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…

The baptism of repentance. Baptism brought in contrary to the rite and custom of the law was a token of great alteration. For it was unlawful to renew any thing before Christs coming. The Jews had in deed in the law their baptisms or washings which were also exercises of repentance, but John was the author of new and strange baptism, or rather the minister, who put them in hope of the restoring long looked for and desired. When he calleth it the baptism of repentance, he doth not exclude remission of sins, but he speaketh according to the circumstance of the place, because this baptism was a preparation unto the faith of Christ. And we must note the phrase, that he preached baptism: Whereby we are taught, that the sacraments are then rightly administered, when doctrine is joined with the visible figure. For the mouth of the baptizer must not be dumb: because the sign is vain without doctrine.

The baptisme of repentance. Baptisme brought in contrarie to the rite and custome of the lawe was a token of great alteration. For it was vnlawful to renue any thing before Christes comming. The Iewes had in deed in the lawe their baptismes or washinges which were also exercises of repentaunce, but Iohn was the authour of new and strange baptism, or rather the minister, who put them in hope of the restoring long looked for and desired. When he calleth it the baptisme of repentance, he doth not exclude remission of sinnes, but hee speaketh according to the circumstance of the place, because this baptisme was a preparation vnto the faith of Christ. And we must note the phrase, that hee preached baptisme: Whereby we are taught, that the sacramentes are then rightly administred, when doctrine is ioyned with the visible figure. For the mouth of the baptiser must not be dumb: because the signe is vaine without doctrine.

25 When John fulfilled his course. The second member of the testimony, that when John drew near to the end of his course, he sent his disciples to Christ. For he had fashioned them before with the rudiment of baptism, and then he sent them to Christ (as they say) from hand to hand. And this interrogation, Whom do ye think me to be? is not a question of one that doubteth. For John reproveth and chideth the Jews, because they did falsely give to him the honour of the Messiah, though it may be read in one text, I am not he whom you take me to be: yet the other reading is more usual, as it hath also greater force to refute the error. Furthermore, his testimony doth deserve greater credit, in that he doth willingly refuse the honour offered him (which he might have taken to himself not without commendation) and doth submit himself to another. There cannot assuredly be any suspicion of ambition, or of seeking after honour here, which may discredit his words.