AND SAUL APPROVED OF HIS MURDER. He did not throw a stone, but he agreed in spirit with what they did. See the description of Saul in notes on Acts 9:1. THAT VERY DAY. Murdering Stephen was not enough! These men, including Saul, wanted "blood" of the entire messianic community. ALL THE BELIEVERS. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
SOME DEVOUT MEN BURLED STEPHEN. This implies they were not Christians, but devout Jews, favorable toward the Gospel, yet not willing to obey it. MOURNING FOR HIM. They showed their protest against Stephen's murder by a public funeral, with the usual screaming and crying.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT SAUL TRIED TO DESTROY THE CHURCH. He did this because he BELIEVED they were God's enemies. Saul always did what he thought God wanted him to do. Compare Acts 23:1. [The Jews of the first century believed they could bring the promised Messiah, by converting the world to Judaism. Saul certainly mu... [ Continue Reading ]
PREACHING THE MESSAGE. The group was scattered, but the CHURCH of Christ was not destroyed! They had been _schooled_ by the apostles, and everywhere one of these believers found himself, a new community of believers grew up.... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIP WENT TO THE CITY OF SAMARIA. This is not Philip the apostle, but rather Philip the "church helper" (Acts 6:5). The city of Samaria was some ten miles northwest of Sychar. Herod the Great rebuilt it and renamed it Sebaste.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CROWDS PAID CLOSE ATTENTION. The miracles got their attention. _Compare_ Acts 19:10-12. Philip, one of the seven (Acts 6:5), had the gift of miracles. This is the second recorded example of one, who was not an apostle, having this gift. The miracles were similar to those which Jesus did. Compare... [ Continue Reading ]
A MAN NAMED SIMON. A magician, who had built fame for himself through his use of the magic arts. HE CLAIMED. He claimed to be more than human, with supernatural powers.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE IS THAT POWER OF GOD. They believed God worked through him to do these things.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN THEY BELIEVED PHILIP'S MESSAGE. Note that: (1) Philip preached to them; (2) the Good News of the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ; (3) faith came from hearing the message (Romans 10:17); (4) when they believed, they were baptized. This is the pattern found throughout Acts, includ... [ Continue Reading ]
SIMON HIMSELF ALSO BELIEVED. Many have argued that Simon believed in the miracles, not in Christ. But we are not told this, and the Scripture makes no separation between he and the others. It is hard to believe a man with the fame Simon had, would yield himself to the Good News, unless he was sincer... [ Continue Reading ]
THE APOSTLES IN JERUSALEM HEARD. Philip was not an apostle. He had the gift of miracles, but could not pass it on to others. (1) On Pentecost, the Spirit came down on the first Jewish Christians. (2) The Samaritan Christians received the gifts of the Spirit from the apostle. (3) When the first Genti... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY PRAYED FOR THE BELIEVERS. That the Spirit might come down on them. The "gifts of the Spirit" are not the same as the "Spirit as a gift." These had already been born of water and the Spirit (John 3:5), but had not yet been given the supernormal gifts of the Spirit. See notes on Acts 19:1-7_. Cal... [ Continue Reading ]
SO HE OFFERED MONEY TO PETER AND JOHN. This implies he was not one whom the apostles gave the gifts of the Spirit. His sin is not that he wanted this power, but that he tried to buy it! [1 Timothy 6:5 may apply here.]... [ Continue Reading ]
MAY YOU AND YOUR MONEY GO TO HELL. This is a _literal_ translation. _Johnson_ thinks this is not an _anathema_ [God's curse], but the word is APOLEIAN, which is translated "destined to hell" in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. However, Simon is not completely beyond hope, as Peter shows. FOR THINKING THAT YOU C... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THEY HAD GIVEN. Peter and John did not rush back to Jerusalem, but used every opportunity to spread the Good News of Jesus.... [ Continue Reading ]
AN ANGEL OF THE LORD. Gaza was on the south-west seacoast of Judea. The road went through the hill-country of Judea. Note the angel speaks to _the preacher_ and sends him to preach Jesus.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW AN ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH. Ethiopia was the part of Africa south of Egypt. It was common in the East to _"desex"_ strong, intelligent young men, and train them for positions of leadership. This "mutilated" man was probably a Gentile converted to Judaism, although he could never be a "full Jew" because... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HOLY SPIRIT SAID TO PHILIP. Notice the Spirit sends Philip to this man.... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW CAN I UNDERSTAND? He needed help to understand the prophecies. Compare 1 Corinthians 2:13-14,... [ Continue Reading ]
32-33. THE PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE. Isaiah 53:7-8 from the Septuagint. This quotation from Isaiah shows the voluntary sacrifice which Christ would make; the wickedness and guilt of the people who killed him; and also the "spiritual children" [followers] he would have.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF WHOM IS THE PROPHET SAYING THIS? Philip used this opportunity to show how the prophets predicted God's act in Christ to set men free. He showed the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. He told how they had been ordered to preach this Good News and baptize believers by the authority of Christ... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY CAME TO A PLACE. The exact spot where this baptism took place is unknown. Jerome and Eusebius place it at Bethsura [Bethzur, Joshua 15:58], about twenty miles from Jerusalem, in a deep pool at the foot of a hill. Others think Acts 8:40 implies it was near Ashdod. HERE IS SOME WATER. Note it is... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YOU BELIEVE. Philip asks for a formal declaration of faith. 1 BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD. This is the "Ultimate declaration!" See Romans 10:9-10; 1 Peter 3:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BOTH OF THEM. WENT DOWN INTO THE WATER. _The Expositor's Greek Testament_ says: "HIS TO HUDOR: even if the words are rendered unto the water' (Plumptre), the context ANEBESAN EK indicates that the baptism was by immersion, and there can be no doubt that this was the custom in the early Church.... [ Continue Reading ]
UP OUT OF THE WATER. "Christian baptism" involves both _water_ and _Spirit._ See note on John 3:5. FULL OF JOY. This man had been unable to find full acceptance in Judaism because of his mutilation (Deuteronomy 23:1). Try to picture his great happiness in discovering that none of that was important... [ Continue Reading ]