John Calvin Commentary Acts 8:33

"In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: His generation who shall declare? For his life is taken from the earth." — Acts 8:33 (ASV)

In his humility his judgment. The eunuch had either the Greek volume, or else Luke set down the reading that was then used, as he usually did. The prophet says that Christ was exalted out of sorrow and judgment, by which words he signifies a wonderful victory, which immediately followed his casting down. For if he had been oppressed by death, nothing could have been hoped for from him.

Therefore, so that the prophet may establish our faith in Christ, after he had described him as stricken by the hand of God and subject to being slain, he now presents him in a new role; namely, that he comes up out of the depth of death as a conqueror, and out of very hell, being the author of eternal Life.

I know, indeed, that this passage is interpreted differently. There are some who understand by this that he was carried from the prison to the cross; others think that "to be taken away" means to be brought to nothing. And, indeed, the meaning of the Hebrew word לחה (lachah) is doubtful, as is also the meaning of the Greek word αιρεσθαι.

But anyone who thoroughly weighs the text [context] will agree with me in what I have said: that he now passes from that sorrowful and unsightly spectacle that he had set before our eyes to the new beginning of unexpected glory. Therefore, the Greek interpretation does not differ much from the words of the prophet in the essence of the matter.

For Christ’s judgment was exalted in his humility or casting down; because when he might seem to be cast down and oppressed, the Father upheld his cause. In this way, judgment is to be taken in this place (as in many others) for right. But it signifies condemnation in the Hebrew text.

For the prophet says that after Christ is brought into great distress and is like a condemned and lost man, he will be lifted up by the hand of the Father. Therefore, the meaning of the words is that Christ first had to suffer death before the Father would exalt him to the glory of his kingdom.

This doctrine must be applied to the whole body of the Church, because all the godly ought to be wonderfully lifted up by the hand of God, so that they are not swallowed up by death. But when God appears as the avenger of his people, he not only restores them to life but also secures for them excellent triumphs over many deaths, as Christ triumphed most gloriously upon the cross, which the apostle mentions in Colossians 2.

His generation. After the prophet has set forth the victorious death of Christ, he now adds that his victory will not last only for a short time but will extend beyond countless years. For the prophet's exclamation implies that the perpetuity of Christ’s kingdom cannot be expressed by human words.

But interpreters have miserably distorted this passage. While the ancient writers endeavored by this to prove the Eternal Generation of the Word of God against Arius, it is too far removed from the prophet’s meaning. Chrysostom’s exposition is no truer, who refers it to the human generation. Nor do those understand the prophet’s meaning who suppose that he is inveighing against the men of that age.

Some others have a better understanding, who take it as spoken of the Church, except that they are mistaken about the word "generation," which they think signifies a posterity or offspring. But the word דר, (dor), which the prophet uses, signifies, among the Hebrews, an age, or the duration of human life.

Therefore, this is undoubtedly the prophet’s meaning: that Christ’s life will endure forever, once he is delivered by his Father’s grace from death. Although this life, which is without end, pertains to the whole body of the Church, because Christ rose, not that he might live for himself, but for us.

Therefore, he now extols in the members the fruit and effect of that victory which he placed in the Head. For this reason, every one of the faithful may derive sure hope of eternal life from this passage; secondly, the perpetuity of the Church is instead affirmed in the person of Christ.

Because his life is taken from the earth. This is, to outward appearance (it would seem), a very absurd reason that Christ reigns with such renown in heaven and earth because he was cut off. For who can believe that death is the cause of life? But this was done by the wonderful counsel of God: that hell should be a ladder by which Christ would ascend into heaven; that reproach would be for him a passage into life; that the joyful brightness of salvation would appear out of the horror and darkness of the cross; that blessed immortality would flow from the deep pit of death.

Because he humbled himself, therefore the Father exalted him, that every knee may bow before him (Philippians 2:10), and so forth. Now we must consider what fellowship we have with Christ, so that it may not be troublesome to anyone to go the same way.