John Calvin Commentary Acts 15:12

"And all the multitude kept silence; and they hearkened unto Barnabas and Paul rehearsing what signs and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles through them." — Acts 15:12 (ASV)

All the multitude held their peace. By these words, Luke shows us that the Spirit of God so reigned in that assembly that they yielded immediately to reason. The disputation was heated before; but now, after Peter has laid open the counsel of God and has handled the question according to the doctrine of Scripture, soon, all noise having ceased, those who recently unwisely defended the error are quiet and silent.

This is a vivid image of a lawful council, where the truth of God alone, as soon as it comes to light, puts an end to all controversies. And certainly, it is effective enough to appease all discord when the Spirit holds chief sway, because He is also a fit governor, both to moderate the tongues of those who must speak before others and to keep the rest under obedience, so that they are not too devoted to themselves and committed to their own wills, but, laying aside stubbornness, might show themselves obedient to God.

Nor is it to be doubted that there were a few who would not yield, as often happens in a great assembly. Yet the truth of God prevailed, so that the silence of which Luke speaks was a clear testimony of common obedience. And this showed no small moderation in Peter, in that, having allowed everyone to say for himself what he could, he deferred his judgment (lest it should be prejudicial to others) until the question had been thoroughly discussed back and forth.

They heard Barnabas and Paul. We can gather from these words that they were not heard in silence before. For since the majority was persuaded that they acted wickedly in admitting the profane Gentiles into the Church, nothing they might have said would have been patiently received until this false opinion was corrected and reformed; instead, everything would have been taken in the worst possible way.

We see what a poison baseless displeasure is, which so possesses men’s minds that it blocks the way, so that the truth can never find entrance. From this we learn how true that saying is, All things are sound to the sound, (Titus 1:15) for there is nothing so wholesome that a corrupt inclination does not turn into something harmful.

And the narration by Paul and Barnabas serves this purpose: to show and prove that God approves their apostleship among the Gentiles, since it was ratified and confirmed by miracles, which are, so to speak, certain seals of it.