John Calvin Commentary Acts 2:38

"And Peter [said] unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." — Acts 2:38 (ASV)

Peter said, By this we see that those who ask from the Lord, and offer themselves to him to be ruled and taught, never go away empty. For that promise must indeed be true, Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. (Matthew 7:7). Therefore, whoever is rightly prepared to learn, the Lord will not allow his godly desire to be in vain, for he is a most faithful master, so that he has scholars who are teachable and studious.

Therefore, there is no reason to fear that he will leave us destitute of sound counsel, if we are attentive and ready to hear him and do not refuse to embrace whatever he teaches us. And let us allow ourselves to be governed by the counsel and authority of those men whom he offers to us to teach us, for this ready obedience arises so promptly in those who devote themselves to the apostles, because they are persuaded that these men are sent from God to show them the way of salvation.

Repent. There is greater force in the Greek word, for it signifies the conversion of the mind, so that the whole person may be renewed and made a new person. This must be diligently noted, because this doctrine was miserably corrupted in the time of Popery, for they translated the name of repentance almost to certain external rites.

They babble somewhat, indeed, about feigned contrition of the heart, but they touch on that part very lightly, and they focus principally on the external exercises of the body, which were of little worth—yes, even if there were no corruption in them. But they urge almost nothing else but feigned trifles, with which people are wearied in vain.

Therefore, let us know that this is true repentance: when a person is renewed in the spirit of their mind, as Paul teaches (Romans 12:2). We also need not doubt that Peter preached plainly about the force and nature of repentance. However, Luke only touches on the main points and does not recount all the words of the speech Peter made.

We must, therefore, know this much: Peter first exhorted the Jews to repentance, and then he lifted them up with hope of pardon, for he promised them forgiveness of sins. These two things are the two parts of the gospel, as we know very well. And therefore, when Christ briefly explains what the doctrine of the gospel contains, he says that repentance and remission of sins must be preached in his name. (Luke 24:47).

Furthermore, because we are reconciled to God only by the intercession of Christ’s death, and our sins are not otherwise purged and done away except only by his blood, Peter therefore calls us back to him by name. He puts baptism in the fourth place, as the seal by which the promise of grace is confirmed.

Therefore, we have in these few words almost the entire sum of Christianity, namely:

1. How one, by renouncing oneself and saying farewell to the world, may devote oneself wholly to God.
2. How one may be delivered by free forgiveness of sins, and so be adopted into the number of God’s children.

And since we can obtain none of these things without Christ, the name of Christ is also set forth to us as the only foundation of faith and repentance.

We must also note this: we begin repentance when we are turned to God in such a way that we must continue in it throughout our lives. Therefore, this call must continually sound in the Church: Repent! (Mark 1:15). This is not so that those who wish to be counted faithful, and already have a place in the Church, may begin repentance, but that they may continue in it. However, many usurp the name of faithful people, though they have never had any beginning of repentance.

Therefore, we must observe this order in teaching: those who still live for the world and the flesh should begin to crucify the old man, so that they may rise to newness of life; and those who have already entered the course of repentance should continually press on toward the goal.

Furthermore, because the inward conversion of the heart ought to produce fruit in one's life, repentance cannot be rightly taught unless works are required—not those frivolous works that are esteemed only among the Papists, but works that are sound testimonies of innocence and holiness.

Be baptized every one of you. Although in the text and order of the words, baptism here goes before remission of sins, yet it follows remission in logical order. This is because baptism is nothing other than a sealing of those good things which we have through Christ, so that they may be established in our consciences.

Therefore, after Peter had spoken of repentance, he calls the Jews to the hope of grace and salvation. And so, Luke rightly afterwards, in Paul’s sermon, joins faith and repentance together in the same sense that he puts forgiveness of sins in this passage, and that for good reasons.

For the hope of salvation consists in the free imputation of righteousness, and we are counted righteous freely before God when he forgives us our sins.

And as I said before, that the doctrine of repentance has a daily use in the Church, so we must also think of the forgiveness of sins: that it is continually offered to us. Surely it is no less necessary for us throughout our whole life than at our first entrance into the Church. Indeed, it would profit us nothing to be once received into God’s favor, unless this message of reconciliation should continue. Be reconciled to God, because he which knew no sin was made sin for us, that we might be the righteousness of God in him, (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Moreover, the Papists so corrupt this other part of the gospel that they completely exclude the remission of sins, which was to be obtained through Christ. They confess that sins are freely forgiven in baptism, but they would have them redeemed with satisfactions after baptism.

And although they mix the grace of Christ with it, yet because they envelop this grace in human merits, they thereby overthrow the whole doctrine of the gospel. For, first, they take from people's consciences the certainty of faith. Furthermore, because they divide the forgiveness of sins between the death of Christ and our satisfactions, they completely deprive us of Christ’s benefit.

For Christ does not reconcile us to God in part, but wholly, nor can we obtain remission of sins through him unless it is whole and perfect. But the Papists are greatly deceived in this, who restrict baptism to one's birth and former life, as if its signification and force did not extend even to death.

Therefore, let us know that forgiveness of sins is grounded in Christ alone, and that we must not think of any other satisfaction except that which he has performed by the sacrifice of his death. And for this reason, as we have already said, Peter expresses his name, by which he signifies to us that none of these things can be rightly taught unless Christ is set in the center, so that the effect of this doctrine may be sought in him.

His command that they be baptized for the remission of sins needs no long explanation. For although God has once reconciled people to himself in Christ, by not imputing unto them their sins, (2 Corinthians 5:19) and now imprints faith concerning this in our hearts by his Spirit, yet, nevertheless, because baptism is the seal by which he confirms this benefit to us—and consequently, the earnest and pledge of our adoption—it is rightly said to be given to us for the remission of sins.

Because we receive Christ’s gifts by faith, and baptism is a help to confirm and increase our faith, remission of sins (which is an effect of faith) is annexed to baptism as a subordinate means.

Furthermore, we must not derive the definition of baptism from this passage, because Peter only touches on a part of it. Our old man is crucified through baptism, as Paul teaches, so that we may rise to newness of life (Romans 6:4, 6). And again, we are told that we put on Christ himself (1 Corinthians 12). Scripture teaches everywhere that baptism is also a sign and token of repentance (Galatians 3:27).

But because Peter does not deal openly in this passage with the whole nature of baptism, but, while speaking of the forgiveness of sins, incidentally declares that its confirmation is in baptism, no difficulty arises if one omits the other aspects of baptism here.

In the name of Christ. Although baptism is no empty figure but a true and effectual testimony, nevertheless, lest anyone attribute to the element of water what is offered there, the name of Christ is plainly expressed.

This is so that we may know that baptism will be a profitable sign for us only if we seek its force and effect in Christ, and understand that we are therefore washed in baptism because the blood of Christ is our cleansing.

We also gather from this that Christ is the mark and goal to which baptism directs us. Therefore, everyone profits in baptism in proportion to how much they learn to look to Christ.

But here a question arises: Was it lawful for Peter to change the form prescribed by Christ? The Papists think so, or at least feign that they do, and from this they take a pretext for liberty to change or abrogate Christ’s institutions. They confess that nothing ought to be changed regarding the substance, but they would have the Church possess liberty to change whatever it wants in the form.

But this argument may easily be answered. For we must first know that Christ did not dictate and rehearse to his apostles magical words for enchanting, as the Papists imagine; rather, in a few words, he comprehended the sum of the mystery.

Again, I deny that Peter is speaking in this passage about the form of baptism. Instead, he simply declares that the whole strength of baptism is contained in Christ—although Christ cannot be laid hold of by faith without the Father, by whom he was given to us, and the Spirit, by whom he renews and sanctifies us.

The answer consists entirely in this: Peter is not dealing in this passage with the specific form of baptizing, but the faithful are called back to Christ, in whom alone we have whatever baptism prefigures to us. For we are both made clean by his blood and also enter into a new life through the benefit of his death and resurrection.

Ye shall receive the gift of the Spirit. Because they were struck with wonder when they saw the apostles suddenly begin to speak with strange tongues, Peter says that they will be partakers of the same gift if they will turn to Christ. Remission of sins and newness of life were the principal things, and this was, as it were, an addition, that Christ would show forth his power to them by some visible gift.

Nor should this passage be understood as referring to the grace of sanctification, which is given generally to all the godly. Therefore, he promises them the gift of the Spirit, of which they saw a pattern in the diversity of tongues. Consequently, this specific promise does not properly apply to us in the same way.

For because Christ intended to display the beginning of his kingdom with those miracles, they lasted only for a time. Yet, because the visible graces which the Lord distributed to his own showed, as in a mirror, that Christ was the giver of the Spirit, what Peter says—Ye shall receive the gift of the Spirit.—does in some respect apply to the entire Church.

For although we do not receive it so that we may speak with tongues, be prophets, cure the sick, or work miracles, yet it is given to us for a better use: that we may believe with the heart unto righteousness, that our tongues may be framed for true confession (Romans 10:10), that we may pass from death to life (John 5:24), that we who are poor and empty may be made rich, and that we may withstand Satan and the world steadfastly.

Therefore, the grace of the Spirit will always be annexed to baptism, unless the hindrance is in ourselves.