John Calvin Commentary Acts 26:21

"For this cause the Jews seized me in the temple, and assayed to kill me." — Acts 26:21 (ASV)

They went about to kill me. He complains here of the iniquity of his adversaries, so that it may thereby appear that their cause and conscience were both evil. For if Paul had offended, they could have gone to law with him; and even there they would have stood in a better position, since they far surpassed him in both favor and authority.

Therefore, their madness testifies that they are destitute of reason. Since Paul says that he was saved by the help of God, it serves to confirm his doctrine. For how is it that God reaches out his hand to help him, except because he acknowledged Paul as his minister, and because he will defend the cause which he approves?

Moreover, this should have encouraged him to go forward all the more boldly in his office, in that he was thus helped by God. For it would have been the act of an ungrateful man to withdraw himself from him who had helped him. By this example we are taught, that as often as we are delivered from danger, the Lord does not therefore prolong our days so that we may afterward live idly, but so that we may do our duty cheerfully, and be ready to die every hour for his glory, who has reserved us for himself.

And yet Paul did not forget how much he was indebted to the chief captain; but here he commends the help of God, so that he may show that it was fitting for him to spend all the rest of his course in the service of him by whom he was delivered, even though that deliverance came about and was accomplished through the effort and by the hand of man.

Testifying both to small and great. We have said elsewhere that it is more to testify than to teach, as if some solemn contestation were made between God and men, so that the gospel may have its majesty. And he says that he is a witness both to great and small, so that King Agrippa may perceive that this pertains even to him; and that when the gospel is offered even to every common person, that in no way hinders it from ascending even to the throne of princes.

For Christ gathers all people into his bosom with one and the same embrace, so that those who previously lay on the dunghill, and are now exalted to such great honor, may rejoice in his free goodness; and that those who are placed in a high degree of honor may willingly humble themselves, and not resent having some of the lowly and contemptible multitude as their brethren, so that they may be made the children of God.

So in Romans 1, he says that he is indebted both to the foolish and to the wise, lest the Romans should be held back by the confidence they might place in their wisdom from submitting themselves to his doctrine. By this let us learn that it is not up to the teacher’s will to choose his hearers, and that they do no less injury to God than defraud people of their right, whoever they are who restrict their labor to great men, whom God joins with those who are small.

It would be too narrow an interpretation to restrict this to ages. Therefore, I do not doubt that Paul removes the distinction that used to exist between the noble and ignoble, because he was neither afraid of the dignity of the one, nor did he loathe the baseness of the other, but showed himself a faithful teacher to both alike.

Saying no other thing. First, this is worth noting, that Paul, so that he may bring in fitting and substantial witnesses for his doctrine, does not take them from among men, but he cites Moses and the prophets, to whom the Lord had granted undoubted authority. And surely this is one principle to be observed, when we wish to teach soundly, to utter nothing but that which proceeded from the mouth of God.

Secondly, this is worth noting: that these were the principal points of the disputation which Luke now touches upon; that this was the proper office of Christ, by his death to make satisfaction for the sins of the world, by his resurrection to purchase righteousness and life for mankind; and that the fruit of his death and resurrection is common both to Jews and Gentiles.

But inasmuch as there is no manifest and (as they say) literal testimony existing in the Law concerning the death and resurrection of Christ, undoubtedly they had some doctrine handed down from the fathers, from which they learned to refer all types to Christ. And as the prophets, who prophesied more plainly of Christ, had their doctrine from that fountain, so they made the people of their time believe that they delivered to them nothing new, nor anything that dissented from Moses.

And now Paul either did not finish his defense, or else he gathered more evident testimonies for all those things for which he professed Moses and the prophets to be his sources.

The first of those which. There were some others whose resurrection preceded Christ’s in time; namely, if we admit that the saints of whom the Evangelists speak (Matthew 27:52) came out of their graves before Christ, which may likewise be said of the taking up of Enoch and Elijah (Genesis 5:24; 2 Kings 2:11). But he calls him here the first; as in another place the firstfruits of those who rise again (1 Corinthians 15:23). Therefore, this word denotes the cause rather than the order of time, because, when Christ rose again, he became the conqueror of death and Lord of life, so that he might reign forever, and make those who are his partakers of his own blessed immortality.

Under this word 'light,' he comprehends whatever pertains to perfect felicity, as by 'darkness' is meant death and all kinds of misery. And I do not doubt that Paul alluded to the sayings of the prophets:

• The people which walked in darkness saw great light (Isaiah 9:2).
• And again, Behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and a mist the people: but the Lord shall be seen upon thee (Isaiah 60:2).
• Again, Behold, those which are in darkness shall see light (Isaiah 42:16).
• Again, I have made thee a light of the Gentiles (Isaiah 49:6).

And it appears by many oracles that the light of life should come out of Judea, and should be spread abroad among the Gentiles.