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2. Simon the Sorcerer and the Work of Peter and John in Samaria (Acts 8:9-25)
ACTS 8:14-25
14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit; 8:16 for as yet he had fallen on none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of Christ Jesus. 17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me also this power, that whomever I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart isn’t right before God. 22 Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.” 24 Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that none of the things which you have spoken happen to me.” 25 They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the Good News to many villages of the Samaritans.
The Jerusalem church members rejoiced greatly when they heard that Samaria had received the word of God. Not only individuals had been baptized, but multitudes from all around the region. Thus the kingdom of God spread into the midst of the Samaritan region, where the religion mainly consisted of remnants of other, left-over religions.
Those among the apostles who were characterized by a spirit of deliberation said: “Let us examine these multitudes to see of what spirit they are! We have already seen that the Samaritans previously had prevented Jesus from passing through their country. John and his companions became angry and asked the Lord to rain down fire from heaven to destroy the disobedient in these villages. But Jesus pricked them to the heart by asking them: “Do you not know of which spirit you are of?” Now Peter and John went to observe this new revival territory. They also were hoping, through their ministry, to be able to add more to the believers´ joy.
When the two apostles came into Samaria, they immediately noticed something essential: in spite of the obvious enthusiasm and faith, which came as a result of the miracles, the most important elements were still missing - inner change in men, liberation from demonic involvement, and filling with the Holy Spirit. The multitudes believed in Jesus, yet in spite of their belief and baptism in water they had not received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
We have to confess, even if we are unwilling to, that faith for the majority of Christians is but a mental belief. In a nutshell, they practiced water baptism, submitted to the sacred sacraments, and desired to see the Lord’s miracles and guidance. In truth, however, they still have not received salvation. Their hearts are still bound by the chains of evil spirits, and they are empowered by thoughts which are residues of old doctrines. Sin possesses their bodies, and the power of God through love, humility, self-sacrifice and self-denial does not appear in them.
As individuals and as churches, we have to examine ourselves in the light of the gospel: Are we really the fellowship of those who singularly believe in the Christian faith? Are we saints, filled with the spirit of love, dead to ourselves, but alive to God? Do not think that an understanding of Christ, knowledge of the faith, or continuance in church tradition will save you. Without the life of God, which comes from the Holy Spirit, you remain spiritually dead in spite of your religious thoughts and blind fanaticism. Have you really received the gift of the Holy Spirit? Christ has forgiven us our sins on the cross so that we may receive the promise of His Father, and that His power, life, pleasure, and righteousness may enter into our perishable bodies. Do not be content with your so-called godliness, and do not glorify your religious imaginations, but repent and be converted. Ask Christ persistently to fill you with His Holy Spirit, so that you may see your wickedness and reject your sinful self. Christ will then make you into a new creation, filled with everlasting life.
Dear brother, take heed not to behave like Simon the sorcerer, who became Satan’s spirit operating in the Christian church. He observed the power of God, flowing out from the apostles, and coveted it. He wished they would convey this power to him, so that he could bestow the gift upon others. Had that happened he would have become more powerful than Philip and people would have left this active deacon and turned to Simon, the old sorcerer.
This intimates that man, in spite of baptism and hypocritical repentance, may remain a proud devil. He is covetous of authority and haughtiness, unless, in his innermost being, he is delivered from his sins by the sword of God´s word. Our salvation means being redeemed from evil authorities and powers. It is not just a religious feeling or a mental perception.
Simon’s devilishness soon became evident through his trust in money. He thought the possibility and power of the laying on of hands could be bought with money. He didn´t understand the essence of the Christian message regarding Christ’s free sacrifice on the cross. It is impossible to receive the grace of God through money, good deeds, or donations of any kind. Our God is not open to such dealing, for He is a merciful Father, who freely and endlessly desires to give. He who tries to make out of the Loving One a merchant, falls into hell - an evil place of refuge, indeed!
Peter immediately said to the hypocrite: “May you and your money perish. You are filled with selfishness, covetousness of authority, haughtiness, and lying. You have not been born of the Spirit of God, but are the son of the devil. You profess to believe in Christ and have been baptized, but you are not a partaker of the kingdom of God. Your ways are still as crooked as before. Therefore, you are conceited, corrupt, wicked, and reprobate. You think in human ways, and not in the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. You, poor Simon, think that everything can be obtained with money. You try to buy the grace of God´s Spirit. Repent of your pride and your covetousness. Let your wickedness be broken, and change the course of your life. Tearfully repent of your sins before God, asking Him to forgive you your wickedness and release you from your evil bonds. You have opened your heart to destructive danger. Reject it at once, and ask God’s forgiveness, so that He may forgive you. He will not forgive you unless you separate yourself completely and willfully from your sin. Then you will be safe and receive the forgiveness prepared for those who repent”.
Likewise, if you, dear brother, dear sister, are not converted and do not repent you will remain a danger to your church, poisoning the hearts of many through your wavering between God and Satan. You will bind your companions with the cords of injustice, thus becoming a door, not leading to heaven, but to hell. Your words would corrupt people, saving none.
Unfortunately, Simon the sorcerer did not sincerely repent. He did not fall down on his knees before the apostles and confess his sin. Instead, he was merely afraid of the spiritual threat in the words of the Apostle Peter. The Holy Spirit did not bring about the death of the sorcerer immediately, as he had done in Jerusalem in the case of Ananias and Sapphira. Simon had not been born again, nor had he received the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the possibility of repentance was still open to him.
From church history we learn that the hypocritical sorcerer did not turn, but went on to originate a heresy which proclaimed himself to be a god, and allowed all kinds of sexual deviations and unclean prostitution. Where Satan’s spirit appears in religious jubilation and enthusiasm, there soon appear deviations with regard to money and sex. So, dear brother, be exceedingly cautious! Separate yourself from all enthusiastic religious movements. Repent and claim Christ’s poverty and contentedness. Choose the purity of the Holy Spirit, and walk in self-control by His power.
The apostles discovered that many Samaritans had sincerely repented and been converted through the Holy Spirit. The apostles did not preach with superficiality and enthusiasm, but insisted on the cleansing of the heart. They stressed true regeneration, for without a second birth no one is admitted into the kingdom of God.
Dear brother, we kindly ask you to present yourself to the Spirit of God today. Ask Him to condemn your sins, overcome them, and cause them to die. Ask Him to sanctify you through faith in the blood of Christ and fill you with Himself. Do not keep standing in the middle of the road else you cause damage to many others.
PRAYER: O holy Lord, please do not destroy me, but purify me from all my sins by the blood of Christ. Let Your Holy Spirit crush in me all haughtiness, impurity, covetousness of authority, and hypocrisy, so that I may be released from my ego and all evil spirits and become regenerated in Christ, the author and finisher of our faith.
3. Conversion, and Baptism of the Ethiopian Treasurer (Acts 8:26-40)
ACTS 8:26-40
26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert.” 27 He arose and went; and behold, there was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship. 28 He was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go near, and join yourself to this chariot.” 30 Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 He said, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” He begged Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. As a lamb before his shearer is silent, so he doesn’t open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away. Who will declare His generation? For his life is taken from the earth.” 34 The eunuch answered Philip, “Who is the prophet talking about? About himself, or about someone else?” 35 Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him Jesus. 36 As they went on the way, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Behold, here is water. What is keeping me from being baptized?” 37 Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” He answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38 He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch didn’t see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus. Passing through, he preached the Good News to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.
An angel of the living Christ commanded Philip, the deacon, to leave his flourishing ministry, in the region of Nablus, and go south to the hot, desert road, where neither man nor animal lived. The preacher’s heart could have disobeyed, but he denied himself, rose up, and obeyed his Lord. By his obedience he magnified Christ’s triumph, and helped gain a complete country for the advance of the gospel.
A wealthy man, who had a leading position as treasurer in the court of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, was returning to his country after having gone up to Jerusalem. He had probably heard something about the singleness of God and His law through Jewish missionaries, centered on the island of Elephantine, in the middle of the Nile. Although all men hunger for God, only the noble-minded search in all religions and cultures to find a personal encounter with the true God.
This chief officer, a eunuch and trustful adviser of his queen, had gone to the distant holy land to gain God’s blessing for himself and his whole country. In Jerusalem he worshiped the Lord, but his heart remained empty. Eunuchs were not allowed entrance into the court of worship inside the temple. Thus he bought from one of the scribes, at a costly price, a scroll containing the Book of Isaiah, such as were found not long ago in the caves of Qumran. We do not know whether this treasurer read the book in Hebrew, or whether he bought a Greek translation of it. The important thing is that he could read and understand it. He desired to fill his heart with the spirit of the Old Testament, so that he might go home with new thoughts, power, and enlightenment. He was holding a great treasure in his hands.
When the reader came to the prophecies about Christ, which describe him as the meek Lamb of God, the Holy Spirit guided Philip to come alongside this God-seeking Gentile. He spoke from his mouth the wise question that has caused many, with a longing for God, to begin searching for Him: “Do you understand what you are reading?” Thank God the noble treasurer was not proud! He did not say: “I am well acquainted with the meaning of scripture, and I understand everything”, but humbly confessed his weakness. By his humility he gained the wisdom of God. Woe to him who thinks he knows and can do everything. His heart and mind remain closed to the gospel.
A long conversation began, and Philip showed him that Jesus is the true Lamb of God who, in humility and love, took away the sins of the world. He bore the wrath of God when He hung on the cross to save all men, even the eunuch and his people. Faith in Him who was crucified brings understanding to the heart regarding past offences. It also opens the believer’s heart to the life of God, both now and in the future. Philip guided the thirsty listener to the way of life through the Lamb of God, and through the uniqueness of the cross.
The Holy Spirit confirmed the witness of this intimate and vital conversation, for this seeker of God had heard, understood, and believed. He immediately decided to submit his life to Christ and accept Him as Lord and Redeemer. He asked for baptism when he saw some water in the desert.
Philip might have gone slowly in baptizing him, following his experience in Samaria. He declared the principle terms upon which he might have the privilege of baptism: “If you believe with all your heart you may be baptized - with all your heart, and not only with your thoughts, mind, feelings or will. Have you opened your heart completely to Christ? Have you made Him the only condition and stipulation of everlasting life? The Spirit of God does not dwell in the heart that only half turns to Jesus, while the other half remains directed towards the world. Choose Jesus completely, so that He may receive you for all eternity.
The treasurer made his decision, and insisted on being baptized. He passed the exam, and summed up his faith in Jesus in one statement: “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” With this statement he testified that he had realized the mystery of the Holy Trinity, and had come into accord with Christ’s redemption. He believed in the fatherhood of God, and participated in everlasting life. This confession is not an empty doctrine, but is more powerful than all the atomic bombs in the world. Penetrate deeply, dear brother, into the meaning of this testimony, so that you may become a child of God. The eternal God is our Father through Jesus, His Son.
After Philip baptized the repentant believer, the Holy Spirit immediately separated him from the convert. He was not to join himself to the preacher any further, but hold fast to Jesus alone. The condition of this treasurer was much different from that of Simon, the sorcerer, who kept close to Philip, but was not close to Christ. The newly baptized treasurer returned home praying, praising, and worshiping God. He did not meet the Most High in Jerusalem, but in the desert. There he fully entered into the expanses of Christ. The Lord God did not reject the Ethiopian eunuch, as the Jews had done, but received him, embraced him, and provided for him.
From the desert the Holy Spirit drove Philip into the coastal cities of Palestine, where he traveled from the south to Mount Carmel in the north, filling all the places with the name of Jesus and preparing the way for his Lord.
PRAYER: Our holy Lord, we thank You for Your servant Philip, who obeyed Your command, preached the gospel to the Ethiopian treasurer by the power of Your Spirit, and brought him from death to life through faith in Your crucified Son. Guide us by Your Holy Spirit to find all people who are seeking You. Draw before their eyes Your Son, who was crucified to give an answer to all their questions, so that they may live in You forever.
QUESTION:
- What was the good news Philip explained to the Ethiopian treasurer?