John Calvin Commentary Acts 16:4

"And as they went on their way through the cities, they delivered them the decrees to keep which had been ordained of the apostles and elders that were at Jerusalem." — Acts 16:4 (ASV)

They delivered them the decrees to keep. In these words Luke signifies to us how desirous Paul was of peace. The best and strongest bond to keep and foster peace among the churches was to observe what was established by the apostles. When Paul takes great pains about that, he takes great care so that no trouble might arise through his fault.

And let us remember that this continued only for a time. Because, as soon as he sees the danger of offense cease, he completely unburdens the churches, and setting aside the decree, he makes free what the apostles had forbidden. And yet he does not cancel or violate by that abrogation what the apostles had decreed, or despise the authors themselves; because they did not intend to establish a perpetual law, but only to mitigate for a short time what might hurt weak consciences, as I declared more fully in the former chapter.

By this, the folly of the Papists is sufficiently refuted, who severely accuse us that we are very unlike Paul, because we want the consciences of the godly governed by the Word of God alone, disregarding the decrees of the Church (as they call them), and not to be subject to the will of men. But, as I have already said, Paul meant nothing less than to trap people's consciences in the snare of necessity, for he is not contradicting himself when he cries out in other places:

All things are clean to the clean, (Titus 1:15); and again, He who is clean eats all things, (Romans 14:2); and again, The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, (Romans 14:17); and again, Meat does not commend us to God, (1 Corinthians 8:8); and again, Eat all things which are sold in the market, asking no question for conscience sake, (1 Corinthians 10:25).

But in one word he reconciles those things which might otherwise seem to disagree, when he commanded to abstain from things sacrificed to idols, for another man's conscience sake. Nevertheless, he takes great care that he does not bind godly souls with the laws of men.

Therefore we attempt nothing today which is contrary to or at variance with Paul. But the Papists mock us too crudely when they compare their laws with the decrees of the apostles. The apostles invented no new worship of God; they had erected no new spiritual government; but out of their desire to maintain peace, they exhorted the Gentiles to yield a little to the Jews.

Before the Pope can excuse his laws under this pretext, he must first change them entirely. And as for us, since the Papists place the spiritual worship of God in human inventions and transfer the right that belongs to God alone to men, so that they may reign as lords over souls, we are compelled to strongly resist them, lest by treacherous silence we betray the grace obtained by the blood of Christ.

Now, what similarity can there be between three decrees established for the help and comfort of the weak, and an infinite heap of laws, which not only oppresses miserable souls with their weight but also swallows up faith? We know the complaint of Augustine writing to Januarius, that the Church was wickedly burdened even then with too great a burden of traditions. Could he, I ask you, endure the bondage of these times, which is almost a hundred times harder and heavier?