John Calvin Commentary Acts 8:32

"Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth:" — Acts 8:32 (ASV)

The sentence of Scripture. It is properly a text or period. Let us understand that he did not come upon this place by chance but that it happened by the wonderful providence of God, that Philip should have a proposition or principle from which the entire substance of Christianity might be established.

Therefore, first, he has matter of full instruction brought to his hand by the secret direction of the Spirit; secondly, the form is plainly applied to the ministry of man.

This is an excellent prophecy of Christ, and one to be remembered above all others. Isaiah plainly says there that the manner of redeeming the Church would be such that the Son of God, by His death, would purchase life for men. He would offer Himself as a sacrifice to purge men’s sins, be punished by the hand of God, and go down even to hell itself, so that He might exalt us to heaven, having delivered us from destruction.

In summary, this passage plainly teaches how men are reconciled to God, how they obtain righteousness, and how they come to the kingdom of God, being delivered from the tyranny of Satan and freed from the yoke of sin. In short, it teaches from where they must obtain all parts of their salvation.

Nevertheless, I will only expound those things which Luke here cites, and there are, indeed, two parts. In the first, he teaches that Christ, so that He may redeem the Church, must necessarily be so broken that He appear like a man who is cast down and beyond hope.

Secondly, he affirms that His death shall give life, and that a singular triumph shall issue from great despair. When he compares Christ to a lamb, which allows itself to be led and slain, and to a sheep, which offers herself meekly to be shorn, his meaning is that the sacrifice of Christ shall be voluntary.

And surely this was the way to appease God’s wrath, in that He showed Himself obedient. He spoke, indeed, before Pilate (John 18:34, 36), but not to save His life, but rather that He might willingly offer Himself to die, as He was appointed by the Father, and so might bring upon Himself the punishment that was prepared for us.

Therefore the prophet teaches both things: that Christ must necessarily have suffered so that He might purchase life for us, and that He was to suffer death willingly, so that He might blot out the stubbornness of men by His obedience. And from this we must gather an exhortation to godliness, as Peter does; but that doctrine of faith which I have already touched upon is prior in order.