Acts Chapter
8.
The Work of
Philip. 8:4-40.
The
Persecution. 8:1-3.
* Samaria
receives the Word. 8:4-8.
* Simon the sorcerer. 8:9-13.
* The Apostle's visit. 8:14-17.
They
confer the Holy Spirit. 8.14-17.
Simon's
dishonesty. 8.18-24.
The
Apostle's return. 8.25.
The
Ethiopian's conversion. 8.26-40.
Critical and
Historical:
The
Samaritans. Some knowledge of
their religion, history and relationship to the Jews is important for
understanding this chapter. See B-D.
1130-1132, especially paragraph 7 of
the article on the Samaritans. See also
F.F.Bruce, "Israel
and the nations," especially
chapter 13.
Their religion was very Jewish, but the Jews regarded as
defective and schismatic their observance of Israel's religion. The Samaritans were not pagans, but Jews did
not regard as authentic and legitimate their version of the faith of Israel.
The preaching of the Gospel by Philip to the Samaritans was
a new extension - outreach - of the church.
This expansion was more than geographical, but it was a new theological
re-orientation. That the Samaritans
should receive the Gospel and equally share with the Jewish disciples in the
Church was a new dimension of theological thinking concerning the Kingdom of God.
It was a step that went against popular Jewish feelings. But the rightness of this extension was
proved when the believing Samaritans received the Holy Spirit by the laying on
of the hands of the apostles.
The Deception
of Simon. See Simon Magus in
B-D. 1188.
* The deception of
profession. Not all seed falls into good
ground. In the finest evangelistic
campaigns there will be empty professions.
The blossoms greatly exceed in number the fruit. There can be no revival without enthusiasm
and revivals are fortunate when attended by some persecution. There was no persecution at Samaria to scorch empty profession. The visit of Philip proved popular and an
occasion for much joy.
Baptism is an empty rite apart from personal faith. Not all those who agree to baptism have
truly repented. There is no true faith
without repentance. The case of Simon
proves that baptism is ineffective without repentance and that intellectual
assent may not be accompanied by the complete moral re-orientation of
repentance.
*Distortion of Power.
Simon was infatuated with power.
The craving for power is always a corrupting principle. "All power corrupts; absolute power absolutely
corrupts." (Aston). Simon thought
of the Holy Spirit in terms of power, that he might promote his own prestige.
*Diagnosis of Purpose.
Peter saw that this greed for power exposed a heart that was dishonest
with God. Simon imagined that the gift
of God could be purchased with money. He
had to acknowledge that the apostles were endowed with power beyond his and he
wanted to be equal with them. This
manifested the true state of his heart, his resentment and alienation from
God. Simony is the name given to the
sin of purchasing spiritual offices with money.
The Ethiopian. B-D. 398.
Critical, see Ethiopia
in B-D. 397. He was probably a true
Ethiopian or from Nubia,
and not a Jew from that country. Most
likely he was a proselyte B-D. 1047.
The Law of Moses excluded eunuchs (B-D. 398 - Eunuch) or
mutilated persons. Lev.21:20; Deut.23:1.
But this ban appears to have been removed. (Isa.56:3). The tenth chapter suggests that Cornelius was
the first uncircumcised Gentile to receive the Gospel.
* His pilgrimage to Jerusalem. (It was custom to read aloud, that is most
probably why Philip heard him reading Isaiah).
The verb, "worship" is 'proskuneo' in 8:27. The noun form means a pilgrim in Modern
Greek. He came as a pilgrim to worship
at Jerusalem,
for he recognized the significance of that city. But it was along the desert road he found
Christ. Jerusalem was a link in providing the
Biblical Scroll, but unable to tell him concerning whom the prophet wrote.
* The problem of prophecy. Isaiah 53 became a primary prophecy on which
the Church relied for the interpretation of the death of Jesus. The Ethiopian read aloud from the LXX. (see B-D. 1258).
* The preaching of
Christ. Philip preached Jesus who was
the true fulfiller of this prophecy. A
fine evangelistic prophecy and many have been led to Christ through
Isa.53. It still has great usefulness
for evangelism.
* The purpose of
Baptism. No physical mutilation could
exclude him from the right to confess and obey the Lord.
Verse 37 is omitted in the best texts and it is unlikely
that it formed part of Luke's work. Its presence destroys the true movement of
thought. But the verse was an early
gloss and provides evidence that, in the ancient church, faith in Jesus Christ
was the ground of baptism.
That verses 38 and 39 imply immersion as the mode of baptism
is well supported by the leading commentators and translations. See Plumptre, Hackett, Page, Knowling,
T.Walker, V.Bartlett, and the R.V;
R.S.V; N.E.B and Moffatt.
Evangelism.
a/. Philip the model
evangelist:
* His readiness to
evangelize. In every place; under all
circumstances; to all kinds of people; successful with community, crowd or
individual.
* He preached
Christ. His message was always the
same. Christ was the centre of all his
sermons and he based his message upon the Scriptures. He was a versatile preacher of Christ.
* He appreciated the
corporate life of believers for he preached the Kingdom of God. He baptised those who believed and so
recognized baptism as the basic rite of the Kingdom. In this making no distinction between men
and women. 8:12.
b/. An evangelical
Vocabulary.
* Circumstances of
evangelism. "Scattered
abroad," 8:1-4. 'Diaspeiro' was
used in the LXX for the scattering of Israel among the nations as a
punishment for unfaithfulness. But this
Christian 'diaspora' becomes the means for evangelism. Persecution resulted in expansion. In this Christian 'diaspora', all become
evangelists, and preachers of the Word.
The earliest persecutions came from Jews. (See B-D. 318, for article on Jewish
Dispersion).
* The character of
evangelism. Five Greek words are used
in this chapter for preaching.
'Euangelizo',
"bring good news, preach good tidings." 8:4, 12,
25, 35, 40. In
8:25, is translated "preach the Gospel." R.V.
This word is used for evangelizing the community, 8:25, and for
individual soul winning, 8:35. See B-D.
400 (Evangelist) and 484, (Gospel).
'Kerusso', "proclaim, preach." 8:5.
See W.E.Vine's Dictionary.
'Diamarturomai', "give solemn evidence,
testify." 8:25. Originally it meant "to testify under oath."
'Laleo', in Class.Greek,
"talk or chatter." But
in the New Testament, a more dignified word, "speak,
say." 8:25, "spoken."
R.V. - aorist participle.
'Lego', "say."
8:6. "The things that were
spoken" - passive present participle.
See article, B-D. 1023.
* Content of the
Evangel.
The Word, 'logos', i.e. "the message. 8:4.
The Christ or Messiah. 8:5.
The Kingdom
of God and the Name of
Jesus Christ. 8:12.
The Messiah was
called, 'Taheb' or "restorer," by the Samaritans. B-D. 811.
These two themes, the Kingdom of God
and the Name of Jesus Christ, are inseparable.
The Kingdom of God was manifested in the ministry, death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ, and His work is the central note in the preaching
of the Gospel of the Kingdom
of God. The Kingdom of God
is synonymous with God's saving activity in Jesus Christ. It emphasizes four distinct things in respect
to the Christian salvation:
* Continuity. It sets forth the work of Christ as
fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and expectation.
* Community. It sets salvation in relation to the people
of God. The Kingdom is a community
concept" and has social implications.
* Commitment. It is the life of discipleship, and the
principles of the Kingdom are those principles that govern discipleship. The Kingdom underlines salvation as the
acceptance of the sovereignty of God for one's life.
* Consummation. The concept of the Kingdom of God
places salvation in an eschatological setting, and as the fulfillment of the
Divine purpose. The Christian salvation has a future dimension, and is
essentially eschatological. (See
Rom.8:17-30. B-D. 693).
The Word of
the Lord. This Old Testament
idiom, underlines the majesty of Jesus and His sovereign intervention. 8:25.
(See "Word" , B-D. 1337).
Jesus. 8:35. The procedure was to begin with John's
Baptism, to declare the anointing and mighty works of Jesus, His death and resurrection, as the
fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies.
The Gospel or "good news." 8:40.
The Greek word, 'euangelizo' occurs about 16 times in the book of Acts,
and means, "to evangelize, or tell good news."
* Course of Evangelism.
This is illustrated by such phrases as:
"went
about" 8:4;
"went
down" 8:5;
"many
villages" 8:25;
"arise
and go" 8:26;
"Go
near and join thyself." 8:29;
"passing
through......came." 8:40.
* Consequences of Evangelism.
"Great
joy." 8:8.
"Rejoicing." 8:39.
Harvest
seasons are busy, but happy times.
Church and
Ministry.
Expansion and unity:
* The basis of its
unity. The Samaritans received by faith
and baptism the glad tidings of the Kingdom
of God. The Gospel united the two sections of the
people of the Old Covenant.
* The apostolic
confirmation of this union. The two
leading apostles from Jerusalem,
expressed the fellowship and sanction of the Church there. The Acts aims to show that every expansion of
the Church had the approval of the apostles at Jerusalem.
The Samaritans, though claiming descent from the ten tribes,
were regarded as schismatic and heretical.
It was therefore important that the leaders of the Church at Jerusalem should confirm
their incorporation into the Church.
* The Divine Seal of
the Church's Unity. This was the gift
of the Spirit. It is the apostles who
confer this gift. It was important that
this new and radical step have the confirmation of the apostles, who remained a
nucleus of authority at Jerusalem. 8:1.
It is important to see the theological significance that
Luke attaches to historical and geographical movements. Jerusalem
filled a special role in God's programme of bringing salvation to mankind. Since
this is so a second, or independent, Pentecost at Samaria must have been disastrous to the
unity of the Church. The one baptism of
the Spirit at Jerusalem
is fundamental to the total doctrine of the Spirit in Acts and basic to every
new expansion of the Church. Therefore,
the Pentecost of Samaria must be an extension of the Pentecost at Jerusalem.
The visit then of the two apostles was important and the
laying on of their hands, that the believing Samaritans receive the Holy
Spirit. In this way, the solidarity and
fellowship of the expanding Church, was maintained. 'Lampe', (Greek), quoted by Bruce,
writes, "The imposition of hands is,
then, primarily a token of fellowship and
solidarity; it is only secondarily an effective symbol of the Spirit; it becomes such a symbol solely
in virtue of being a sign of incorporation into the Church of the
Spirit." Probably, some visible or
audible sign marked their reception of the Spirit, for Simon discerned it.
Greek words in Acts to express the relation of the Holy
Spirit to the believers:
'Epipipto', "fall upon." 8:16;
10:44; 11:15. The use of the word in 11:15, deserves study,
for it indicates not a repetition at each individual conversion, but marks the
various stages in the expansion of the Church.
What occurred at Caesarea was a repetition
of Acts 2:1.
Jerusalem - Samaria - Caesarea,
represent or mark new stages in the expansion of the Church.
'Baptizo' 1:15;
11:16.
'Eperchomai',
"come upon." 1:8. and
'erchomai' 19:6.
'Ekcheo, ekchuno',
"pour out, shed." 2:17,
33; 10:45.
'Didomi', "give." 8:18; 15:8.
'Dorea', "gift." 2:38;
10:45; 11:17.
'Lambano', "receive." 8:17;
10:47; 19:2.
'Pimplemi', "fill." 2:4;
4:8, 31; 9:17; 13:9.
'Pleroo',
13:52. 'Pleres'. 6:3;
7:55; 19:24.
See Vine's
Dictionary.
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