perdition. Then is it too great a traitorousness, if we do wittingly suffer a man to undo himself utterly and therewithal we show also that there is no zeal of God in us. For if he be our father, ought it not at leastwise to grieve us and make us sorry, when we see wrong and injury offered unto him? So then, if the souls which our Lord Jesus Christ hath bought so dearly be precious unto us, or if we set so much by God's honor as it deserveth: it is certain that we will not so bear with men’s faults, but that we will endeavor to amend them.

Calvin, Sermon 36, Gal 6:1–2.

If the faith of one individual were in danger of being overturned, (for we are speaking of the perdition of a single soul redeemed by the blood of Christ) the pastor should immediately gird himself for the combat; how much less tolerable is it to see whole houses overturned?

Calvin's Commentaries on Titus 1:11. The Torrance edition says:

If the faith of one single man is in danger of being overthrown, if there is at stake the ruin of a single soul redeemed by Christ's blood, the pastor should immediately gird himself to resist; how much less can he endure to see whole houses overthrown!

John Calvin, "The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians and the Epistles to Timothy, Titus and Philemon," in Calvin's New Testament Commentaries, ed. D. W. Torrance and T. F. Torrance, trans. T. A. Smail, 12 vols. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994–96), 10:363.

For the faithless have no profit at all by the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, but rather are so much the more damnable, because they reject the mean that God had ordained: and their unthankfulness shall be so much the more grievously punished, because they have trodden under foot the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was the ransom for their souls.

Calvin, Sermons on Galatians, 1:3–5.

And, indeed, in like manner as God showed by an inestimable pledge, when he spared not his only--begotten Son, how great is the care which he has for the Church, so he will not suffer to remain unpunished the negligence of pastors, through whom souls, which he hath redeemed at so costly a price, perish or are exposed as a prey.

Calvin's Commentaries on 2 Tim 4:1. The Torrance edition says:

As God gave a pledge of how much care He has for the salvation of His Church by not sparing His only begotten Son, so He will not allow to go unpunished the negligence of pastors through which the souls He has redeemed at such cost perish or become the prey of Satan.

John Calvin, "The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians and the Epistles to Timothy, Titus and Philemon," in Calvin's New Testament Commentaries, ed. D. W. Torrance and T. F. Torrance, trans. T. A. Smail, 12 vols. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994–96), 10:332.

“To bear,” or, “take away sins”, is to free from guilt by his satisfaction those who have sinned. He says the sins of many, that is, of all, as in Romans 5:15. It is yet certain that not all receive benefit from the death of Christ; but this happens, because their unbelief prevents them. At the same time this question is not to be discussed here, for the Apostle is not speaking of the few or of the many to whom the death of Christ may be available; but he simply means that he died for others and not for himself; and therefore he opposes many to one.

Calvin's Commentaries on Heb 9:28. The Torrance edition says:

To bear the sins means to free those who have sinned from their guilt by his satisfaction. He says many meaning all, as in Rom. 5:15. It is of course certain that not all enjoy the fruits of Christ's death, but this happens because their unbelief hinders them. That question is not dealt with here because the apostle is not discussing how few or how many benefit from the death of Christ, but means simply that He died for others, not for Himself. He therefore contrasts the many to the one.

John Calvin, "The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews and the First and Second Epistles of St Peter," in Calvin's New Testament Commentaries, ed. D. W. Torrance and T. F. Torrance, trans. W. B. Johnston, 12 vols. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994–96), 12:131.