Bible Study Acts 8: 1-24

 

Commentary of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles

By Dr. Barry L. Jenkins

Text Used: Legacy Standard Bible

Bible Study Acts 8: 1-24

Text:

Saul Persecutes the Church

8 Now Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death.

And on that day a great persecution [a]began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And some devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. 3 But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he was delivering them into prison.

Philip Preaches in Samaria

4 Therefore, those who had been scattered went about, proclaiming the good news of the word. 5 Now Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began preaching [b]Christ to them. 6 And the crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was being said by Philip, as they heard and saw the [c]signs which he was doing. 7 For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

9 Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astounding the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great; 10 and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God.” 11 And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astounded them with his magic arts. 12 But when they believed Philip proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly astounded.

14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized [d]in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. 18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit had been bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you supposed you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or portion in this [e]matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray earnestly to the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the [f]bondage of unrighteousness.” 24 But Simon answered and said, “Pray earnestly to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

Verse by verse commentary:

Verse 1: “Now Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death.

And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.”

Paul’s intense hatred of all believers was seen here in his attitude toward Stephen. The man that God would choose to write much of the New Testament had murder in his heart for Christians. His persecution caused the church to scatter, except the Apostles who remained in Jerusalem to care for the believers there. 

Verse 2: “And some devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him.”

It was most likely pious Jews who buried Stephen. 

Verse 3: “But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he was delivering them into prison.”

The Greek verb is very strong meaning not just harassment, but an attempt to destroy the church. Saul had the authority from the Jewish leaders to imprison Christians and that is what he did. Persecution does not harm the believers, it makes them stronger. Persecution filters out the pretenders.

Verse 4: “Therefore, those who had been scattered went about, proclaiming the good news of the word.”

Persecution’s effect was to spread the Gospel. The forces of evil have not figured this out in almost 2000 years. 

Verse 5: “Now Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began preaching Christ to them.”

 Philip was the first missionary named in Scripture and the first to be given the title “evangelist.” (Acts 21: 8) Samaria was the former capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The land was occupied by both Jews and Gentiles. The people of Samaria became a mixed breed (Gentiles and Jews intermarried) and looked down upon by the Jews. 

Verse 6: “And the crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was being said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was doing.”

Philip was not an Apostle, but he still performed “signs” which means attesting miracles. My belief is that this power to perform miracles was given to the Apostles and those the Apostles appointed to ministry responsibilities.

Verse 7: “For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.”

This verse describes the type of attesting miracles Philip performed. The gospel had now come to Samaria. However, since the church was growing very quickly, there were people actually joining the assembly who were not genuine believers.

Verse 8: “So there was great joy in that city.”

Philip was well received in Samaria, and the gospel produces great joy.

Verse 9: “Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astounding the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great;”

Here, we meet a pretender. Simon Magus the sorcerer was frequently mentioned in ancient writings outside the Bible as the archenemy of the church and one of the leaders of the Gnostic heresy. Gnosticism (named from the Greek word gnosis, meaning “knowledge”) taught that a person gained salvation not by the merit of Christ’s death for sinners, but by special knowledge about God. They considered the body evil and the spirit good. Therefore, they could sin without restraint because the body was already evil. Yet, in their religious beliefs, the spirit remained pure. You can only imagine that many pretenders would find such a belief system attractive. Simon was a well known magician. 

Verse 10: “and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, ‘This man is what is called the Great Power of God.’” 

These people felt that Simon the sorcerer was like a god. Today, there are a great many people who are in the same error today. They believe they are “little gods.” Even if a minister is preaching the Word of God, do not look to the man. Look to the Word of God and verify that it is being presented truthfully. That is what had happened in Samaria, they were looking at Simon, not God.

Verse 11: “And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astounded them with his magic arts.”

Sorcerers was a grouping that included several categories such as spiritualists, con artists, magicians, astrologers and showmen who earned a living with their abilities and deceptions. Whether Simon’s powers were demonic or natural illusions, they were clearly inferior to the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Verse 12: “But when they believed Philip proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, both men and women.”

Man’s words can convert no one. However, the Holy Spirit takes the preached Word of God and applies it to the heart of those He wills. Simon saw the results of Holy Spirit power on display.

Verse 13: “Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly astounded.”

Simons’ belief was motivated by purely selfish reasons and could never be considered genuine. He saw it as an external act useful to gain access to the power he believed Philip possessed.

Verse 14: “Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John,”

When the Apostles heard that there was a great movement of the Holy Spirit in Samaria, they sent Peter and John to investigate. They found a great number of professing believers who had not been born again. They had not been baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. They were not indwelt by the Spirit of God. They were not saved. They had gone through an outward ceremony only. Baptism doesn’t save you, although all believers should be baptized. 

Verse 15: “who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.”

One is baptized with the Holy Spirit only once when the person is born again. That is receiving the Holy Spirit. However, we are commanded to be filled with the Spirit as well. Filling is an ongoing process bringing forgiveness, grace and mercy.

Verse 16: “For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

This verse does not support the false notion that Christians receive the Baptism with the Holy Spirit after being born again. This was a transitional period in which confirmation by the Apostles was necessary to verify the inclusion of a new group of people into the church. 1 Corinthians 1: 22 states that Jews seek a sign. God gave them one to prove He accepted the new believers. Since hatred existed between the Samaritans and the Jews, it was essential for the Samaritans to receive the Holy Spirit, in the presence of the Jewish leaders of the Jerusalem congregation to show His approval of the new converts.

Verse 17: “Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.”

The “laying their hands on them” signified Apostolic affirmation and unity. I believe it is safe to assume that the Samaritans spoke in tongues. The Jews would want a sign and tongues was the same sign as on the Day of Pentecost. No longer could one nation, i.e., Israel be God’s only witness, but the body of Christ was to be made up of Jews, Gentiles, half-breed Samaritans, and Old Testament saints who became New Testament believers. On each occasion a new group was added, God gave the Jews a sign of tongues as evidence. 

Verse 18: “Now when Simon saw that the Spirit had been bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,”

I know the verse says “Simon saw” but I think he heard the tongues. He saw the result of them receiving the Holy Spirit which was speaking in tongues. Simon is so depraved that he thinks the Apostles are as selfish and greedy as he is. Simon wanted to pay for the gift. Why? Well, because this man is a religious con man. He wants to use it for profit.

Verse 19: “saying, ‘Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’”

Simon was in the power business. He didn’t care what the source of his power was as long as he had power. He used that power to make money. When he witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit, released when the Apostles placed their hands on people, Simon wanted to purchase that power.

Verse 20: “But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you supposed you could obtain the gift of God with money!”

This was an affront to the Apostles to think they would sell God’s power. This was an affront to the new Christian faith in its early days that Simon thought that they would be as greedy as he was. Simon offered money because he would make money off this power. 

Verse 21: “You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.”

This is how we know Simon was not converted when he “believed.” There is no salvation unless the person gets his or her heart right with God. Simon Peter declares that his heart is not right with God. He is not converted. He just wants money.

Verse 22: “Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray earnestly to the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.”

By his words and actions Simon established that he did not have a heartfelt genuine belief in Christ. A decision for Jesus or a profession of faith without repentance is not true faith.

Verse 23: “For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of unrighteousness.”

Peter puts his finger on Simon’s heart problem. He was still poisoned by “bitterness” and “in the “bondage of unrighteousness.” How we live our lives reveal our spiritual condition. You are either on the narrow path or the wide path. You are on the highway of holiness or the broad path leading to destruction.

Verse 24: “But Simon answered and said, “Pray earnestly to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

Simon didn’t care about forgiveness, he just wanted to escape the consequences of his sin. This would be like someone who didn’t want to go to heaven, he just wanted to avoid hell.