John Calvin Commentary Acts 8:22

"Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if perhaps the thought of thy heart shall be forgiven thee." — Acts 8:22 (ASV)

Repent, therefore. Since he exhorts him to repentance and prayer, he thereby gives him some hope of pardon. For no one will ever be touched with any desire for repentance, except one who believes that God will have mercy on him; on the other hand, despair will always carry people headlong into boldness. Furthermore, the Scripture teaches that God is not called upon correctly except by faith. Therefore, we see how Peter now raises Simon to the hope of salvation, whom he had previously thrown down with the cruel lightnings and thunderbolts of words. And yet Simon’s sin was no small sin. But, if it were possible, we ought to pluck people even out of hell.

Therefore, until even the most wicked people show themselves by clear signs to be reprobates, none of them is to be handled so harshly that the forgiveness of sins is not also offered to them. Indeed, we must deal with those for whom a sharp rebuke is beneficial—because of their hardness and stubbornness—in such a way that we throw them down with one hand and lift them up with the other. For the Spirit of God does not allow us to curse them. But Peter seems to bring him into some fear and doubt when he says, if peradventure.

And the Papists try to prove by this passage and similar ones that we must pray with doubtful minds, because people may rashly promise themselves certain success in their petitions. But we can easily answer them, for the word ει αρα means as much as if someone were to say, "If by any means you might obtain pardon from God."

Peter uses this word, not to leave Simon's mind in perplexity, but to urge him more strongly to be earnest in prayer. For the difficulty itself serves significantly to stir us up, because when we see the matter as readily achievable, we are too careless and sluggish.

Therefore, Peter does not terrify Simon in order to overthrow or trouble all hope of obtaining pardon in his heart. Instead, while assuring him of hope if he will ask for pardon humbly and from his heart, Peter tells him only that pardon is hard to obtain because of the greatness of his offense. He does this so that he may provoke him to fervency. For it is necessary that we be enlightened by faith when we go to God; indeed, faith must be the mother of prayer.