Unit: Acts (Part 1)
Theme: The Church Begins
Lesson Text: Acts 8:4-24
Supplemental Text: Acts 1:8; John 4:1-42
Aim: Be open to people not like you; share the gospel with everyone.
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By Mark Scott
Philip the evangelist’s name means “lover of horses.” This man of God—one of the “magnificent seven” from Acts 6:1-7—certainly “got on his horse” to take the gospel to the Samaritans. Jesus told his disciples that they would be his witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The geography of this lesson text shifts from Jerusalem (Acts 1–7) to all Judea and Samaria (Acts 8–12). Jesus had already widened the perimeters of the gospel through his sermon in the Nazareth synagogue (Luke 4:16-30), in his offer of living water to the woman at the well (John 4:4-14), and in making the Good Samaritan the hero of one of his parables (Luke 10:25-37).
The believers now needed to keep riding that horse (i.e., preaching the gospel) in following their Lord’s leading.
God used Stephen’s martyrdom as a means of moving the church out of Jerusalem and into the wider world (Acts 8:1-3). Preaching was at the heart of this movement. Two phrases in this lesson text, preached the word (v. 4) and proclaimed the good news (v. 12), come from a Greek participle that means “evangelizing.” And the word proclaimed (v. 5) comes from a Greek word that means to “herald the king’s message.” Finally, the phrase had accepted the word of God indicates the Samaritans had welcomed the message of the gospel.
Salvation for the Samaritans
Acts 8:4-8
The apostles stayed in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1). Several explanations have been suggested for why they did this; perhaps the apostles were still “highly regarded” in the city (Acts 5:13), and they were not in danger as others might have been. In contrast, the “average Christians” scattered from the city and preached the word wherever they went. Thus, those without seminary degrees evangelized. Luke focuses on Philip’s work, perhaps due to Philip’s stunning ministry and bold efforts. He went down means he left the elevated location of Jerusalem, then journeyed north to a city in Samaria.
Philip’s ministry had three parts to it. He preached because the crowds heard him, and they all paid close attention to what he said. He cast out demons (some came out with shrieks). He also healed those who were paralyzed or lame (these definitely were signs of the messianic age—Isaiah 35:5-6). This gospel expansion resulted in great joy.
Salvation for Simon
Acts 8:9-13, 18-24
Simon the Sorcerer is singled out as significant in Samaria. Scholars disagree over whether he was a genuine convert. When Luke writes that a person “believed and was baptized,” he rather consistently is referring to a person becoming a believer. But Simon seemed to fail in his faith so quickly, much as the Galatian believers did (Galatians 1:6). He was certainly walking on shaky ground.
Simon practiced sorcery (magic—mentioned twice, in verses 9 and 11). He amazed both the high and low. The people thought he was the Great Power of God, and this fed his ego to the point he boasted about himself. But it did not take Simon long to compare the real God-like power to his counterfeit, Satanic-fed power. He got in the baptism line and followed Jesus. He had amazed the people, but now Simon was amazed at Philip’s miracles.
If someone can be converted to Christ in an hour (Acts 16:33), can someone backpedal in faith in the same amount of time? Actually, we do not know how much time elapsed between Acts 8:13 and 8:18-19. Maybe it was days (even months?). Perhaps the old temptations crept back and perhaps Simon saw evidence from what Peter and John had done in laying their hands on the Samaritans, but Simon wanted to buy Holy Spirit power and maybe even apostleship. (Simon’s name is the source of the word simony, defined as “the buying or selling of a church office or ecclesiastical preferment.”) Peter minced no words. Simon Peter told Simon the (former) Sorcerer to repent and pray. Simon then asked Peter to pray for him.
Support from the Apostles
Acts 8:14-17
Many scholars believe these verses are some of the strangest in Acts. They break the norm of hearing, believing, repenting, and being baptized. Word about the Samaritan revival reached Jerusalem. Peter and John were sent to check out the new converts. When they got there, they noticed the absence of the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 19:1-7). So, they prayed for the converts and laid hands on them to receive the Spirit.
Most likely the Samaritans had received the Holy Spirit upon their conversion (in keeping with Acts 2:38). What they lacked were miraculous gifts, which demanded apostolic hands. With the gospel’s entry into Samaria, a significant step in fulfilling Jesus’ commission to the apostles (Acts 1:8), had been achieved. It was important that the apostles witness firsthand this milestone.
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