John Calvin Commentary Acts 23:11

"And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer: for as thou hast testified concerning me at Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome." — Acts 23:11 (ASV)

And the night following. Luke declares that Paul was strengthened with an oracle, so that he might stand courageously against terrible assaults when things were so far out of order. Surely it could not be otherwise than that he was very afraid, and that he was greatly troubled with the thought of things to come.

Therefore, the oracle was not superfluous. Those previous assurances by which he was taught that God cared for him ought to have sufficed to nourish his hope and to have kept him from fainting. But because in great dangers Satan often instills new fears, so that by this means (if he cannot altogether overwhelm God’s promises in the hearts of the godly) he may at least darken them with clouds, it is necessary that their remembrance be renewed, so that faith, being helped with new supports, may stand more steadfastly.

But the essence is that Paul should behave boldly, because he must also be Christ’s witness at Rome. Yet this seems to be but a cold and empty consolation, as if God were saying, “Fear not, because you must endure a harsher trial.” For it would have been better, according to the flesh, to die once and quickly end his days, than to waste away in chains and lie in prison for a long time.

The Lord does not promise to deliver him; no, He does not even say that he will have a joyful end. He only says that those troubles and afflictions, with which he was already so severely oppressed, will continue long. But from this we better understand the great importance of this confidence: that the Lord is mindful of us in our miseries, even if He does not immediately extend His hand to help us.

Therefore, let us learn, even in the most extreme afflictions, to rely upon the word of God alone. Let us never faint as long as He enlivens us with the testimony of His fatherly love. And because oracles are not now sent from heaven, nor does the Lord Himself appear in visions, we must meditate upon His innumerable promises, by which He testifies that He will be near to us continually.

If it is expedient that an angel come down to us, the Lord will not deny even this kind of confirmation. Nevertheless, we must give this honor to the word: that being content with it alone, we wait patiently for the help which it promises us.

Moreover, it was of no profit to some to hear angels who were sent down from heaven; but the Lord does not in vain seal by His Spirit in the hearts of the faithful those promises which He makes. And as He does not in vain impress them upon us and often repeat them, so let our faith diligently exercise itself in continually remembering them.

For if it was necessary that Paul’s faith should often be strengthened and supplied with new help, then every one of us needs many more supports. Also, our minds must be armed with patience, so that they may pass through the long and troublesome journeys of troubles and afflictions.