John Calvin Commentary Acts 10:36

"The word which he sent unto the children of Israel, preaching good tidings of peace by Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all.) --" — Acts 10:36 (ASV)

Concerning the matter. Because the Greek text is abrupt, some think that the accusative case is put instead of the nominative, and that the sense is this: This is the word which God has sent to the children of Israel. Some others refer it to the word you know, which follows afterward, and they think that another word was added to make the sentence more pleasant.

For Luke puts λογον in the former place, and afterward ρημα. But since it is common and familiar among the Greeks to understand the prepositions, this sense, which I have set down, seems to me more agreeable, though, if the harshness of the speech can be better mitigated, I will willingly yield.

Therefore, I take this member to be a preface, which pertains to this worthy work of God, which He showed among the children of Israel, preaching peace by Christ. After that, a narration is added. At length, in the conclusion of his speech, Peter shows for what purpose Christ was sent into the world.

Furthermore, he begins with this commemoration not without cause: that God sent His word to the children of Israel. And speech is put for thing in the Hebrew phrase.

The eternal covenant which God had made with that people was famous at that time. There was nothing more commonly known among the Jews than that a Redeemer was promised in the past to the fathers, who would restore things that were decayed to a flourishing and blessed state.

Those who were well acquainted with the Jews also knew this. Therefore, so that Peter might gain greater credibility, he says that he will speak of no new or unknown thing, but of the restoring of the Church, which depended upon the eternal covenant of God, and which was now manifestly shown, and almost in every man’s mouth.

Preaching peace. Peter teaches here what kind of report and event it was that was spread abroad; namely, of such a kind that it made peace. I take peace in this place to mean the reconciling of humanity and God, which, notwithstanding, has in it the perfect salvation of the Church.

For, as horrible confusion and, as it were, a huge lump, follow once God is estranged from us, so, as soon as His fatherly favor appears, He gathers His Church together, and true felicity arises.

Therefore, this is Peter’s meaning: that God showed Himself merciful to His people in Christ, and that He received Abraham’s children into favor again (whom He seemed to have cast away for a time), so that He might establish among them a flourishing state. And as He makes God the author of this peace, so He places Christ in the midst as its pledge, that it may be certain and holy.

He couples peace and preaching expressly together, because this is one way by which the fruit of the reconciliation, purchased by Christ, comes to us. Likewise, after Paul had taught that Christ is our peace, he adds immediately that He came to preach peace to those who were near and far off (Ephesians 2:17).