John Calvin Commentary Acts 5:34

"But there stood up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in honor of all the people, and commanded to put the men forth a little while." — Acts 5:34 (ASV)

Luke now shows how God brought to nothing the fury of the wicked. They were resolved to put the apostles to death; Gamaliel stands up among them to interrupt that frenzied discussion. Furthermore, he notes the circumstances, so that we may know how it could be that one man could prevail so much against so many.

He says he was a Pharisee, a sect which was held in high regard, as we know. He says that he was valued, or honored, among the people; and they feared the people. Consequently, they are more afraid to do anything contrary to his wishes.

So God often sets sudden terrors against His enemies (when they do not expect them) to restrain their violence. Furthermore, Gamaliel commands the apostles to step aside, lest they should be further emboldened by his words. For we must not think that he spoke this way because he approved of the doctrine of the gospel, or that he meant to defend it; but because he saw all the others inflamed with fury, he, being a moderate and courteous man, tempers that excess with sober speech.

But if we consider all things well, this judgment and opinion is unfitting for a wise man. I know that many consider it an oracle, but it appears sufficiently clear from this that they judge wrongly, because by this reasoning people should abstain from all punishments, nor would any wicked deed any longer be corrected.

Indeed, all aids for life would have to be refused, which we cannot prolong for even one moment. Both things are true: no human endeavor can destroy what is of God, and what is of men is not strong enough to stand. But he wrongly infers from this that people must sit still and say nothing in the meantime.

We must rather pay attention to what God commands us to do, and He wants us to restrain wickedness. For this purpose He has appointed magistrates and armed them with the sword; for this purpose He has set elders over His Church, to bring the wayward into order, and so that they may not allow sin to rage licentiously without punishment.

Therefore, it is wrongly concluded that we must refrain from punishing because God is sufficient in Himself to take away evils. Although his entire counsel amounts to this, Gamaliel urges the scribes and elders to be careful that they do not make open war against God. And he speaks as if concerning a doubtful matter, from which it appears that he has no firm conviction, since he doubts the nature of the cause, nor dares to determine whether it is good or evil, but only commands them to defer it for a time, until the matter becomes clearer.

In sum, Gamaliel draws a wrong conclusion from true principles, because he wrongly applies that to the external office and manner of action which ought to apply to faith only.

On the other hand, let this be our logic: That which is of God must surely stand, though all the world says no; therefore, faith must stand without any fear against all the assaults of Satan and men, since faith is propped up and supported by the eternal truth of God; although heaven may fail, our salvation is safe, which has God as its author and keeper; because God defends the kingdom of Christ, it can never be overthrown by any violence; because the doctrine of the gospel is grounded in God, however much men may resist or shake it, yet it shall nevertheless remain firm.

Again, although the wicked attempt whatever they can and seek every means to destroy the Church, although they furiously strive against Christ and His Church as much as they are able, yet they will not prevail, because it is God’s nature to bring the counsels of men to nothing; and in this way He punishes their rashness.

We see that both these principles are well applied to faith. But, in the meantime, there is no reason why the servants of Christ should be less diligent in maintaining the truth; why they should allow the Church to decay through their fault; why they should carelessly wink at the wickedness of those who endeavor to turn all things upside down.