John Calvin Commentary Acts 20:26

"Wherefore I testify unto you this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men." — Acts 20:26 (ASV)

Wherefore I take you to record. It is as if he had said, I call you to witness, or I call you to bear witness before God and His angels. And he does not do this so much for his own sake, as to prescribe to them their duty with greater authority.

Furthermore, this passage contains a brief summary of right and good teaching, and it exhorts the teachers themselves, vehemently and sharply, to be diligent in their function. What order must pastors then keep in teaching? First, let them not decide as they please what is profitable to be spoken and what to be omitted; but let them leave that to God alone to be ordered at His pleasure.

Thus it will come to pass that the inventions of men will have no entrance into the Church of God. Again, mortal man must not be so bold as to mangle the Scripture and tear it to pieces, diminishing this or that at his pleasure, obscuring something and suppressing many things; but he must deliver whatever is revealed in the Scripture—though wisely and opportunely for the edification of the people—yet plainly and without guile, as befits a faithful and true interpreter of God.

I said that wisdom must be used, because we must always have regard for what is profitable, provided that no subtlety is used, in which many take too great delight when they turn and twist the word of God to fit their methods, and forge for us a certain kind of philosophy mixed with the gospel and their own inventions; namely, because this mixture is more delightful.

Hence, we have free will; hence, the merits of works; hence, the denial of the providence and free election of God. And what we said just now is to be noted: that the counsel of God, which Paul mentions, is included in His word, and that it is to be sought nowhere else.

For many things are kept from us in this life, the perfect and full manifestation of which is deferred until that day, when we will see God as He is, with new eyes, face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12).

Therefore, those set forth the will of God who interpret the Scriptures faithfully, and from them instruct the people in the faith, in the fear of God, and in all practices of godliness.

And, as we said recently, those are condemned by this statement who, by disputing philosophically—lest they should teach anything that is removed from common human understanding and therefore odious—corrupt with their leaven the purity of the Scripture. So, both sharply and severely, Paul thunders against those who, for fear of the cross and persecution, speak only doubtfully and obscurely.

I am clean from the blood. I do not doubt that he was referring to the passage in Ezekiel, where God declares that His prophet will be guilty of the blood of the wicked unless he exhorts them to repentance (Ezekiel 3:18, 20). For on this condition He appoints pastors over His Church: that if anyone perishes through their negligence, an account may be required from them. Yes, unless they show the way of salvation without guile and devious ways, the destruction of those who go astray may be imputed to them.

Those men must indeed be wonderfully dull whom such a sharp threat cannot awaken. Therefore, the Epicurean impiety of the Popish clergy all the more reveals itself when, though they crow and brag about their honorable titles, they think no more about giving an account for so many souls who perish than if no Judge sat in heaven. Nor is their ungodliness any less filthy before the whole world, in that, being devoted only to devouring sheep, they usurp the name of pastors.

Furthermore, the Lord shows how dear souls are to Him, seeing that He so sharply punishes the pastor’s sluggishness for their destruction. But we see how little regard many men have for their own salvation, for which even God Himself deigns to be careful.