John Calvin Commentary Acts 9:22

"But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ." — Acts 9:22 (ASV)

And Saul waxed stronger. Luke does not only in this place commend the bold zeal of Paul in confessing the faith of Christ, but also he tells us that he had strong reasons to convince the Jews. He grew strong, he says, that is, he gained the victory in disputation; his confession carried with it great force and efficacy, because being furnished with testimonies of Scripture, and such other helps of the Holy Spirit, he, as it were, trod all his adversaries under his feet.

For the word "confounded," which Luke uses, signifies that, since Paul pressed them beyond measure, they were so struck that they were utterly disoriented. The manner of their confounding is expressed by Paul proving that Jesus was Christ. For the meaning is this: even when the Jews were most eager to resist, they were overcome and confounded.

Thus, Paul found by experience that what he himself affirms was most true: that the Scripture is profitable to convince (2 Timothy 3:16). He also performed what he required elsewhere of a bishop and teacher (Titus 1:7), for he was armed with the word of God to maintain the truth.

And Luke sets down two things: that Paul so gained the victory in disputing that he overthrew the Jews, and yet their stubbornness was not so broken and tamed that they yielded to the truth. This was because their consciences nevertheless raged inwardly, and though thrown down from their false opinion, they did not submit themselves to Christ.

From where did Paul obtain this victory, if not solely because the Scripture was his sword? Therefore, whenever heretics stand up to resist the true faith, whenever wicked men endeavor to overthrow all godliness, whenever the ungodly obstinately resist, let us remember that we must seek armor from this source.

Because the Papists find no weapons in Scripture, indeed, because they see that it is entirely against them, they flee to this miserable fortress of arguing that one must not dispute with heretics, and that nothing certain can be established from Scripture. But if Satan himself is vanquished with the sword of the word, why should it not be able to put heretics to flight? Not that they will submit themselves or cease their murmuring, but they will lie overcome within themselves.

And if we desire to escape this trouble, let us raise no tumults against God, but let us, with a quiet and meek spirit, receive that peace which the Scripture offers us.