THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
CHAPTER 8
Saul persecutes the Church—Philip’s ministry in Samaria—He works miracles and baptizes men and women—Peter and John come to Samaria and confer the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands—Simon seeks to buy this gift and is rebuked by Peter—Philip preaches Christ and baptizes an Ethiopian eunuch.
1 AND Saul was consenting unto his death. [ Saul is not ready to repent yet. Saul suggests, "These blasphemers have got to be stopped," because he's a Pharisee and he knows in his heart that he is doing the right thing. ] And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
[ Is Saul like Alma the younger? Saul isn't like Alma the younger, where he's wicked and he knows he's wicked. Saul is even more dangerous type of persecutor of the church. someone who believes they're right and thinks they're doing God's will. He's a zealous disciple of the law of Moses and thinks, "Hey, these people, they got to be stopped. They're going to wreck everything that God has set up." And that makes him maybe a little scarier because he thinks what he's doing is right until right up to the moment when the Savior changes the course of his life. ]
4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
[ The Roman Empire jas created good conditions where missionaries and people at large can travel safely. So you've got Jews and the CHristian word being spread throughout the Roman Empire. ]
5 Then Philip [ Philip is the second of the seven called. ] went down to the city of Samaria, [ North of Jerusalem. Remember that that the whole town believed when Jesus talked to the Samarian woman, so what better of a place is there then to go preach the gospel. ] and preached Christ unto them.
6 And the people with one accord gave heed [ So it follows that tghey still are of the same believing spirit. ] unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
[ So Philip comes along and everybody says, "Oh, have you heard of Simon? He's this guy who can do wondrous things too." And they start to set up a contrast in this chapter between people that exercise the power of God for good reasons, and Simon who exercises some kind of power, probably not of God, but for more nefarious reasons. So they're also contrasting between genuine disciples of Christ and the miracles they can do and the kind of counterfeit miracles that sometimes are performed by people who pretend to be great, who do them for less than pure motives. ]
7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
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:
[ Suggesting of himself that he can do great things, things that no one else can do. ]
10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
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.
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.
[ So Philip is kind of a new preacher. He brings in this convert, but then we have the more experienced church leaders come on the scene. ]
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:
[ Peter and John show up they're invited from Jerusalem to come to Samaria and meet with those who have received the word of God, but who it mentions here have not yet received the Holy Ghost. So they're setting up another contrast here between genuine ministers and people that are false ministers along the way, and it's all going to come to a conflict. ]
15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
[ Which implies they've been baptized, but they haven't been confirmed yet. They haven't received the Holy Ghost, which this is a major theme throughout all of Acts. ]
16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
17 Then laid they [ Peter and John acting as authorized ministers laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost. ] their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, [ Simon sees that there is some power here, he recognizes it. ] he offered them money,
[ Simon sees what is going on and says hey I want some of this, I will even pay money for it, because I know I will make it back right away. ]
20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
[ And along comes the rebuke from Peter I'm not doing this for money. And that's not where the power comes from anyway, and it's not mine to give. ]
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: [ The worry here is priestcraft, that the person like Simon is in this sort of for the power, the fame and the money and thinks because of that, he can manipulate people with money too. When the apostles are trying to say, "Hey buddy, this isn't a business. This is a way of life. This is a gospel that we entered into to genuinely help people, not become rich and famous. ] for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
[ Does this show some contrast between Paul or Saul who's doing bad things, but with his sincere motive, and Simon who's doing good things but with an insincere motive. ]
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, [ Peter softens on Simon and suggests that he needs to repent, he is still a new convert, he wants to move up quickly, so he offers money. He wants to do the things that he sees these apostles and Stephen doing. So is be insincere or just does not understand? Peter suggests that he is doing it for power but I don't know. ] and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
25 And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
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, [ Philip is commanded by the angel to go to Gaza which is down by Egypt. ] which is desert.
27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, [ It was culture to make those whom royalty was going to entrust with the parts of their kingdom to employee eunuch's. The idea was that once castrated (sometimes it included cutting of the penis as well) the person was no longer a treat to the king - they would not want to sleep with his wife so he could trust his wife and his concubines to the eunuchs care. They were also often previe to much of the discussions of the king or queen so they knew what was really going on, but again the thought was that once castrated they were not a treat to lead a army against them as they had lost their desire for power. ] who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias [ He is Isaiah for fun, impressive. ] the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, [ The spirit tells Philip what to do and Philip is obedient to that spirit. ] Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
[ I suppose that Philip had a good idea of the answer in asking the question Do you understand what you are reading here? But it was a conversation starter. ]
31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? [ In other words, here is a sincere seeker of truth that just doesn't really know what these passages mean, and needs somebody to come along and put it all together for him, which Philip gladly does. ] And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
[ So Philip does what Stephen did. He takes an Old Testament scripture and says, "Let me explain to you what exactly this means." ]
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:
33 In his humiliation his judgment [ Justice. What happened to him wasn't just. ] was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
[ Isaiah 53. And then Abinadi says, "He will see his seed. When his soul is made an offering for sin, he will see his seed because here he has no generation." Philip uses Isaiah 53 to teach Christ. ]
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
[ The eunuch has some great questions. Who's he talking about? He Isiah speaking of himself or of someone else? ]
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
[ With that introduction Philip is ready to preach the gospel, there is nothing stopping him now as he has a golden investigator. He is reading the only scriptures that they had at the time which was the Old Testament. The eunuch is without guidance in spiritual things, but seems sincere, and seems very clear on what his desires are. ]
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?
[ The eunuch says well here is water, what is stopping you from baptizing me? The eunuch has been completely prepared before Philip comes onto the scene. He just needs an authoritative teacher. So this might tie into this theme of authority too, because Peter and John have authority that they're able to give people the Holy Ghost. Philip has authority, and all the eunuch needs is a person who has authority to come along and say, "Yeah, this is what that means." and the eunuch desires to be baptized. ]
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. [ The mortal son of God the Father. ]
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.