John Calvin Commentary Acts 23:12

"And when it was day, the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul." — Acts 23:12 (ASV)

And when it was day. By this circumstance, Luke shows how necessary it was for Paul to gather new and fresh strength of faith, so that he might not tremble in very great and sudden danger. For being told of this desperate madness of his enemies, he could not think otherwise than that he would lose his life.

This vow that Luke speaks of was a kind of curse. The purpose of the vow was so that it would not be lawful for them to change their intention, nor to retract what they had promised. There is always, indeed, in an oath a secret curse if anyone deceives or forswears; but sometimes, so that they might bind themselves more strongly, they use certain forms of cursing, and they make themselves subject to cruel torments, so that they might be more afraid.

This history teaches that zeal is so bloody in hypocrites that they do not consider what is lawful for them, but they run carelessly wherever their lust carries them. Even if we grant that Paul was a wicked man and worthy to die, yet who had given private individuals permission to put him to death? Now, if anyone had asked why they hated Paul so much, they would quickly have answered, because he was an apostate and schismatic; but it was merely a foolish opinion, conceived from an uncertain report about this matter, which had rashly taken hold of their minds.

The same blindness and dullness even now incites the Papists, so that they think nothing is unlawful for them in destroying us. Hypocrisy so blinds their ears that, as men freed from the laws of God and merit, they are carried by their zeal sometimes to treachery, sometimes to guile, sometimes to intolerable cruelty, and, finally, to attempt whatever they will.

Moreover, we see in this history how great the rashness of the wicked is. They bind themselves with a curse that they will eat no food until they have slain Paul, as if his life were in their hands. Therefore, these crazed men take to themselves that which the Lord so often says in Scripture is His, namely, To have the life and death of those men whom he hath created in his hand, (Deuteronomy 32:39).

Moreover, there are not only two or three who are partners in this madness, but more than forty. From this we also gather how willing and inclined men are to do mischief, seeing they flock together in this way.

Furthermore, seeing Satan drives them headlong into their own destruction, how shameful then is our sluggishness, when we scarcely move one finger in maintaining the glory of God? We must use moderation, so that we attempt nothing without the commandment of God; but when God calls us expressly, our loitering is without excuse.