Granite State Church of ChristThe Book of Acts

Chapters 8 through 12

Welcome to the Acts 8-11 Class. I hope this is as exciting for you as it was putting it together.

Overall the class is going to broken up into the four conversion stories contained in these chapters:

  • The Samaritans
  • The Eunuch
  • Saul
  • Cornelius

Within these stories we are going to draw out the types of Holy Spirit encounters

  • Outpouring of the HS
  • Indwelling of the HS
  • Miraculous Gifts of the HS

We’ll also, by necessity, mention a few things about the Types of Laying on of Hands:

  • Blessing
  • Healing
  • Passing the gifts of the HS

Some of these things may be hard to understand. Please feel free to use the forum on the website to ask me questions if we don’t have the time to ask them here tonight.

I found an amazing commentary written in 1863 by a man named J.W. McGarvey. I will be referencing it throughout this lesson and even reading some of its content directly. We are posting it to our website so all can have access to it as well.

Acts 8 – Saul, Philip, Simon the Sorcerer and the Eunuch

Enter Saul…Yes, this is the first time we hear of this guy Saul who later became Paul…author of 13 of the NT Letters.

The enemies of the disciples had now tried and exhausted all the ordinary methods of opposing the truth. Under the leadership of the Sadducees they had tried threats, imprisonment, and then flogging1. These actions, at this point, had not stopped the expanding of the Gospel.

Listen to how the commentary J.W. McGarvey captures the scene:

“Foiled in their efforts, the Pharisees were now ready to unite with the Sadducees in a common persecution. They selected Stephen as the first victim, because he had been their most formidable opponent in the discussion. They had determined to proceed in their bloody purpose with the forms of law; but, in a moment of frenzy, they had broken loose from all restraint, and dispatched their victim with the violence of a mob. Once embarked in this mad career, nothing less than the utter extermination of the Church could satisfy them.”.

So, we heard during our last meeting from Acts 7 that Stephen became the first Christian martyr.

…we see from Acts 8:3 that Saul then began to destroy the church at this point.

Acts 8:3

But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

We know from Acts 8:1 that all the disciples left Jerusalem…except for the apostles. Imagine the scene. Imagine what they must have felt. All the thousands that had been baptized are gone. Many of their friends and young disciples are in prison. They must have thought even their own lives were in danger. How could they remain under such pressure?

Because Jesus told them long ago that all would have to walk the same walk He did. They stood their post regardless of the consequence1.

Why did this mass persecution happen in the first place? Was it from the simple fact that they believed in Jesus? NO! It happened, as McGarvey puts it so eloquently, “more especially from the zeal and persistency with which they pushed [their] claims upon the attention of others.”

We know, from the stoning to the fleeing, that the apostles seemingly lost everything because they wanted people to know about Christ. Worldly wisdom would say they should be more quiet and less confrontational about sharing their faith1 openly right?

Amazingly, the disciples went everywhere preaching the word. Instead of silence, the gospel was spreading more rapidly1. Saul’s plans to destroy the church were being foiled.

Enter Philip…not Philip the apostle, but Philip, one of the Seven chosen to distribute food to the widows.

Where did Philip go to preach the word? Samaria. Why? It was foretold in

Acts 1:8

and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth

Jesus said this would happen seven years earlier. Philip went to Samaria and preached and did lots of miracles. People were healed and evil spirits were cast out. Because of the miracles they listened more closely to what he was saying about the Christ. But it was the power of the word that convinced them. Look at

Acts 8:12

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

You see…it wasn’t because of the miracles that they got baptized. The miracles just caused them to listen a little closer. It was the truth that led them to Jesus. And we have this same truth today. It is written for us to use to bring people to Jesus.

Enter Simon the Sorcerer. When Philip first got to Samaria, the public was actually under the spell of this man. They referred to Simon as the great power of God. They listen carefully to what Simon had been saying because of the power he portrayed.

Philip’s initial work was to “undeceive” the people of Samaria1. When the people compared the miracles and teachings of Simon with the miracles and teaching of Philip, there was a prompt and universal decision to go with Philip…1.

The power of God’s word was shown and the people were said to have “believed” and were baptized. This is yet another fulfillment of Christ’s teaching in:

Mark 16:16

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

The Samaritans believed and were immersed…baptizo. And then something even more amazing happened! Simon the Sorcerer believed and was baptized!

So, here’s a question for you: Was Simon’s conversion legitimate or faked? What would you say? Take a guess. Can we even know for sure? Yes, I think we can. We can by looking at what the narrator says in comparison to the Samaritans. He makes no distinction between what the Samaritans did and what Simon did. It says so in:

Acts 8:13

Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

Now we come to the point in Luke’s story that can be hard to understand.

Acts 8:14-17

When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized intothe name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Can you see why this might be hard to understand to some?

So let’s take a look at the facts to help us understand what is happening:

  • First, the Samaritans had believed the gospel, and been baptized. They were, then, according to the great commission, and according to Peter's answer on Pentecost, forgiven, and in possession of the "indwelling of the Holy Spirit," known as the gift of the Holy Spirit…which was promised on condition of repentance and baptism1.
  • Second, after they had been in possession of this gift, for a period long enough for the news to reach Jerusalem, the whole body of the apostles united in sending to them Peter and John1. Try to imagine how long that would have taken for the news to reach Jerusalem and for Peter and John to travel to Samaria.
  • Third, prior to the arrival of Peter and John in Samaria, none of them had received this thing called the “Holy Spirit”.
  • Fourth, upon the Laying on of Hands by the two apostles, accompanied with prayers, the “Holy Spirit” came upon them.

Those are the facts…so let’s look at what conclusions we can draw from those facts:

The pivotal part of this message revolves around understanding the phrase “Holy Spirit”.

In order to help explain this passage, I’m going to make some statements and then try to support them with evidence right from the same passage.

Statement #1

What the apostles did was impart the Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit and not provide the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit. What they went to Samaria to do, only they could do.

There were minor reasons Peter and John went to Samaria and there was a main reason why they went. The minor reasons we could guess at all day long but it doesn’t say them in the text…(like to confirm the faith of the disciples there, to encourage Philip, etc.). But we know they had a main purpose for going to Samaria because when they got there they did something very specific…to bestow this thing referred to in the text as the “Holy Spirit.”

Note that in v.16 it doesn’t say, “When they arrived they noticed that no-one had received the Holy Spirit so they laid their hands on them and prayed for them”. No, the text is written to show Peter and John knew they would have to impart this thing called the “Holy Spirit” before arriving.

If Philip could have caused them to “receive the Holy Spirit”, then the main reason why Peter and John went to Samaria would have been useless1. What was given could only be given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands…and no others. Even Simon recognized it clearly:

Acts 8:18

When Simon saw that the spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money

He did not make this same proposition to Philip. We also know Philip did not impart the Holy Spirit UPON any of them because it says so in the text…”the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them.”

Even though Philip had the Holy Spirit, and was a disciple who himself had the Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit, (the healing and casting our evil spirits), he could not bestow it UPON anyone.

So where did Philip get this power? Well, in Acts 6 we see the apostles laying their hands on Philip and praying for him and the six others. The next we see Philip he is performing miraculous things. We don’t ever see Philip imparting the “Holy Spirit” on anyone.

Peter and John had to come to Samaria to do this thing. If the acts of Peter and John were to provide for the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit, (salvation) then the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit would have died when the apostles died because we know that Philip could not do the act done by Peter and John.

The only other distinctly clear instance in the book of Acts that refers to the imparting of the the “Holy Spirit” by the laying on of hands happened to the twelve disciples in Ephesus by the Laying on of Hands by Paul, (this happens in Acts 19:6). And Paul placed his hands on them only after they were baptized in the name of Jesus…just like here in Samaria.

One other example in the NT of the Laying on of Hands to impart this “Holy Spirit” power is Paul to Timothy. See 1 Ti 4:14 and 2 Ti 1:6.

  • What happened in Acts 6 with the laying on of the apostles’ hands does not show miraculous gifts…but it was to impart the Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit because we see Philip healing and casting out demons.
  • But this passage here in Acts 8 does refer to the Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit because we know Simon the sorcerer saw power and wanted to purchase it.
  • We know Acts 19:6 was imparting of the Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit because they spoke in tongues.

ADDITIONAL NOTE:

The text also says “the Holy Spirit had not yet come UPON any of them”. It does not say no-one received the forgiveness of sins.

Statement #2

We know the Samaritans enjoyed membership in the church1

…which is the body of Christ. How do we know? It says so in v14 in the phrase “heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God”. The Samaritans and Simon believed and were baptized and news came back to Jerusalem that Samaria had accepted the word of God. So, today, in our day and age, when someone accepts the word of God, what does it mean?

Statement #3

Peter and John’s mission to Samaria makes it clear that being baptized into Christ has nothing to do with the Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Here is where I reference 1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 14. These two chapters explain the purpose of the Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit for the fellowship in Corinth. And we can infer the same reasons on the fellowship in Samaria.

Why was it bestowed? Why did Peter and John have to travel to Samaria if the people already accepted the word of God and were already baptized into Christ?

Because the church needed some way to increase their knowledge of the new covenant and bring more people to Christ after their inspired teachers left.

The young church in Samaria had been guided thus far by the teaching of Philip initially, and then Peter and John. But these three would have to move on and spread the gospel to other places, as we know. If they left the brothers in Samaria without the Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit, they would be left with nothing but their uncertain, fallible, human memories to retain accurately what they had been taught by these disciples. To make up for this inadequacy, they had to be left with a way of convincing future unbelievers. So, the gift of inspiration and other powers was bestowed upon them. Again, please read about why such miraculous gifts were needed in the early church in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14.

We also know from 1 Corinthians 13:8 these miraculous gifts served only as a temporary provision until the “perfection” came. All the miraculous knowledge, tongues, prophecies etc. would disappear and only faith, hope and love would remain when the perfection came. It could not have been referring to heaven because hope and faith would not be needed in heaven. It could not have been referring to Jesus because the Greek term for “perfection” is gender neutral. This perfection refers to the facts, doctrine, commandments, and promises of the new covenant committed to writing by inspired men. It’s the Bible. And once the Bible was in the hands of men, no more miracles would be needed to bring people to God. Think of how you came to the faith.

So, how do we know that the “Holy Spirit” gift imparted was in fact miraculous? It was a matter of observation by those who were not recipients of it, like it says in verse 18.

Acts 8:18

When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money and said, "Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."

Another point to note is that the “Holy Spirit” reference in this story did not come upon the persons directly from heaven, like it did on the day of Pentecost. On the day of Pentecost no-one was expecting it. Here, in Samaria, it was given through the laying on of hands. This is a distinct difference between the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

SIDE NOTE: So what was it that happened at Pentecost? As was just said, it was the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which came suddenly, without expectation and without the intercession of a human. This happened to usher in the Kingdom of God, promised by Jesus at the end of Luke, foretold by Old Testament prophets as well. And the similar event happened only one other time…when the Kingdom of God was ushered in to the Gentiles…for Cornelius’ family in Acts 10. Which we will review shortly.

So, what can we say then as a recap?

  1. The Samaritans were true disciples who had accepted the word of God and been baptized and were considered members of the body of Christ before Peter and John arrived.
  2. The passage, “because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of Jesus” refers to the Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit and has nothing to do with the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit…meaning salvation.
  3. Peter and John were sent to impart the Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit in order to provide the people a way to testify to the truth until the “perfection” came...as it says in 1 Co 13:8.
  4. We know from several facts in this chapter that only the apostles could impart this thing referred to as “the Holy Spirit” so if it did mean salvation, no-one who lived after the time of the apostles would have salvation. We know Philip could not provide this “Holy Spirit” because of Luke’s quote in v.18 “When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands...”

Before moving on to the next part of Luke’s narration, please note that an excellent description of Simon’s conversion can be found in the JW McGarvey commentary which is on the church website. We just don’t have time to cover it here today.