This week we were introduced to Simon (a.k.a. "Simon the Sorcerer" and "Simon Magus" and the man in whose honor the word "simony" was coined). There's not a lot of information about Simon in the Bible; however, early church fathers wrote about him with enough detail that we are able to sketch his character and his beliefs. We examined a variety of reasons the apostles sent Peter and John to Samaria, as well as the significance of their "laying on of hands" so the Samaritans would receive the Holy Spirit. We also discussed the curious interpretation of the words "bewitched" and "amazed" in the King James Version.

1. PHILIP THE EVANGELIST
ACTS 8:1-8:4

3. PHILO
“The true magic…is felt to be a fit object for
reverence and ambition and is carefully
studied not only by ordinary persons but by
kings and the greatest kings…”

4. PHILO
“… But there is a counterfeit of this… pursued
by charlatan mendicants [beggars] and
parasites and the basest
of the women and slave population…”

5. PHILIP’S GOSPEL
• KINGDOM OF GOD
Summary of Christian teaching/preaching
• NAME OF JESUS
Active power of Jesus resulting in healing (physical and
spiritual) and salvation

6. RESPONSE TO THE GOSPEL
• Preach the Good News
(euaggelizomai, euangelizomai) - imperfect
• Give Attention (proseicw, proseicho) - imperfect
• Faith (pisteuw, pisteuo) - aorist
• Baptism (baptizw, baptizo) - aorist

7. POSSIBLE REASONS PETER & JOHN
WERE SENT TO SAMARIA
• To CONVEY A GIFT that Philip
had not been able to provide
(v.15)
• To CARRY OUT A RITE that
only the apostles were able to
perform
(v. 17)
• To INSPECT AND
APPROVE/DISAPPROVE
a new development in the
Christian mission
(11:22)
• To SHARE IN what had already
been recognized as a desirable
step forward

8. WHY MENTION “LAYING ON OF HANDS” ?
• The baptism by Philip was NOT defective (cf. 8:38)
• The gift of the Spirit is NOT contingent upon the laying
on of hands (cf. 10:44)
• Baptism is NOT complete/effective only when one of the
Twelve is present (cf. 9:17)

9. WHY MENTION “LAYING ON OF HANDS” ?
• Luke is describing a special case, in which the work of one of
the Seven was combined with the work of two of the
Twelve
• To show their unity and cooperation was probably one of
his motives
• And the manifestation of the Spirit brought the Samaritan
Pentecost

10. The stoning of St. Stephen by Gabriel-Jules Thomas (1824–1905), 1863. Lunette of the main gate of the church Saint-Etienne du Mont ("St. Stephen in the Mountain"), in
Paris. (Public domain)
“The Martyrdom of St Stephen 1616-17” by Rubens, Peter Paul (Flemish 1577-1640) Baroque Era Painter, Also known as: Pieter Pauwel Rubens, Pedro Pablo Rubens, Peter
Paulus Rubens.
Achtemeier, Paul J., Joel B. Green, Marianne Meye Thompson. Introducing the New Testament: Its Literature and Theology Hardcover. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans
Publishing Company, 2001.
Archer, Gleason. Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing Company, 1982.
Aymer, Margaret. “The Acts of the Apostles.” Women’s Bible Commentary, edited by Carol A. Newsom, Sharon H. Rindge, Jacqueline E. Lapsley, 536-546. Louisville:
Westminster John Knox Press, 2012.
Bruce, F.F. The Book of the Acts. The New International Commentary of the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1984.
Gentz, William, General Editor. Dictionary of Bible and Religion. New York: Abingdon Press, 1986.
Longenecker, Richard N. “Acts,” in John and Acts. Vol. 9 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary with the New International Version, edited by Frank E. Gæbelein, 205-
573. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1981.
MacGregor, G.H.C. and Theodore P. Ferris. “The Acts of the Apostles,” in Acts and Romans. Vol. 9 of The Interpreters Bible, edited by George Arthur Buttrick, 3-354. New
York: Abingdon Press, 1954.
Marshall, I, Howard. Tyndale Commentary of the New Testament: The Acts of the Apostles. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1980.
Martin, Ralph P. New Testament Foundations: Volume 2. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1978.
McGarvey, J.W. New Commentary on Acts of Apostles, Volume 1. Lexington: Gospel Light Publishing Company, 1892.
Packer, J.W. The Acts of the Apostles. The Cambridge Bible Commentary, edited by P.R. Ackroyd, A.R.C. Leaney, J.W. Packer. Cambridge: University Press, 1966.
Robertson, Archibald Thomas. Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume III. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930.
Stott, John R. W. The Message of Acts. Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1990.
Willimon, William H. Acts. Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, edited by James Luther Mays. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010.
Witherington, Ben. The Acts of the Apostles : A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Eerdmans, 1997.
RESOURCES