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Acts Chapter
Eight
Acts 8
Saul was present at Stephen's death, and consenting to
it. [1] This is the end of the first phase of the
assembly of God-its history in immediate connection with Jerusalem and the
Jews, as the centre to which the work of the apostles related, "beginning
at Jerusalem"; carried on, however, in a believing remnant, but inviting
Israel, as such, to come into it, as being nationally the object of the love
and care of God, but they would not. Some accessory events follow, which
enlarge the sphere of labour and maintain the unity of the whole, previously to
the revelation of the call of the Gentiles, as such, properly speaking, and of
the assembly as one body, independent of Jerusalem, and apart from the earth.
These events are-the work of Philip in the conversion of Samaria and of the
Ethiopian; that of Cornelius, with Peter's vision that took place after the
vocation of Saul, who himself is brought in by a Jew of good report among the
Jews as such; the labours of Peter in all the land of Canaan; and, finally, the
connection established between the apostles at Jerusalem and the converted
Gentiles at Antioch; the opposition of Herod, the false king of the Jews, and
the care which God still takes of Peter, and the judgment of God upon the king.
Afterwards comes the direct work among the Gentiles, having Antioch for its
starting-point, already prepared by the conversion of Paul, through means and
with a revelation that were quite peculiar. Let us follow the details of these
chapters.
After the death of Stephen persecution breaks out. The victory, gained
by a hatred the accomplishment of whose object was allowed by Providence, opens
the floodgates to the violence of the Jewish leaders, enemies to the gospel.
The barrier that restrained them once broken, the waves of passion overflow on
all sides. People are often held back by a little remaining conscience, by
habits, by a certain idea of the rights of others; but when the dykes are
broken, hatred (the spirit of murder in the heart) satiates itself, if God
permit, by actions that shew what man is when left to himself. But all this
hatred accomplishes the will of God, in which man would perhaps otherwise have
failed, and which in some respects he could not or ought not even to have
executed, that is to say, the will of God in sovereign judgment. The dispersion
of the assembly was Israel's judgment-a judgment which the disciples would have
found it difficult to declare and to execute by the communication of greater
light to them; for whatever may be the blessing and energy in the sphere where
the grace of God acts, the ways of God in directing all things are in His own
hand. Our part, too, in His ways as to those without, is in grace.
The whole assembly then, except the apostles, is
scattered. It is questionable also, that the apostles did right in remaining,
and whether a more simple faith would not have made them go away, and thus have
spared the assembly many a conflict and many a difficulty in connection with
the fact that Jerusalem continued to be a centre of authority. [2] The Lord had even said with Israel in view,
"When they persecute in one city, flee into another"; and after His
resurrection He commands them to go and disciple all nations. This last mission
we do not find executed in the history of the Acts and the work among the
Gentiles, and, as we see in Galatians 2, by a special agreement entered into at
Jerusalem, it fell into the hands of Paul, being placed on an entirely new
footing. The word tells us nothing of the accomplishment of this mission of the
twelve towards the Gentiles, unless it be the slight general intimation in the
end of Mark. God is mighty in Peter toward the circumcision and in Paul towards
the Gentiles. It may be said that the twelve were not persecuted. It is
possible, and I say nothing decided on the point; but it is certain that the
passages which I have quoted have no fulfilment in the Bible history, and that
another arrangement, another order of things, took place in lieu of that which
the Lord prescribed, and that Jewish prejudices had in fact an influence,
resulting from this concentration at Jerusalem, from which even Peter had the
greatest difficulty to free himself.
Those who were scattered abroad preached the word
everywhere, but only to the Jews, before some of them arrived at Antioch (chap.
11:19).
Philip however went down to Samaria, and preached Christ
to them, and wrought miracles. They all give heed to him and are even baptised.
A man who until then had bewitched them with sorcery, so that they had said he
was the great power of God, even he also submits to the power which eclipsed
his false marvels, and convinced him so much the more of its reality as he was
conscious of the falseness of his own. The apostles make no difficulty with
regard to Samaria. The history of Jesus must have enlightened them in that
respect. Moreover, the Samaritans were not Gentiles. Still it was a Hellenist
who preached the gospel there.
A new truth comes out here in connection with the regular process of
the assembly-namely, that the apostles conferred the Holy Ghost by means of
prayer and the laying on of hands: a very important fact in the history of
God's dealings. Moreover Samaria was a conquest which all the energy of Judaism
had never been able to make. It was a new and splendid triumph for the gospel.
Spiritual energy to subdue the world appertained to the assembly. Jerusalem was
set aside: its day was over in that respect.
The presence of the power of the Holy Ghost acting in
Peter preserves the assembly as yet from the entrance of hypocrites, the
instruments of Satan. The great and powerful fact that God was there manifested
itself and made the darkness evident which circumstances had concealed. Carried
along by the strong current, Simon had yielded, as to his intelligence, to the
authority of Christ whose name was glorified by Philip's ministry. But the true
condition of his heart, the desire of his own glory, the complete opposition
between his moral condition and all principle-all light from God-betrays itself
in presence of the fact that a man can impart the Holy Ghost. He desires to buy
this power with money. What a thought! It is thus that the unbelief which
appears quite to pass away, so that the things of God are outwardly received,
betrays itself by something which, to one who has the Spirit, is so grossly
contrary to God that its true character is manifest even to a child taught by
God Himself.
Samaria is thus brought into connection with the centre
of the work of Jerusalem, where the apostles still were. Already the Holy
Ghost's being bestowed on the Samaritans was an immense step in the development
of the assembly. Doubtless they were circumcised, they acknowledged the law,
although the temple had in a certain degree lost its importance. The body of
believers was more consolidated, and, so far as they still held to Jerusalem,
it was a positive gain; for Samaria, by receiving the gospel, entered into
connection with her ancient rival, as much as the apostles themselves were so,
and submitted to her. Probably the apostles, during that time of persecution,
did not go to the temple. God had opened a wide door to them outside, and thus
made them ample amends in their work, for the success of the rulers of Israel
who had stopped it in Jerusalem; for the energy of the Spirit was with them. To
sum up: that which is presented here is the free energy of the Spirit in others
than the apostles, and outside Jerusalem which had rejected it; and the
relations maintained with the apostles and Jerusalem by their central action,
and the authority and power with which they were invested.
Having accomplished their work, and themselves
evangelised several villages of the Samaritans, Peter and John return to
Jerusalem. The work outside goes on, and by other means. Philip, who presents
the character of prompt unquestioning obedience in simplicity of heart, is
called to leave his prosperous work with which all his personal importance (if
he had been seeking it) was connected, and in which he was surrounded with
respect and affection. "Go," said the angel of the Lord, "toward
the south, unto the way that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza." It was a
desert. Philip's ready obedience does not think of the difference between
Samaria and Gaza, but of the Lord's will: and he goes. The gospel now extends
to the proselytes from among the Gentiles, and makes its way to the centre of
Abyssinia. The Queen's treasurer is admitted among the disciples of the Lord by
baptism, which sealed his faith in the testimony of the prophet Isaiah; and he
goes on his way, rejoicing in the salvation which he had taken a toilsome
journey from a far country to seek in legal duties and ceremonies, but with
faith in God's word, in Jerusalem. Beautiful picture of the grace of the
gospel! He carries away with him, and to his home, that which grace had
bestowed on him in the wilderness-that which his wearisome journey to Jerusalem
had not procured him. The poor Jews, who had driven away the testimony from
Jerusalem, are outside everything. The Spirit of the Lord carries Philip far
away, and he is found at Azotus; for all the power of the Lord is at the
service of the Son of man for the accomplishment of the testimony to His glory.
Philip evangelises all the cities unto Caesarea.
[1] We
may remark here, that the sanctuary, so to speak, is open to all believers. The
veil indeed was rent by the death of Christ, but the grace of God was still
acting towards the Jews, as such, and proposed to them the return of Jesus to
the earth; that is to say, outside the veil, in the event of their repentance,
so that the blessing would then have been upon the earth-the times of
refreshing by the coming of Christ, which the prophets had announced. But now
it is no longer a Messiah, the Son of David, but a Son of man in heaven; and,
by the Holy Ghost here below, an opened heaven is seen and known, and the great
High Priest (standing as yet) at the right hand of God is not hidden behind a
veil. All is open to the believer; the glory, and He who has entered into it
for His people. And this, it appears to me, is the reason why He is seen
standing. He had not definitely taken His place as seated ('eis to dienekes';
in perpetuity) on the heavenly throne, until the testimony of the Holy Ghost to
Israel of His exaltation had been definitively rejected on earth. The free
testimony of the Spirit which is developed, here and afterwards, is highly
interesting, without touching apostolic authority in its place, as we shall
see. As to the Jews, till the High Priest comes out, they cannot know that His
work is accepted for the nation; as, in the day of atonement, they had to wait
till he came out that they might know it. But for us the Holy Ghost is come out
while He is within, and we know it.
[2] This
is no wise prevents the manifestation of the sovereign wisdom of God. The
development of the doctrine of the assembly in its oneness, and as the body of
Christ, was but so much the more perfect and unmixed, as we find it taught by
Paul; who was called outside of Judaism by the revelation of a heavenly Christ.
Neither do these ways of sovereign wisdom in God make any change at all in the
responsibility of man. The outward unity of the assembly was also preserved by
this means, by the connection kept up between the other places and Jerusalem,
until the work among the Gentiles outside Judaism made these connections
extremely difficult and precarious. This, however, rendered the grace and the
wisdom of God but so much the more apparent.
── John Darby《Synopsis of Acts》
Acts 8
Chapter Contents
Saul persecutes the church. (1-4) Philip's success at
Samaria. Simon the sorcerer baptized. (5-13) The hypocrisy of Simon detected.
(14-25) Philip and the Ethiopian. (26-40)
Commentary on Acts 8:1-4
(Read Acts 8:1-4)
Though persecution must not drive us from our work, yet
it may send us to work elsewhere. Wherever the established believer is driven,
he carries the knowledge of the gospel, and makes known the preciousness of
Christ in every place. Where a simple desire of doing good influences the
heart, it will be found impossible to shut a man out from all opportunities of
usefulness.
Commentary on Acts 8:5-13
(Read Acts 8:5-13)
As far as the gospel prevails, evil spirits are
dislodged, particularly unclean spirits. All inclinations to the lusts of the
flesh which war against the soul are such. Distempers are here named, the most
difficult to be cured by the course of nature, and most expressive of the
disease of sin. Pride, ambition, and desire after grandeur have always caused
abundance of mischief, both to the world and to the church. The people said of
Simon, This man is the great power of God. See how ignorant and thoughtless
people mistake. But how strong is the power of Divine grace, by which they were
brought to Christ, who is Truth itself! The people not only gave heed to what
Philip said, but were fully convinced that it was of God, and not of men, and
gave up themselves to be directed thereby. Even bad men, and those whose hearts
still go after covetousness, may come before God as his people come, and for a
time continue with them. And many wonder at the proofs of Divine truths, who
never experience their power. The gospel preached may have a common operation
upon a soul, where it never produced inward holiness. All are not savingly
converted who profess to believe the gospel.
Commentary on Acts 8:14-25
(Read Acts 8:14-25)
The Holy Ghost was as yet fallen upon none of these
coverts, in the extraordinary powers conveyed by the descent of the Spirit upon
the day of Pentecost. We may take encouragement from this example, in praying
to God to give the renewing graces of the Holy Ghost to all for whose spiritual
welfare we are concerned; for that includes all blessings. No man can give the
Holy Spirit by the laying on of his hands; but we should use our best
endeavours to instruct those for whom we pray. Simon Magus was ambitious to
have the honour of an apostle, but cared not at all to have the spirit and
disposition of a Christian. He was more desirous to gain honour to himself,
than to do good to others. Peter shows him his crime. He esteemed the wealth of
this world, as if it would answer for things relating to the other life, and
would purchase the pardon of sin, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and eternal life.
This was such a condemning error as could by no means consist with a state of
grace. Our hearts are what they are in the sight of God, who cannot be
deceived. And if they are not right in his sight, our religion is vain, and
will stand us in no stead. A proud and covetous heart cannot be right with God.
It is possible for a man to continue under the power of sin, yet to put on a
form of godliness. When tempted with money to do evil, see what a perishing
thing money is, and scorn it. Think not that Christianity is a trade to live by
in this world. There is much wickedness in the thought of the heart, its false
notions, and corrupt affections, and wicked projects, which must be repented
of, or we are undone. But it shall be forgiven, upon our repentance. The doubt
here is of the sincerity of Simon's repentance, not of his pardon, if his
repentance was sincere. Grant us, Lord, another sort of faith than that which
made Simon wonder only, and did not sanctify his heart. May we abhor all
thoughts of making religion serve the purposes of pride or ambition. And keep
us from that subtle poison of spiritual pride, which seeks glory to itself even
from humility. May we seek only the honour which cometh from God.
Commentary on Acts 8:26-40
(Read Acts 8:26-40)
Philip was directed to go to a desert. Sometimes God
opens a door of opportunity to his ministers in very unlikely places. We should
study to do good to those we come into company with by travelling. We should
not be so shy of all strangers as some affect to be. As to those of whom we
know nothing else, we know this, that they have souls. It is wisdom for men of
business to redeem time for holy duties; to fill up every minute with something
which will turn to a good account. In reading the word of God, we should often
pause, to inquire of whom and of what the sacred writers spake; but especially
our thoughts should be employed about the Redeemer. The Ethiopian was convinced
by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, of the exact fulfilment of the Scripture,
was made to understand the nature of the Messiah's kingdom and salvation, and
desired to be numbered among the disciples of Christ. Those who seek the truth,
and employ their time in searching the Scriptures, will be sure to reap advantages.
The avowal of the Ethiopian must be understood as expressing simple reliance on
Christ for salvation, and unreserved devotion to Him. Let us not be satisfied
till we get faith, as the Ethiopian did, by diligent study of the Holy
Scriptures, and the teaching of the Spirit of God; let us not be satisfied till
we get it fixed as a principle in our hearts. As soon as he was baptized, the
Spirit of God took Philip from him, so that he saw him no more; but this tended
to confirm his faith. When the inquirer after salvation becomes acquainted with
Jesus and his gospel, he will go on his way rejoicing, and will fill up his
station in society, and discharge his duties, from other motives, and in
another manner than heretofore. Though baptized in the name of the Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost, with water, it is not enough without the baptism of the Holy
Ghost. Lord, grant this to every one of us; then shall we go on our way
rejoicing.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Acts》
Acts 8
Verse 2
[2] And
devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
Devout men —
Who feared God more than persecution. And yet were they not of little faith?
Else they would not have made so great lamentation.
Verse 3
[3] As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and
haling men and women committed them to prison.
Saul made havoc of the Church — Like some furious beast of prey. So the Greek word properly signifies.
Men and women —
Regarding neither age nor sex.
Verse 4
[4]
Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
Therefore they that were dispersed went every
where — These very words are reassumed, after as
it were a long parenthesis, chap. xi, 19, Acts 11:19 and the thread of the story
continued.
Verse 5
[5] Then
Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
Stephen —
Being taken away, Philip, his next colleague, (not the apostle,) rises in his
place.
Verse 9
[9] But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same
city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself
was some great one:
A certain man —
using magic - So there was such a thing as witchcraft once! In Asia at least,
if not in Europe or America.
Verse 12
[12] But
when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God,
and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
But when they believed — What Philip preached, then they saw and felt the real power of God, and
submitted thereto.
Verse 13
[13] Then
Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip,
and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
And Simon believed —
That is, was convinced of the truth.
Verse 14
[14] Now
when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the
word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
And the apostles hearing that Samaria — The inhabitants of that country, had received the word of God - By
faith, sent Peter and John - He that sends must be either superior, or at least
equal, to him that is sent. It follows that the college of the apostles was
equal if not superior to Peter.
Verse 15
[15] Who,
when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy
Ghost:
The Holy Ghost — In
his miraculous gifts? Or his sanctifying graces? Probably in both.
Verse 18
[18] And
when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was
given, he offered them money,
Simon offered them money — And hence the procuring any ministerial function, or ecclesiastical
benefice by money, is termed Simony.
Verse 21
[21] Thou
hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the
sight of God.
Thou hast neither part — By purchase, nor lot - Given gratis, in this matter - This gift of God.
For thy heart is not right before God — Probably St. Peter discerned this long before he had declared it;
although it does not appear that God gave to any of the apostles a universal
power of discerning the hearts of all they conversed with; any more than a
universal power of healing all the sick they came near. This we are sure St.
Paul had not; though he was not inferior to the chief of the apostles.
Otherwise he would not have suffered the illness of Epaphroditus to have
brought him so near to death, Philippians 2:25-27; nor have left so useful a
fellow labourer as Trophimus sick at Miletus, 2 Timothy 4:20.
Verse 22
[22]
Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought
of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
Repent — if
perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee - Without all doubt if he
had repented, he would have been forgiven. The doubt was, whether he would
repent.
Thou art in the gall of bitterness — In the highest degree of wickedness, which is bitterness, that is,
misery to the soul; and in the bond of iniquity - Fast bound therewith.
Verse 26
[26] And
the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south
unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
The way which is desert — There were two ways from Jerusalem to Gaza, one desert, the other
through a more populous country.
Verse 27
[27] And
he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority
under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure,
and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
An eunuch —
Chief officers were anciently called eunuchs, though not always literally such;
because such used to be chief ministers in the eastern courts.
Candace, queen of the Ethiopians — So all the queens of Ethiopia were called.
Verse 28
[28] Was
returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
Sitting in his chariot, he read the Prophet
Isaiah — God meeteth those that remember him in his
ways. It is good to read, hear, seek information even in a journey. Why should
we not redeem all our time?
Verse 30
[30] And
Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said,
Understandest thou what thou readest?
And Philip running to him, said,
Understandest thou what thou readest? — He
did not begin about the weather, news, or the like. In speaking for God, we may
frequently come to the point at once, without circumlocution.
Verse 31
[31] And
he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that
he would come up and sit with him.
He desired Philip to come up and sit with him — Such was his modesty, and thirst after instruction.
Verse 32
[32] The
place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the
slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
The portion of Scripture — By reading that very chapter, the fifty-third of Isaiah, many Jews, yea,
and atheists, have been converted. Some of them history records. God knoweth
them all. Isaiah 53:7
Verse 33
[33] In
his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his
generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
In his humiliation his judgment was taken
away — That is, when he was a man, he had no
justice shown him. To take away a person's judgment, is a proverbial phrase for
oppressing him.
And who shall declare, or count his
generation — That is, who can number his seed, Isaiah 53:10; which he hath purchased by laying
down his life?
Verse 36
[36] And
as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said,
See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
And as they went on the way they came to a
certain water — Thus, even the circumstances of the
journey were under the direction of God. The kingdom of God suits itself to
external circumstances, without any violence, as air yields to all bodies, and
yet pervades all.
What hindereth me to be baptized? — Probably he had been circumcised: otherwise Cornelius would not have
been the first fruits of the Gentiles.
Verse 38
[38] And
he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the
water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
And they both went down — Out of the chariot. It does not follow that he was baptized by
immersion. The text neither affirms nor intimates any thing concerning it.
Verse 39
[39] And
when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away
Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip — Carried him away with a miraculous swiftness, without any action or
labour of his own. This had befallen several of the prophets.
Verse 40
[40] But
Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities,
till he came to Caesarea.
But Philip was found at Azotus — Probably none saw him, from his leaving the eunuch, till he was there.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on
Acts》
Acts 8:1
Acts 8:1 represents an
important principle of thermodynamics: “The greater the heat, the greater the
expansion.”
Chapter 8. Somaria
What You Are
Reading
Do you Understand?
I. The Church
Persecuted and Scattered
II. Philip
Proclaim the Christ
III. The
Salvation of the Ethiopian Eunuch
── Chih-Hsin Chang《An Outline of The New Testament》
Chapter Eight General Review
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER
1) To note the spread of the gospel into Judea and Samaria by Jesus (cf. Ac 1:8) 2) To review the conversions of the Samaritans and the Ethiopian eunuch 3) To examine the apostolic ministry of imparting the Spirit through the laying on of hands SUMMARY
Following the martyrdom of Stephen, the church in Jerusalem persecuted. Prominent in leading the persecution was young Saul, goingso far as to enter homes and dragging men and women off to prison (1-3). This led to the dispersion of the church throughout Judea and Samaria though the apostles remained in Jerusalem went everywhere preaching the Word, including Philip (one of the sevenmen selected to help needy widows, cf. 6:5). Preaching Christ andperforming miracles, many Samaritans believed and were baptized,including a sorcerer named Simon. When the apostles heard that theSamaritans had received the Word, they sent Peter and John to impart theSpirit through the laying on of hands. When Simon tried to buy theability to impart spiritual gifts, Peter strongly rebuked him and toldhim to repent and pray for forgiveness. Peter and John eventually madetheir way back to Jerusalem the Samaritans (5-25). Philip was then told by an angel to go along the road between Jerusalem and Gaza eunuch and treasurer of Queen Candace of Ethiopia to overtake the chariot, Philip heard him reading from the prophetIsaiah. Invited to explain the passage in Isaiah (cf. Isa 53:7-8),Philip proceeded to preach Jesus to him. When they came to some water,the eunuch requested to be baptized and Philip did so upon hearing hisconfession of faith. When they came up out of the water, the Spiritcaught Philip away and the eunuch resumed his journey with great joy.Philip was later found at Azotus, and continued to preach in the citiesuntil he came to Caesarea (26-40). OUTLINE
I. AFTERMATH OF STEPHEN'S DEATH (1-4)
A. THE CHURCH PERSECUTED (1-3) 1. Saul consents to Stephen's death 2. A great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem a. Christians scattered throughout Judea and Samaria b. Except the apostles 3. Stephen buried and lamented by devout men 4. Saul makes havoc of the church, imprisoning men and women B. THE CHRISTIANS PREACHING (4) 1. Those scattered abroad went everywhere 2. Preaching the word II. CONVERSION OF THE SAMARITANS (5-25)
A. PHILIP AT SAMARIA 1. Preaches Christ to them 2. Multitudes give heed to the word, seeing the miracles he did a. Casting out unclean spirits b. Healing the paralyzed and lame c. Creating great joy in the city 3. Background on Simon the sorcerer a. Previously practiced sorcery, astonishing the people, claiming to be great b. To whom people gave heed, calling him "the great power of God" 4. Many Samaritans converted a. Believed Philip preaching concerning the kingdom of God the name of Jesus b. Were baptized, both men and women 5. Simon also believes and is baptized a. Continued with Philip b. Amazed with the signs and miracles that were done B. PETER AND JOHN AT SAMARIA 1. Peter and John sent to Samaria a. By the apostles at Jerusalem b. Who heard the Samaritans received the word of God 2. Peter and John impart the Holy Spirit a. Praying for the Samaritans, for they had only been baptized in the name of Jesus b. Laying hands on them, whereby they received the Holy Spirit 3. Simon tries to buy the gift of imparting the Spirit a. He saw that it was imparted by the laying on of the apostles' hands b. He offered Peter and John money for the same gift c. Peter strongly rebukes Simon 1) For thinking the gift of God could be purchased with money 2) He had no part in this matter, for his heart was not right in the sight of God d. Peter counsels Simon 1) To repent and pray for forgiveness 2) For he is poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity 3) Simon pleads with Peter to pray for him 4. Peter and John return to Jerusalem a. After testifying and preaching the word of the Lord b. After preaching the gospel in many of the villages of the Samaritans III. CONVERSION OF THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH (26-40)
A. PHILIP SENT TO THE EUNUCH (26-29) 1. An angel of the Lord tells Philip to go south toward Gaza 2. In a desert area he sees a man in a chariot a. A man of great authority 1) A eunuch from Ethiopia 2) In charge of the treasury of Candace, queen of Ethiopia b. A religious man 1) Had traveled to Jerusalem 2) Reading from Isaiah on his return home 3. The Spirit tells Philip to overtake the chariot B. PHILIP PREACHES JESUS TO THE EUNUCH (30-40) 1. Philip approaches the eunuch a. Hears him reading from Isaiah - Isa 53:7-8 b. Asks him if he understands what he is reading c. The eunuch desires help in understanding the subject of the passage 2. Philip preaches to the Eunuch a. Beginning with that scripture, He preached Jesus to him b. Coming to some water, the eunuch requests baptism c. Baptism requires faith in Jesus, which the eunuch confesses d. Both go into the water, and Philip baptizes the eunuch 3. Following the baptism a. The Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away so the eunuch saw him no more b. The eunuch went on his way rejoicing c. Philip was later found at Azotus, and preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER
1) What are the main points of this chapter?
- Aftermath of Stephen's death (1-4) - Conversion of the Samaritans (5-25) - Conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch (26-40) 2) Who consented to Stephen's death? (1)
- Saul 3) What happened at that time? What was the result? (1)
- A great persecution against the church - The church was scattered throughout Judea and Samaria apostles 4) What was Saul doing? (3)
- Making havoc of the church, dragging men and women off to prison 5) What did those who were scattered do? (4)
- They went everywhere preaching the word