John Calvin Commentary Acts 15:16

"After these things I will return, And I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen; And I will build again the ruins thereof, And I will set it up:" — Acts 15:16 (ASV)

After these things I will return. Because the passage is not quoted word for word as it is in the prophet, we must see what the difference is. It is not necessary, however, to examine closely what variation there is in the wording, as long as it appears that the prophecy suitably agrees with the matter at hand.

After God has promised the restoration of the tabernacle of David, He also says that He will cause the Jews to possess the remnant of Edom. In all that text, nothing appears yet from which the calling of the Gentiles can be derived or gathered.

However, what follows immediately after in the prophet, concerning the remnant of the Gentiles who will call upon the name of the Lord, plainly shows that the Jews and Gentiles will form one Church. This is because what was then exclusive to the Jews alone is given to both generally.

For God places the Gentiles in a similar degree of honor with the Jews when He intends for them to call upon His name. Those of Idumea, and the surrounding peoples, were in past times subject to the Jews under David. But though they were tributaries to the people of God, they were nevertheless strangers to the Church.

Therefore, this was new and surprising: God counts them with the holy people, so that He may be called the God of them all. It is certain that by this, they are all made equal in honor among themselves. By this it plainly appears how well the prophet's testimony agrees with the current purpose.

For God promises to restore the decayed tabernacle, in which the Gentiles will obey the kingdom of David—not only so they might pay tribute or take up weapons at the king’s command, but so they might have one God and be one family to Him.

Yet a question may be raised, why he preferred to cite this prophecy, rather than many others that contain more abundant proof of the matter at hand, of which kind Paul cites many? (Romans 15:9, 10, 11). I answer, first, that the apostles were not ambitious in accumulating scriptural passages; but they simply aimed at this, which was sufficient for them, namely, that they might prove that their doctrine was taken from the word of God. Secondly, I say that this prophecy of Amos is plainer than it is commonly thought to be.

The prophet discusses the restoration of a house that was decayed; he describes its miserable ruin. Therefore, the promise, which is added immediately, that the seat and throne will be set up again, from which kings of David's posterity will rule over the Gentiles, properly pertains to Christ.

Therefore, as soon as the kingdom of Christ is set up, what the prophet also says must necessarily follow: that the Gentiles will call upon the name of God. Now, we see that James did not unwisely choose this passage.

For if the kingdom of Christ cannot be established otherwise—unless God is called upon everywhere throughout the whole world, and the Gentiles grow together to be one with His holy people—it is an absurd thing that they should be driven from the hope of salvation. The middle wall, by which the one was separated from the other under the law, must fall to the ground (Ephesians 2:14).

The first word, I will return, is not in the prophet, but the change of state which he proclaims is very well expressed by this means.

The tabernacle of David, which was decayed. It is not without reason that the prophet sets before our eyes that ugly desolation and ruin of the king’s house. For unless the godly had been persuaded that Christ would nevertheless come, even if the kingdom of David were brought to nothing—who would not only restore to their former order things that were decayed, but would also exalt the glory of His kingdom to the very heavens with incomparable success—they would have despaired a hundred times a day.

After they returned from the exile in which they lived in Babylon, they were brought by continual calamities almost to utter destruction. Afterward, what remained was consumed little by little by civil discord. Indeed, when God relieved their miseries, that kind of help they received was a cause for despair, because the rule that the Maccabees took upon themselves was then taken away from the tribe of Judah.

For these reasons the Spirit of God diligently instills this through the prophet: that Christ will not come until the kingdom of David perishes, so that they may not despair of salvation even in the midst of the greatest miseries. So Isaiah says that a branch will arise out of the contemptible and lowly stock (Isaiah 11:1). And let us also remember that God observes this wonderful way in restoring the Church: He builds it up when it is decayed.

Furthermore, this passage teaches when the Church is best ordered, and what its true and right constitution is: namely, when the throne of David is set up, and Christ alone has the preeminence, so that all may meet together in obedience to Him.

Though the Pope has oppressed the Church with his sacrilegious tyranny, yet he boasts of the title of the Church. Indeed, he deceives men under the vain title of the Church, so that he may extinguish the clear light of sound doctrine.

But if we thoroughly examine the matter, we can easily refute such a gross mockery, because he alone bears rule, having deposed Christ. He confesses in word that he is Christ’s vicar, but in reality, after he has by a beautiful banishment sent Christ into the heavens, he takes all His power to himself.

For Christ reigns by the doctrine of His gospel alone, which is wickedly trodden underfoot by this abominable idol. But let us remember that this will be the lawful state of the Church among us: if we all generally obey Christ, the King of kings, so that there may be one sheepfold and one Shepherd (John 10:16).