Commentary on Acts by John Calvin.

Calvin, J. (1995). Acts. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

Exportado de Software Bíblico Logos, 15:15 21 de janeiro de 2018.

PACKER, J. I. (1995). Introduction. In A. MCGRATH (Org.), Acts (At 2.41). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books. 

Atos 2.40–42:

40. And with many other words. Up to now Luke has not given us all of Peter’s words, but only his chief points in summary form. Here, however, Luke says that Peter not only taught them but pleaded with them, appealing to their consciences. Luke notes Peter’s earnestness. It was not easy for the Jews to leave their erroneous ways and break away from the priests whose rule they were accustomed to. So it was up to Peter to haul them out of this mire. They could not belong to Christ unless they parted company with his professed enemies. The priests and the scribes were very powerful, and under the guise of leading the church they deceived the simple. This prevented many from coming to Christ. In addition to this, some people wavered in their faith, and others fell away completely. So Peter referred to them as a “corrupt generation,” despite their boasts of being the church. Peter told his hearers to leave such people, for fear of being entangled in their evil fellowship. He said, “save yourselves,” meaning they would definitely perish if they linked themselves with such a diseased people. Peter ordered them to leave these wicked people if they wanted to be saved. The teaching here should not be missed. It is not enough to have Christ set before us unless we are also taught to run away from those things that take us away from Christ.

41. Those who accepted his message. Luke clearly shows how fruitful Peter’s sermon was. About three thousand came to Christ. When Luke says they accepted his message, he is showing their strong and immediate faith. Faith’s starting point is an eager desire to obey. Many people start like this but later fall away. To show that these people had no sudden impulse but later collapsed, Luke later commends their perseverance by saying that they joined the apostles and followed their teaching. So we must not be slow to obey or quick to retreat but must hold on to the teaching we embraced. The example of the reactions to this sermon should shame us. Through one sermon a large crowd was converted to Christ, whereas hundreds of sermons hardly move a few of us. Whereas Luke says they persevered in the faith, hardly one in ten of us are eager to progress in the Christian faith. Let the levity of the world be doomed!

42. To the apostles’ teaching. Luke not only commends them for their strong faith and godliness, but also for their devotion to the spiritual exercises that strengthen their faith. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

What is meant by the apostles’ teaching and prayer is clear enough. People interpret the breaking of bread in different ways. Some think it means the Lord’s Supper, others think it means giving money away, and others think it means a grand meal. Some people think fellowship means celebrating the holy Supper, although I think that the breaking of bread means the Lord’s Supper, for fellowship by itself never refers to the Lord’s Supper. I think fellowship refers to the mutual support, giving of money, and other actions among the Christian fellowship. I think the breaking of bread means the Lord’s Supper here because Luke is listing the items in which the church engaged. He shows four characteristics by which the true church can be judged. Do we look for the true church of Christ? It is pictured here. It starts with teaching, which is the soul of the church. Luke does not mention every kind of teaching but just the teaching of the apostles, that which the Son of God had given to them. So wherever the pure voice of the Gospel rings out, where people continue to profess the Christian faith, where they listen and benefit from what they hear, there undoubtedly is the church.

To the fellowship. This is the fruit of the apostles’ teaching. Teaching binds Christian brethren in fellowship and opens the way to God so that we may pray. The Supper is added to the teaching because it strengthens us. In these four things Luke describes the well-ordered state of the church. We must keep to these things if God and the angels are to judge us as the true church and not just boast to be such before men. Clearly, Luke is referring to public prayer. So it is not enough for people just to pray at home by themselves, unless they also meet together to pray, which is in itself a profession of faith.

Verses 43–45

43. Everyone was filled with awe. The church made such an impact that those who did not believe its teaching became afraid. This enhanced the church. Everyone opposes a new sect. As Jews hated novel teaching, they would not have allowed Christ’s church to stand for a second unless the Lord had bridled them through fear. Luke notes the nature of this awe. It did not lead them to Christ but caused them to wonder and so, as it were, immobilized them, so that they did not harm the Lord’s work. God’s power in the church seemed so powerful that most people were left speechless.

And many wonders. Luke teaches that the Jews were restrained, so that the church, which could easily have been destroyed, was able to emerge. We have often experienced this in our own day. Luke says that they were not only curbed because they were fearful, so that they did not dare to hurt the church, but that they were also humbled and stood in awe of the glory of the Gospel.

44. All the believers. The believers were linked together with brotherly love. They demonstrated this as the rich sold their possessions to help the poor. Luke records this particular example of love so that we will use our wealth to relieve the needs of our poor brethren.

This needs to be expounded with care. Some extremists want all goods to be shared equally and for all ownership of property to be abolished. Anabaptists have become angry when church members do not share everything they have with each other. We need to beware of two extremes here. Some hide what they possess, do not give to the poor, and in a self-righteous way refuse any gifts they are offered. Others want everyone to give everything away. What does Luke say? He suggests a third way. He says that the people who gave things away did so from their own free choice. You may object to this and say, all the believers … had everything in common. The answer to this is easy: they gave so that the poor might be helped, as the need dictated. We know the old proverb: “All things are common among friends.” When Pythagoras’ students said this, they did not stop people from owning their own houses, nor did they intend to make their own wives the property of everyone else. So this having everything in common that Luke speaks about does not include taking away private property. They had everything in common until the particular need passed. It is wrong for monks to say that because they own nothing they are following the apostles’ teaching, for they do not sell anything, nor do they help people in need. They just fill their idle stomachs with the blood of the poor. They do not care if the whole world is hungry, so long as they are well fed. They share nothing among themselves.

Verses 46–47

46. They continued to meet together in the temple courts. They went to the temple because that gave them opportunities for the furtherance of the Gospel. The holiness of the place was no draw for them because they knew that the law, which was a shadow, had passed away. They did not want other people to follow their example and go to worship in the temple. Another reason for going to the temple might have been that it was easier for so many people to meet there to be taught than to meet in houses.

They broke bread in their homes. Luke shows how in private, as well as in public, they showed signs of godliness. Some people think that they broke bread in their homes refers to the Holy Supper, but I disagree. Luke tells us that they used to eat together in a frugal way. People who hold banquets do not eat in such an intimate way. Luke adds that they did this with sincere hearts. Luke shows that they had a disciplined and brotherly lifestyle. Some people link glad and sincere with praising God (verse 47), and the context allows this interpretation. But no one can praise God with a sincere heart and leave the rest of his life unaffected; so clearly they did everything with sincere hearts. Despite being surrounded with many dangers, they were praising God. Knowledge of God’s love for us and trust in his protection enable us to quietly praise God. As Luke had spoken about the public nature of the church, so here he touches on the private life of the faithful. From this we learn to live frugally; our whole lives are to be characterized with sincere hearts, spiritual joy, and praise for God.

47. Enjoying the favor of all the people. The fruit of an innocent life is to find favor even among strangers. The faithful lived in such a way that other people approved their actions.

And the Lord added to their number daily. Their hard work was rewarded. They tried hard to round up the stray sheep into the Lord’s sheepfold. They did not work in vain, because the Lord added to their number daily. The decline of the church is more due to laziness than wickedness. Although they all worked hard to extend the kingdom of Christ, Luke attributes those who were being saved to the Lord. This, indeed, is God’s work (see 1 Corinthians 3:3–9).

We also note that Luke says that the people who were brought into the church were those who were being saved. Luke teaches that the way to obtain salvation is to become part of the church. Just as there is no remission of sins, so there is no hope of salvation outside the church. This is of great comfort to the godly, who are received into the church so they can be saved (see Romans 1:16). God only gathers a certain number of people. This grace is linked with election, which is the prime mover in our salvation.

IVAN TEIXEIRA