John Calvin Commentary Joel 2:29

"and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit." — Joel 2:29 (ASV)

As the particle גם gam amplifies in Hebrew, it seems peculiar that the Prophet now limits to a few a gift common to all; for he had previously said, Upon all flesh will I pour out my Spirit; and now, Upon servants and handmaids; and he adds Also. If he had simply said, Upon servants and handmaids will I pour out my Spirit, there would have been no inconsistency, for it would have been the explanation of his former statement. For we know that what the Prophet says of all people must be taken with exception, since many who were unbelievers were without this gift, and even those who previously excelled in some sort of divine knowledge. We indeed know that the Jews were blinded, and we also know that not all among the common people were partakers of this excellent gift.

Therefore, there is no doubt that what is said of all flesh, must be limited to the Church. It would not, then, have appeared strange if the Prophet had now added, Upon servants and handmaids; but the particles וגם ugam, And also, create difficulty: it is a way of speaking to expand on what has been said, but here it seems not to expand; for to pour out the Spirit upon all the people is more than to pour it out on servants and handmaids.

The solution is twofold: the particles וגם ugam are sometimes to be taken confirmatively. I have blessed him, said Isaac of his son Jacob, and also blessed shall he be. So in this place we may take the words of the Prophet to be, yea surely, being a repetition serving to confirm what had been said. But I prefer another sense. For the Prophet, I doubt not, meant here to add something more incredible than what he had previously said, Upon servants and maid-servants will I pour out my Spirit, that is, even upon those who were previously Prophets; for they will be enriched with a new gift and will gain increasing knowledge after the restoration of the Church, which is now approaching.

We understand this to be the meaning of the Prophet. He had promised the grace of the Spirit to the whole body of the faithful, which appears, as I have said, from comparing the ancient state with our own. But now, after having spoken of the mass or the common people, he comes to the Prophets. These were superior to others who previously performed the office of teaching and who attained rank and degree in the Church. These also will gain accessions; that is, “My Spirit will not only be conspicuous in the ignorant and the common people, but also in the Prophets themselves.”

Surely it is a greater thing when those who were previously superior to others, and whom the Lord had set over the Church, are taught. It is significant when they appear as new men, after having received a gift which the Lord had not previously conferred on them. Therefore, when new light appears in such men, it is certainly a greater thing than when the Spirit is poured out on the common people. Thus, we now see the Prophet’s meaning concerning the servants and the handmaids.

He then repeats, In those days, intimating that the change will be so sudden and incredible that Prophets will seem to have been previously untaught men; for a much more excellent doctrine will be given them. Then God will so pour out His Spirits that all the ancient prophecies will appear obscure and of no value, compared with the great and extraordinary light which Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, will bring at His rising. And he mentions handmaids, for there were, we know, Prophetesses under the Law. Let us now go on.