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…

3 Unto whom &c. He addeth this, that he might make the resurrection to be believed, as a thing most necessary to be known, and without the which the whole Gospel falleth flat to the ground, neither remaineth there any more faith. And that I may omit to speak of other discommodities that come by being ignorant of the resurrection of Christ: the Gospel loseth his whole authority, unless we know and be also fully persuaded that Christ being alive, speaketh unto us from the heavens. Whereunto Luke hath chiefest respect in this place. Therefore that the truth hereof might not be called in question, he saith that it was proved by many signs and tokens. Those which Erasmus, following an old interpreter, doeth call arguments, I have translated proofs. For Aristotle doth call that Tecmerion in the first book of his Rhetorics, which is necessary in signs. This is therefore that which I said before, that Christ did make manifest his resurrection unto his Apostles by evident tokens which did serve instead of necessary proofs, least they should doubt of the same. Furthermore he doth not reckon up those tokens and signs: saving only that he saith, that Christ did appear unto them about the space of a month and one half oftentimes. If he had but once appeared unto them, it might have bin somewhat suspicious: but in showing himself so often unto them, he dissolveth all doubts which might arise in their minds, & by this means also he putteth away the reproach of the ignorance, which he said was in the Apostles, least it discredit their preaching.

3 Vnto whom &c. He addeth this, that he might make the resurrection to be beleeued, as a thing most necessarie to be knowne, and without the which the whole Gospel falleth flat to the ground, neither remaineth there any more faith. And that I may omit to speake of other discommodities that come by being ignorant of the resurrection of Christ: the Gospel loseth his whole authoritie, vnlesse we know and be also fully perswaded that Christ being aliue, speaketh vnto vs from the heauens. Whereunto Luke hath chiefest respect in this place. Therefore that the truth hereof might not be called in question, he saith that it was proued by many signes and tokens. Those which Erasmus, following an old interpreter, doeth call arguments, I haue translated proofes. For Aristotle doth call that Tecmerion in the first booke of his Rhetorikes, which is necessarie in signes. This is therefore that which I said before, that Christ did make manifest his resurrection vnto his Apostles by euident tokens which did serue insteed of necessary proofes, least they should doubt of the same. Furthermore he doth not recken vp those tokens and signes: sauing onely that he saith, that Christ did appeare vnto them about the space of a month and one halfe oftentimes. If he had but once appeared vnto them, it might haue bin somwhat suspicious: but in shewing himself so often vnto them, he dissolueth all doubtes which might arise in their minds, & by this meanes also he putteth away the reproch of the ignorance, which he said was in the Apostles, least it discredit their preching.