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…

And in thy seed. He proveth that the covenant was made with the Fathers, because God said unto Abraham, In thy seed shall all nations be blessed.¹ But if we admit Paul his interpretation, this testimony shall make nothing for the present cause. Paul teacheth that Christ is this seed. If the blessing be promised to all mankind by Christ,² what is this to the especial or particular privilege of one nation? Secondly Peter himself seemeth shortly after to subscribe to this exposition of Paul, when as he saith that Christ was sent, that in him the Jews may be blessed. For this could not be, unless Christ were that blessed seed. I answer, When Paul referreth it unto Christ, he standeth not upon the word seed, but he hath respect to an higher thing: to wit, that it cannot be one seed, unless it be united & knit together in Christ, as in the head. For Ismael & Isaac although both of them be the sons of Abraham, yet do they not make one seed: because they be divided into two people. Therefore though many be estranged from the family of Abraham, which came of him according to the flesh, yet Moses noteth one certain body, when he promiseth the blessing unto the seed of Abraham. And whence cometh the unity, save only from the head which is in Christ? In this sense doth Paul understand this word seed, of Christ, although it be a noun collective, because if you depart from him, the posterity of Abraham shall be as torn members, neither shall there be any thing else in them, save only mere wasteness & scattering abroad. Peter agreeth with that doctrine, because he doth so extend the blessing unto all the people, that he doth nevertheless seek the fountain in Christ. Secondly forasmuch as the Jews do what they can to wring from us this testimony, the godly Readers must arm themselves against their cavils: & so much the rather because christian writers have been too slack in this point: as I have said in the epist. to the Galatians. First as touching the word seed, there is no cause why they should prattle that Paul doth not rightly restrain it unto Christ. For he doeth not this simply, but in that respect whereof I have spoken. In which point I confess both our latin & Greek interpreters have erred. Now we must see ⟨p. 83⟩what this manner of speech doth import. The Gentiles shall be blessed in the seed of Abraham.