John Calvin Commentary Acts 13:47

"For so hath the Lord commanded us, [saying], I have set thee for a light of the Gentiles, That thou shouldest be for salvation unto the uttermost part of the earth." — Acts 13:47 (ASV)

As he hath commanded. The passage is taken from Isaiah, where, however, God speaks rather to his Son than to the apostles. But we must note that many things which the Scripture attributes to Christ also pertain to his ministers. I say many things, not all things; for there are certain titles proper to the person of Christ, and to adorn ministers with them would be wicked sacrilege.

Christ is called our Righteousness because he was the only purging sacrifice, has reconciled the Father to us by his death, and rose again afterward so that, having overcome death, he might purchase eternal life for us. Therefore, the whole substance of our salvation is in Christ’s person.

But inasmuch as he works through his ministers, by committing his office to them, he also imparts his titles to them. The preaching of the gospel is of this sort. He alone was appointed by the Father to be our teacher, but he has put pastors and doctors in his place, who speak, as it were, from his mouth. Thus, the authority remains wholly with him, and he is nevertheless heard through his ministers. Therefore, Paul fitly applies the testimony of Isaiah to himself, where Isaiah treats of the preaching of the gospel.

I have made thee a light. It would seem that in that passage he speaks of such a calling of the Gentiles as does not entail the casting off of the former people. For God rather associates strangers with the Jews, who were previously of the household.

It is but a small matter, he says, that you are my minister in teaching Israel, because I have made thee a light to the Gentiles. God seems to begin his Church among the children of Abraham, and, once that is done, to reach out his hand to the Gentiles, so that they may both form one Church by one consent of faith.

But Paul cites the prophecy in such a way as if it could not be fulfilled unless the Jews had been cast off. For he indicates that the light of Christ was lit for the Gentiles after they were cast into the darkness of death.

I answer that this cannot necessarily be proven from the text: that Paul affirms the Gentiles could not have been illuminated before the light of the Jews had been extinguished.

For this may be the sense: Since you have deprived yourselves of eternal life, there is no reason why you should think that the grace of God is profaned if, leaving you, we take care and charge of the Gentiles. For the Messiah is not given to you alone, but he is appointed to be the Savior of the whole world, as it is written, I have made thee, etc. Although, if you weigh the prophet’s passage more thoroughly, you will find the casting off of the former people included in it.

For God pronounces that he will be glorious and renowned in the ministry of Christ, even if Israel is not gathered together. He adds afterward, by way of explanation, that the power of Christ will not be restricted to one people only, because his light will shed its beams abroad to the farthest parts of the world for salvation.

It seems that Paul notes this reason for calling the Gentiles: namely, because, seeing he found no scope for his efforts among the Jews, he devoted himself wholly to the Gentiles. We must note, by the way, in the words of the prophet, that salvation is placed after light, according to that saying of Christ: This is eternal life, to know thee, the true God, etc. (John 17:3).

For if the knowledge of God alone brings salvation to us, it is likewise the only resurrection from the destruction of eternal death for us to be illuminated into the faith of Christ, after we are delivered from the darkness of ignorance.