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…

After that he had raised Christ. The word raised, in my judgement reacheth farther, than it doth where it is shortly after repeated. For he doth not only say that Christ rose from the dead, but that he was appointed of god, and as it were brought to light by the hand of god, that he might ⟨p. 313⟩fulfil the office of the Messiah, as the scripture teacheth every where, that kings and Prophets are raised up. For the word anastesai, is sometimes taken in this sense: And this reason moveth me thus to think, because God by sending his son into the world, did fulfil his promise made to his servants in times past, by the effect it self.

After that he had raised Christ. The word raised, in my iudgement reacheth farther, thē it doth where it is shortly after repeated. For he doth not onely say that Christ rose from the dead, but that he was appointed of god, and as it were brought to light by the hand of god, that he might ⟨p. 313⟩fulfill the office of the Messias, as the scripture teacheth euery where, that kings and Prophets are raised vp. For the word anastesai, is sometimes taken in this sense: And this reason moueth me thus to thinke, because God by sending his sonne into the world, did fulfill his promise made to his seruants in times past, by the effect it selfe.

Like as in the second Psalm. Though the Greek books agree in the number, yet we must not pass over that which Erasmus saith, that many of the old writers read the first Psalm. And it may be that Luke wrote so. For that which at this day is counted the second Psalm, might have bin called the first not without reason, seeing that it is likely that the first Psalm was added in steed of a Proem by the Scribes and Priests, by whose industry the Psalms were gathered into one body. For the name of the author is not set to it, and it doeth only exhort to meditate upon the Law of God. But there is no great weight in that matter. For this is the chiefest thing, that we know how properly and how well Paul applieth the testimony taken out of the Psalm unto the matter which he hath in hand. We do not deny that David when he saw that he was on every side assailed by his enemies, and that they were of greater power & might, than that he was able to resist them, doth set against them Gods aide, who he knew was the author of his kingdom and Reign. But forasmuch as he was a figure of the true Messiah, we know that those things were shadowed in his person, which do appertain wholly and perfectly to the Messiah alone. And the text it self doth prove sufficiently, that there is not only a simple and bare thanksgiving contained there, agreeable to Davids kingdom, but it is a higher prophecy. For it is well known that David did in his life scarce taste of the hundred part of the glory which is spoken of in this place, concerning which we have spoken more at large Chapter 4. Now let us look nigher into the words, kings are in deed called sons of God.