John Calvin Commentary Matthew 7:22

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works?" — Matthew 7:22 (ASV)

Many will say to me, Christ again summons hypocrites to his judgment-seat, as we showed a short time ago from Luke. As long as they hold a place in his Church, they both flatter themselves and deceive others. He therefore declares that a day is coming when he will cleanse his barn and separate the chaff and straw from the pure wheat.

To prophesy in the name of Christ is to discharge the office of teacher by his authority and, as it were, under his direction. Prophecy is here, I think, taken in a broad sense, as in 1 Corinthians 14. He might have simply used the word preach, but purposely employed the more honorable designation to show more clearly that an outward profession is nothing, whatever may be its brilliancy in the eyes of men.

To do wonderful works in the name of Christ is nothing other than to perform miracles by his power, authority, command, and direction; for though the word ὁμολογήσω, powers, is sometimes confined to one class of miracles, yet in this and many other passages it denotes every kind of miracle.