Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Acts Chapter 8 mean?

In Acts 6:1–6, the church chooses the first deacons, giving them the responsibility to make sure the benevolence funds are distributed fairly. But these men are more than accountants. Stephen is a powerful apologist. His arguments explaining how Jesus of Nazareth fulfills the prophecies of the Messiah frustrate devout Jews to the point they falsely accuse him of threatening to destroy the temple (Acts 6:8–15). Stephen’s defense explains that the temple is accepted by God, but not demanded by Him as a place of worship. It is certainly not meant to be an object of worship. Stephen also uses Jewish history to show how the Jews had been God’s people since before they had the Law or even resided in Judea. Finally, he compares his accusers to the hard-hearted ancestors who killed God’s prophets and compares those prophets to Jesus. The mob responds by stoning him, making Stephen the first Christian martyr (Acts 7).

During the stoning, a young Pharisee-trained man named Saul (Acts 22:3) watches over the cloaks of the attackers (Acts 7:58). Saul continues the momentum which Stephen’s murder sets in motion. As the Jesus-followers flee Jerusalem, Saul begins the persecution of the church (Acts 8:1–3).

Among the refugees is one of Stephen’s fellow deacons, Philip. He first travels north, to Samaria. Samaritans were considered a hybrid people, descended from the humiliated Israelites of the northern kingdom of Israel and the foreigners the Assyrians moved in when they exiled the Jews (2 Kings 17). The Jews reviled them for their mixed ethnicity and their syncretistic religion. But Jesus has promised that the Samaritans will learn proper worship—in spirit and truth (John 4:21–24)—and Philip is the means. Philip’s ministry is great; he proclaims Christ, expels demons, and heals many. The crowds paid attention to what he said. Both men and women believed and were baptized. Observing Philip is a sorcerer named Simon, who had formerly amazed the Samaritans and to whom they had paid attention. Simon also believes and is baptized. As he continues with Philip, he is amazed at the evangelist’s miraculous powers (Acts 8:4–13).

Having heard that the Samaritans received God’s Word, the apostles in Jerusalem send Peter and John to Samaria. The Holy Spirit had not yet come on the people, but when the apostles prayed for them and laid their hands on them, the believing Samaritans received the Holy Spirit. Many today take this as proof that Jesus-followers do not receive the Holy Spirit unless a Christian leader lays hands on them. This isn’t the case. At this point, the spread of the gospel was still very new and until now very few non-Jews had received the Holy Spirit. God waits until Peter and John arrive so that these pillars of the church can verify that even Samaritans can be saved (Acts 8:14–17).

When Peter and John arrive, Simon the sorcerer sees the people receiving the Holy Spirit, and offers to buy their power. Peter rebukes him strongly, demanding he repent from his wickedness. It seems Simon is more interested in money than being right with God, but he is afraid of Peter’s threats and asks for intercessory prayer. Peter and John leave, spreading the news of Jesus throughout other Samaritan towns on their return to Jerusalem (Acts 8:18–25).

Philip receives instructions from God to travel south to a desert road between Jerusalem and Gaza. There, he meets an Ethiopian official in charge of the queen’s treasury. The man is riding in a chariot, reading the book of Isaiah. Philip offers to explain the prophecy to him and shows how Jesus fulfilled what Isaiah wrote hundreds of years before. This incident underscores the need for discipleship—mutual training and teaching of Scripture—rather than attempting to learn entirely on one’s own. The Ethiopian official believes and asks to be baptized. Philip obliges, and the Holy Spirit takes Philip away to Azotus, formerly the Philistine city of Ashdod. He continues to spread the gospel as he works his way up the coast to Caesarea (Acts 8:26–40).

In Acts 9, the church’s chief persecutor, Saul, will come to a saving relationship with Jesus. In Acts 10, Peter will discover definitively that anyone can repent and be saved by Jesus. Most of the rest of the book of Acts records Saul—now Paul—and his mission trips “to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). On his last recorded trip to Jerusalem, Paul will travel through Caesarea and meet up with Philip and his four prophetess daughters (Acts 21:8–9). Philip will warmly welcome the man who drove him out of Jerusalem, likely finding great irony and joy in the meeting.

Chapter Context
Acts 1:8 gives the outline of the book of Acts; Acts 1—7 describes the spread of the gospel through Jerusalem; Acts 8:1—11:18 shows the gospel spreading in Judea and Samaria; Acts 11:19—28:31 sees the gospel spread to the ”end of the earth,” finalizing in Rome. Ironically, although Paul is the central figure in spreading Jesus’ good news to the ends of the earth, his early persecution of the church in Jerusalem is instrumental in spreading the gospel through Judea and Samaria.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Stephen, the Christ-following deacon, has become the first Christian martyr. During his murder, the mob laid their coats at the feet of a young Pharisee named Saul (Acts 7:57–60). Luke makes sure to emphasize that Saul approves of the death (Acts 26:10).

Saul is the man we will come to know as the apostle Paul (Acts 13:9). The first part of this verse needs to be taken into context. Luke is describing to his friend Theophilus (Acts 1:1) the history of the church between the ascension of Jesus into heaven and Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome (Acts 28). Theophilus already knows something of Paul, and most of Luke’s story focuses in on him. Now, Luke puts Paul in the context of the early church in Jerusalem led by the twelve apostles. Saul is Paul’s Hebrew name. He approves of the persecution of the church and the murder of its members.

The specific inclusion of those considered “all” is unclear; Acts 8:4 seems to indicate not all the Jesus-followers left Jerusalem. The apostles stayed, as did, presumably, Jesus’ brother James (Acts 15:13). “All” may be the deacons (Acts 6:1–6), including Philip (Acts 8:5), or those who were associated with Stephen in some other way. It could be that as Saul and the Freedmen seemed to be the influence behind the persecution, the target was the Hellenistic Jews. That would explain Philip the Evangelist’s departure and settlement outside of Jerusalem (Acts 21:8).

Apostle is from the Greek root word apostolos. It refers to someone sent out as a delegate or messenger. Although the term is used broadly of evangelists in the New Testament, such as Barnabas and Paul (Acts 14:14), it mostly refers to the twelve disciples including Judas’ replacement, Matthias (Acts 1:23–26).

Context Summary
Acts 8:1–3 explains how the message of salvation through Jesus spread from Jerusalem to the rest of the world. Stephen, a powerful preacher, has been martyred—the first Jesus-follower to have been killed for his faith (Acts 7:54–60). While he died, a young Pharisee named Saul watched over the cloaks of Stephen’s attackers. Now Saul is leading a full-scale persecution of this new church. His plans backfire, however. The more he tightens his grip, the more Jesus-followers slip out of Jerusalem, taking the gospel to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Verse 2. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.

Stephen was a Hellenistic Jew: one who grew up in a Greek or Roman culture outside of the Jewish homeland of Judea and Galilee. His reputation in the church was such that he was chosen as one of the first deacons, charged with collecting the donations believers made to the church and distributing that charity to the needy (Acts 6:1–6).

Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit’s grace and power and performed miracles as he spread the gospel in Jerusalem. He was such a good apologist that other Hellenistic Jews could not refute his arguments that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies of the Jewish Messiah. In response, the Jews lied and accused him of threatening to destroy the temple—a crime which demanded execution according to the Roman law (Acts 6:8–15).

Stephen was allowed to give his defense before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council (Acts 7:1–53). His words were true but extremely provocative, and his accusers dragged him outside the city gates and stoned him (Acts 7:54–60). This heralds the persecution of the young Christian church in Jerusalem. Saul—later Paul (Acts 13:9)—leads the attack, and the Jesus-followers either flee Jerusalem or risk arrest (Acts 8:1, 3).

Meanwhile, Stephen’s friends mourn. People who died via capital punishment under traditional Jewish law were allowed to be buried but not publicly mourned. Not everyone feels Stephen’s death was just.

Verse 3. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

Ever since the Holy Spirit came upon the Jesus followers at Pentecost (Acts 2), the church has grown and enjoyed a measure of support from the devout Jews in Jerusalem (Acts 5:12–16), although the apostles had been threatened by the Sanhedrin (Acts 5:17–40). After the deacon Stephen’s murder (Acts 7:54–60), Saul feels free to persecute the rest of the Jesus-followers in Jerusalem.

Paul will later admit and add detail to what he does here. He says, “I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women” (Acts 22:4). He enters synagogues where he knows Jesus-followers are worshiping and beats them, trying to force them to blaspheme Jesus. When the Sanhedrin votes as to how the Jesus-followers should be punished, Paul insists they should be put to death (Acts 22:19; 26:10–11).

“Ravaging” is from the Greek root word lumainomai. It means “to tear apart,” like the lions did to Christians later in the Roman Colosseum. However, the term also means to shame and defile. The early Christian apologist Tertullian proposes that Paul is the fulfillment of Jacob’s prophecy over his youngest son Benjamin. In Genesis 49:27, Jacob declares, “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf, in the morning devouring the prey and at evening dividing the spoil.” Tertullian points out that in Paul’s younger years he attacks the vulnerable Christians, but in his later years he spreads what he has taken from that prey: the gospel. And Paul is from the tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1).

Verse 4.Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

After enjoying relative peace (Acts 5:12–16), the church in Jerusalem is now under attack. One of their greatest preachers, Stephen, has been murdered by a mob with the approval of the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:54–60). The Jewish leadership is commissioning people to arrest Jesus-followers and bring them to trial—or try to get them to deny their faith in Jesus (Acts 8:1–3; 22:19; 26:10–11). In fear, the Jesus-followers flee Jerusalem, but take the gospel with them. Jesus’ mandate in Acts 1:8, that His followers would take His story to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth, is coming to fruition.

It’s unclear who remains in Jerusalem. The apostles are still there but it’s unclear to whom the “all” of Acts 8:1 refers. Possible interpretations are that “all” refers to all Stephen’s group—possibly the deacons of Acts 6:1–6 of which Philip is included. Another theory is that the Hellenistic Jewish Christians received the brunt of the wrath of the Hellenistic Freedmen and the Hellenistic Saul (Acts 6:9; 9:11). Or it could mean that every Jesus-follower who could escaped Jerusalem except the apostles.

Stephen’s trial and death were the catalyst for the flight from Jerusalem, but his deathbed message provides hope and assurance. In Acts 7:2–16, he proved that God works for His people without a temple. Jesus promised this in John 4:21–24. “Heaven is [God’s] throne” (Acts 7:49; Psalm 11:4). The church doesn’t need the temple to worship Jesus. Later, Paul will explain that God often uses persecution to make sure the message of forgiveness through Jesus’ sacrifice gets to those who need it (Colossians 1:24–25).

Context Summary
Acts 8:4–8 describes Jesus’ second stage of spreading the gospel coming to fruition (Acts 1:8). As Saul’s persecution of the church in Jerusalem grows more violent, Jesus-followers flee to Judea and Samaria. Philip, a fellow deacon of the martyred Stephen (Acts 6:1–6), goes north to Samaria. He expels demons, heals, and preaches the gospel to a people that the Jews traditionally revile. When Philip’s ministry takes hold, the church will send Peter and John to formally establish the Samaritans as legitimate believers. (Acts 8:14–25).

Verse 5. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.

Philip is a Jesus-follower and a deacon in the church (Acts 6:1–5). He is not the disciple (Matthew 10:3) or Herod Antipas’ brother (Matthew 14:3). He and Stephen were deacons of the church in Jerusalem. Their responsibility was to oversee the donations given to the Jesus-following widows. With the other church members, they learned from the twelve apostles (Acts 2:42). First Stephen (Acts 6:8–10) and now Philip have been “promoted” to teachers in their own right. Where Stephen gave a great apologetic dissertation about Jesus in the moments before his consequent death (Acts 7), Philip is called “the evangelist” because of his preaching in Samaria, Judea (Acts 8:26), and up the Mediterranean coast from Azotus, also called Ashdod, in Gaza to Caesarea (Acts 8:40).

Samaria was the district between Galilee to the north and Judea to the south. When Solomon’s son Rehoboam alienated the northern ten kingdoms, Jeroboam led them to secede. In order to unify them apart from Judah, Jeroboam made two golden calves and placed them in Bethel and Dan so the people wouldn’t return to Jerusalem to worship God and, thus, reunite with the southern kingdom (1 Kings 12). Generations later, because of their ongoing idolatry, God allowed Assyria to take away many of the people in the northern kingdom of Israel; they were replaced by people from other conquered lands who combined their own pagan practices with nominal worship of the Hebrew God (2 Kings 17).

When King Hezekiah of the southern tribe of Judah found the law and reestablished the Passover, he invited the Israelites who still lived in Assyrian-controlled territory (2 Chronicles 30:1, 6–11). But by the time the people of Judah had returned from their own exile in Babylon, the people of Samaria were so intermarried that devout Jews looked down on them as less than Gentiles. Josephus records that the Jews did not let the now-called Samaritans help rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 4:1–5). In response, the Samaritans built their own temple on the hill Gerizim, but it was destroyed in the second century BC. It is this hill the woman at the well refers to when she asks Jesus where God-followers should worship (John 4:20).

Jesus responds to the woman that soon God will not be worshiped at any specific place (John 4:23–24). Stephen’s speech in Acts 7 gives the justification for Jesus’ bold pronouncement in that God was with the Israelites before the temple was built and He is and has always been too great to be confined to a human dwelling.

Now, Philip gets to tell the Samaritans that the time Jesus prophesied has come. They are free to worship God, through Christ, where they are. Despite hundreds of years of cultural separation with His chosen people, God has provided a way to be reconciled to Him. They are not dependent on the good will of the Jews to have a relationship with the One they had abandoned.

Verse 6. And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did.

Philip, the Jesus-following deacon, has fled persecution in Jerusalem and headed north to Samaria (Acts 6:1–6; 8:1–5). The Holy Spirit empowers him to perform miracles that specifically support his claims to be God’s messenger (Acts 8:7). Signs such as healing and expelling demons had become common among the leaders of the new church (Acts 5:12–16). “One accord” is from the Greek root word homothumadon. We might picture this as many notes in harmony or several beings moving forward gracefully. The term emphasizes cooperation and coordination, more so than conformity.

Samaritans were descendants of the northern kingdom of Israel and foreigners that the Assyrians moved into the land (2 Kings 17:24). Traditionally, Jews did not associate with Samaritans. It’s possible Philip has less of a problem because he is a Hellenistic Jew: he grew up outside of Judea in a strongly Greek culture.

Philip’s arrival brings the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to the woman at the well that they would learn to worship God in spirit and truth (John 4:24). The Samaritan woman and her fellow villagers had been convinced that Jesus was a prophet because He knew things about her that no traveling Jew should have (John 4:28, 39–42). Philip now comes in the name of Jesus who told the Samaritan woman He is the Christ. The Samaritans are ready, and Philip’s miracles give them all the proof they need to believe that the promised time has come.

Verse 7. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.

Philip has fled persecution in Jerusalem and found safety and acceptance in Samaria. The region isn’t known for getting along with Jews (Luke 9:51–56), but the Holy Spirit has empowered Philip to heal people and expel demons, and the people are very interested in what he has to say about Jesus (Acts 8:1–6).

It’s unclear why demons cry out when they leave a person (see Mark 1:26; 9:26). It may be out of anger that they have no choice but to obey God. Philip also follows Jesus’ example of healing the paralyzed (Matthew 8:6–13; Luke 5:18–25) and lame (Matthew 15:30–31; 21:14), but it’s interesting to note that only Jesus ever healed a blind person (Matthew 9:27–30; 11:4–5; 12:22; 15:30–31; 20:30–34; 21:14).

Although the Samaritans listen carefully to Philip’s words, they have not yet received the Holy Spirit. Their salvation, such as it is, is more like that of a Jewish proselyte who believes in the Jewish Messiah and God’s ability and willingness to save. Salvation from the Jewish God coming upon Samaritans is an extremely significant step in Jesus’ plan for His followers to spread the gospel (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit waits until Peter and John—the two most prominent apostles—arrive to witness the conversion (Acts 8:14–17). Peter and John are able to tell the other apostles that Samaritans can be saved, and the Samaritans are validated as being part of the Christian church.

Verse 8. So there was much joy in that city.

Upon the death of King Solomon, his son, Rehoboam, acted so unwisely the nation of Israel split into the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel. Jeroboam, the king of the northern kingdom, wanted the people to break religiously as well as politically, but he knew that couldn’t happen if his people continually returned to Jerusalem to worship at the temple where the ark of the covenant sat. So he built two golden calves and set them in Bethel and Dan. Idolatry became a trademark of the northern kingdom at its inception (1 Kings 12).

When the sin of the northern kingdom grew too great, God had Assyria come down and conquer them. They took many of the people into exile and moved in people from other nations they had conquered (2 Kings 17:6, 24). The Samaritans are the descendants of the mixed people. Years later, King Hezekiah invited the Samaritans to come to Jerusalem and celebrate Passover—and some came (2 Chronicles 30). But after the people of Judah returned from their own exile in Babylon, they refused the Samaritans’ offer to help them rebuild the temple (Ezra 4:1–5). In response, the Samaritans built a temple on Mount Gerizim. Although John Hyrcanus I, son of Simon Maccabeus, destroyed the temple in 129 BC, the site was still used for worship at the time Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:20).

This is why the Samaritan woman asked Jesus where they were supposed to worship. Jesus told her, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23–24).

Now, Philip, the Greek-cultured Jew has come to them, explaining that Jesus the Messiah is for Samaritans as well as Jews. They are certainly grateful for the healing powers Philip so liberally uses, but they are in great joy because they are again invited to worship God.

Verse 9. But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great.

Few things are more despicable, spiritually, than when genuine seekers are deceived by frauds. Ever since the northern kingdom of Israel was established, the people of Samaria have been pushed away from legitimate worship in Jerusalem and toward idolatry (1 Kings 12:25–33). Jesus promised the Samaritan woman at the well that her people would soon be welcome to worship God properly in their own land (John 4:20–24). But before that time comes, an imposter moves in. This person doesn’t just say or believe wrong things, he actively tells other people they should see him as “great.”

We’re not told who Simon is—whether he’s a Jew, a Samaritan, or some other nationality. We do know that some Gentiles are so intrigued by the Jewish culture that hucksters sometimes defrauded the people, claiming to be from God but using power from a demonic source. This was similarly the case with Bar-Jesus, also known as Elymas, whom Paul and Barnabas will meet on Cyprus (Acts 13:4–12) and possibly the sons of Sceva in Corinth (Acts 19:11–16). Such trickery was not a new practice, we even see it in the time of Judges when a man named Micah convinced a Levite to be his personal priest (Judges 17).

It’s important to remember that all supernatural power comes from one of two sources: God or demons. There is no such thing as “white” magic; every supernatural ability or event not of God is evil. The people of Corinth realize this when the evil spirits throw the sons of Sceva out of the house, naked and wounded. Presented with Paul’s Holy Spirit-empowered miracles and the stripped and wounded Jewish exorcists, the people surrender their books of divination, worth 50,000 pieces of silver, and gladly watch them burn (Acts 19:17–20).

Context Summary
Acts 8:9–25 further describes the apostles’ pursuit of Jesus’ plan to bring salvation to those He chooses. Simon, a popular and presumably wealthy sorcerer, sees Philip’s miracles. He especially notices the way the Holy Spirit comes on people when Peter and John lay their hands on them. Simon offers to buy their power. Meanwhile, Peter and John are in Samaria. The thought of Samaritans following Jesus goes against longstanding Jewish traditions. Yet the Samaritans are accepting Christ, and these messengers of the church are there to see the Holy Spirit come on them. God is not impressed by worldly popularity or wealth but on repentant, submissive hearts.

Verse 10. They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.”

Simon is a miracle-worker in the city of Samaria. The Samaritan people haven’t had opportunity to truly worship God since the time of Solomon’s son (1 Kings 12), so it might be understandable they don’t recognize Simon has received his power from demons.

Despite what naturalists may want us to believe, supernatural powers do exist. Such power can only come from a supernatural source: God or demons. Jesus warned that as the end times approach, “false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders” (Matthew 24:24). Paul will warn the Thessalonians that “the coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders” (2 Thessalonians 2:9). Moses dealt with demon-powered magicians in Egypt (Exodus 7:22). The witch at En-dor, despite being surprised that Samuel actually showed up, must have had a reputation for divination if King Saul’s servants knew of her (1 Samuel 28).

The Bible gives us ideas as to how to tell if someone is performing a miracle through demons or the Holy Spirit. The first is, which kingdom does the miracle serve? Demons will not expel demons, and Jesus-followers filled with the Holy Spirit will not serve Satan (Mark 3:23–27). Another way is by what the person says. Paul will write the Corinthians, “Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says ‘Jesus is accursed!’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:3). This means more than just the words, however. The sons of Sceva try to expel a demon “by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims” (Acts 19:13). The demon responds, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” (Acts 19:15). The possessed man then beats up the so-called exorcists and throws them out of the house (Acts 19:13–16). The Holy Spirit goes to whom He will, not those who just want to use Him.

Verse 11. And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic.

This sentence could be considered a tragic summary of modern culture. We are naturally drawn to charming people who seem to have abilities we lack. This can apply to politicians, athletes, entertainers, or even scientists and doctors. We often ignore things like the person’s moral character, how much they demand from us, or if what they do is helpful or harmful. We like the show.

The Samaritans are no different. A man named Simon has lived in the city for a long time, seducing the residents with his magic (Acts 8:9–10). We aren’t told what kind of supernatural miracles he performs; we just know they aren’t empowered by the Holy Spirit. Considering how many times Jesus rescued people from demon possession, we know that demonic activity is a real problem at this time. The Samaritans may be thankful for someone who promises to give them relief—not noticing the source of his power is the very thing they need relief from.

The Bible gives us several things to look out for when we’re in danger of being seduced by a celebrity. Jesus says to judge people by their fruit. In part, this means if what they do is harmful to others, they’re not from God (Matthew 7:15–20). This isn’t a comprehensive rule, however; some ungodly people seem to do great things for the world. John says we need to see how they talk about Jesus—if the person admits that Jesus is the Son of God, that’s a good sign (1 John 4:15). And Paul says that demonic forces will not claim that Jesus is Lord (1 Corinthians 12:3). They know He is, but they will not worship Him in adoration (James 2:19).

Fortunately, the Jesus-follower Philip has come to Samaria and he is more than willing to talk about Jesus. The people immediately respond. Simon’s example proves that while it’s hard to con a conman, you can convict him with the truth.

Verse 12. But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

After the Jesus-follower Stephen was murdered by a mob (Acts 7:54–60), the Jewish leadership began the persecution of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1). Many Jesus-followers flee the city, taking the good news about Jesus with them (Acts 8:4). Philip, Stephen’s fellow deacon (Acts 6:1–6), and not the disciple or Herod Antipas’ brother, heads north to Samaria, to preach to a people group who long ago forgot how to worship God (1 Kings 12:25–33; Acts 8:5). Surprisingly, they respond immediately.

“The kingdom of God” means any time creation displays God’s glory and character. Philip is teaching the Samaritans the truth about God and His relationship to His creation—specifically them. When the Bible talks about the name of God or the name of Jesus, it doesn’t mean the letters and sounds that make up their identifier. It means their identity, character, and reputation. The name of Jesus includes the facts that He is the Son of God and yet wholly man, that He died on the cross for our sins and rose on the third day, and that if anyone trusts in His sacrifice for the forgiveness of their sins, their sins will be forgiven and they will be reconciled to God.

The role of baptism here is particularly informative. First, the Samaritans believe in Jesus and are immediately baptized. In this culture, baptism is a way of publicly identifying with the baptizer’s message; this is often accomplished at the same time the person first chooses to believe (see Acts 8:35–39).

Second, the Holy Spirit doesn’t come on them yet (Acts 8:14–16). Technically, the Holy Spirit “should” indwell them the moment they believe. This is a special circumstance, however. He will wait until Peter and John—the two most important leaders in the church at this time—come up and lay their hands on the people. That way, Peter and John will know for certain that Samaritans are saved, and the Samaritans will know their faith and church are authenticated by Jesus’ two closest disciples.

Third, this passage shows the relationship between baptism and salvation. Baptism is not required for salvation, and baptism does not mean you are saved.

Verse 13. Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.

Philip, a Jesus-follower and one of the first deacons of the church, has fled Jerusalem because of growing persecution (Acts 6:1–6; 8:1–5). He has come north to Samaria and preaches the good news about salvation through Jesus to the Samaritans. To authenticate his teaching, the Holy Spirit empowers him to expel demons and heal the paralyzed and lame (Acts 8:7). In response, the people believe every word and the city is filled with joy (Acts 8:8).

But Philip is not the only person in town with supernatural abilities. A man named Simon has entranced the people for some time with his magic (Acts 8:9–10). The difference is that Philip’s miracles are signs. They specifically indicate that his power is from God, not demons—the only other source of supernatural power. Philip’s power is so great, even Simon believes. But what does he believe?

One Passover in Jerusalem, Jesus dealt with a similar situation. “Many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing” (John 2:23), but Jesus knew their understanding was incomplete. They may have believed He was the Messiah, but they didn’t know who the Messiah truly was and what He had come to do. Another time, after He fed the five thousand, the people declared Him to be the Prophet whom Moses had promised. But Jesus knew they weren’t interested in the submission and repentance that would reconcile them to God; they wanted to make Him king because He could feed them (John 6:14–15, 26–27).

James explains that there is a difference between “belief” and the faith that leads to salvation (James 2:19). Even though Simon is baptized, his approach to God, spirituality, and obedience (Acts 8:18–19) suggest he might not have a truly saving faith.

Verse 14. Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,

When persecution hit the Jerusalem church, many Jesus-followers fled. Philip, a deacon, went north to Samaria (Acts 6:1–6; 8:1–5). Samaritans are the descendants of the Israelites of the northern kingdom of Israel and the people of various ethnicities who moved in when Assyria conquered the land (2 Kings 17:24). They have a troubled relationship with the Jews, in large part because ever since the two kingdoms split, at the time of Solomon’s son Rehoboam, the Samaritans have almost exclusively worshiped false gods or worshiped God inappropriately (1 Kings 12:25–33; 2 Kings 17:25–33). In fact, John and his brother James once volunteered to call fire down on a Samaritan village (Luke 9:52–54) and at another time, Jesus prohibited the disciples from preaching in Samaria (Matthew 10:5–6).

Jesus always intended the restriction to be temporary. He promised the Samaritan woman that one day her people would worship the true God the right way in the place they lived (John 4:22–26). It’s possible that Philip, who is a Hellenist Jew and therefore did not grow up in Judea, is less inclined to dismiss the Samaritans. The church in Jerusalem, filled with devout Jews from Judea and Galilee, needs to investigate whether the Samaritans are really choosing to follow Christ (John 20:21–23). There is biblical precedent for the importance of having two or three witnesses to confirm something (Matthew 18:18–20; Deuteronomy 17:6), so two witnesses go up to investigate.

Although the “rock” upon which Jesus promised to build His church is the understanding that He is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16) and not Peter himself, Peter’s prominence among the disciples plays a significant role in validating the spread of the gospel to different people groups (Matthew 16:13–19; see Acts 10).

The “word” of God is from the Greek root word logos. It means an idea, a doctrine, and/or a message. John 1:1 identifies Jesus as the Word of God. Here, before the New Testament books had been widely spread, the “word of God” does not yet have the meaning of Scripture. It does mean the total message God gives to mankind. This includes that Jesus is the Son of God, that He is the Savior, that He rose from the dead, and that He is our salvation.

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

This and the following verses are among those passages of Scripture which require careful understanding of context and clear explanation. Philip, a Hellenistic Jewish Jesus-follower, has been evangelizing in a city of mixed-Jewish Samaritans. Many of these Samaritans are ready to follow Jesus. They’ve even been baptized. But they haven’t yet received the Holy Spirit. John and Peter have come from Jerusalem to pray over the new converts and lay their hands on them so they can receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:9–14).

It’s important to understand that this is a description of events used by God to establish the very early church as it spread to people outside the devout Jewish community. The Holy Spirit waiting for Peter and John is no more the norm than the Holy Spirit waiting for the Day of Pentecost and imbuing the initial Jesus-followers with tongues of fire (Acts 2:1–4). Peter and John don’t come because the Holy Spirit needs them, but because God wants to validate the new Samaritan church in two ways.

First, although Philip is known as a strong Jesus-follower and one of the first deacons (Acts 6:1–6), and although his message has been validated by miraculous signs (Acts 8:6–7), it’s important for the Samaritans to have absolute certainty that they are joining the established church that worships Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah and their way of salvation. Philip is a great man, but he’s a deacon, not an elder of the church in Jerusalem, as the apostles are. Peter and John are known to be the foremost of Jesus’ original followers. Their validation of Philip’s message is somewhat similar to Jesus’ validation of John’s baptism (Matthew 3:13–17).

Second, the church in Jerusalem needs to validate that the Holy Spirit really can come to Samaritans. Samaritans haven’t properly worshiped God since Jeroboam built two gold calves in order to keep his new kingdom religiously and politically separated from their kin in the southern kingdom (1 Kings 12:25–33). This validation is especially important for Peter, as he continues to have trouble understanding how people who are not Jewish can be accepted into what he sees as the ultimate fulfillment of Judaism (see Acts 10 and Galatians 2:11–14).

Verse 16. for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Philip, one of the first deacons of the church, has fled to Samaria because of Saul’s persecution of the church (Acts 6:1–6; 8:1–5). He has been performing miracles and preaching the gospel, and many have responded enthusiastically. Now, Peter and John have come from Jerusalem to see what Philip’s been up to (Acts 8:6–8, 14–15).

Verses 15, 16, and 17 of this chapter, when taken out of context, can lead to several false ideas about salvation and the Christian faith. This passage is not saying Jesus’ name is some kind of magical word. To be “baptized in Jesus’ name” means to publicly align oneself with Jesus’ teaching—to accept Him as your Lord and Savior. It doesn’t mean that you have to use the name Yeshua to have your prayers answered.

Nor is this section indicating people don’t get the Holy Spirit until someone lays hands on them. This is a special circumstance; by waiting for Peter and John to arrive, the Holy Spirit validates the faith of the Samaritans to the apostles, and validates to the Samaritans that they are joining the official church that Jesus originated.

Nor does this passage say we should be baptized only in Jesus’ name. Jesus gave clear instructions that Christ-followers should be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).

This situation is very similar to that of the baptism of John the Baptist. Many people received John’s baptism because they accepted his message that they needed to repent of their sins. Jesus validated John’s message by taking John’s baptism, Himself (Matthew 3:13–17). But John’s baptism didn’t save (Acts 19:1–6). It prepared the people’s hearts for Jesus’ forgiveness (Matthew 3:11).

Philip’s preaching isn’t incomplete. Unlike the situation where Paul meets the men who have received John’s baptism (Acts 19:1–6), Peter and John don’t add anything to Philip’s message. They merely lay their hands (Acts 8:17). When reading Acts, it’s important to understand that some of the events and practices are things we should emulate, but others are special circumstances due to the extreme early stages of the spread of the gospel.

Verse 17. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

The apostles in Jerusalem have heard that Philip is teaching about Jesus in Samaria—and the people are believing. Philip has baptized the people, but they have not received the Holy Spirit. Peter and John go to see if Philip’s work has really led these mixed-Jews to follow the Jewish Messiah (Acts 8:4–8, 14–16).

The Holy Spirit comes on the believers when Peter and John lay their hands on them. This is not standard operating procedure. This is a validation of Philip’s message, Philip’s association with Jesus’ apostles, and the Samaritans’ faith. On Pentecost, after Peter told the message of Jesus, people seemed to receive the Holy Spirit when they were baptized (Acts 2:37–41). Soon, Peter will witness a house full of Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit in the middle of his gospel presentation—no baptism and no laying on of hands (Acts 10:44). The Holy Spirit is not controlled by our actions—there is no magical sequence to receive Him. He comes when we repent and accept Jesus’ sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins.

Right before Jesus ascended into heaven, He charged the disciples, saying, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The gospel spread throughout Jerusalem until Saul started persecuting the church (Acts 8:1). Now, Philip is in Samaria. Soon, Philip (Acts 8:26–40) and Peter (Acts 10) will preach to Gentiles in Judea. It’s interesting to note how much Peter is involved in these new mission fields. In Matthew 16:18–19, Jesus says that He will build His church on “this rock” and He gives the power to bind and loose on earth and in heaven. It’s believed that “this rock” is not Peter but Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Son of God, and that Jesus gave the authority to bind and loose to all the disciples. Still, it is largely Peter who validates that Samaritans and Gentiles can be saved (Acts 11:1–18).

After King Solomon died, his son Rehoboam became king. He was young and cruel, and Jeroboam led the ten northern tribes to rebel against him. The nation of Israel was split into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. In order to ensure the kingdoms remained separated—both politically and religiously—Jeroboam created idols for the northern kingdom to worship (1 Kings 12). In time, the northern kingdom grew so idolatrous that God allowed Assyria to conquer them and lead most of them into exile. Assyria also brought in people from other nations to populate the area (2 Kings 17). The descendants of the few remaining Israelites and the foreigners became the Samaritans of Jesus’ day—the people the Jews despised because of their mixed heritage and their syncretistic worship (John 4:9).

In this moment, as the Holy Spirit comes on the Samaritans, the work of Jeroboam and Rehoboam is undone and the split kingdom is again united under Jesus, David’s heir. It’s no wonder there is “much joy in that city” (Acts 8:8).

Verse 18. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles ‘ hands, he offered them money,

Simon, a magician living in Samaria, has seen the Holy Spirit indwell new Jesus-followers as Peter and John lay their hands on them (Acts 8:9–13, 14–17). He thinks this is a magic trick worth learning.

It’s easy to condemn Simon on this side of history. He is a professional magician; it’s unclear if that means he has demon-given powers or if he is a fraud. Now, he sees real power. He’s interested enough in Jesus’ story to get baptized (Acts 8:13), but he’s still an opportunist. If he makes a decent living doing his little tricks, think of what he can do with the power to endow people with the Holy Spirit.

The New Testament outlines several different relationships people can have with money and religion. The money-changers and vendors filled the courtyard of the temple to take advantage of travelers who needed coins to donate and animals to sacrifice; Jesus responded by flipping over their tables (Mark 11:15–17). Ministers should be able to make their living from those to whom they minister (Mark 6:7–13; 1 Corinthians 9:14), but sometimes they have to provide for their own needs if their converts are themselves needy, or spiritually immature (2 Corinthians 11:8–15). Jesus never promised that serving Him would make anyone rich (Matthew 8:19–20).

We all want something from God—He designed us to. But there’s a difference between using Him to gain the comforts of this world and coming to Him as a child comes to a Father in trust that He will give us what we need (Matthew 6:33).

Verse 19. saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

Simon, a magician in Samaria, has heard Philip’s teaching about how Jesus of Nazareth is the Jewish Messiah, come to forgive the sins of the world. The message sounds good to him, and he agrees to be baptized (Acts 8:9–13). But when Peter and John lay their hands on his neighbors and the Holy Spirit comes down, his mind quickly sees the business opportunity.

Where Ananias and Sapphira wanted the notoriety of making a significant contribution to God (Acts 5:1–11), Simon apparently wants to use God for his own gain. This passage is the origin of the word “simony,” which is the practice of buying or selling what only God can give, such as spiritual gifts or forgiveness, or should give, such as church offices.

Simon doesn’t see the bigger picture. Although he is baptized, he doesn’t understand that he needs to repent from his sins and be reconciled to God. He doesn’t understand that Peter and John are laying their hands on the new converts to validate their entry into the church—the body of Christ—that will follow Jesus’ teachings and suffer for it. He doesn’t understand that the Holy Spirit promises eternal rewards in God’s kingdom, not financial gain in the world.

He is about to learn how much his greed could cost him.

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

After Philip teaches the Samaritans about Jesus and baptizes them, Peter and John come from Jerusalem. Their visit validates that these converts are members of the new church that follows Jesus of Nazareth as the Jewish Messiah and the Son of God. One of the residents of Samaria, a magician named Simon, sees the Holy Spirit come down as Peter and John lay their hands on the people. He immediately sees the financial potential and asks to buy the ability to give the Holy Spirit to people (Acts 8:5–19). Peter responds negatively.

Simon is not the first to try to use God to get money. Elisha’s servant Gehazi conned money from Naaman after God healed him; in response, God gave Naaman’s leprosy to Gehazi (2 Kings 5:15–27). Money changers and vendors filled the temple court to make money from traveling Jews who had come to worship; Jesus overturned their tables (Mark 11:15–17). Eli and his sons took meat from sacrifices that were supposed to be dedicated to God; God caused the sons to die in battle and Eli to die, in part, due to obesity (1 Samuel 2:29; 4:17–18). Samuel’s sons took bribes for favorable judgments; God allowed them to be replaced with a king (1 Samuel 8:1–9). It is true that God’s ministers should receive their living from their work (1 Corinthians 9:14), but no one should use God for earthly blessings and no one can bribe God for His blessings (Psalm 50:8–11). We cannot transfer God’s power as if it were water in a bucket.

Simon does get long-lasting notoriety, however. His name develops into the word “simony,” which means to pay for a church office or privileges like pardons. The simony of the Roman Catholic Church, such as in selling indulgences, led Martin Luther to nail his 95 Theses on the church door in protest, an act which accelerated the Protestant Reformation.

Verse 21. You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.

Philip has fled persecution in Jerusalem and come north to Samaria where he has been preaching the gospel and baptizing new believers. Peter and John have followed to verify that the Samaritans are really accepting Christ and to welcome them into the church. They lay their hands on the converts and as they do, the Holy Spirit comes to indwell the Samaritans. Simon, a popular magician, was fairly interested in Jesus’ story until he saw the Holy Spirit come on his neighbors. Now, he has asked Peter if he can buy the power to impart the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:5–20).

Simon is a grifter: a petty swindler who tricks people for money. Alternatively, he might have been legitimately empowered, but by demons. He seems to think he’s talking to other grifters who through trickery or demonic power are convincing people they have spiritual power. Simon seemingly has no concept of sacrificing for others (1 John 3:16), laying up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19–21), or giving up worldly comforts for the cause of Christ (Luke 18:18–30). If he believes in Jesus, it is shallow and has no effect on his actions, not as the man who cast out demons in Jesus’ name—despite not being in Jesus’ company (Mark 9:38–41), or even the doubting but desperate father of the possessed boy who cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).

Peter’s words are a strong warning for anyone in Christian ministry. Earlier, he established that serving God is not about gaining earthly approval; when Ananias and Sapphira donated money to look good, they were killed instead (Acts 5:1–11). Peter’s warning that ministry is not for financial gain comes with an even more serious threat—the destruction of Simon’s soul (Acts 8:22–23).

Any self-labeled “Christian” leader who uses their position for fame, power, or money should be warned they have “no part or share in this ministry.” Simon’s attitude not only marks him as a false minister, but seemingly as a non-believer. It’s fitting, then, that the bulk of Peter’s rebuke involves a call for repentance.

Verse 22. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

Peter is warning a magician in Samaria about the dire risks of taking God lightly. Simon has watched new Jesus-followers receive the Holy Spirit as Peter and John lay their hands on them. He offers to buy the ability to impart the Holy Spirit. Apparently, he either thinks it’s a trick or an effect of the demons he’s likely used to working with. Peter explains how heretical and dangerous his offer is (Acts 8:14–21).

Although Simon was baptized in Jesus’ name (Acts 8:13), he doesn’t understand who Jesus or the Holy Spirit really are. He thinks he can use them for his own purposes: to regain the popularity he had before Philip came to town and started spreading the gospel (Acts 8:5–13). What Simon sees as a business opportunity Peter reveals as great wickedness that has filled him with bitterness (Acts 8:23). So far, Simon’s sin is still in his heart. It’s important to remember that we don’t have to act to sin, and our sinful hearts are enough to condemn us (Matthew 5:21–30).

Even so, even despite his heresy and sin, Simon is not hopeless. He still can repent. To repent is to change one’s paradigm about right and wrong, to accept that God’s point of view is always right, and to recognize that to obey, trust, and love Him is always the right choice. In this moment, Simon still has the opportunity to change his worldview and really follow Christ.

In fact, everyone who is still living has that opportunity. It doesn’t matter if they tried to use God to make money, performed miracles through demonic power, or murdered Christians (Acts 26:10), Jesus offers to forgive every sin and reconcile anyone to God. There is no sin He will not forgive except to continue to reject His death to cover their sins.

Verse 23. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.”

Simon has been a popular sorcerer in the district of Samaria for some time. He had a large following of people who thought he had God’s power. When Philip comes to Samaria and preaches the good news about salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice, Simon was so amazed by Philip’s miracles he was baptized (Acts 8:5–13). This incident gives good reason to question his sincerity, and his original motives. Simon’s error isn’t just something minor; it suggests a profound misunderstanding of who God is.

There is a difference between believing things about Jesus and accepting Him as your Savior. It’s possible Simon’s earlier power came from demons, so it’s possible Simon “believes” in the same way demons do: intellectually accepting truth without submitting to it (James 2:19). Peter calls Simon to not just believe but to repent: to turn away from his desire to use this supernatural power for his own gain (Acts 8:22). Simon may understand a little more about God than he did before Philip came, but he is still living out of the wickedness inside him.

Moses referred to bitterness as a result of idolatry (Deuteronomy 29:16–20). He spoke of how idolatry pushed people to think they could reject God with impunity, even though their wickedness was leading to “poisonous and bitter fruit” (Deuteronomy 29:18). When our primary goal is to get what we want, we’re liable to use any means to do so. In that frame of mind, if God doesn’t serve us sufficiently, we’ll turn to idols like money or fame or even security. When those false idols don’t work, we become bitter against God and life. We do what we think it will take to get us what we want, but become captive to our sin.

When we repent of our self-delusion and accept that God is sovereign over us, we can rest easier. He is in control, not us, our desires, or the idols upon which we inappropriately rely. And only He has our best interests at heart and the ability to give us what we need. He wishes to free us from the prison of our wickedness (Isaiah 58:6).

Like Simon, recognizing that our sin has imprisoned us is the first step to being free of it.

Verse 24. And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

Simon is a magician in the city of Samaria. He witnessed his neighbors receiving the Holy Spirit by the hands of Peter and John. It’s unclear if Simon performed magic through the power of demons, or if he was a complete fraud. Either way, he knows real power when he sees it, and immediately understands the financial potential of the gift Peter and John have, so he offers to buy it from them (Acts 8:5–19).

Peter vehemently rejects him. This is the power of the Living God, not some grifter’s trick. To even suggest such a wicked thing reveals a bitter and sinful heart (Acts 8:20–23).

Simon is stunned. He recognizes his inability to properly stand before the God he has disrespected, so he asks Peter to be a liaison. His request is appropriate; we are to pray for others (James 5:16; 1 Timothy 2:1–3; Galatians 6:2) as Jesus did (Luke 22:32; John 17:11, 17). Still, there’s no indication Simon wants to repent; he just wants to escape punishment. Christians are called to a sincere love of that which is good—not merely to avoid consequences. Heartfelt repentance is something good spiritual leaders encourage in others. As Paul will later write, “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5).

The Bible does not mention Simon again. It seems he could have truly repented and become part of the Samaritan church. Some church tradition says that Simon created a career out of contradicting Christians. Some say he was the founder of a Gnostic sect. If so, he rejected God even after facing the power of the Holy Spirit and the conviction of Peter and John. That is the definition of an apostate (Hebrews 6:4–6).

Verse 25. Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

After King Solomon died, his son Rehoboam took the throne of the nation of Israel. He was a cruel and foolish king, and Jeroboam soon rose up to lead the ten northern tribes to secede from Judah. To keep his kingdom politically and religiously separated from their brothers, Jeroboam created two golden calves and presented them as the gods of the northern kingdom of Israel (1 Kings 12).

After generations of idolatry, God allowed the Assyrians to conquer the northern kingdom of Israel and exile most of the people. When the king of Assyria brought in foreigners to settle the land, they were attacked by lions. They realized the territory had a different God, so they added God worship to their pagan practices (2 Kings 17). They never fully understood how to worship God (Ezra 4:1–3), and by the time of Jesus, the Jews despised their mixed-ethnic, religiously syncretic neighbors (John 4:9).

But God’s plan was always to redeem the Samaritans. Even though John and his brother James offered to call fire down on a Samaritan village that rejected Jesus (Luke 9:51–56), Jesus promised a Samaritan woman that her people would soon learn to worship God “in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). He also made a Samaritan the hero of one of His most famous parables (Luke 10:25–37).

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He laid out the apostles’ work. They were to be His “witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). At this point, most of the Jesus-followers had fled Jerusalem because of Saul’s persecution (Acts 8:1–4). When Philip left, he took the good news about Jesus to Samaria, and Peter and John have come to validate Philip’s teaching and welcome the Samaritans to the church (Acts 8:5–17). In their work, God is repairing the rift that tore in the time of Rehoboam and Jeroboam and reuniting Israel and Judah.

From here, the forgiveness of Jesus will spread even farther. Philip will return to Judea and lead an Ethiopian official to salvation (Acts 8:26–40). Saul, the persecutor of the church, will come to Christ (Acts 9). Peter will watch as the Holy Spirit descends on a household of Gentiles (Acts 10). And others who fled Jerusalem will take the gospel far north, to Antioch, starting a wave that will spread all over Europe (Acts 11:19–30).

Verse 26. Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place.

Luke promised Theophilus that his first letter, which we know as the Gospel of Luke, was an “orderly account” of the eyewitness testimony of Jesus’ story (Luke 1:1–4). It’s reasonable to assume Luke continued this goal with this second letter, the book of Acts. “Orderly” does not necessarily mean strictly chronological. In the Old Testament, the stories of minor characters are often succinctly given before the accounts of the major figures: Cain’s line is described before Abel’s (Genesis 4:17–26) and Esau’s descendants are lumped together in Genesis 36 before the narrative continues with his brother Jacob. This is a way of being thorough without continually interrupting the main story.

It’s possible that Luke did the same here. We don’t know where the account of the Ethiopian official fits with Paul’s conversion (Acts 9) or Peter’s encounter with Cornelius’ household (Acts 10). But placing the story here completes the main story of Philip and introduces the evangelism of the Gentiles—which Peter affirms, Paul carries out, and the rest of the book records. The story of Philip and the Ethiopian official may have happened any time before Acts 21:8. Philip is not mentioned again until Acts 21:8–9 when Paul visits him on his way to Jerusalem.

This Philip is one of the church’s first deacons (Acts 6:5). He fled Jerusalem when Saul began persecuting the church and first went north to Samaria (Acts 8:1–25). He is not the disciple Philip (Matthew 10:3) nor the brother of Herod Antipas (Matthew 14:3). He will eventually settle in Caesarea where he will have four daughters who are prophetesses (Acts 21:8–9).

This verse features an idiomatic phrase which is easily lost when translated. “South,” literally, is “about noon,” from the Greek term mesēmbrian. Since Israel is north of the Tropic of Cancer, at noon, the sun is always due-south. “Desert” here can mean uninhabited grassland or wilderness. Where we would say the road “goes down” from Jerusalem to Gaza because it goes south, Jerusalem is higher than Gaza, so the road literally goes downhill. Gaza was a city in the same place it is now—the modern-day Gaza Strip on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. From Gaza is a major road that goes to Egypt, then south to Ethiopia.

Context Summary
Acts 8:26–40 completes the story of Philip’s early ministry. Driven out of Jerusalem by persecution, he first travels north into Samaria and spreads the gospel to a people Jews had believed accursed (Acts 8:5–13). Now, an angel tells him to go south where he meets an official of the Ethiopian court who is reading from the book of Isaiah. Philip’s ministry shows that God doesn’t care if someone is born into His chosen people, or are ethnically and theologically confused, or are even a foreign eunuch. He loves equally and desires that everyone will repent and come to Him.

Verse 27. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship

An angel has told the deacon and evangelist Philip to go to the road in Judea that connects Jerusalem and the city of Gaza on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea (Acts 8:26). “Candace” is a title, from the Greek Kandakē, not a name, similar to the use of “Pharaoh.” The territory called “Ethiopia” in the Bible is Nubia, which includes parts of modern-day southern Egypt and northern Sudan. In Ethiopia, the king was thought to be the child of the sun—far too important to do the work of running a country. His mother, the Candace, performed the royal duties.

It was common for royal court officials to be castrated. This was partly meant to curb the man’s ability to be tempted by sex. It was also thought that if a man was incapable of having his own heirs, he would be more loyal to his master and not try to leave his own legacy. The money of the kingdom would be safe with a man who could not have sons.

The royal court of Ethiopia had long-time relations with Israel and Israel’s God. It’s believed the Queen of Sheba was Ethiopian (1 Kings 10:1–13), and an Ethiopian eunuch rescued the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 38:7–13). This official is following the Mosaic law to worship only in the place God establishes (Deuteronomy 12:5–7; 2 Chronicles 7:12, 16), despite the distance. It’s unclear how much he was allowed to worship. Deuteronomy 23:1 prohibits a eunuch from entering “the assembly of the LORD,” but in Isaiah 56:1–8 God welcomes the foreigners and the eunuchs. Today, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the largest branch within Oriental Orthodoxy, the group that split from the unified church after the Council of Chalcedon, long before the Eastern Orthodox Churches split from the Roman Catholics.

Verse 28. and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

A eunuch, a court official of the Ethiopian queen, is on the first leg home after worshiping in Jerusalem. Ethiopians have been familiar with the Jewish God since at least the time of Solomon, when the Queen of Sheba came to visit the man she had heard was so wise (1 Kings 10:1–13).

It makes sense that the official would be reading the book of Isaiah. God gives eunuchs—particularly foreign eunuchs—a great blessing in Isaiah 56:3–5, promising that if they join with Him, He will bless them with “an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.” But the official is reading Isaiah 53:7–8, the prophecy that compares Jesus with a silent lamb being led to slaughter (Acts 8:32–33). This prophecy confuses some people, as Jesus did interact with His accusers (John 18:19–23, 33–38). But He did not open His mouth when He was called to defend Himself (Mark 14:60–61; 15:4–5).

The official is in a chariot, inferring the road is a good one—probably built by the Romans. This is an example of God’s perfect timing. He sent Jesus when the Roman empire held a large territory in relative peace. The Pax Romana meant that the empire had the money and political stability to build public works, such as good roads. Those roads and the stable cities and towns meant the Christian evangelists could travel easily. They still dealt with jealous Jews and pagan idol-makers (Acts 14:2–7; 19:23–41) and indifferent city officials (Acts 18:12–17)—and later with violent emperors—but considering the chaos of other eras, the church started at the perfect time to spread the gospel.

Verse 29. And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”

An angel has told the deacon and evangelist Philip to go to the road that leads from Jerusalem down to Gaza. While there, he finds an Ethiopian official of the queen’s court riding in a chariot, returning home from worshiping in Jerusalem (Acts 8:26–28). The Holy Spirit tells Philip to get closer, and Philip finds the man is reading Isaiah 53:7–8, the passage that describes an innocent man being led like a lamb to the slaughter (Acts 8:32–33).

The Holy Spirit is essential for the spread of the gospel and the health of the church. Jesus promised the disciples that the Holy Spirit would have an active role in the spread of the gospel. He said, “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8). The Holy Spirit will glorify Jesus by guiding His followers to the truth (John 16:12–14). Jesus explained that the Holy Spirit couldn’t come to them until Jesus left (John 16:7). A little more than a week after Jesus’ ascension, the Holy Spirit came to indwell His followers (Acts 1:3, 9; 2:1–4).

The Holy Spirit will continue to directly lead the Jesus-followers to where they need to be. He will tell Peter to evangelize the Gentiles of Cornelius’ house (Acts 10:19–20), tell the believers in Antioch to send Paul and Barnabas to preach to the Gentiles (Acts 13:2), and let Paul know he will be arrested in Jerusalem (Acts 20:22–23; 21:11). He also empowers the Jesus-followers to preach Jesus’ message of forgiveness (Acts 4:8, 31; 6:10) and direct the church in evangelistic and theological matters (Acts 9:10–12; 15:28; 16:6–7; 19:21).

Verse 30. So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

An angel has led Philip the evangelist to an Ethiopian court official on his way home from worshiping the Jewish God in Jerusalem. The official is reading from Isaiah 53: a prophecy about Jesus’ execution (Acts 8:26–29). At this time, reading was usually done aloud, so Philip would have heard him.

Although the Ethiopian official traveled to Jerusalem, understood Judaism, and worshiped the Jewish God, he didn’t understand all of the Jewish Scriptures. He was separated from Isaiah by language, likely reading the Greek versions of the Hebrew Scriptures. He was also separated by time and culture. He was right to read the passage and understand it as far as he could, but he was also right to accept help understanding when he got stuck. The question asked here, and the answer given by Philip (Acts 8:31) are key in our understanding of how spiritual knowledge is gained. In short, no one is meant to learn about God entirely alone—the Great Commission is to “make disciples,” which requires interaction (Matthew 28:19).

Jews today typically skip over Isaiah 53. They either don’t understand the purpose of the “Suffering Servant” or they do understand how the prophecy so closely matches what Jesus experienced—and it makes them uncomfortable. Jews have a long literary heritage of interpretations and arguments about Scripture that they use to try to figure out what the Old Testament means. Jesus promised that when He left, He would send the Holy Spirit to “guide [us] into all the truth” (John 16:13). In this case, the Holy Spirit sends Philip.

Verse 31. And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Philip is one of the first deacons of the church (Acts 6:5) and the first significant Christian missionary to Samaria (Acts 8:5–25). An angel has directed him to a road that leads down from Jerusalem to Gaza on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. While there, he notices an Ethiopian court official reading aloud a passage from the book of Isaiah that talks about the Suffering Servant.

The Ethiopian court has known about the Jewish God since at least the time of Solomon, when the Queen of Sheba came to give homage to the wisest man in the world (1 Kings 10:1–13). Years later, an Ethiopian eunuch who served the king of Judah rescued the much-abused prophet Jeremiah from a cistern (Jeremiah 38:7–13). This man comes from a culture that has known the Jewish God for a long time, but he doesn’t understand all the Messianic prophecies, so he asks Philip for help.

He’s not alone. Today, Jews almost always skip over Isaiah 53. They can’t accept that their triumphant Messiah could be the same person as the Suffering Servant. They and the Ethiopian provide an important lesson for modern-day Jesus-followers.

The Protestant Reformation occurred in part because the Roman Catholic Church considered the edicts of the pope and the traditions of the church to have the same authority as the Scriptures. Sola Scriptura is the conviction that only the Bible is God’s infallible message, and so it is the fundamental source and judge of all doctrinal questions. It is true that the Bible has an authority that human teachers can never share. Unfortunately, some believers today have taken this to mean it is inappropriate to use any extra-biblical help to interpret Scripture—including other people.

It is true that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to guide us and explain what we should know (John 16:13), but the Spirit also gifts teachers and preachers to explain the Scriptures (Romans 12:4–8). If those teachers write down their insight instead of only speaking from behind a pulpit, they are writing a commentary—BibleRef.com is a commentary. If a passage is difficult there’s nothing wrong with asking for help, as the Ethiopian official does. In fact, Jesus’ phrasing of the Great Commission, like the comment made here, makes it clear that no one is meant to interpret or learn about Scripture entirely alone (Matthew 28:19–20).

Verse 32. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughterand like a lamb before its shearer is silent,so he opens not his mouth.

An Ethiopian court official is on his way home from worshiping God in Jerusalem. He is on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza; in Gaza, he will take the road south toward Egypt. An angel has sent the evangelist Philip to meet up with him. Philip hears the official reading from the book of Isaiah and asks if he knows what it means. The Ethiopian invites Philip to explain it (Acts 8:26–31).

Some time before, a pair of men who followed Jesus were walking on a road out of Jerusalem. They were perplexed by the report that although Jesus had been crucified and buried, He was alive again. Jesus met them and, “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27).

Illuminating the Old Testament was standard operating procedure for those who witnessed to Jews and worshipers of the Jewish God. Peter used the prophecies of Joel (Acts 2:16–21) and David (Acts 2:25–28). Paul did as well, as he traveled from city to city, generally starting his teaching in the synagogues (see Acts 17:1–3).

The Ethiopian is reading from Isaiah 53 which speaks of the Suffering Servant. In Isaiah 53:7, the Servant is described as a silent lamb being led by others. There is some confusion about this verse because when Jesus was on trial, He did speak to His accusers and to Pilate (John 18:19–23, 33–38). And yet, He did not defend Himself (Mark 14:60–61; 15:4–5). The charges were obviously false and had He said something, He may have been released. But He had come to do His Father’s work—to die for our sins.

Verse 33. In his humiliation justice was denied him.Who can describe his generation?For his life is taken away from the earth.”

Philip, a Jesus-follower, has met with a traveling eunuch (Acts 8:26–32) and will soon explain how Isaiah 53:7–8 has recently been fulfilled. Isaiah 53 includes the account of the “Suffering Servant.” It describes the Servant as a root growing from the dry ground, without any noble features, despised and rejected—seemingly by God. It says the Servant was pierced and crushed and took on our sins, but didn’t defend Himself (Isaiah 53:1–7).

Philip goes on to explain that the Suffering Servant is Jesus (Acts 8:35). Jesus was humiliated; He was betrayed by a friend (Mark 14:43–50), denied by another (Mark 14:66–72), beaten and spat on by the guards of the Sanhedrin (Mark 14:65), and flogged and mocked by Pilate’s guards (John 19:1–2). He was then pierced by the nails in His hands and feet and again by the spear (John 19:18, 34).

The last two lines are difficult to understand; the source material is a little clearer. Isaiah 53:8 says, “and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living?” The literal transliteration is, “and his generation, who considers?” It means that the people of Jesus’ time and place didn’t care that He was wrongly convicted, tortured, and executed. This is clearly seen by how easily the priests convinced the people to demand Jesus’ death (Matthew 27:20–23).

Verse 34. And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”

A God-worshiping Ethiopian court official is reading the account of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53 (Acts 8:32–33). He has good reason to ask Philip whom the passage refers to. Jews still can’t accept that the Suffering Servant is the same person as their triumphant Messiah. Although the Bible says little about Isaiah’s life, Jewish tradition says that he fled from King Manasseh’s guards and hid in a cedar tree. The guards saw the hem of Isaiah’s robe and sawed the tree down, cutting Isaiah in half as they did so.

But Philip explains that the passage refers to Jesus of Nazareth (Acts 8:35). Like the Passover lamb, He was led to His death (Mark 14:43–46, 53; 15:1). Although He spoke to His accusers and judges (John 18:19–23, 33–38), He did not defend Himself against the false charges (Mark 14:60–61; 15:4–5). He was humiliated unjustly (Mark 14:55–59; Matthew 27:17–23) and rejected by His contemporaries (Matthew 27:20–23).

Philip includes these horrors Jesus endured as part of the “good news” (Acts 8:35). Not that it was good for Him to be beaten and crucified, but that He rose again on the third day and offers forgiveness of sins. Unlike the Pharisees, priests, and scribes who know the Jewish Scriptures inside and out, yet either rejected Christ or resisted before coming to faith (Acts 6:5), this Ethiopian court official immediately accepts the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy and accepts Christ as his Savior (Acts 8:36–39).

Verse 35. Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.

The passage the Ethiopian court official is reading is Isaiah 53:7–8. It describes the Suffering Servant’s unjust treatment and death. The Ethiopian must have been surprised to learn that this is good news. It’s because of Jesus’ death on the cross that he—and all of us—can be reconciled to God. He responds immediately and insists on being baptized (Acts 8:36).

Philip’s explanation follows the common format of evangelism in the early church to Jews: he explains how Jesus of Nazareth fits into the Jewish Scripture (our Old Testament). Peter did the same on the day of Pentecost when thousands of Jews flooded Jerusalem for the feast and discovered the Jesus-followers whom the Holy Spirit had just indwelt (Acts 2). Paul will continue the pattern; in each town he goes to visit, he starts either with the synagogue (Acts 9:20; 13:14–49), or another place where Jews meet (Acts 16:13). Jesus started this tradition when He met with the two men on the road to Emmaus: “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27).

That doesn’t mean that we should always start with the Old Testament when introducing people to Jesus. As Jesus did during His ministry, we should start by meeting the person where they are. Paul did this when he spoke with the Greek philosophers in Athens. He began by putting their monument to an unknown god into context, and then quoted their own philosophers to show that God has sovereignty over His creation. Finally, he explained that God’s sovereignty extended to His right to judge them and to raise the dead (Acts 17:22–31).

Verse 36. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

By the leading of an angelic message, Philip has come upon an Ethiopian court official who is reading from Isaiah 53:7–8 which prophesies the abuse and death of the Suffering Servant (Acts 8:26–33). Philip explains how the passage talks about Jesus of Nazareth, how the prophecy was fulfilled, and how Jesus now offers salvation (Acts 8:35). The Ethiopian quickly accepts Philip’s explanation as well as the forgiveness of Jesus.

The area where they are is described as a “desert place” (Acts 8:26). That doesn’t mean it’s nothing but sand and rock, it just means it’s uninhabited. Even grassland and wilderness in Israel can have pools or streams of running water. It’s reasonable to think that if the Holy Spirit could show Philip how to get to the Ethiopian, He could do so near water enough to be baptized.

In the early church, new converts were baptized immediately (Acts 2:41; 8:12; 9:18; 10:47–48; 16:15, 33; 19:5). Baptism was a sign that a person accepted the message of a teacher and wanted to publicly identify with that message. Today, churches tend to have a person go through a class to make sure they understand Christianity and what baptism represents. That didn’t happen in the early church, and sometimes unbelievers got caught up in the enthusiasm and were baptized without being saved—which seemed to be the case with Simon the magician (Acts 8:13).

It’s important to understand the biblical meaning of baptism. It means someone is voluntarily identifying themselves with the universal church established by Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Today, a church may require such a step of obedience as a condition for membership in that congregation. However, baptism doesn’t primarilymean a person is joining some sect or denomination. In the same way, it neither proves a person is saved, nor is it required for salvation.

Verse 37. And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. KJV

This verse is not seen in the oldest and most trustworthy manuscripts of the book of Acts. Most modern translations include it in brackets, or with a note indicating as much. The sentence doesn’t express anything contrary to the rest of Scripture, but most likely was not part of Luke’s original writing.

Philip has explained the gospel to an Ethiopian court official, and the officer has enthusiastically responded, asking to be baptized immediately. In this verse, Philip gives a challenge and the official responds. The format of the challenge and answer may have even been a practice in the early church: a public confession used to verify the person understands. But the text of this verse, itself, does not seem to be original.

If used as a challenge, this practice is similar to the so-called sinner’s prayer. No version of this prayer acts as a magic formula—it does not, itself, save anyone. Rather, it’s a convenient tool for someone who wants to follow Jesus but doesn’t know the terminology. In a similar way, this call-and-response is a succinct way of showing witnesses the person understands what baptism means.

Today, churches usually have a more involved system. The new believer may go to a class to learn the specifics about Jesus, Christianity, and baptism. Typically, only after showing they understand are they baptized.

Verse 38. And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

An angel has directed Philip, a Christ-follower and one of the first deacons of the church (Acts 6:1–6), to travel south to the road that connects Jerusalem to the city of Gaza on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Philip finds an Ethiopian court official reading the book of Isaiah while traveling in a chariot. The official had been to Jerusalem to worship the Jewish God and is now returning home. Philip explains how the passage he’s reading is about Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified so that we might be forgiven and reconciled to God. The Ethiopian believes and insists that Philip baptize him immediately (Acts 8:26–36).

It’s interesting to compare the Ethiopian to the Jewish leaders. They had studied the Jewish prophets their whole lives. They knew all about the Messiah—or thought they did—but never connected Him to the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53. Like nearly everyone Jesus came into contact with, they believed the Messiah would come to politically rescue Israel and sit on the throne as their king. Even the disciples, right before the ascension, believed Jesus’ reign was imminent (Acts 1:6).

This man, however, isn’t a Jew. He doesn’t have the political baggage that the Jewish leaders have. He is a eunuch, but he is in charge of the treasury of the queen of Ethiopia and has all the power and prestige he could want (Acts 8:27). Because of his lack of expectation, he is able to accept the great gift Jesus offers him. He enthusiastically formally identifies with the message that a Jewish teacher is the Son of God and offers salvation.

Verse 39. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.

Philip is one of the first deacons of the Christian church in Jerusalem (Acts 6:5). He is a Jew, but he grew up outside of Judea, in the Greco-Roman culture. An angel led him to travel south to a road that connected Jerusalem with Gaza to meet a single Ethiopian court official and tell him the good news about Jesus. The reasons for this are not explicitly given, but the results are impressive (Acts 8:26–38).

We do know that Ethiopians and the Jews have had contact since at least the time of Solomon when the Queen of Sheba visited (1 Kings 10). Possibly longer, since “Ethiopia” then was in the territory that spans our southern Egypt and northern Sudan—it’s possible the Jews first came in contact with Ethiopians during the four hundred years of slavery, or even earlier, when Abraham went to Egypt during the famine (Genesis 12:10–20).

But we don’t know why this Ethiopian was so important to God’s plan. Undoubtedly, he spread the gospel at home. Christianity became a state religion in Ethiopia about 300 years later. Egypt and Libya were home to several important Christian scholars in the first centuries of the church. Sometimes it’s important for European and American Christians to realize that Africa’s history with Christianity is significantly longer than theirs.

Philip and the Ethiopian official had been on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. The Holy Spirit takes Philip to Azotus, also known as Ashdod, which is twenty miles north of Gaza and just south of Tel Aviv. Why the sudden transport, we are not told. From there, he makes his way north along the coast to Caesarea, the headquarters of the Roman governor of Judea (Acts 8:40). Many years later, after he is settled as a church leader and has four daughters who prophesy, Philip will meet Paul on Paul’s last recorded trip to Jerusalem (Acts 21:8–9).

Verse 40. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Just before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told the disciples, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Philip fulfills this mandate. He started his ministry in Jerusalem, when he was selected as one of the first deacons (Acts 6:5). From there, he went north and saw many Samaritans come to Christ (Acts 8:4–8). The Holy Spirit then told him to travel south, back into Judea, where he met an Ethiopian court official who accepted Christ (Acts 8:26–39).

Now, the Holy Spirit takes Philip to Azotus, known today and in the Old Testament as Ashdod. This is the city the Philistines took the ark of the covenant to after they captured it in a battle in the time of Samuel, before Saul was king. It’s also the city where they put the ark with their statue of their god Dagon. One morning, the people awoke to see Dagon on its face in front of the ark; the next morning, Dagon had again fallen, but his head and hands were cut off (1 Samuel 5:1–5).

From Ashdod, Philip makes his way to Caesarea Maritima, about 58 miles north. He most likely travels through Lydda, where Peter was when other Jesus-followers called him to nearby Joppa to heal the devout Jesus-follower Dorcas (Acts 9:36–42). Philip likely also passed through Joppa, where Peter was when he was called on to go to Caesarea and meet the Gentile centurion Cornelius. It was in this situation with Cornelius that Peter realized that Gentiles can follow Christ, as well (Acts 10). Although we don’t know the exact chronology of Philip’s movements through Judea, it’s possible he started the church in Lydda.

Philip’s travels started with the persecution of the church led by a young, Pharisee-trained Jew named Saul. Saul terrorized the Jesus-followers in Jerusalem so badly they fled to Judea and Samaria (Acts 8:1–4). Eventually, Saul will expand his scope and go far north to Damascus where he will meet Jesus and a man named Ananias who will help him realize the man he hates is the promised Messiah of the Jews (Acts 9:1–19).

End of Chapter 8.

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