John Calvin Commentary Acts 11:17

"If then God gave unto them the like gift as [he did] also unto us, when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?" — Acts 11:17 (ASV)

Who was I? Now we see for what purpose Peter gave that account; namely, that he might declare that God was the author and governor of the entire matter. Therefore, the heart of the question turns upon the authority of God: whether food is not of more importance than human counsels.

Peter affirms that he did nothing but what was rightly and orderly done, because he obeyed God. He shows that he preached the doctrine of the gospel neither wrongly nor rashly where Christ bestowed the graces of His Spirit. The approval of our doctrine, and also our deeds, must be measured by this standard whenever people call us to account, for whoever relies on the commandment of God has defense enough.

If people are not content, there is no reason why he should care about their judgments any longer. And from this we gather that faithful ministers of God’s word may give an account of their doctrine in such a way that they do not in any way impair its credit and certainty; namely, if they show that it was given to them by God. But if they must deal with unjust people, who will not be compelled by reverence for God to yield, let us leave them alone with their obstinacy, appealing to the day of the Lord.

And we must also note that we resist God not only by striving against Him, but also by hesitating, if we do not do what our calling requires and what is proper to it. For Peter says that he cannot deny baptism and brotherly fellowship to the Gentiles without being an enemy to God.

One might object: "But he should have attempted nothing that was manifestly contrary to the grace of God." That is true indeed. However, whoever does not receive those whom God offers, and shuts the gate that God opens, hinders the work of God as much as lies in him. This is like what we say today: those people make war against God who are set against the baptizing of infants, because they most cruelly exclude from the Church those whom God has adopted into the Church, and they deprive of the outward sign those whom God is pleased to call His children.

Similar to this is the kind of resisting shown by many hypocrites who, while they are magistrates and ought to assist the martyrs of Christ according to their office, instead try to silence them and take away their liberty. Because they hate the truth, they want it suppressed.