John Calvin Commentary Acts 17:26

"and he made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined [their] appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation;" — Acts 17:26 (ASV)

And He has made of one blood. Paul now shows to the men of Athens for what purpose mankind was created, so that he may by this means invite and exhort them to consider the purpose of their life. This is surely a shameful unthankfulness of men, seeing they all enjoy the common life, not to consider for what purpose God has given them life; and yet this brutish dullness possesses the greater part, so that they do not consider for what purpose they are placed in the world, neither do they remember the Creator of heaven and earth, whose good things they devour.

Therefore, after Paul has spoken of the nature of God, he adds this admonition at the proper time: that men must be very careful to know God, because they are created for the same purpose, and born for that purpose. For he briefly assigns to them this reason for life: to seek God.

Again, since there was not only one kind of religion in the world, but the Gentiles were divided into diverse sects, he tells them that this variety came from corruption. For, in my judgment, his statement that all were created of one blood aims at this.

For common ancestry and the same origin ought to have been a bond of mutual agreement among them; but it is religion which most of all joins men together, or causes them to flee one another’s company. From this it follows that those who disagree so much in religion and the worship of God have revolted from nature; because, wherever they are born, and whatever region of the world they inhabit, they all have one Maker and Father, who must be sought by all men with one accord.

And surely, neither distance of places, nor boundaries of countries, nor diversity of customs, nor any cause of separation among men, makes God unlike Himself. In sum, he meant to teach that the order of nature was broken when religion was torn apart among them, and that this diversity among them is a testimony that godliness is completely overthrown, because they have fallen away from God the Father of all, upon whom all kinship depends.

To dwell upon the face of the earth. Luke briefly gathers, as he usually does, the summary of Paul’s sermon; and it is not to be doubted that Paul first showed that men are set here as upon a theater, to behold the works of God; and, secondly, that he spoke of the providence of God, which shows itself forth in the whole government of the world.

For when he says that God appoints the times ordained beforehand and the boundaries of men’s dwellings, his meaning is this: this world is governed by His hand and counsel, and men’s affairs do not happen by chance, as profane men dream.

And so we gather from a few words of Luke that Paul handled most weighty matters. For when he says that the times were ordained beforehand by Him, He testifies that He had determined, before men were created, what their condition and state should be.

When we see diverse changes in the world—when we see kingdoms come to ruin, lands altered, cities destroyed, nations laid waste—we foolishly imagine that either fate or fortune holds sway in these matters. But God testifies in this place by the mouth of Paul that it was appointed beforehand in His counsel how long He would have the state of every people to continue, and within what boundaries He would have them contained.

And if He has appointed them a certain time and appointed the boundaries of countries, undoubtedly He has also set in order the whole course of their life.

And we must note that Paul attributes to God not only a mere foreknowledge and cold speculation, as some men indiscreetly do, but he places the cause of those things which happen in His counsel and command.

For he does not say that the times were only foreseen, but that they were appointed and set in such order as pleased Him best.

And when Paul also adds that God had appointed from the beginning those things which He had ordained beforehand, his meaning is that God executes by the power of His Spirit those things which He has decreed in His counsel, according to that:

Our God is in heaven;
He has done whatsoever He would (Psalms 115:3).

Now, we see, as in a camp, every troop and band has its appointed place; so men are placed upon earth, so that every people may be content with their boundaries, and that among these people every particular person may have his dwelling. But though ambition has often raged, and many, being inflamed by wicked lust, have passed their boundaries, yet the lust of men has never prevented God from governing all events from His holy sanctuary.

For though men, by raging on earth, seem to assault heaven, so that they may overthrow God’s providence, yet they are forced, whether they want to or not, rather to establish it. Therefore, let us know that though the world is overturned by diverse tumults, God at length brings all things to the end which He has appointed.