Acts 8

Saul Begins His Rampage

Acts 8

Now Saul was consenting to (was in complete agreement with) his (Stephen’s) death. At that time (inspired by Stephen’s persecution) a great (mega) persecution arose (spun off) against the church (Christ’s church) which was at Jerusalem; and they (the gospel ambassadors) were (as a whole) all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles, (who remained in Jerusalem for the time being.) ² And devout men (righteous men, very unlike the persecutors who were merely religious) carried Stephen to his burial, and made great (mega) lamentation (grieving is biblical, we are not to grieve as those who have no hope though) over him. ([which was] forbidden by the Mishna [a written record of the Jewish oral traditions] in the case of an executed criminal—[which] amounted to a public protest of Stephen’s death.[1] These men are not only devout, they are also brave.

³ As for Saul, he made havoc of the church (He “made havoc of the church,” and the verb here describes a wild animal mangling its prey.[2]) entering every house (not to merely intimidate or harass gospel believers, they wanted more. They wanted blood) and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. (This was a city wide shakedown. People were fleeing Jerusalem like rats on the sinking ship!)

He persecuted both men and women “unto the death” (Acts 22:4),
entering both houses and synagogues (Acts 22:19).
He had the believers imprisoned and beaten (Acts 22:19; 26:9–11).
If they renounced their faith in Jesus Christ (“compelling them to blaspheme”—Acts 26:11), they were set free; if they did not recant, they could be killed.^[3]

Acts 26:11 – I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

⁴ Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere (all over the place) preaching the word. (Preaching the gospel that they had heard, believed and now lived.)

Instead of putting out a fire, Saul and others like him were creating a firestorm raging over the entire countryside!

2 Corinthians 5:18–21 – Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

2 Timothy 4:5 – But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

⁵ Then Philip (one of those chosen with Stephen to care for the widows) went down to the city of Samaria (the Jews despised the Samaritans because they intermarried with the Assyrians in their exile, but Philip went to them) and preached Christ to them. ⁶ And the multitudes (in the city) with one accord (with unanimous consent) heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing (the Word) and seeing the miracles which he did (authenticating both the messenger and the message.) ⁷ For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. ⁸ And there was great (mega) joy in that city.

Their joy came not just from

physical deliverance from diseases,
or spiritual deliverance from demons,
but from complete deliverance from sin through the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Others, however, were false believers, or tares. Such a man was Simon Magus, the subject of the following narrative.^[4]

The Sorcerer’s Profession of Faith

⁹ But (in contrast to all those who heeded the gospel of Christ) there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced (demonic) sorcery (he wasn’t doing magic tricks) in the city and astonished (continually amazed) the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great (claiming that he was better than others, someone exceptional), ¹⁰ to whom they all gave heed (the attention he wanted, the notoriety, celebrity status he craved), from the least (of the people) to the greatest, saying, “This man is (either is deity or at least, exhibits) the great power of God.” ¹¹ And they heeded (listened to and followed) him (not because of truth, but because of appearances – Isn’t that what Satan is all about, appearances, the angel of light?) because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. (This is not something Simon just started. He was famous, rich and proud.) ¹² But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God (the truth concerning: God’s provision to bring sinful man into right relationship to Himself, God’s warning that all demons and those who die in their sin will suffer eternal judgment, and God’s promise to restore the broken world and universe) and the name of Jesus Christ (referring to all that Christ truly is), both men and women were baptized (after they believed). ¹³ Then (following all these conversions) Simon himself also believed (professed saving faith in Christ); and when he was baptized he continued with Philip (remained at his side), and was amazed, (at what? At the kingdom of God? At Christ? No, at) seeing (witnessing) the miracles and signs which were done. (Simon’s focus of attention seems to be on signs and wonders. Maybe he was trying to figure out their abilities or steal their trade secrets.)

The Sorcerer’s Sin

¹⁴ Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard (about Phillip’s ministry and its fruit) that Samaria had received the word of God (which would be shocking news), they sent Peter and John to them (to witness the work and assist Phillip in the work), ¹⁵ who, when they (Jews from Jerusalem) had come down, prayed for them (the Samaritan gospel believers) that they might receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶ For as yet He (the Holy Spirit) had (purposely) fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (after placing saving faith in Him). ¹⁷ Then they (by the Spirit’s leading) laid hands on them (showing the apostles identification with them and affirmation of their faith), and they received the Holy Spirit (unifying forever, the Jews with the Samaritans).

… the plain teaching of Scripture [is] that “if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him” (Rom. 8:9). There is no such thing as a Christian who does not yet have the Holy Spirit, since “by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” at conversion (1 Cor. 12:13).

Why did the Samaritans (And later the Gentiles) have to wait for the apostles before receiving the Spirit? For centuries, the Samaritans and the Jews had been bitter rivals. If the Samaritans had received the Spirit independent of the Jerusalem church, that rift would have been perpetuated. There could well have been two separate churches, a Jewish church and a Samaritan church. But God had designed one church, in which “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female,” but “all [are] one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28).

By delaying the Spirit’s coming until Peter and John arrived, God preserved the unity of the church.^[5]

¹⁸ And when Simon saw (we are not told what the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s coming was, but it was obviously visible), that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given he offered them (the apostles) money (he wanted to buy the “secret” of their power – not understanding the Holy Spirit’s indwelling is a free gift), ¹⁹ saying, “Give me this power also (he knew the secrets of his power and assumed the apostles had secrets too), that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” (not understanding that only Gospel believer’s can receive the Holy Spirit. Simon treated the apostles like fellow sorcerers seeking to buy their secrets, which is probably how he acquired some of his other talents.)

Nothing God has, however, is for sale—certainly not the Holy Spirit! Indeed, there is nothing sinful men have to offer Him. Salvation and spiritual blessing He pours out freely to His children. In Isaiah 55:1 God cries out, “Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.” Yet countless thousands, ignorant of that fact, are striving desperately and futilely to buy God’s blessing.^[6]

²⁰ But Peter said to him (Simon), “Your money perish with you (“Literally, Be with thee for destruction”^[7]), because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! (Simon’s blasphemous request at least reflects a lost condition.)

Simon’s profession of faith doesn’t seem to bear any fruit even in its infancy.

His profession appears to be prompted by miracles not the gospel of Christ, the Word of God, (v. 13).
We don’t have any direct indication that the Holy Spirit came upon him, even though he saw Him come to others, (v. 18)
He doesn’t seek to give away his faith, he seeks to profit from it, (v. 19).
He is told he has no partnership or ownership with the Holy Spirit, (v. 21).
Simon is told to repent of his sin, but only asks the apostles to pray for him, (v. 22).

If Simon was saved it may be another Ananias and Sapphira example.

“Both stand out in the first church as glaring examples of the frightful attempt by means of money to obtain what can be obtained only by God’s grace.”^[8] Death came to Ananias and Sapphira and is threatened to come upon Simon.

²¹ You have neither part (referring to partnership in the Holy Spirit and His work) nor portion in this matter (referring to ownership), for your heart (the control center of your life) is not right in the sight of God (most scholars believe Simon is being told that his profession of faith was not real – the Spirit was not bearing with his spirit that he was a child of God [Rom. 8:16]). ²² Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you (not speaking of God’s ability, but Simon’s willingness – the reason for questioning the possibility is stated in the next verse). ²³ For I see (by the Spirit’s enabling) that you are poisoned (infected) by bitterness and bound by (enslaved to) iniquity ([sin, conveying] an extremely bitter, harsh, and distasteful condition^[9].” This is opposite of the fruit of the Spirit.)

²⁴ Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me (We can’t pray the sinner’s prayer for anyone. They must pray it for themselves. There is no indication of a desire to humbly prostrate himself and his sin before God, but only for escape from the consequences of his condition – Pharaoh asked Moses to pray for him too, and for seemingly the same reasons, escape from the consequences of his sin.).”

Evangelism that Endures

It is evangelism that is led by the Spirit: The Holy Spirit directs this kind of evangelism.

The Spirit directs in unexpected ways (Philip is back on his own again, with even more new converts and then he is given a new assignment too)

²⁵ So when they (Peter and John) had testified and preached the word of the Lord (in Samaria), they (left Philip) returned to (report the unification of the Samaritans through the gospel of Christ to) Jerusalem, preaching the gospel (along the way) in many villages of the Samaritans. (Unifying even more Samaritans with Christ and their Jewish brethern.)

The Spirit directs in unpredictable ways (an angel gives Philip his next assignment)

²⁶ Now an angel (messenger) of the Lord spoke to Philip,

The Spirit directs to inconvenient places (Philip is to go to the desert)

saying, “Arise and (you leave Samaria too, and) go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (which is one of the five main cities of the Philistines) This (way) is desert (the less traveled road to Gaza. The main and usual route would have been the Highway by the Sea). ²⁷ So he (obediently) arose and went.

The Spirit directs to searching and sometimes intimidating individuals (Philip is led to the Ethiopian eunuch)

And behold (on this seldom traveled back desert road), a man of Ethiopia (a seeker of God), a eunuch of great (superior) authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians (not her real name, but her title as the Queen Mother),[10] who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, ²⁸ was returning. (If he was a true eunuch, he would have been denied entry to the temple, limiting his worship experience, and he would have not been allowed to be a full proselyte, limiting his status in a synagogue.)

It is “personal” evangelism: the person whom God uses in evangelism
He uses active servants v. 26 (Philip didn’t run out of work nor did he need extra work)
He uses obedient servants, v. 27 (So he (obediently) arose and went.)
He uses available servants: (the Spirit says, “Go near and overtake this chariot,” and he does)

And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. (It may be that God got the eunuch reading out of Isaiah 53 because of God’s message about eunuch’s in it.) ²⁹ Then the (Holy) Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” (The eunuch certainly had an escort, but Phillip still runs right towards the man his bodyguards are to protect!)

Isaiah 56:3–5 – Do not let the son of the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord speak, saying, “The Lord has utterly separated me from His people”; nor let the eunuch say, “Here I am, a dry tree.” ⁴ For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast My covenant, ⁵Even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.

³⁰ So Philip (obediently and expectantly) ran to him, and (over)heard him reading the prophet Isaiah (the eunuch obviously owned a person copy of Isaiah which would not have been a cheap investment), and (Philip) said (to the eunuch), “Do you understand what you are reading?” (a polite and proactive evangelistic approach)

He uses socially patient servants (the Ethiopian is spiritually lacking, black, needy, important/intimidating, a Gentile, a foreigner, an eunuch)

³¹ And he (as important a person as he was) said (honestly and humbly), “How can I, unless someone guides (teaches, enlightens) me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him (in his chariot). ³² The place in the Scripture which he read was this:

“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;

Here is a messianic passage that clearly speaks about the life and death of Jesus Christ. But because Isaiah does not mention the name of the person he introduces only as “he,” the Ethiopian is unable to grasp the meaning of the text. To Philip, this passage from Isaiah’s prophecy speaks volumes. He sees Jesus arrested in Gethsemane’s garden [all over again] and led to the house of the high priest to stand trial. While witnesses accused Jesus of wanting to break down the temple and rebuild it in three days. Jesus remained silent (Matt. 26:60–63).^[11]

and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opened not His mouth.

Philip is familiar with the words John the Baptist spoke to his disciples when Jesus approached him:

“Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29, 36).
Peter also describes Jesus as the lamb that is without blemish or defect (I Peter 1:19).
When the term lamb occurs in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, it signifies sacrificial lambs.

[So]…when the expressions lamb and sheep appear in Isaiah 53:7, [then] they refer to a human being who fulfills the function of an animal that is sacrificed.^[12]

³³ In His humiliation His justice was taken away,

This wording prophetically points to the unjust trial and subsequent death of Jesus. ^[13]

and who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.” (Isaiah 53:7, 8)

The 12 disciples will declare Jesus’ life as will all the disciples that come after the 12, meaning all who accept Jesus as their Savior.

³⁴ So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet (Isaiah) say this, of himself or of some other man?”

He uses prepared servants (he knew where to begin, where to end and how to get there)

³⁵ Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture (the Isaiah passage), preached (the good news of) Jesus to him. ³⁶ Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And (Philip must have included in his presentation of the gospel, the significance and typology of baptism, as) the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”

He uses cautious servants (Philip doesn’t get the cart before the horse – he doesn’t preach easy believeism)

³⁷ Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, (meaning have sincerely placed saving faith in Christ alone as your Savior) you may.” (But salvation “must” precede baptism.)

And he answered and said, “I (do) believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

It is “Scriptural” evangelism: It’s all based on a proper use of the Word of God, the Scriptures.
The Scriptures are used and read (v. 28, 30, 32)
Te Scriptures are pondered, (v. 34) “I ask you, of whom does the prophet (Isaiah) say this, of himself or of some other man?”
The Scriptures are Explained, (v. 35) Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture preached Jesus to him.
The Scriptures understood (v. 38ff)

³⁸ So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into (not by or at the edge of) the water, and he baptized him.

One, the Eunuch testified publically to his entire company that he was now a follower of Jesus Christ.

Two, baptism means to dip, plunge or immerse. The eunuch’s canteen would not have worked to symbolize Christ’s death, burial, resurrection and the sinners cleansing from sin.

Death: in an environment not conducive to life
Burial: surrounded in water
Resurrection/new life: come up and take a breath
Cleansing from sin: water running off your entire body

³⁹ Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught (snatched) Philip (supernaturally) away, so that the eunuch saw him no more (which I’m sure added some emphasis to the decision the eunuch just made as well as powerfully affected his entourage); and he [the eunuch) went on his way (not frustrated or unhappy, but) rejoicing (in a celebratory mood). ⁴⁰ But (meanwhile) Philip was found at Azotus (20 mi. NW of Gaza, which was the ancient city of Ashdod). And passing through (the coastal region), he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea (by the Sea – Philip was a one track record).

Caesarea by the Sea was apparently where Philip made his home according to Acts 21:8-9, “On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.”

Luke does not give us the subsequent history of the Ethiopian eunuch. According to the church Father Irenaeus, he became a missionary to the Ethiopians (Richard N. Longenecker, “The Acts of the Apostles,” in Frank E. Gaebelein, ed., The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 9 [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1981], 366). ^[14]

[1] MacArthur, J. (1994). Acts (230). Chicago: Moody Press

[2] Wiersbe, W.W. (1996). The Bible Exposition Commentary (Ac 8:1). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books

[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Ac 8:1). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

[4] MacArthur, J. (1994). Acts (234). Chicago: Moody Press.

^[5]^{MacArthur, J. (1994). Acts (244). Chicago: Moody Press.}

^[6]^{MacArthur, J. (1994). Acts (244). Chicago: Moody Press.}

^[7]^{Robertson, A. (1997). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Ac 8:20). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems.}

^[8]^{Lenski, R. C. H. (1961). The Interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles (329). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House.}

^[9]^{MacArthur, J. (1994). Acts (245). Chicago: Moody Press.}

[10] Ethiopia in that day was a large kingdom located south of Egypt. To the Greeks and Romans, it represented the outer limits of the known world (John B. Polhill, The New American Commentary: Acts [Nashville: Broadman, 1992], 223). Its kings were believed to be incarnations of the sun god, and the everyday affairs of government were held to be beneath them. Real power lay with the queen mothers^[10]

^[11]^{Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 17: New Testament commentary : Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles. New Testament Commentary (315). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.}

^[12]^{Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 17: New Testament commentary : Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles. New Testament Commentary (315–316). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.}

^[13]^{Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 17: New Testament commentary : Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles. New Testament Commentary (316). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.}

^[14]^{MacArthur, J. (1994). Acts (259). Chicago: Moody Press.}

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