Acts 8: 1 - 25
Simon and Simon
8 Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. 4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 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 joy in that city. 9 But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” 11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. 14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” 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.” 25 So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
Today we are not going to look at the singing group Simon and Garfunkel but Simon and Simon - two men both called Simon. The one is Simon Peter and the other is a guy by the name of Simon the Sorcerer or also called Simon Magus [Greek] or Simon the Magician [Latin]
As we have learned so far in the book of Acts is that through the first few years of the infant church the believers had suffered a few minor discomforts, but they had come through those triumphantly, and the church had continued to grow and grow. Jerusalem was ‘filled with their teaching’ and the work of caring for all the true people of God was now being successfully administered.
However, soon the party was over. It was like a spiritual earthquake. It seemed that Satan was not asleep or held fully in check after all. Suddenly there was devastation among the people of God. Many were being dragged off to prison, others recognized that they had no alternative but to flee for their lives and the lives of their families, and the carefully erected administration of the church had collapsed. The Apostles now bravely remained in Jerusalem so as to care for the few who were left, and to visit in prison those who were being held in captivity. And as they looked around at the people that they now had to cater for, and the numbers crowded in the prisons, it must have appeared as though all their dreams were dashed. It must have seemed as though the church was coming to an end.
But in truth the situation was the very opposite, for it was now that the expansion of the church began. As a result of the martyrdom of Stephen the Christians, who were now established and taught in the faith, were driven out of Jerusalem in all directions in accordance with Isaiah 2.3 which revealed, “Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
When Jesus had originally sent out His disciples He had told them that if they were not received in one town, they had to go on to the next. For there was so much work to be done that it would never be finished before the Son of Man returned (Matthew 10.23). And now, in this situation, that was precisely what God was making them do. Within a few short months the Good News, which up to this point had been almost limited to a Jerusalem which must surely have been becoming Gospel saturated, would spread to all the neighboring countries round about, and would establish a platform for reaching out to the rest of the world. And all as a result of this heart numbing catastrophe combined with the power of the Holy Spirit and the sovereign activity of God. It was the signal that Jerusalem had had its opportunity. Now it was time for the ends of the earth to know.
The result of the death of Stephen was that Christians had to flee from Jerusalem, and this certainly included Philip, one of the Hellenists appointed along with Stephen. Indeed the six who remained of the original seven were probably targeted as known associates of Stephen. It must be seen as quite probable that the Hellenistic Christian Jews were the most prominent target of the persecution, a persecution probably largely pursued by their antagonists in the Hellenistic synagogues, as well as especially by Saul, who was himself one of the Hellenists, although a very Hebrew one. They wanted to demonstrate to their Hebrew brethren that they too were true Jews (the Hellenists who had come to live in Jerusalem, and who had not already been converted, would tend to be those most fanatically gripped by Jewish faith.
While the persecution may have majored on the Hellenistic Christians, the Hebrew Christians would be drawn in by association. They certainly had no certainty that they would be spared. And the impression given is that Saul was determined to hunt down any Christians that he could find. Thus it took a great deal of courage to remain in Jerusalem. But now full of the Holy Spirit that was not something that any of the twelve Apostles lacked.
We begin today on where we ended last week in chapter 8 verse 1 which was part of the murder of Stephen
8 Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles
This verse not only concludes the martyrdom of Stephen, but prepares for verse 4. It probably means more than just that he agreed with what happened. He was also giving his official consent and publicly putting himself forward as someone who was ready to do something about it. He was declaring that he was ready to take a positive stand against this new movement.
But who was this Saul? As he stood there disdainfully watching the deserved death of the heretic Stephen he was proud of the fact that he was now a man with a mission. And he clung to all that was the very opposite of all that Stephen stood for. Little did he realize that it was all shortly to come crashing down and that he would soon be a hunted man himself.
The consequence of Stephen’s martyrdom was a clear recognition that these followers of their Messiah had become a menace and was enemies of Judaism. What might have been tolerated elsewhere could not be tolerated in Jerusalem, especially in such numbers. The result was that action was instigated in order to arrest all who followed Stephen’s harmful ideas, and the Christians soon recognized that if they did not seek refuge outside Jerusalem they would all be put in prison. Thus they scattered throughout Judaea and Samaria.
We however note that the Apostles remained in Jerusalem. It was certainly brave of them, but they had probably decided that for the sake of those in the infant church in Jerusalem who could not flee they must be there to give them support. And there were also those in prison who had to be attended to. Jesus Himself had taught them the importance of visiting those in prison. The flourishing church had needed them. The sorely wounded church needed them more. Recently we had some really bad hurricanes in Texas and Florida. We received phone calls from our fellow ministers who Pastor in these states called us and said that instead of fleeing from the upcoming hurricane they would ride out the storm and be available for their brothers and sisters who were not leaving the state.
2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
Meanwhile some very brave and devout men obtained the body of Stephen for burial. To make great lamentation over a recognized heretic who had been stoned for blasphemy required great bravery. Public mourning for such was probably even at this time. Thus in ‘coming together to bury’ him they were taking both their reputations and their lives in their hands. But Luke wants us to recognize that Stephen was honored in his death, and was deeply mourned. For these mourners, whether they knew it or not, were acting on behalf of the whole church. His body was not tossed onto the burning rubbish heap outside Jerusalem in the valley of Hinnom. It was given decent burial. And the man it represented was deeply mourned.
3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
Please note the significance brought out by our Precious Holy Spirit. While ‘devout men’ were burying the fiery Stephen, Saul, the equally fiery disciple of Gamaliel, was determined to bury the whole church. Not one to wait around he had followed up his actions at the stoning by seeking authority from the High Priest to act against the new church. Then taking with him a band of men, possibly temple police, he began to enter the houses of the new people of God and drag men and women to prison. He also arranged for many of them to be examined and beaten in synagogues and sought to get them to blaspheme, possibly by cleverly making the simpler Christians say things which they did not understand, but which were seen as blasphemy, or possibly by making them renounce Christ. It appears that at this stage a number were put to death for blasphemy.
The words ‘Laid waste, treated shamefully’ are strong words used of savaging by wild beasts. Saul was behaving like a wild beast himself. Here was religious zeal in its most twisted form. And yet it was the same zeal that would shortly make him the church’s champion. His behavior may well have denoted the wrestling’s of his own conscience. Men often fight their own doubts by trying violently to prove to themselves that they are right.
4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.
The violence and unending of the persecution resulted in the scattering abroad of the church. But what seemed to be a setback became an opportunity. God had decided that it was now time for the church to expand. All over Judaea appeared men proclaiming the Good News of The Lord Jesus Christ and His teaching.
One such was Philip who now proclaimed Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior in Samaria where he was well received. As a refugee from persecution in Jerusalem he would be especially welcomed.
5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.
While Jews might avoid the Samaritans, our Master and King Jesus had made quite clear that all should be welcomed under the Kingdom of God. So Philip boldly went among them proclaiming that the Messiah had come, and calling on them to respond to Him, thus fulfilling the command He gave back in chapter 1.
6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 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.
His message was supported with signs and wonders beyond anything that they had seen before. Unclean spirits were cast out, and paralyzed and lame people were healed. Thus they took notice also of Philip’s message, and responded to it. This is my prayer as I proclaim God’s Message and I also pray these things would also happen to all men who also focus on The Lord Jesus Christ and His word.
8 And there was great joy in that city.
Here is a verse we need to stop and reflect about. Remember our topic was Simon and Simon - Two men - one who is an apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ and the other a disciple of Satan. One is interested in honoring The Messiah, the other in honoring power and applause.
The apostle Paul who was the persecutor of the church that we read about in his converted new name of Paul speaks in his letter to the Galatians in chapter 5 about which spirit people have.
“16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”
As we learn here in verse 8 of the book of Acts, Joy was one of the fruits of the new message. We see the great impact of our Precious Holy Spirit at work.
9 But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” 11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time.
In Judaism God was sometimes called ‘the Great One’. Living among the Samaritans was a man named Simon who had wooed the people with sorcery, and had claimed to be a god-like figure. His powers were such that he had mesmerized the people into following him and calling him ‘the Great One, the Power of God’. But he had clearly been unable to do anything like Philip did.
Please note that it is repeated twice that he ‘astonished’ the people and that they ‘gave heed’ to him. His grip was strong. But it was not sufficient to prevent them from turning to the Messiah Whom Philip proclaimed. For here they recognized was a greater power.
Simon the Sorcerer had bewitched the people of Samaria with his sorceries for a long time. The people of that city mistakenly assumed that he was “the great power of God”. Sorcery is another name for witchcraft. It is a means of working magic with the assistance of the devil or evil spirits. This practice is specifically forbidden by God. We learn from the book of Deuteronomy 18:10-12 that our Holy God told the ancient Israelites: “There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD”.
Simon the Sorcerer’s status was apparently threatened when Philip entered the city and preached the gospel of the Kingdom of God.
12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.
We seem to run into a big problem here. It is stated that Simon believed and was baptized. Now how can this be? Light has no part with darkness. We just read about the fruit of the Holy Spirit and the rotten fruit of those who do not have the Holy Spirit. So was this guy Simon saved or not? I believe ‘not’ because our Great and Wonderful Holy Spirit in just a few verses Is going to explain that Simon was not a believer because he was never baptized with the Holy Spirit.
What did our Holy Lord Jesus say to us before He returned to Heaven? We read in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 28, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”
In some churches I have heard where people come forward at whatever location in response to a preacher’s call to be saved. I have also read that out of all those who came forward at a Billy Graham’s invitation approximately only 10% remained in the faith. Sadly having been personally involved in huge evangelistic outreaches many people do not know that the rush of people leaving their seats are not coming forward to receive Christ Jesus into their hearts, they are volunteers who are coming down to minister to anyone who in fact comes down to the stage and is not a believer. In many cases the volunteers outnumber the new converts 6 to 1.
The question then which needs to be asked is ‘why?’ Some people respond because of the applause and recognition like Ananias and Sapphira. Some respond because they are responding to the requests of people they hold dearly. And as we see here some people respond because they can benefit from joining the church. I know of one Chiropractor who ripped off many people by his shady dealings with his charges for services rendered. Simon wanted the power of The Holy Spirit not a relationship with the Lord.
All in all I would say that many people may profess that they are Christians but do not posses Christ Jesus in their lives. Many people think that we in America are a Christian nation. Not so! There was a survey study that went out and asked people what religion they were. The report came up with the fact that 80 some percent said that they were Christians. They the survey people asked some basic questions as to solid doctrines such as ‘Is Jesus Christ God? Was He born to a virgin? Is God Three in One? After asking these questions that final percent of those who you could list as being actual believers was less than 7%.
14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
News of the great work which was taking place in Samaria reached Jerusalem and the Apostles immediately dispatched Peter and John in order to confirm the work. It was clear that the Apostles kept closely in touch with all that was happening among the scattered Christians, and sought to oversee it by sending different pairs of Apostles to any place where a work began to gain momentum. They were rightly concerned that the churches remain as a unity. But the purpose in their going was to act as a strengthener to Philip, and to confirm the oneness of the people of God, not to replace him. They found Philip a little perplexed. There could be no doubt that these people had believed with all their hearts, but in spite of the fact that they had also been baptized, the signs of the presence of the Holy Spirit were lacking.
When the Apostles heard this they prayed that the believing Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit. Then they laid their hands on them and the result was that they did receive the Holy Spirit. The laying on of hands is always for the purpose of identification. Here the two Apostles were identifying these people with themselves in the church of God, and with the Jerusalem church, and simultaneously acknowledging Philip’s ministry. This laying on of hands was uniquely important here for it established the oneness between the new Samaritan church and the church in Jerusalem.
Here the result of the laying on of hands was identification, and as prepared vessels, once the identification had take place, the Holy Spirit was received. But we should not see the Holy Spirit as communicated by the laying on of hands (that was Simon’s error).
So, if we stop and think about this we recognize that Simon hung out with the believers. He joined with the others and even went along with being baptized but in truth he wasn’t a believer. It is evident that he did not display any fruit of the Holy Spirit working in his life. When Peter showed up and the apostles laid their hands on the people to receive the Holy Spirit they were acknowledging that these people displayed the Holy Spirit in their lives so they were in agreement that this was going on.
When people come forward to accept our Lord Jesus just like the Samaritans this is good. The bible instructs us to obey our Lord and Master Jesus Christ and as our witness to others we need to be baptized. When we get baptized those brothers baptize us in the Name Yahweh {LORD] The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. As we read here Simon and the other people from Samaria were not baptized in the Name of Yahewh.
At this point something happened which Simon ‘saw’
18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
What did Simon see?
If you have ever been to a baptism than I think you know the answer. Thus what Simon saw may have been a new abounding joy, expressions of tumultuous praise, and spiritual prophesying. What Simon saw was the burgeoning of the believers’ new faith which found expression in exalted praise and worship beyond the norm. In an amazing way Simon knew that his life did not reflect the Holy Spirit and His fruit so to acknowledge this for all to understand he comes out and wants to buy the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Simon had possibly gained great wealth by training up disciples and enabling them to practice what he practiced, and he had probably himself also bought information on how to perform sorcery from other practitioners. (Many wonder workers travelled around the Roman world practicing their arts, amazing people by their tricks, and in some cases genuinely believing that they had some supernatural power, and it was no doubt standard practice to charge for expertise). Thus when he saw that the Apostles were able to give the Holy Spirit simply by the laying on of hands, a gift which manifested itself in the exalting of men’s hearts to God, he naturally assumed that their ability could be bought and paid for. Here were wonder workers on a large scale. He therefore probably offered them a great deal of money. To his mind this was something worth having. He would not think that he was acting against God. Where he failed was in not recognizing that God came under no man’s control. He had to be delivered from his mind set. He had to learn that what God gave was free for all who would rightly believe, and not within man’s control.
In the idolatrous world priesthoods could be bought and sold, along with the supposed influences that they exerted on the gods. And it is salutary to think that had he approached a much later church they would gladly have given him what they thought was this gift in return for money and submission to them.
Historically, this is the origin of the word “simony”—the buying or selling of a church office or an ecclesiastical power. Like Simon the later church would try to control God’s activity and make it subject to their will. But in what happened to Simon here all future ‘appointments of the priesthood’ is condemned. That had failed miserably in the Old Testament era. Now God gave freely and with no strings attached, in cooperation with those who were truly devoted to Him, because of the sacrifice offered once for all in Jesus Christ.
20 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.
Sadly, Simon’s request was based upon impure motives. Perhaps he saw this as an opportunity to make more money or enhance his own reputation. It was common for magicians to purchase tricks from one another, so Simon may have viewed the apostles as religious “magicians” or hucksters and was trying to purchase their “trick.”
Peter replied in his usual forthright manner. The man who had had to declare, ‘silver and gold have I none’ now revealed it for what it was. What Simon had done put him in danger of perishing, and his silver along with him. He was revealing himself as being totally earthly minded with no understanding of the things of the Spirit, and as thinking that he could barter and control the things of God. This revealed a heart that was not right in God’s eyes.
22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”
He therefore calls on him to have a full and genuine change of heart and mind on the matter, and to pray to God for forgiveness for the thought of his heart. But forgiveness would only be his if he truly had a change of heart, sufficient to satisfy God. No glib repentance would be acceptable.
We read in the book of Deuteronomy 29:18 “18so that there may not be among you man or woman or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood”
This has in mind a man who in reality has a root in himself which bears gall and bitter wormwood, blesses himself in his heart because he thinks that he can have peace even though he walks in the imagination of his own heart. He deceives himself into thinking that God will overlook his rebelliousness. This was precisely what Simon was doing.
Peter is also thinking about the verse from the book of Isaiah 58:6 6 “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?
Simon too must lose the bond of wickedness by genuine repentance.
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.”
The final piece of information recorded in the Bible regarding Simon the Sorcerer is that, instead of actually repenting of his sin, he just asked Peter to pray for him that “none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me”
So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
Then once Peter and John, impressed by the work among Samaritans, had further ministered to them and to Samaritans in other villages, they returned to Jerusalem, being satisfied that all was being done rightly. Meanwhile they also themselves took the opportunity to proclaim the Good News to many Samaritan villages. They approved of Philip’s ministry and desired to extend it.
And thus was healed by the message of Christ the first great division known to the Apostles, the division between Jew and Samaritan. Here was an outward declaration of the success of the ministry of reconciliation. Jews from Jerusalem and Samaritans from Samaria were seen as having fellowship as one. It could never have happened without Christ. But there is a subsidiary question. Could it ever have happened unless there had been persecution in Jerusalem? God knew precisely what He was doing.
