Acts 8 – 12. The Lord Jesus had told the disciples, “ye will receive power, the Holy Spirit having come upon you, and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” In the first seven chapters we have the witness of the disciples in Jerusalem and all Judea. In Acts 8:1-25 we have the witness in Samaria, in Acts 8:26-40 the salvation of Gentile who had visited Jerusalem, then in Acts 10-11 the gospel reaches Gentiles within the land, and finally in Acts 13-28 the witness is carried to the end of the earth! We find the door of blessing to the Gentiles opened gradually, and in fellowship with the apostles in Jerusalem. It was a transitional time, but we see the abounding grace of God and the unity of the Spirit carefully maintained.

 

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vv.1-4 The Great Persecution. The first formal persecution of Christians was led by the zealot, Saul of Tarsus. The effect of the persecution was that the believers in Jerusalem were scattered across the provinces of Judah and Samaria. The apostles remained in Jerusalem, which in interesting because the Lord had given them the command to go to all nations. The backdrop of this persecution was the death of Stephen. Devout or godly men buried Stephen and mourned over him. The one who seems to have taken the lead in the martyrdom of Stephen now takes the lead in the mass persecution of Christians. It began on the very day Stephen was slain (v.1). It says Saul “ravaged the assembly”; invading homes and arresting believers. After his conversion, Saul would never forgive himself for this. Yet, God makes the wrath of man to praise Him (Psa. 76:10). He turns the evil intentions of man into good. The persecution was intended to expunge Christianity from the face of earth, but instead it only contributed to its spread!

 

 

 

vv.5-8 Philip in Samaria. It is remarkable that our Lord visited Samaria only several years before Philip, although it was the town of Sychar that Jesus visited rather than the “city” of Samaria which was the capital of the “nation” (v.9) of Samaria, and only a short distance northwest of Sychar. We don’t know what city Philip first evangelized, but perhaps it was the city of Samaria. In any case, the gospel was later spread to “many villages of the Samaritans” (v.25). John 4 details the account of how the sinful woman came to know the Messiah and Savior of the World, and how she left her waterpot and went away into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a man who told me all things I had ever done: is not he the Christ?” The men went out of the city and came to Jesus. The Lord sowed a great crop that day, but now it was time for another to reap! “For in this is verified the true saying, It is one who sows and another who reaps” (John 4:37). No doubt an impact was made on Samaria by the two days of our Lord’s visit nearby, but at this time those people stood in great need. Philip came to them preaching Christ, and the crowds believed not only because of what he said but because they saw the signs that accompanied his preaching, including casting out unclean spirits and healing the lame, etc. The result of the Samaritans being converted was that there was great joy in the city of Samaria.

 

 

vv.9-12 Simon the Sorcerer. Now we find the dark underside of Samaria, in that departing from the truth of the scriptures, they had become vulnerable to deception. This was the trouble with the Samaritans, in that they worshiped Jehovah and also other gods. Simon purported himself to be a miracle worker with the power of God, but it was really the power of Satan that he wielded through magic arts and witchcraft. The common people were convinced that he was a messenger from God. He had the people under a spell, and only the gospel and the name of Jesus Christ could break that spell. The people of that city believed Philip, and they were baptized, placing themselves on Christian ground. Along with them, Simon the sorcerer believed, and he too was baptized with the rest. This is the first case recorded in Scripture of false profession (with the possible exception of Ananias and Saphira). Simon joined the Christian company, but there was not genuine faith in his heart. We see throughout the New Testament a distinction made between that which professes the name of Christ and includes some who make a false profession, versus the true harvest which contains only real believers. For example, see the Lord’s parable of the tares among the wheat (Matt. 13:25). When the church is spoken of as the body of Christ it includes only reality; individuals indwelt with the Holy Spirit. But when the church is spoken of as the house of God, it sometimes includes mere profession (e.g. 1 Cor. 3:9-17). How can it be that Simon was not a real believer if it says “Simon also himself believed”? His was the human belief of the intellect which does not extend to the heart. James tells us that “the demons even believe, and tremble” in fear (Jam. 2:19), but that is the not the same thing as genuine faith (see also John 2:23-25). It was important for Philip to come with the signs of power as a witness of the resurrection of Christ, yet often when there are signs of power we have those who believe in an intellectual way being convinced only by the external evidence rather than a work of faith in their heart.

vv.14-16 Peter and John Arrive: the Holy Spirit Given. Although those in Samaria that had believed the gospel were baptized to the name of the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit had not come upon any of them. The apostles in Jerusalem heard of the work in Samaria and sent down Peter and John. These two apostles laid hands on the Samaritan believers – a sign of fellowship – and then they received the Holy Spirit! It is remarkable that the Holy Spirit did not come upon the Samaritans until Peter and John came down from Jerusalem to lay hands on them. For us to day, when someone believes the gospel of their salvation, they are immediately sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13). Why then was it different in the case of the Samaritans? It was a unique thing here because this was the first time non-Jewish people were brought into the church. We see the care of the Holy Spirit, that the Samaritans – who were historically hated by the Jews – would be linked together with the Jews in Jerusalem, so that there would be one expression of the body of Christ. God caused it to happen this way in order to preserve the unity of the Spirit (Eph. 4:3).

 

 

vv.18-24 Simon is Exposed. It is notable that Simon did not receive the Holy Spirit with the others, and this showed that he was not a genuine believer. The Holy Spirit will only indwell someone who has truly believed the gospel. Additionally, Simon showed the state of his heart by offering money in exchange for “the gift of God”. When he saw that Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of hands, he wanted to purchase that ability with money. The motive of his heart was covetousness. He wanted the ability as another tool in his toolbox of magic tricks, in order to astonish the people, to exalt himself, and perhaps to continue taking their money. 

 

v.25 Conclusion. The apostles preached to the Samaritans, and then returned to Jerusalem, spreading the gospel along the way in many villages. In this way, the unity of the Spirit was maintained while the testimony was extended to incorporate the Samaritans!

The Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-40). In Acts 8:1-25 we had the witness in Samaria and the incorporation of the Samaritans into the assembly in happy fellowship with those in Jerusalem. Now we have another instance of the expansion of the early church, this time in the the salvation of Gentile who had visited Jerusalem. Here it is an individual that God reached down to in sovereign grace. In fact, in Acts 8, 9, and 10 we get a representative saved from each of the races descending from Noah’s sons: the Ethiopian was a descendant of Ham (Acts 8), Saul was a descendant of Shem (Acts 9), and Cornelius was a descendant of Japheth (Acts 10).

 

 

vv.26-28 The Preparation of Soul and Circumstances. It may have seemed strange to Philip that he was directed by the angel of the Lord away from a thriving gospel work in Samaria to a barren road. However, this was divinely arranged! Notice that an angel directs Philip in regard to circumstances (v.26, see also Acts 5:19-20; 12:7-11, 23), but the Spirit in regard to souls (v.29). God cares for individual souls. The Ethiopian eunuch was a man of significance in Ethiopia, being in charge of the queen’s treasure. He was apparently a Jewish proselyte, and had gone up to Jerusalem, at least 500 miles, to worship at a feast! Though religious and sincere, this Ethiopian had returned from Jerusalem without finding peace. The guilty nation was no reflection of the God it claimed to represent, and its leaders had driven away the testimony of Christ from its precincts. Whether his own personal copy, or one acquired at Jerusalem, the Ethiopian nevertheless had a valuable possession: the scroll of Isaiah! His long journey and devotion to Scripture show that he was spiritually prepared by the Spirit of God for the work of salvation, though still in darkness. It is important to realize with evangelism and with all kinds of ministry, that God is at work behind the scenes, often matching prepared hearts with faithful messengers.

 

 

v.29 The Urging of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit, not merely angels or providence, personally directs Philip to approach the Ethiopian in his chariot. It is important to know the difference between circumstantial guidance and the leading of the Spirit (Rom. 8:14). When we are walking in communion with God, we will be sensitive to the urging of the Spirit. This chapter is a real encouragement to the evangelist to obey the Spirit’s prompting. We see Philip’s immediate obedience without questioning. This is a foundational principle of all Spirit-led ministry including evangelism: willing action in response to divine prompting.

 

vv.30-34 The Passage in Question, Isaiah 53. The eunuch’s reading of Isaiah 53 and inability to understand it was exactly the point of Jewish difficulty. While the Jewish people expected a triumphant Messiah, this passage describes suffering and humiliation; Christ’s rejection and death. Also, the eunuch’s question is a beautiful example of divine arrangement — a heart ready for the truth, met by a servant ready to explain it.

 

The Two Messiah View. Jewish rabbis have struggled with the explanation of Isiah 53, and more generally the with the apparent contraction in the Hebrew Scriptures between a suffering Messiah and a reigning, exalted Messiah. Since these two pictures seem contradictory, many rabbis developed a dual-Messiah concept to reconcile them.¹

 

v.35 The Gospel Presented from Isaiah 53. Philip was able to resolve the difficulty by announcing the gospel of Jesus, who was the suffering Savior. Notice that Philip’s approach in evangelism is tailored in each situation. To the Samaritans who understood something of messianic prophecy (John 4:25) he spoke of the Christ (Messiah); to the eunuch, likely unfamiliar with those scriptures, he presented Jesus as the sin-bearing Savior (Isa. 53:12 – “he bare sin of many”). Philip had discernment to know what aspect was most needed, and he followed the “open door” set before him. Though Philip begins with Isaiah, he went from there and expanded into broader truths concerning Jesus, including other scriptures; “beginning from that scripture” .

 

 

vv.36,38 The Ethiopian’s Baptism. What wonderful moments those must have been, as Philp announced the gospel to this man, and as the light gradually dawned on his soul. The eunuch’s request for baptism shows that Philip must have also explained its significance along with the gospel. The word “baptize” means to dip or submerge, and therefore immersion is the biblical mode, which agrees with examples such as the baptism by John at Jordan and here with a pool of water. Baptism symbolizes identification with Christ in His death and brings the person outwardly into the place of a disciple. Verse 37 is often cited as a proof that a confession of faith is required before baptism, however, there is little manuscript support. Faith often does precedes baptism, but not always. Baptism is an outward thing, faith an inward thing.

 

 

vv.38-39 Philip’s Departure. After baptizing the eunuch, Philip was suddenly caught away by the Spirit. This sign would have the effect of establishing the Ethiopian’s faith, as the first Gentile to be brought into the church! This encounter brought the gospel not only to one man but potentially to an entire region, as the eunuch returned to Ethiopia with the message of salvation. It says “he went on his way rejoicing”, not only the keeper of a nation’s treasure, but the possessor of far greater spiritual riches!