John Calvin Commentary Acts 10:38

"[even] Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." — Acts 10:38 (ASV)

Jesus of Nazareth. He calls him a Nazarite here, not because he was born there, but because he came from there to execute his office; again, because he was commonly surnamed this way. He says that he was anointed with the Spirit and power by hypallage. For the power in which Christ excelled proceeded from the Spirit alone.

Therefore, when the heavenly Father anointed his Son, he furnished him with the power of his Spirit. Peter says immediately after, that this power appeared in miracles; although he expresses one kind only in plain words, that Christ testified that he was endowed with the power of the Holy Spirit so that he might do good in the world.

For it was not fitting that the fearful power of God should be displayed in him, but rather such power as might allure the world with the sweet taste of goodness and grace to love him and to desire him.

The metaphor of anointing is usual whenever mention is made of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is now applied to the person of Christ, because by this means he was consecrated a king and priest by his Father. And we know that in the time of the Law, oil was a solemn token of consecration.

The "going" of Christ is taken to mean the course of his calling, as if to say that he fulfilled his function until the previously appointed time. The analogy is taken from travelers who go forward on their journey until they come to the appointed place. Peter also shows that Christ walked through Judea for three years, so that no corner was without his good deeds.

Those who were oppressed by devils. This also was a more manifest sign of God’s power in Christ: that he not only healed people of common diseases, but also cured desperate evils.

All diseases are indeed light punishments with which God punishes us. But when he deals more gently with us according to his fatherly kindness, he is then said to strike us with his hand. However, in more grievous scourges, he uses Satan as the minister of his wrath and, so to speak, an executioner.

And we must diligently note this distinction, for it would be an absurd thing to say that someone is tormented by the devil who is sick with a fever or some other common kind of disease. But the alienation of the mind, furious madness, and other, as it were, monstrous afflictions (or evils) are fitly and properly attributed to Satan.

And, in this respect, the Scripture is accustomed to call those who are so seized and carried headlong with such madness that they have no control of themselves—so that they seem to be turned almost into beasts—people possessed by devils.

Because God was with him. Peter briefly notes for what purpose those powers tended which were shown by the hand of Christ: namely, that he might gain credibility among people, who beheld God, as it were, present. And this was the true use of miracles, as we have said already elsewhere, and as we shall see again later when we come to it.

For we must hold to this principle: that we diminish the majesty of God unless we embrace and reverence those whom he marks with the sign of his servants.

Therefore, since powers (miracles) plainly proved that Christ descended from heaven, his dignity is placed beyond human judgment.