John Calvin Commentary Acts 10:41

"not to all the people, but unto witnesses that were chosen before of God, [even] to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead." — Acts 10:41 (ASV)

If anyone asks here, "Why did God not show His Son openly to all people after His resurrection?" I answer: Although no reason could be shown, yet the counsel of God alone ought to suffice sober and modest individuals, so that they may assure themselves without any doubt that what God has considered appropriate is best.

And yet, assuredly, God used this moderation for a good purpose. For the certainty of the resurrection was proven by many and firm testimonies, and this was beneficial for exercising the faith of the godly, to believe the gospel rather than their eyes. Concerning the wicked and professed enemies of Christ, seeing that, having been so often convicted, they would never yield to God, they were unworthy for Christ to allow them to behold the glow of His resurrection.

Though even they were sufficiently convicted by the report of the soldiers, whom they had hired to guard the sepulcher; not to mention other reasons which we may derive from the Harmony. Therefore, let us assure ourselves of this: that the holy apostles were chosen by the holy decree of God, so that by their testimony the truth of Christ’s resurrection might stand.

Whoever is not content with this approval, let him try to take away and overthrow, if he can, that inviolable decree of God, which Peter commends to us in this place. And as for us, if we desire to have God as the sure author of our faith, let us learn to be content with the witnesses whom in due time He has brought forth, as it were, by His hand, having been ordained by Him before the world was made.

Who did eat. And here it appears what great regard Christ had for our lack of understanding and ignorance, who humbled Himself so far for our sake that, when He was now endowed with heavenly glory, He nevertheless ate and drank as a mortal man. Therefore, there is no reason why we should complain that the resurrection of Christ is obscure and doubtful; for He allowed His disciples to be slow and hard of belief for this reason, so that, being better confirmed, they might remove from us all occasion for doubting.

Indeed, rather, we must strive so that our unworthiness and unthankfulness do not obscure such great kindness of the Son of God toward us.

But when the Scripture says that Christ ate, inquisitive people raise a question: what became of that food? The answer is easy: just as it was created out of nothing, so it was easily brought to nothing by the divine power of Christ. Food that is taken for the sustenance of the body is broken down and then digested; but we know that Christ took this food to feed our faith, and it was consumed for this purpose.

And those people are deceived who think that Christ only seemed to eat. For what good could such a mask or empty show have done? For when we say that Christ was not compelled by any necessity of His own to eat, but that He intended only to provide for His own, all occasion for the frivolous speculations of people is cut off.