Acts 8:1-40 – The Spreading of True Worship

Context

Jesus has completed his earthly mission and is now seated on the throne of God. The Holy Spirit was poured out in Jerusalem on all who believed. The church grew greatly in number as a result of the message and power of the apostles. Seven men were chosen to assist the apostles in the distribution of food among the widows. Stephen, one of the seven, was the first martyr. We read of another of the seven, Philip, in chapter eight who becomes the church’s first travelling evangelist.

Observations

8:1-3 – Great persecution results in the scattering of believers (the gospel spreads without any strategic initiative of the apostles)

Compare Acts 1:8 with Acts 8:1. What is instructed in 1:8? Is it achieved or begun in 8:1? Who decided to fulfil the command of 1:8?

While Gamaliel (5:34) instructed the Sanhedrin to let the followers of Jesus dwindle on their own, Saul (8:3) began to destroy the church in his own power. Chapter 9 and following will follow the details of Saul (Paul).

8:4-8 – Philip proclaims the Messiah in Samaria (Acts 1:8 being fulfilled)

Along with the same message that Peter and the apostles preached, Philip brought the power to heal and cast out horrible things. This resulted in joy in the city of Samaria. We’ll note later how significant this city is.

8:9-13 – Simon the Sorcerer responds to the gospel (King Jesus trumps everyone at greatness!)

Notice that Simon the Sorcerer proclaimed his own name while Philip preached in Jesus’ name. It appears that the city came to revere Simon over some time but only a short time for them to listen and respond to Philip. And even Simon was impressed by what he saw. Note that we can’t just dismiss the works of Jesus and the apostles ( or Stephen and Philip) as works of amazing feets that simple primitive folk are fooled by. Tricks and sorcery could fool people but the signs and wonders from God were in a league of their own. Even our “great minds of today” would have been amazed and impressed.

Note also that there is a thing called tricks and magic which doesn’t require summoning demons or incantations – it’s just smoke and mirrors.

8:14-17 (inc. 18-19) – The role of the Holy Spirit and baptism (Samaria is included in the Kingdom)

Acts 8:14 “When the apostles in Jerusalem hear that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.” Philip seemed to be doing just fine without the apostles showing up – he was preaching the good news about the Messiah which was accompanied with signs and wonders (confirming that this new teaching is from God). Why did the apostles need to send two of their best to check it out?

The answer, in fact, is in the text (gotta love context and the benefit of spending time in the text to see it clearly!). The answer is in this statement: “that Samaria had accepted the word of God.” The key is ‘Samaria.’ Have a read of John chapter 4 to recall the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. Especially the difference between Samaritans and Jews. Which is the true mountain to worship at? Jesus said, neither – the true worshippers will worship God in spirit and in truth! Jesus wanted to express the need to do away with religion tied to mountains and temples but for people to know God in spirit and in truth. To Nicodemus, he described it as being born again of the Spirit.

Add another piece to the puzzle which is Ezekiel 37:15-28. This passage describes God promising to remove the division between the northern and southern kingdoms and make them one people under one king forever and God’s ‘dwelling place will be with them.’ In short, the great divide between the Jews and the Samaritans will come to an end by God himself – he will be their God and the two divided groups will become one! Philip taught them well and showed them who the true David is: Jesus. The Apostles came and put on a kind of second pentecost.

The conclusion is that something special was happening in the plans of God in Acts 8. Something almost on par with Acts 2! It was time for the Holy Spirit to fulfill the words of Ezekiel 37 and dwell with them just as he has done in Jerusalem. In the history of God’s salvation on all the world, this was a significant event – not just any town in all the world hearing the gospel but the people who came out of the divided kingdom in 1 Kings 12. We are being shown that this ministry of Philips is in conjunction with the work and ministry of the 12. We carry on the ministry of the 12 by teaching the Word of God through the Spirit.

Acts 8:16-17 “the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” As far as why the apostles were involved in “delivering” the Holy Spirit, go back and read my last points on verse 14 – this was a special case in the account of God’s historic salvation plan. But what about the question of baptism and the Holy Spirit? These verses suggest that it is possible to be baptised and still need the Holy Spirit to come. Put it even more sharply, these Samaritans were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus (v16) because they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God (v12). How is it that they do not have the Holy Spirit and what is the point of baptism then? Why not put all of our emphasis on truly receiving the Spirit and do away with baptism?

Firstly, this passage actually affirms our reformed belief that baptism does not make anyone a Christian any more than watching “Age of Ultron” makes you Iron Man. One is a water ritual (Hebrews 6:2; Acts 8:38) while the other is a secret but real spiritual event.

Secondly, the importance is in the receiving of the Holy Spirit as preached by Jesus (John 3 and 14) and described by Peter and John (Acts 8:15-16, also Acts 19:1-7).

Thirdly, the benefit of water baptism is that it is a testimony from the believer of what he/she believes (or the parents in the case of infant baptism but that’s for another day.) This is why baptism is accompanied with statements of belief: Acts 8:12 describes what they believed; Acts 8:38 comes after the teaching and understanding of who Jesus is; Acts 19:1-7 describes a baptism of John who taught of the Messiah to come but a second baptism to speak of the Messiah who has come – namely Jesus; and Matthew 28:19-20 which has Jesus describing what people are to believe in their baptism – the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The water ritual represents the belief and teaching which you are convinced of.

Fourthly, receiving of the Holy Spirit is not brought on as a result of a water baptism. In Acts 8:16 it is clear that the Spirit came on the believers after baptism, but in Acts 10:47 clearly describes the Holy Spirit coming on believers prior to baptism. Then Acts 8:38-39 describe a believer being baptised and then heading off back home with no specific mention of the spirit but implied that he was affected by the message of Philip – not explicit but can be thought that he received the Holy Spirit at some stage.

Fifthly and lastly – there are only a handful of cases where the receiving of the Holy Spirit is described in the bible as ‘seen’ to be given. These are in Acts 2, Acts 8, Acts 10 and Acts 19. There may be more but they are few. The rest of the time we perceive the receiving of the Holy Spirit, not by some supernatural evidence but by what the Spirit does in a persons’ life (John 3).

Conclusion: Water ritual is biblical but not intrinsically linked to true conversion which is the receiving of the Spirit.

 8:18-25 – Simon the Sorcerer is rebuked (a false follower)

“Simon saw that the Spirit was given”. This is a peculiar thought. What did Simon see? Should we be able to “see” the Spirit given? In Acts 2 and 10:44-46 the receiving of the Spirit is linked with the speaking in tongues and praising God! It is probable that the believers in Samaria showed a similar thing.

What they displayed (aside from the clear miracle of tongues) is their mouths opened to declare the praises of God. Prophecy is linked with the giving of the Spirit (see Numbers 11 and Joel 2). But what we are promised for us are two main things: that the Spirit will guide us into truth – the truth about God and about the Lord Jesus; and to change us from within to grow in our love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self control (Galatians 5:22-23). These are not changes that we can manufacture on our own. Anyone can express some of these from time to time but it is the Spirit’s work in us to shape us into servants of God modelled off the humility and other-person-centredness of Christ. Simon the Sorcerer could never conjure up a trick that good.

“Give me also this ability…” Simon was as interested in the receiving of the Spirit as he was the power to control it. Sounds very sinister.

“Peter answered: “May your money perish with you”…Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.””

It’s poetic how Simon Peter is rebuking Simon and telling him that he is destined for hell heading in the direction he is in (Mark 8?). Notice how Simon asks for someone else to pray for him to the Lord. A further sign that he is not converted. He is not a true worshipper: believes Jesus is awesome? Yes. Is impressed by his spiritual leader Philip? Yes. Is baptised? Yes. Is a true worshipper? No. He lacks the Spirit of God to turn his heart toward God. None of us can do that without the Spirit.

8:26-40 – Philip takes the gospel to a Gentile (the gospel is for everybody)

Notice how God is continuing to direct the mission rather than any body corporate plan to spread out. The expansion of the gospel is very much Spirit lead.

The Ethiopian is a eunich (exactly what type is a mystery) and Luke sees it as important to mention this. The issue in this passage is not only about a foreigner being introduced to the gospel and the kingdom of God but also one who God did not welcome into worship in the temple (Deut 23:1).

The Ethiopian was reading from Isaiah and that is where Philip was able to begin speaking about Jesus. Pretty good starting point. Philip didn’t have any written gospels to go by, his teaching texts were all from the Old Testament or from what he has heard Jesus to have said.

The lesson from Philip to the Ethiopian sounds very similar to the lesson from Jesus to the two men walking the road to Emmaus in Luke 24. Philip was able to teach Jesus well from the OT and so was Stephen (read his sermon in chapter 7). Jesus is indeed the fulfilment of all of God’s promises (2 Corinthians 1:20).

Luke gives every indication that the ministry of Philip was from God. The Spirit and an angel led him to the desert and the Spirit took him away again when the task was done. His bapisms in Samaria and now in the desert were lead by God for the glory of his kingdom.

Philip went on to Caesarea where we find him again in chapter 21 – with four unmarried daughters :o)

Meaning

Although God uses the mouths of people to spread the Good news, he is leading the way by the Spirit. The fulfilment of the OT continues to occur in Jesus’ name. True worship must be with the Spirit dwelling with – changing us and leading us deeper into the truth. The Spirit works with our human testimony about Jesus, that he is Lord, suffering for our sins in our place in order to set us free. Attempting to gain privilege with God and his mission in any other way that surrendering to Jesus through the Spirit is a recipe for destruction – as Simon was told.

That was too long. Try this…

God drives true worship in the Spirit – to believe in Jesus is one thing, but to be born again is to surrender to Jesus and live with the Spirit within.

Some theological thought

  • Baptism does not make Christians or save people.
  • A person can come for baptism, believe the message and be baptised and yet not have the spirit within. Being baptised in this instance is not a sin, but it does no good toward your eternal life.
  • Manufacturing powers and impressing followers does not make you a man of God. Turning to Christ and forsaking all else, especially self, is a sign of the Spirit at work.

Application

  • The Holy Spirit is for all people.
  • Philip ran from persecution but evangelised wherever he went. His plan was not about knowing where he was going but it was about who he was talking about! How many of us get trapped to thinking differently: plan where you are going first and then make space to talk about Jesus! Which has the eternal perspective?
  • When a person is clearly not a believer yet speaks as someone who is – a harsh word of rebuke will be nothing compared to their final judgement unless they repent. That is, you may find times to be blunt with others concerning their eternal destiny. Wisdom is necessary.
  • Read Galatians 5:22-23 and pray through the fruits of the Spirit. Can you say that God has been working in you over the last year or more?

Prayer for the week.

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending us your Spirit and teaches us about the Lord Jesus Christ. Please lead us in your mission to save the lost. Thank you for all who come inquiring at our church about baptism and about you. Help us to teach them and lead them well. May we do more than simply talk about your Son, help us to be transformed into his likeness by your Spirit. Amen.