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…

I fell to the earth. As Paul was puffed up with Pharisaical pride, it was meet that he should be afflicted and thrown down, that he might hear Christ his voice. He would not have despised God openly, neither durst he refuse the heavenly oracle: yet his mind should never have been framed unto the obedience of faith, if he had continued in his former state: therefore he is thrown down by violence, that he may learn to humble himself willingly. Furthermore, there is in Christ his words only a brief reprehension, which serveth to appease the rage of Paul being so cruelly bent. Nevertheless we have thence an excellent consolation, in that Christ taking upon him the person of all the Godly, doth complain that whatsoever injury was done to them, was done to him. And as there can no sweeter thing be imagined to lenify the bitterness of persecution, then when we hear that the son of God doth suffer not only with us, but also in us: so again the bloody enemies of the Gospel, who being now besotted with pride, do mock the miserable Church, shall perceive whom they have wounded.

I fell to the earth. As Paul was puffed vp with Pharisaical pride, it was meet that he should be afflicted and throwen down, that he might hear Christ his voice. He would not haue despiced God openly, neither durst he refuse the heauenly oracle: yet his mind should neuer haue been framed vnto the obedience of faith, if he had cōtinued in his former state: therefore he is throwen down by violence, that hee may learn to humble himselfe willingly. Furthermore, there is in Christe his woordes onelye a briefe reprehension, which serueth to appease the rage of Paul beeing so cruelly bent. Neuerthelesse wee haue thence an excellent consolation, in that Christe taking vppon him the person of all the Godlie, doth complaine that whatsoeuer iniurie was done to them, was done to him. And as there canne no sweeter thing bee imagined to lenifie the bitternesse of persecution, then when wee heare that the sonne of God doth suffer not onelie with vs, but also in vs: so againe the bloudy enemies of the Gospell, who being nowe besotted with pride, do mocke the miserable Church, shal perceiue whom they haue wounded.

9 They which were with me. I showed in the other place that there is no such disagreement in the words of Luke, as there seemeth to be. Luke said there, that though Paul his companions stood amazed, yet heard they a voice. But in this place he saith they heard not the voice of him which spake to Paul, though they saw the light. Surely it is no absurd thing to say that they heard some obscure voice. Yet so that they did not discern it as Paul himself, whom alone Christ meant to stay and tame with the reprehension. Therefore they hear a voice, because a sound doth enter into their ears, so that they know that some speaketh from heaven, they hear not the voice of him that spake to Paul, because they understand not what Christ saith. Moreover they see Paul compassed about with the light, but they see none which speaketh from heaven.