John Calvin Commentary Acts 15:22

"Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; [namely], Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:" — Acts 15:22 (ASV)

It pleased the apostles. That tempest was calmed, not without the singular grace of God, so that after the matter was thoroughly discussed, they all agreed together in sound doctrine. Also, the modesty of the common people is evident from this: after they had referred the matter to the judgment of the apostles and the other teachers, they now also subscribe to their decree. And, on the other hand, the apostles showed some sign of their equity, in that they established nothing concerning the common cause of all the godly without including the people.

For certainly, this tyranny sprang from the pride of pastors: that those things which pertain to the common affairs of the whole Church are subject (with the people excluded) to the will—I will not say lust—of a few.

We know how hard it is: to suppress the slanders of the wicked; to satisfy most people who are rude and presumptuous; to restrain the fickle and unskillful; to wipe away conceived errors; to heal hatred; to appease contentions; and to abolish false reports.

Perhaps the enemies of Paul and Barnabas might have said that they had obtained letters by persuasive and flattering speeches, or they might have invented some new cavil; the uninformed and weak might, as a result, have been quickly troubled. But when leading men come with the letters, so that they can gravely discuss the whole matter in person, all sinister suspicion is removed.