Part Three: The Reformation Era (1500-1699)

Introduction

I am pleased to share that I have organized the historical quotes by the authors’ and theologians’ birthdates and lifespans, rather than by the dates of their works. I believe this approach offers a clearer, more intuitive way to navigate the information. Some authors span multiple time periods, which has made their classification a bit more complicated than I initially anticipated. If you’re looking for the exact date of a specific quotation, I recommend checking the detailed footnotes for accurate references. Most theologians mentioned in this article agree that the 120 individuals cited in Acts 1 were among those who first received the Gift of the Holy Spirit. However, others suggest that the initial outpouring may have included even more than these 120, a view I personally agree with. The perspective I challenge in this article is the Apostles-Only view, which teaches that only the twelve apostles were initially promised and received the Gift of the Holy Spirit. Regardless of what conclusions you reach while exploring this fascinating topic, I sincerely wish you all the best on your journey toward understanding!

The Reformation Era Theologians

While these dates are not officially recognized in the Reformation Era, they serve a valuable purpose for organizing information within this article. Thank you for your understanding! Let’s begin with Martin Luther.

Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Martin Luther was a German theologian who was one of the most important figures in the Protestant Reformation, primarily through his teachings and writings. Born at Eisleben, he studied the liberal arts and law and entered the Augustinian Monastery at Erfurt. In 1507, he was ordained as a Catholic priest, and later (around 1518), he was appointed Professor of Biblical Studies at the University of Wittenberg. The Ninety-Five Thesis that Luther wrote in 1517 is widely regarded as the first major step toward sparking the Protestant Reformation. As time passed, Luther’s views grew increasingly controversial. Specifically, he believed that salvation came from an individual’s faith in God, that scripture should take precedence over church authority, and that an individual’s good works were less important than their faith. Eventually, this led to great animosity toward him by both the Holy Roman Empire and the Pope, which ultimately ended in a confrontation between Luther and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521. Following that, Luther found protection among many of the German Princes, who sympathized with his cause. During this time, Luther continued to write, preach, translate the Bible into German, and help develop the early evangelical movement. Ultimately, Luther’s legacy has been instrumental in developing what is now known as Lutheran theology and continues to have a profound impact on Protestantism today.¹ Regarding the question of this article, Luther states that both the twelve apostles and the entire group gathered on the Day of Pentecost were filled with the Holy Spirit. In a sermon on John 14:23, Luther said that.

“The Holy Spirit falls from heaven and fills all the company assembled together,”²

Additionally, he acknowledges that the Spirit.

“comes down and fills the disciples.”³

Though his second quote is somewhat ambiguous, Luther does include more than the original twelve apostles receiving the Gift of the Holy Spirit when he affirms that the Spirit falls and “fills all the company assembled together.” This statement suggests that he believed more than 120 people received the Holy Spirit that day, although it remains unclear to me.

What contributions can we expect from the second renowned Reformer, John Calvin, in the ongoing investigation?

John Calvin (1509–1564)

John Calvin (French Reformer and Theologian) was the central figure of the Second Generation of the Protestant Reformation Movement. Calvin was born in Noyon, Picardy; he studied Humanities and Law before dedicating himself to the Protestant Reform. After being forced into exile from France because of his Protestant beliefs, Calvin settled in Geneva and helped shape its Ecclesiastical Order and broader religious climate. Calvin’s preachings, biblical commentaries, letters, and especially his “Institutes of the Christian Religion” had an enormous impact on the theology of the Reformed Church, specifically regarding the authority of scripture, sovereignty of God, predestination, church governance, and the Christian life. As the pastor of Geneva and through his writings, Calvin was the most influential French Protestant Reformer of the sixteenth Century and among the greatest theological figures of early Modern Christianity. ⁴

Although the Australian Presbyterian Theologian Francis Nigel Lee suggests that John Calvin taught the Apostles-Only position,⁵ Calvin’s writings suggest otherwise. In the broader context of Luke’s description of those gathering in the upper room in Jerusalem (Acts 1:12-15), Calvin notes in his commentary on Acts 1:14 that the Spirit’s influence extends beyond just the twelve apostles. Interestingly, he includes the apostles’ wives as co-recipients when he writes,

“Who would, therefore, think that they were excluded from their husbands whilst they look for the coming of the Spirit?”⁶

In the same section of his commentary, he specifically mentions that

“The women are gathered together with them now.”⁷

Then Calvin points out that he understands Luke’s point, which is that everyone gathered was anticipating the Spirit’s coming, not just the twelve Apostles.

“Here [Luke] showeth that they did diligently look for the coming of the Holy Spirit, for this was the cause of their prayer, that Christ would send his Spirit, as he had promised.”⁸  

Of particular interest is how, uniquely, Calvin includes the wives of the apostles as well as others in his theological analysis. This suggests that John Calvin held the view that the apostles were not the sole recipients of the Gift of the Holy Spirit during Pentecost. Those who claim otherwise are simply making unfounded assumptions without evidence to support their assertions.

What can we learn about Calvin’s protégé? It’s time to explore Theodore Beza’s perspective.

Theodore Beza (1519–1605)

The French Reformed theologian and scholar who succeeded John Calvin in Geneva was Theodore Beza. Born in Vézelay, in Burgundy he studied first in the humanities and then law with many noted humanist scholars, such as Melchior Wolmar, before experiencing a personal spiritual conversion in 1548 that led him to Geneva and Calvin, and eventually to become one of the leaders of the Reformed Movement, both academically (Professor of Greek at Lausanne) and ecclesiastically, where he served as one of the primary theological and ecclesiastical leaders in Geneva from Calvin’s death in 1564 until his own death. Beza was instrumental in establishing and defending Reformed Theology, primarily through his writing, biblical scholarship, ecclesiastical leadership, and attendance at the major Christian colloquies, particularly the Colloquy of Poissy. His greatest contributions were to Reformed Dogmatics, his editions of and annotations on the Greek New Testament, and his work as one of the chief architects of Post-Calvin Genevan Protestantism. ⁹

In his commentary, M. F. Sadler refers to Theodore Beza, the “Ultra-Protestant commentator,” who affirms that the gift of the Spirit is only for the Apostles, based on the context.¹⁰ However, there is no evidence supporting this statement. Sadler’s statement may be his own conclusion based upon the remarks of John Gill. John Gill, in his work An Exposition of the New Testament (London, 1746–1748), comments on Acts 2:1 that “in two ancient copies of Beza’s, and in some others, it is read as ‘all the apostles.’” This observation indicates that an extended reading was known within certain parts of the early modern textual tradition and could be used to support the Apostles-Only interpretation. While these manuscripts may exist, I do not have any primary sources to support their existence. The fact of the matter is that the commonly printed Greek text of Acts 2:1 reads ἦσαν πάντες (“they were all”).¹¹

What can be shown with reasonable confidence is that Gill attributes to Beza the knowledge of a variant at Acts 2:1, reading “all the apostles.” Sadler seems to take Gill’s statement as an absolute fact; however, the evidence provided is insufficient. It is speculative to assert more unless these manuscripts can be located.

John Lightfoot shares his insights on the topic being investigated.

John Lightfoot (1602-1675)

John Lightfoot was an English Hebraist (Hebrew scholar), divine, and New Testament biblical interpreter who was born at Stoke-upon-Trent, and after education at Christ’s College, Cambridge, proved to be a highly skilled linguist, as well as an orator. Following ordination in the Church of England, Lightfoot served in several positions as a clergyman and was subsequently appointed as one of the best-known Christians in seventeenth-century England, providing scholarly insights into Jewish antiquity. Lightfoot took part in the Westminster Assembly; then went on to become the Master of St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, and additionally, the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University. Lightfoot will be best remembered by the amount of knowledge that he demonstrated regarding Hebrew, rabbinic literature, and Second Temple Judaism, when applying these types of scholarly knowledge to the New Testament; Lightfoot’s work (Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae, and his Commentary on Acts) were significant contributions to the development of early modern scholarship to reconstruct the Jewish background of the Gospels and Acts, and have had a lasting effect on how people interpret scripture through biblical exegesis.¹² In relation to the topic of this article, he expresses…

“That many, if not all of the 120 received the holy Ghost, and the gift of tongues on Pentecost day; and not the twelve onely.”¹³

He also mentions in that section,

“It being therefore not to bee denyed, that there were divers others besides the twelve, if not the whole hundred and twenty (which I rather thinke) that received the holy Ghost in the gift of tongues at this time.”¹⁴

Lightfoot’s beliefs are clear and compelling. He emphasized that a group of 120 disciples, which included the original twelve apostles, was the first to experience the profound Gift of the Holy Spirit.

Let’s examine Matthew Poole’s perspective on this matter.

Matthew Poole (1624–1679)

Poole was a theological writer from England, an English Presbyterian minister, and a nonconformist biblical commentator. He was born in York in 1624 and studied at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. After entering the ministry, Poole served as a minister at St. Michael-le-Querne in London. In 1662, Poole’s ministry came to an end due to the Act of Uniformity, which forced him out of the ministry. Even though his ministry was stopped, Poole continued to write and gain recognition for his work on the Bible. Two of his notable works were “Synopsis criticorum biblicorum” and “Annotations upon the Holy Bible”. These two works are known for their pastoral application and for drawing heavily on the writings of past interpreters. As such, Poole is often noted as one of the most important English biblical commentators of the 17th century.¹⁵ Matthew Poole, in his Annotations upon the Holy Bible (London, 1685), introduces Acts 2:1–13 with the heading,

“The descent of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost”

Although this statement suggests that Poole believed the twelve apostles were the only ones to receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit first, the rest of his commentary does not support that view.¹⁶ He sees that the Holy Spirit is available to everyone.

The Catholic biblical scholar C. M. Du Veil holds that more than the apostles received the Holy Spirit when He was first poured out.

Charles Maria de Veil (1630-1685)

Charles Marie de Veil (also referred to as C.M. Du Veil) was a biblical scholar who wrote commentaries on the New Testament and was converted from Judaism. He studied theology in France and was well-educated before entering the Roman Catholic Church and becoming an ordained minister. De Veil earned the degree of Doctor of Divinity and served within the Roman Communion. He later became disillusioned with the Roman Communion and moved to England; there, he affiliated himself with Protestant scholars. The work for which Charles Marie de Veil is best known today is his Literal Exposition of the Acts of the Holy Apostles (1685), which illustrates his literal or philological approach to interpreting scripture. He is a significant figure for his unusual path to conversion and for his contributions to New Testament scholarship during the 17th century.¹⁷ Regarding who initially received the Gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, he comments on the clause “they were all” in Acts 2:1 as follows:

“That is, those hundred and twenty, of which that most noble and most holy Colledge of Disciples of Christ at that time consisted; as is said before, c. 1. v. 15.”¹⁸

He then continues on to Acts 2:3, stating that the fiery tongues

“Visibly rested upon every one of the hundred and twenty.”¹⁹

And on Acts 2:4, he makes the point even clearer:

“The Women also who were then present in the same place.”²⁰

Here, by including women, he shows that the Spirit’s Pentecost outpouring was not limited to only the Twelve. Du Veil’s perspective is more than just “broader than the apostles” by implication. He explicitly states that the recipients in Acts 2:1–4 were the 120 disciples, including the women who were filled with the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Du Veil serves as a clear historical witness against the Apostles-Only view, but does not clarify if more than 120 received the Spirit that Day.

For the first 1700 years, there were no theologians who supported the Apostles-Only interpretation. I look forward to exploring this intriguing topic further in the next post —stay tuned!

____________

1. “Martin Luther,” Encyclopedia Britannica, last modified February 14, 2026, accessed March 15, 2026; Hartmann Grisar, “Martin Luther,” in The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910). ↩︎
2. Martin Luther, “Sermon for Pentecost Sunday; John 14:23–31,” in The Church Postil, 1523, trans. John Nicholas Lenker, as reproduced in “Martin Luther’s Sermon for Pentecost Sunday,” accessed March 14, 2026. ↩︎
3. Ibid. ↩︎
4. “John Calvin,” Encyclopedia Britannica, accessed March 15, 2026; J. P. Kirsch, “John Calvin,” in The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908); see also Institutes of the Christian Religion, summarized in Encyclopedia Britannica. ↩︎
5. Francis Nigel Lee, “Calvinism on the Holy Spirit: John Calvin on the Constant Need to Keep on Being Filled with the Spirit” (Brisbane, Australia: Queensland Presbyterian Theological College, n.d.), accessed August 20, 2024, https://www.scribd.com/document/109894544/coths, 23. ↩︎
6. John Calvin, Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles, on Acts 1:14. ↩︎
7. Ibid. ↩︎
8. Ibid. ↩︎
9. “Theodore Beza,” Encyclopedia Britannica, accessed March 15, 2026; “Beza, Theodore,” in Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th ed. ↩︎
10. Michael Ferrebee Sadler, The Acts of the Apostles: With Notes Critical and Practical (London: George Bell and Sons, 1904), 39. ↩︎
11. Gill, John. An Exposition of the New Testament. London, 1746–1748. ↩︎
12. “John Lightfoot,” Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th ed.; “John Lightfoot (1602–1675),” Dictionary of National Biography, 1885–1900; and “John Lightfoot,” Christian Classics Ethereal Library, accessed March 15, 2026. ↩︎
13. John Lightfoot, A Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles, Chronicall and Criticall (London, 1645), chap. 2, sec. 3. ↩︎
14. Ibid. ↩︎
15. “Matthew Poole,” Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th ed.; Leslie Stephen, “Poole, Matthew,” in Dictionary of National Biography, 1885–1900; and “Matthew Poole,” Theopedia, accessed March 15, 2026. ↩︎
16. Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (London, 1685), on Acts 2:1–4. ↩︎
17. John McClintock and James Strong, “Duveil, Charles Maria,” in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature; “Veil, De,” in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature; and Charles Marie Du Veil, A Literal Explanation of the Acts of the Holy Apostles (London: Printed for Francis Pearse at the Blew, 1685).d ↩︎
18. C. M. Du Veil, A Literal Explanation of the Acts of the Holy Apostles (London, 1685), on Acts 2:1–4; Charles-Marie Du Veil, A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, trans. F. A. Cox, A Translation from the 1685 Latin Version. (London: J. Haddon, 1851), 33. ↩︎
19. Ibid. ↩︎
20. Ibid. ↩︎