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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_8:4-8
4Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. 5Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them. 6The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing. 7For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. 8So there was much rejoicing in that city.
Act_8:4 "those who had been scattered went about preaching the word" Notice it was not the Apostles, because they remained in Jerusalem, but the Hellenistic Jewish Christians scattered throughout the region who became the early evangelists. It is amazing that the worldwide mission of the church was instigated, not by the Apostles, but by Stephen and Philip.
The "word" here must surely mean the gospel, but also the added worldwide, non-Jewish focus of Stephen (Great Commission, Act_1:8; Mat_28:18-20; Luk_24:47).
Act_8:5 "Philip" He is one of "the Seven" mentioned in Act_6:5 (cf. Act_21:8-9). He is depicted in three evangelistic settings: (1) Samaria; (2) the Ethiopian Eunuch; and (3) ministry in the Palestinian coastal area. These "seven" had a heart for evangelism.
▣ "went down to the city of Samaria" There is a manuscript question over whether the text reads "the city of Samaria" or "a city of Samaria." Manuscript attestation is in favor of the definite article (cf. MSS, P74, à , A, B). However, this city was not known by the name Samaria at this time, but as Sebaste. During this Roman period the term Samaria was used of the district. The major city of Samaria would have been Shecham, then called Neapolis and today Nablus. It has been theorized that this city may be Gitta because that is the traditional home of Simon Magus. This theory is from Justin Martyr, who was also from this area.
▣ "and began proclaiming Christ to them" The Samaritans were hated by the Jews because they considered them to be half-breeds (cf. Ezr_4:1-3). This was related to the Assyrian exile of 722 b.c. that repopulated the area of the northern Ten Tribes with pagans who intermarried with the small remaining Jewish population (cf. 2Ki_17:24-41).
This group of people was also ministered to by Jesus. Jesus revealed His Messiahship to a woman of Samaria and her village (cf. John 4). Now Philip preaches about "the Christ" (definitive article), which is the Greek translation of "The Messiah" (see Special Topic at Act_2:31). The OT title relates to YHWH's promise of sending One who would set up the new kingdom, inaugurate the new age of the Spirit. This event is foreshadowed in Jesus' ministry and specifically mandated in Jesus' closing words (Act_1:8).
Act_8:6 "The crowds with one accord" The phrase "one accord" is very popular with Luke. See note at Act_1:14.
▣ "as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing" This refers to miracles confirming Philip's message (cf. Act_8:7). These same manifestations of the Spirit accompanied Jesus, the Twelve, the Seventy, and Peter and John preaching.
Act_8:7 Demon possession is a reality in our world (cf. Merrill F. Unger's two books: [1] Biblical Demonology and [2] Demons in the World Today). See the two Special Topics at Act_5:16.