John Calvin Commentary Acts 4:34

"For neither was there among them any that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold," — Acts 4:34 (ASV)

For so many as were. Although this is a universal statement, it is the same as if it were indefinite. And certainly, it is to be understood that there were many who did not diminish their possessions, and that can be gathered from the text. For when he speaks of Joses shortly, undoubtedly he meant to note a notable example, surpassing all others.

Therefore he says that all did what many did everywhere; neither does this disagree with the common use of Scripture.

Again, he means not that the faithful sold all that they had, but only as much as need required. For this is spoken for the sake of amplification: that the rich men not only relieved the poverty of their brethren with the yearly revenue of their lands, but they were so liberal that they did not spare their lands.

And this could be so, even though they did not rob themselves of all their possessions, but only diminished their revenues a little. This we may gather again from the words of Luke, for he says that this was the purpose: that no one should lack.

He shows further that they used great wisdom, because it was distributed as every man had need. Therefore, the goods were not equally divided, but a discreet distribution was made, lest anyone should be excessively oppressed by poverty.

And perhaps Joses has this commendation given him by name because he sold his only possession. For by this means he surpassed all the rest.

From this it appears what it means that no man counted anything his own, but they had all things common. For no man possessed his own property privately for himself, to enjoy it alone while neglecting others; but as need required, they were ready to bestow it upon all men. And now, we must indeed have more than iron bowels, seeing that we are no longer moved by the reading of this history.

The faithful in that day gave abundantly even of what was their own, but we today are not only content wickedly to suppress what we have in our hands, but also rob others. They faithfully brought forth their own; we invent a thousand subtle schemes to draw all things to ourselves by hook or by crook. They laid it down at the apostles’ feet; we do not fear, with sacrilegious boldness, to convert to our own use what was offered to God. They sold their possessions in past times; today an insatiable desire to buy reigns. Love made what belonged to each man common to the poor and needy; such is the unnaturalness of some men now, that they cannot bear that the poor should dwell upon the earth, or that they should have the use of water, air, and heaven.

Therefore, these things are written for our shame and reproach. Although even the poor themselves are to blame for some part of this evil. For since goods cannot be common in this manner, except where there is a godly agreement and where one heart and one soul reigns, many men are either so proud, unthankful, slothful, greedy, or such hypocrites, that they not only, as much as is in their power, completely extinguish the desire to do well, but also hinder the ability for it.

And yet we must remember that admonition of Paul, that we be not weary of well-doing (Galatians 6:9), and while, under the pretext of this, the Anabaptists and fanatical men have made a great fuss, as if there should be no civil property of goods among Christians, I have already refuted this folly of theirs in the second chapter.

For Luke does not in this place prescribe a law to all men which they must necessarily follow, while he recounts what they did in whom a unique effectiveness and power of the Holy Spirit of God showed itself. Neither does he speak so generally of all men that it can be gathered that those were not counted Christians who did not sell all that they had.