Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Acts 8:14 - 8:24
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_8:14-24
14Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John , 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. 18Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, 19saying, "Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." 20But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity." 24But Simon answered and said, "Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me."
Act_8:14 "when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John" Ministry to the Samaritans was forbidden to the disciples during Jesus' lifetime (cf. Mat_10:5). Apparently the Apostles wanted to give their official sanction to this radical and unusual movement of the Holy Spirit among this traditionally hated racial group. This area was specifically mentioned in Act_1:8. As was typical, Philip caught Jesus' implication of world-wide evangelization quicker than the Twelve.
Notice that believing in Jesus is parallel to "receiving the word of God." The word of God can stand for several things.
1. God's total communication to human beings
2. God's recorded communication to human beings (i.e., Scripture)
3. God's Son (i.e., the Word, cf. Joh_1:1) who is the ultimate revelation of God (cf. Heb_1:3)
Notice that Peter and John were sent. Peter was the acknowledged leader of the apostolic group and John the one who earlier wanted to call down fire on the Samaritans (cf. Luk_9:54).
Act_8:15 "who came and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit" There are tremendous problems trying to build a theology of salvation from Acts for the following reason: the order of events and the events themselves surrounding salvation differs from passage to passage. The Holy Spirit in this passage refers to a confirmation, like Pentecost, showing that God had accepted and saved these Samaritans. They could not have truly been saved in the first place (i.e., receive is perfect middle indicative) without the work of the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom_8:9).
I think the experience of Pentecost set a pattern, which God reproduced in the experience of different racial and geographical people groups, to show and confirm to the believing Jewish church that God Himself had fully and completely accepted a new group. The Spirit's manifestation in Acts (i.e., Pentecost) is thereby theologically different from the Corinthian tongues.
This text cannot be used to demand a Corinthian-like experience to confirm salvation (cf. 1Co_12:29-30, which is a series of questions which expect a "no" answer). Luke records what occurred, not what should occur every time.
Act_8:16-17 This is different from the stated order of events in Act_2:38. The discrepancy is due to the specific action of the Holy Spirit: (1) in Act_2:38 in relation to salvation and (2) in Act_8:16 in relation to a Pentecostal type of experience. The same "Holy Spirit event" of Acts 2 now occurred with Samaritans. This was not for their benefit alone, but mostly for the Jewish Christian community. It showed them that God had fully accepted the Samaritans! This is not meant to assert a two-step initial salvation experience.
Please notice that it was Peter and John who noticed the absence of the special manifestation of the Spirit that they had experienced at Pentecost. This is not to imply that the miraculous signs which accompanied Philip's preaching were not true manifestations of the Spirit (cf. Act_8:13). Peter and John wanted a Samaritan Pentecost! This is so important because when Cornelius has the same experience (i.e., Acts 10), Peter knew that God had fully accepted a Roman military man and his family. The gospel is for all people. This is the great truth which this experience reveals in Acts!
Act_8:16 This could be called the Samaritan Pentecost.
Act_8:17 This cannot be a proof-text for the necessity of laying on hands. This procedure, for this purpose, does not occur again in Acts. It does express the power and authority of the Apostles. See hyperlink at Act_6:6.
Act_8:20 The theological question for us is the soteriological question for Simon. Was he saved or not? Peter's word can be taken as a curse or a warning. All new believers have weak and incorrect information about the gospel, but does Simon's denote an added element of egotism? Can people be saved with conflicting priorities in their lives?
▣ "the gift of God" Here the Spirit stands for all of God's work on behalf of sinful rebellious humanity (cf. Isa_55:1-2; Jer_31:31-34; Eze_36:22-38; Luk_11:13; Act_2:38).
Act_8:21 "You have no part or portion in this matter" The first term "part" (i.e., meris) means a portion in common. It has a negative connotation here and in 2Co_6:15.
The second term "portion" (i.e., klçros) is the OT word for "lot," which was the way they determined the will of God (i.e., Urim and Thummim). They were used to divide the Promised Land among the tribes (cf. Joshua 12-19). Therefore, it is used in the sense of inheritance. This term came to be used in English for "clergy," but in the NT it refers to all believers.
▣ "your heart is not right before God" This may be an allusion to Psa_78:37. The terms "right" and "just" (see Special Topic at Act_3:14) and their various forms, come from a term for a river reed found in Mesopotamia. It was fifteen to twenty feet tall and straight. God took this word, which was used in construction (checking the horizontal straightness of walls), to describe His own ethical character. God is the standard, ruler, straight edge by which all humans are judged. In light of this, all fail the test (cf. Rom_3:9-18; Rom_3:23).
Act_8:22 "repent" This is an aorist active imperative, which denotes urgency. See note and Special Topic at Act_2:38.
▣ "pray" This is an aorist passive (deponent) imperative. Talking to God is evidence of a personal relationship, as conviction, which leads to repentance, is evidence of the indwelling Spirit!
▣ "if" This is a first class conditional sentence, which is assumed to be true for the author's literary purposes or from his perspective. In this sentence it denotes a contingency based on Simon's willingness to repent and pray for forgiveness. His mindset and actions are a serious deviation from normative Christianity.
▣ "the intention of your heart" Sin begins in the thought life. The rabbis say that the mind is like a plowed garden ready for seed. What we allow in through our eyes and ears takes root. If we dwell on it, these thoughts become actions. This is why the NT asserts that we should "gird up the loins of our minds" (cf. 1Pe_1:13) or "renew your mind" (cf. Rom_12:2; Eph_4:23).
Act_8:23
NASB, NRSV "the gall of bitterness"
NKJV "poisoned by bitterness"
TEV "full of bitter envy"
NJB "bitterness of gall"
The terms "gall" (cholç) and "bitterness" (pikros) both refer to a bitter spirit, usually associated with anger and apostasy (cf. Deu_29:18; Deu_32:28-33; Heb_12:15). Paul uses the term "bitter" several times in lists of things to avoid (cf. Rom_3:14; Eph_4:31).
NASB "in the bondage of iniquity"
NKJV "bound by iniquity"
NRSV "chains of wickedness"
TEV "a prisoner of sin"
NJB "chains of sin"
This may be an allusion to the work of the Messiah (cf. Isa_58:6). Jesus could free Simon from this evil bondage to personal power as he freed him from the penalty of sin. Sin has two aspects: (1) death both physically and spiritually and (2) who is in control in the sinner's life (it can affect both the saved and the lost, cf. 1Co_3:1-3). Sin must be dealt with both in time and in eternity; its penalty and power must be dealt with, but only Christ and the Spirit can do it, but we as believers must allow Them to!
Act_8:24 "Pray to the Lord for me yourselves" This is an aorist passive imperative (plural, which may refer to the entire mission team). Simon repeats Peter's words from Act_8:22. Peter's words have frightened him. I believe Simon is a believer, but a new, baby one.