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…

26 Against the Lord and his Christ. The Spirit teacheth by this word that all those do make war against God, which refuse to submit themselves to Christ. They do full little think this oftentimes. Notwithstanding it is so, that because God will reign in the parson of his son alone, we refuse to obey him, so often as we rebel against Christ. As the Lord himself sayeth in John, He which honoureth not the son, honoureth not the father. Wherefore let the hypocrites profess a thousand times, that they mean nothing less, than to make war against God, yet shall they find this true, that God is their open enemy, unless they embrace Christ with his gospel. The use of this doctrine is double: For it armeth us against all the terrors of the flesh, because we must not fear, lest they get the victory of God, which withstand the Gospel. Again we must beware, lest through the contempt of godly doctrine, we advance our selves against God to our own destruction.

26 Against the Lorde and his Christ. The Spirit teacheth by this worde that al those doe make warre against God, which refuse to submit themselues to Christ. They doe full little think this oftentimes. Notwithstanding it is so, that because God will raigne in the parson of his sonne alone, we refuse to obey him, so often as we rebell against Christ. As the Lord himselfe saieth in Iohn, Hee which honoreth not the sonne, honoreth not the father. Wherefore let the hypocrites professe a thousande times, that they meane nothing lesse, than to make warre against God, yet shal they finde this true, that God is their open enemy, vnlesse they embrace Christ with his gospell. The vse of this doctrine is double: For it armeth vs against all the terrours of the flesh, because wee must not feare, lest they get the victorie of God, which withstand the Gospell. Againe we must beware, lest through the contempt of godlie doctrine, we aduaunce our selues against God to our owne destruction.

27 Have met together in this city. They declare that this prophecy was proved to be true by the event, to the end they may believe the same more assuredly. For the sense is, Lord thou hast spoken it, and we have in trueth tried the same to be true. And they call to mind that which was done four years before or there about. In like sort it is expedient for us to apply the events of things which are foretold, to the confirmation of our faith. But because it might seem that the matter fell out far otherwise then, than the Psalm pronounceth, forasmuch as they raged not in vain, neither were the assaults of the enemies frustrate, when they had put Christ to death: and their violence went further afterward after a fearful manner: the faithful remove this offence: and say that the enemies could do no more, than God had appointed. Therefore howsoever the wicked did suppose that Christ was quite taken away by death, and did now vainly triumph, yet the faithful confess that their rage was all but vain. But here may a question be moved, why he calleth them the Gentiles and people of Israel, seeing there was but one body. I think that the diversity of countries is noted in this place, out of which the Jews came together to the feast: as if they should have said, that the Jews which were borne in divers places, having made as it were a concourse, did assault the kingdom of Christ, yet was their fury frustrate and of none effect.