Good verse. I would consider this one of the best, prima facie and considered in itself, against a Calvinist understanding of Salvation. Let me collapse your remarks on “free will” into the issue of Calvinism, for a moment. As a Calvinist, this is how I would understand the verse:
I. Howard Marshall (who is no Calvinist!) notes that “βουλή [plan or purpose or counsel], especially when qualified by τοῦ θεοῦ [God], is Lucan (23:51; Acts, 7x; 1 Cor. 4:5; Eph. 1:11; Heb. 6:17**); it refers especially to God’s plan of salvation...” (New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Luke). Marshall’s observation is supported by Acts 2:23 and Acts 20:27, for instance. Thus, the verse states that the Pharisees and lawyers rejected God’s plan of salvation with reference to themselves.
(For my reading of “with reference to themselves” cf. UBS Handbook series and Word Studies in the NT. UBS: “tēn boulēn tou theou ēthetēsan eis heautous ‘rejected the will of God with reference to themselves’.” Word Studies: “Against themselves (εἰς ἑαυτούς
. More strictly, with reference to themselves.”)
If this is correct, and Marshall is no lightweight and certainly isn’t trying to soften the verse in order to prop up Calvinism, then I don’t see how it presents any difficulty for Calvinism. The meaning of this verse would be similar to Acts 13.46: “…’It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.’”
Calvinists obviously believe that men reject the plan of salvation (otherwise we would have to believe everyone is saved, wouldn’t we?), so I don’t see that either of these verses, which seem to be getting at the same thing, contribute to the discussion. Having said that, I don’t see how it adds anything to the issue of free will either.
I’ve already said that Calvinists don’t deny that men have free wills and they make choices. There is a definite disagreement between Arminianism and Calvinism in regards to the issue of free will. But it’s not exactly fair to cast the disagreement in terms of those who affirm that man’s will is free and those who deny that man’s will is free.