칼빈의 ‘죄 죽임’(mortification)의 교리에 관한 주석적 고찰

Abstract

John Calvin seems to be the first Reformer who presented a de- tailed and practical exposition of the biblical teaching on ‘mortifica- tion’ within the Christian doctrine of sanctification. For him ‘sanctifi- cation’ is virtually synonymous with ‘repentance’. ‘Repentance’ is a true turning of our life to God that consists of basically two parts, namely the mortification of our flesh and vivification in Christ. So mortification and vivification follow upon justification. Calvin deals with the doctrine of ‘mortification’ particularly in book three of his Institutes of the Christian Religion, where he, having established the theological foundation for mortification in chapter three, presents the Christian duties in chapters six through nine which constitute man’s part in the practice of mortification: “Self-Denial,” “Bearing the Cross,” and “Meditation on the Future Life.” Calvin also frequently mentions this doctrine in his Commen- taries, especially on such New Testament texts as Rom 6:1-14; 7:7-25; 8:1-14; 13:14; Gal 5:16-25; Col 3:1-10; Eph 2:3; 4:22-23; 1Pet 2:21; 4:1-3. We should give Calvin credit for reminding that the genuine Christian faith is necessarily accompanied by the mortification of sins and the vivification of the Spirit. He properly finds the only source of our mortification in the fact that “we were baptized into Christ Jesus” and “our old man was crucified with him”(Rom 6:3, 6). It is surprising, however, that Calvin makes no mention of the doctrine of mortification with regard to Rom 8:13, the very passage that most clearly expresses this doctrine by means of its terminology and idea. Furthermore, some exegetical problems remain to be solved in order that we might accurately practice Calvin’s doctrine of mortifi- cation in our daily life. The object of mortification, according to Calvin, is the “flesh” or the “old man”. He uses, however, numerous synonyms for “flesh,” including “inborn disposition,” “common na- ture,” “the corruption of original nature”. He also uses many anthro- pological terms (“the old man,” “flesh,” “self,” “body,” “members,” etc.) without any distinction chiefly from his perspective on the ‘to- tality of man’s corrupt, sinful nature’. Such a vague usage of major concepts (especially of the “flesh”[sa,rx]) may cause considerable dif- ficulties in understanding and applying the teaching of biblical texts relevant to the doctrine of mortification (e.g., Rom 6:12-13; 7:5; 8:13; Col 3:5). Besides, Calvin’s interpretation of Rom 7:14-25 that identifies the person ‘I’(evgw,) described there with a normal, regenerated Christian makes his calling for mortification of sins desperately unrealizable in this life. This passage is simply a part of the rhetorical discourse in which Paul explicates, from his Christian viewpoint, the negative function of the Mosaic Law.