False Prophets-Simon Magus Of Samaria Series

4 The problem Simon caused

Text, Acts 8:18-24, KJV: 18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. 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. 21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. 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.

It must have been something, and actually only a few people ever did see this, when new believers did receive the Holy Spirit. Nobody but they know what emotions they felt but they had to know something was different. It was real. And they had been changed forever because they believed the Gospel, repented, and trusted Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Except, perhaps, one person. Again, we do not know if Simon was genuinely born again, i.e., had repented of his sins, or had only gone through the motions, so to speak. To follow what I’d said about baptism a little while ago, some people have done this, to either simply be baptized or give an intellectual response.

In brief, an evangelist named Oliver Greene from South Carolina told in his autobiography that he had done something so revolting that his father was about to put him in a reform school. This was during the late 1920’s or early 1930’s so imagine what that might have been like. His sister pleaded with the father, saying Oliver will surely go to Hell if you put him in that reform school. Oliver decided he needed to “do something” and decided he would “join the church”. One such church was having meetings and at one such meeting, Oliver asked the pastor if he could “join the church”. The pastor, according to Oliver simply asked him if he believed Jesus was the Son of God. Of course, Oliver agreed—intellectually—but as he himself said, the only change he made was a change of clothes. He didn’t become a believer until a later time, but the Lord has used him through sermons and literature for many years.

And to this day, we wonder about Simon and whether or not he was a genuine believer. Some doubt it, based on the problem he caused when he spoke with Simon Peter. Simon the magician saw how Simon Peter was an instrument in how the believers received the Holy Spirit and even offered Peter money for the privilege, as Simon thought it was! Did Simon want to be able to give the Holy Spirit to others, as Peter did? Or was he desiring to charge money for this act of service? Did he want to keep the standing as “the great power of God”?

Peter didn’t waste any time, He simply looked at the offer, and maybe the money in Simon’s hand, and told him “Thy money perish with thee”, which is a very polite translation! We can find a rather earthier rendering in the J, B, Phillips’ translation (loosely, Peter told Simon where to go with the money)! And it wasn’t because of the money itself—Peter gave his “diagnosis” as first, you thought you could pay to receive the gift (it’s not a gift if I have to pay for it); then, your heart isn’t right with God; followed by “you need to repent of your wickedness (was this just about the payment or something else?) and pray to God so that He will forgive the thoughts of your heart. Peter summed it up nicely when he added, “You’re in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” Gall, here, referred to bile or choler, at the least something very bitter according to (https://biblehub.com/greek/5521.htm). It’s almost like Peter said, “you’re in the bitterness of bitterness” and that’s hardly a good combination!