The commentaries of M. John Calvin upon the Acts of the Apostles, faithfully translated…The commentaries of M. Iohn Caluin vpon the Actes of the Apostles, faithfully translated…

22 Jesus of Nazareth. Now doth Peter apply unto his purpose the prophecy of Joel: namely, that the Jews may thereby know that the time of restoring was present: and that Christ was given them for this purpose. For this promise was no otherwise to be fulfilled, save only by the coming of the mediator. And this is the right use of all those gifts which we have by Christ, whiles that they bring us unto Christ, as unto a fountain. But he cometh hither by little and little. For he doth not by and by in the beginning affirm that Jesus was Christ: but he sayeth, only that he was a man, sent of God: and that doth he prove by his miracles. Afterward he addeth, that he rose from death, when he was slain. Whereby it appeareth more certainly and more fully, that he was not some one of the Prophets, but the very son of God, who was promised to be the repairer of all things. Let this therefore be the first member, that Jesus of Nazareth was a man approved of God by manifest testimonies, so that he could not be despised, as some base and obscure person. The old interpreter did not evil translate hupodhedheigmenon, Approved. And Erasmus is deceived, who thinketh that he did read it otherwise. And he himself did not express Luke his mind, when as he translateth it Given. For seeing that word doeth signify among the Grecians to show: whereupon the Mathematicians also call those arguments whereby they set a thing as it were before a mans eyes apodexeis, or demonstrations: Luke meant to say that Jesus came not unknown, and without any testimony or approbation: but that those miracles which God showed by him, served to this end, that he might be famous and excellent. Therefore he saith, that he was showed toward the Jews: because God would have his son to be accounted excellent and great amongst them. As if he should say, that miracles were not appointed for other nations, but for the Jews: that they might know that Jesus was sent unto them of God.

22 Iesus of Nazareth. Now doth Peter apply vnto his purpose the prophecie of Ioel: namely, that the Iewes may thereby know that the time of restoring was present: and that Christ was giuen them for this purpose. For this promise was no otherwise to be fulfilled, saue onely by the comming of the mediatour. And this is the right vse of all those giftes which we haue by Christ, whiles that they bring vs vnto Christ, as vnto a fountaine. But he commeth hither by little and little. For he doth not by and by in the beginning affirme that Iesus was Christ: but hee saieth, onely that hee was a man, sent of God: and that doth he proue by his miracles. Afterward he addeth, that he rose from death, when hee was slaine. Whereby it appeareth more certainly and more fully, that hee was not some one of the Prophets, but the verie sonne of God, who was promised to bee the repairer of all things. Let this therefore be the first member, that Iesus of Nazareth was a man approued of God by manifest testimonies, so that he could not bee despised, as some base and obscure persō. The old interpreter did not euil translate hupodhedheigmenon, Approued. And Erasmus is deceiued, who thinketh that he did reade it otherwise. And he himselfe did not expresse Luke his mind, when as he translateth it Giuen. For seeing that worde doeth signifie among the Grecians to shew: whereupon the Mathematicians also call those arguments whereby they set a thing as it were before a mans eyes apodexeis, or demonstrations: Luke meant to say that Iesus came not vnknowne, and without any testimonie or approbation: but that those miracles which God shewed by him, serued to this ende, that hee might bee famous and excellent. Therefore he saith, that he was shewed toward the Iewes: because God woulde haue his son to be accounted excellent and great amongst them. As if he should say, that miracles were not appointed for other nations, but for the Iewes: that they might know that Iesus was sent vnto them of God.