Acts Chapter 8 Verses 1-4

Acts 8:1 “And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. 4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.” 

In the above passage we see that Saul was consenting to the death of Stephen and that he was leading a great persecution against the Lord’s church.  As a result of the persecution the disciples at Jerusalem were scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria except for the apostles.  As a result of this persecution, the word of the Lord went forth to regions beyond Jerusalem.  Persecution against the Lord’s church often results in the gospel going forth and as a result has the opposite effect than what the persecutors intended.  The persecutors think they can stop the church and the gospel message through their persecution, but the effect is that the gospel often goes forth to many more people because of the persecutions. 

The severity of Saul’s persecution is that he made havoc of the church and entered into the members houses and haled men and women committing them to prison. Later we will see Saul breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the Lord’s disciples.  Saul was determined that he would do away with the Lord’s church and everyone who called upon the name of the Lord.  

Verses 5-13

Acts 8:5 “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. 6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city. 9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: 10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. 11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. 12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.”

“Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.” 

The very fact that Philip went down to Samaria is itself a remarkable thing because as the woman at the well said: John 4:9  Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.  The Holy Spirit is here removing the bounds of the gospel that it would not go only to the Jews but also to the Samaritans.  The Samaritans were proselyte to a perverted form of the worship under the Law of Moses.  Now the gospel is coming to them. 

“And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.”  It is remarkable when people have not been exposed to a false gospel that they who are born again readily receive the gospel of the grace of Christ.  This is in contrast to our experiences today in preaching the gospel to a people that have been brainwashed to believe a false gospel.  In order for them to receive the gospel of the grace of Christ, they must first unlearn the false teachings of a perverted gospel.

“For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.”  While Philip the evangelist was not an apostle, he was one on whom the apostles had laid hands and he was given the gift of physical healings.  These gifts were used to demonstrate the power of God to a people who had no background in the worship of the God of heaven, but were before worshippers of idols. 

“For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.”  There was a double joy that the people of the city had the privilege of experiencing.  They rejoiced in the miracles that they saw and experienced and they rejoiced at the preaching of the gospel of the grace of Christ. 

“But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:” Sorcery is defined as magic.  Simon was a magician.  The practice of magic is the art of deception to make a person believe something that is not real.  Simon was using deception and through his deception he was deceiving people to believe that he was some great one.  “To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.”  Simon had greatly mastered the art of deception and had made the people believe that he is the great power of God.  “And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.”

"But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.”  The people greatly responded to the preaching of Philip and believed the gospel message.  Moreover, the preaching of the gospel delivered the people from the deception of Simon. 

“Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.”  Simon believed the gospel of the kingdom of God and was baptized.  Moreover he continued with Philip.  However, Simon had not left everything behind as we shall soon see.  He wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.  Apparently he still had a desire to be somebody in the eyes of the people. 

Verses 14-17

Acts 8:14 “Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: 15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: 16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” 

What was taking place here was the baptism of the Holy Ghost.  This baptism of the Holy Ghost first took place at Jerusalem and now among the Samaritans.  This will happen again at the house of Cornelius.  We notice that this baptism of the Holy Ghost was associated with the work of the Apostles.  Philip could not lay hands on the people and the Holy Ghost fall on them.  Thus it was necessary that the apostles come down and lay hands on the people.

Verses 18-25

Acts 8:18 “And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. 20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. 24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. 25 25  And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

“And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.”  While Simon had believed the gospel he was not yet repentant of the desire to be someone that people would look up to.  He apparently thought that the ability to lay hands on someone and they receive the Holy Ghost was something that could be taught and was therefore something like the magic tricks he had before practiced.  He offered the apostles money to be able to have the power to lay hands on people and they receive the Holy Ghost.  Peter’s response to him was that both his money and he perish because he had believed the gift of God could be purchased with money.

“Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.”  The problem with Simon was his heart.  His affections were for his own self-glorification and not for the glory of God. 

“Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.”  The advice Peter gave to Simon is applicable to us today.  When we sin or err in our heart or otherwise, we need to repent and pray that God forgive us. 

“For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.”  Certainly Simon’s desire to be someone had been thwarted by the preaching of Peter and Simon’s deception through the use of magic.  Thus he was bitter and his desire to purchase the gift of God was a result of this bond of iniquity.

“Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.”  While asking someone to pray for you is commendable, yet it was still dependant on Simon to repent and pray for forgiveness himself. 

“And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.”  As a result of Philip’s preaching in the city of Samaria and their receiving and responding to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the subsequent baptism of the Holy Ghost, the brethren went forth and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.  Sometimes when a door opens and a preacher labors as a result of the door being opened of the Lord, then this leads to several other doors being opened.  This happened in Samaria.