John Calvin Commentary Acts 8:14

"Now when the apostles that were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:" — Acts 8:14 (ASV)

Luke describes, in this place, the workings of the grace of God in the Samaritans, as he is accustomed to enrich the faithful continually with greater gifts of his Spirit. For we must not think that the apostles took that counsel of which Luke speaks without the prompting of the same God who had already begun his work in Samaria by the hand of Philip; and he uses his instruments in diverse ways for diverse parts of his work, according to his good pleasure.

He used Philip as an instrument to bring them to the faith; now he ordains Peter and John to be ministers to give the Spirit, and thus he fosters the unity of his Church when one helps another, and not only knits one person to another, but whole churches also.

He could have finished what he had begun by Philip; but, so that the Samaritans might learn to embrace brotherly fellowship with the first Church, he meant to bind them with this as with a bond; secondly, he meant to grant the apostles (whom he had commanded to preach the gospel throughout the whole world (Mark 16:15)) this privilege, that they all might better grow together into one faith of the gospel; and we know that it was otherwise dangerous, lest, since the Jews and Samaritans were very different in mind and customs, being so divided, they should by this means divide Christ, or at least invent for themselves a new Church.

Meanwhile, we see how careful the apostles were to help their brothers; for they do not wait until they are requested, but they take this charge upon themselves of their own accord. The apostles do not do this out of any distrust, as if they suspected that Philip was not doing his duty as uprightly as he should; but they set their hand to help him in his work, and Peter and John came not only to help him and to be partakers of his labors, but also to approve it.

Again, Philip is not grieved because other men finish the building he had begun, but they help one another very gently and faithfully; and surely it is ambition alone which will not allow holy fellowship and mutual imparting of duties to enter. Since Luke says that Peter was sent by the rest, we may gather from this that he was not the chief ruler over his colleagues; but he so excelled among them that, nevertheless, he was subject to and obeyed the body.

Which were at Jerusalem. This may have a double meaning: either that all the apostles were at Jerusalem then, or that some were resident there when the rest went here and there. I am more inclined to this latter view, for it is to be supposed that they so divided themselves that some of their number might always undertake various missions as occasion arose, while others might stay at Jerusalem, as at the main station. Again, it may be that after each one had spent some time on his journey, they were accustomed to assemble there. It is certain, indeed, that the time they spent at Jerusalem was not spent in idleness; and, secondly, that they were not tied to any one place, since Christ had commanded them to go over all the world (Mark 16:15).