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13. ὁ δὲ Σίμων … ἐπίστευσεν, and Simon himself believed also. We can see from the history which follows that the belief here described was of a very imperfect nature. It perhaps amounted to no more than the conviction that in Philip was some power greater than his own. We have an example of a like imperfect belief described in like words in St John’s Gospel (Act 8:31), ‘then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him,’ and all that follows in the chapter shews that the belief which they professed was not enough to prevent them from plotting for Christ’s death.
καὶ βαπτισθείς, and when he was baptized. Chrysostom (Hom. XVIII. in Act.) asks why it came to pass that such a man was admitted to baptism, and answers the question ὥσπερ καὶ τὸν Ἰούδαν ὁ Χριστὸς ἐξελέξατο. But St Luke’s language here (ἐξίστατο) implies that Simon was possessed with the same feeling towards Philip which the people of Samaria had towards himself.
θεωρῶν τε κ.τ.λ., beholding the signs and great miracles wrought. There is apparently a distinction intended by St Luke between the belief of the Samaritans and that of Simon. When they believed (Act 8:12) it was the preaching and the glad tidings to which they most gave heed, but the verb used in this verse (θεωρῶν) seems to paint Simon as one who gazed with wonder only on a sight which was beyond him to explain.