BIBLE IN TEN

Acts 8:28

Sunday, 3 July 2022
 
was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. Acts 8:28
 
The previous verse introduced the Ethiopian eunuch who had come to Jerusalem to worship. Now it says he “was returning.” Like the Queen of Sheba who came to visit Solomon  , she eventually returned to her own country. So, it is now with this unnamed eunuch. He was on his way back on the desert road leading to Gaza. Luke next records, “And sitting in his chariot.”
 
The word harma, or chariot, is introduced here. It will be seen three times in this account in Acts, and then one more time in Revelation 9:9. It signifies a vehicle of some sort. It is unknown exactly what type of carriage he was in. It is a conveyance that could have been on wheels, or it could have been borne by men on poles, as in a palanquin.In this case, it is most probably not a palanquin. This will be seen in a few verses. Rather, it is probably a carriage suitable for carrying several people. Regardless of the type, it was slow enough for Philip to join beside it. Next, while sitting there in his chariot, it says of the eunuch that “he was reading Isaiah the prophet.”
 
The common way to read was out loud, and this is what would have made the coming events possible. What is most probable is that he was reading the Greek translation of Isaiah, the LXX, or Septuagint. Greek was the lingua franca at the time and would surely have been known to someone in the courts of Candace.
 
And more, it is probable that in having read the Septuagint in the past, it is what brought him to want to worship in Jerusalem in the first place. Not because he was a proselyte, but because he wanted to worship the God proclaimed in their Scriptures. With this now noted, the narrative will continue to unfold in the coming verses.
 
Life application: The man in the chariot was a trusted member of the court of Candace. He was an approved traveler to go to worship in Jerusalem. He is noted now in the Bible as playing a key and pivotal role in fulfilling a particular pattern that is noted in the early Genesis narrative, and yet there is no record of his name.
 
As such, it tells us that it is not his name that is important, but who he stems from – something carefully recorded by Luke, and which must have been told to him by Philip. He is from Ethiopia. As such, he descends from the line of Ham and then through his son Cush. Ham is the son that did something perverted to his father, and because of what he did, Noah placed a curse on Ham’s son Canaan.
 
Despite the curse resting on Canaan, the line of Ham is the least favored line of the three sons of Noah because of what he did to his father. And yet, we are seeing an account of an Ethiopian becoming the center of the biblical narrative. But more, Moses was said to have married an Ethiopian (Numbers 12:1), and an Ethiopian eunuch was given a great note of grace from the Lord in Jeremiah 38.
 
God can work through any supposed limitation we possess. He did it with the Canaanite Rahab the harlot (two strikes against her), he did it through a sketchy intermarriage between Solomon and a woman of Ammon, bringing those who issue from her into the kingly line, and so on.
 
The point is, that whatever limitation you think might be resting upon you, God can still use you for His purposes and His glory. Don’t feel that because the whole world doesn’t know your name that you are somehow unimportant. God does. And with that, and if you are in Christ, you are a most important part of what He is doing in the world. Be confident of this.
 
Lord God, thank You that our names are known to You, and that we each have a part to offer in Your eternal home where the righteous will dwell. Thank You that because of Jesus this is possible. Yes, thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Acts 8:27

Saturday, 2 July 2022
 
So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, Acts 8:27
 
The previous verse detailed Philip’s commission by the messenger of the Lord to go on the desert road to Gaza. Luke now continues with a note concerning his immediate obedience, saying, “So he arose and went.”
 
Philip is being given a charge completely separate and distinct from Peter and the other apostles. He was part of the dispersion noted early in Acts 8 and he was found faithful in opening his mouth and proclaiming the gospel to the mixed-race of Samaritans. Certainly because of his zeal for telling others the good news of Christ he is commissioned to pass on this same good news again. That is seen with the next words, “And behold, a man of Ethiopia.”
 
There is an immense amount of speculation concerning who this person is in relation to Judaism, but Luke – the most meticulous of chroniclers – says nothing of his being of Israelite descent or of him being a proselyte, both of which he carefully records concerning others elsewhere. Rather, he simply calls him a man of Ethiopia. Vincent’s Word Studies provides additional insights into the word “Ethiopia” –
 
“The name for the lands lying south of Egypt, including the modern Nubia, Cordofan, and Northern Abyssinia. Rawlinson speaks of subjects of the Ethiopian queens living in an island near Mero, in the northern part of this district. He further remarks: ‘The monuments prove beyond all question that the Ethiopians borrowed from Egypt their religion and their habits of civilization. They even adopted the Egyptian as the language of religion and of the court, which it continued to be till the power of the Pharaohs had fallen, and their dominion was again confined to the frontier of Ethiopia. It was through Egypt, too, that Christianity passed into Ethiopia, even in the age of the apostles, as is shown by the eunuch of Queen Candace.’”
 
As for the term anér, or man, it is a general word used to signify a male human. Nothing more should be read into it. To say anything more is to insert into the narrative something unintended by the record itself.
 
He is next called a eunouchos, a eunuch. The word comes from eune (a bed) and echo (to have or possess). As such, it is a person who possesses the bed of another. Scholars, in an attempt to claim he is something other than what is stated, will stretch the meaning of what Luke is clearly conveying. He is a castrated person who attended to the bed of another. He is next noted as being “of great authority.”
 
The Greek word is dunastés, a word connected to our modern word “dynasty.” It signifies a potentate or a mighty leader. Paul uses it in 1 Timothy 6:15 when describing Jesus as “the blessed and only Potentate.” In the case of this man, he is a member of the court “under Candace.”
 
Rather than a name, this is a title used only here in the Bible, Kandaké. Like the term Pharaoh, it is a term used as the dynastic title for the queens of Ethiopia. As such, the person now being described is a high-level official and a eunuch assigned under her. Next, the term Kandaké is explained with the words, “the queen of the Ethiopians.”
 
This would be comparable to saying, “Pharaoh, the king of Egypt,” as is seen quite frequently in the Old Testament and even once in Acts 7:10. This man, who is a eunuch under Candace is the one “who had charge of all her treasury.”
 
This indicates that he was not only powerful in authority, but he was a trustworthy man as well. His position put him over all her treasures. The word used, gaza, is found only here. It is a Persian word adopted by the Greeks and Latins to indicate the treasures and wealth she possessed. Finally, it says of this person that he “had come to Jerusalem to worship.”
 
The immediate conclusion is that some claim this “proves” that he was a proselyte. Rather, this only proves that he came to Jerusalem to worship, but that can actually mean almost anything as people go to “worship” all over the world and for a variety of reasons. Jews went up on the hills of Israel to worship and get closer to whatever god they were worshipping at the time. If he was a proselyte, Luke would have carefully stated it, as he did in Acts 2:10, 6:5, and 13:43.
 
Further, it is claimed that he was there to worship on Passover (Barnes), Pentecost (Cambridge, etc.), as was stated in Acts 2. These same scholars have already said in their commentaries that a long and/or unknown time has passed since Acts 2. It could have been years at this point. There is nothing recorded by Luke concerning the reason that he came other than to worship.
 
Also, being a eunuch, according to Deuteronomy 23:1, he was not acceptable to be counted among the assembly of Israel. Like the Ethiopian Ebed-Melech recorded in Jeremiah, he was not a part of the assembly, even if he was living in the land. This Ethiopian Eunuch may have been worshipping the Lord, like Ebed-Melech, with his heart, even if he was not acceptable under the law. Like Ebed-Melech, he will receive a special note of favor from the Lord for his attentiveness to Him (see Jeremiah 39:15-18).
 
Life application: A few points about this verse, if hyperdispensationalism were true, which it is not, the church would have begun with Philip, not with Paul. This is because he is the first noted as evangelizing a Gentile. However, the church did not begin with Philip either. It began in Acts 2 and both Philip now, and Paul in the verses to come, are (or will be) carrying out the tasks set before them to continue the growth of what the Lord is doing.
 
There is a specific reason for the selection of this Ethiopian and the evangelization of him now. It will be noted in the verses ahead, and it is specifically to complete a pattern that was laid down in the early Genesis account.
 
Secondly, the words “man” and “eunuch” are both used concerning this individual. According to this account in the Bible a man, even if he is physically changed through emasculation, remains a man. Cutting off body parts or being crazy in one’s head and thinking you are not what you were born as does not change what you are.
 
In today’s world, people claim they are something other than what they were designed by God to be. They even go to extreme lengths to physically alter themselves in order to be “something else.” But they are what they are. The only difference is that they no longer properly conform physically to what they are.
 
Heavenly Father, help us to have right thinking concerning our doctrine so that our doctrine will be right. In straying from proper doctrine, our doctrine will be wrong.  As such, only we will suffer, but Your word and its intent for us remains the same. Help us in this, O God. Help us to pursue Your word according to how it is presented. Amen.

Acts 8:26

Friday, 1 July 2022
 
Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. Acts 8:26
 
With the account concerning Peter and John completed, the narrative now returns to Philip, beginning with, “Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip.” As always, the word “angel” signifies a messenger. Nothing more is said to further define its meaning at this time, but in both 8:29 and 8:39, the Spirit is mentioned as communicating with or physically transporting him.
 
As this is the case, it may be that the “messenger” of the Lord is a dream, a vision, or by direct communication from the Spirit. But because that is not explicitly mentioned, this is only speculation. Regardless of this, Philip is given a direct communication from the Lord through a messenger, “saying, ‘Arise.’”
 
It is a way of indicating that he must now take action according to the word of the Lord. The last time he was mentioned was in Acts 8:13. What is being instructed now is probably while he is still in Samaria. With the apostles there or having left (depending on when this call to him is made), he now has a new charge set before him. One can assume that because of his faithfulness in evangelizing, he is being personally selected to continue on with the Lord’s unfolding of the redemptive narrative.
 
As such, the messenger continues with, “and go toward the south.” As he is in Samaria, it would be to the south of that. The specific directions are being given for a specific purpose which will be revealed in the coming verses. What occurs will bring about a conversion that fits a pattern that goes all the way back to the early Genesis narrative. The Lord is purposefully directing Philip to represent this pattern for the New Testament.
 
In order to do so, Philip is to go toward the south “along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” Here, a word is introduced that is found only one more time, in Acts 22:6, mesémbria, and which is translated as “south.” It is a compound word coming from mesos, meaning “middle,” and hémera, meaning “day.” Hence, it means “mid-day.” 
 
All translations say “south” because it is where the sun is at mid-day. However, it could just as easily be that Philip is being told, “Rise up and go toward mid-day to the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” The reason for this is that people would not want to travel in such a hot place at a time like this. Instead, it would be much less taxing to go early in the morning when it was cool.
 
Gaza, or Azzah, means “Strong,” or “Strong Place.” It was granted to Israel as a part of their inheritance when the borders were originally defined in Numbers 34. It was then assigned to Judah in Joshua 15:47. For a historical view of the location, Charles Ellicott provides the following:
 
“The history of the city so named (appearing at times in the English version—Deuteronomy 2:23; 1Kings 4:24; Jeremiah 25:20—as Azzah) goes even as far back as that of Damascus, in the early records of Israel. It was the southernmost or border-city of the early Canaanites (Genesis 10:19), and was occupied first by the Avim, and then by the Caphtorim (Deuteronomy 2:23). Joshua was unable to conquer it (Joshua 10:41; Joshua 11:22). The tribe of Judah held it for a short time (Judges 1:18), but it soon fell into the hands of the Philistines (Judges 3:3; Judges 13:1), and though attacked by Samson, was held by them during the times of Samuel, Saul, and David (1Samuel 6:17; 1Samuel 14:52; 2Samuel 21:15). Solomon (1Kings 4:24), and later on Hezekiah (2Kings 18:8), attacked it. It resisted Alexander the Great during a siege of five months, and was an important military position, the very key of the country, during the struggles between the Ptolemies and the Seleucidæ, and in the wars of the Maccabees (1 Maccabees 11:61).”
 
The reason for the specificity concerning what to do (and/or when to do it) is explained by Vincent’s Word Studies –
 
“There were several roads from Jerusalem to Gaza. One is mentioned by the way of Bethlehem to Hebron, and thence through a region actually called a desert.”
 
In order to ensure that the divinely planned meeting that is intended to happen comes about, Philip is given exacting instruction. As such, it could be that he is being told to take the south road, or if “mid-day” is intended, the correct road to take would still be known based on the final words of the verse, which say, “This is desert.”
 
If “south” is meant, then these words now may be Luke’s explaining the directions of the messenger. If “mid-day” is meant, then this is the messenger’s explanation of which of the two roads to take. Either way, it is known by Philip to go on a particular road down to Gaza, and it very well may be at a particular time of day. The latter seems quite possible based on the events that will come about in the verses ahead.
 
Life application: The events taking place in Acts are often given with very specific instructions to those who are to carry them out. A plan is being worked out, and patterns and parallels to other parts of the Bible are being completed now in Acts. Only in referring to the Old Testament can these be understood.
 
God is revealing to us the redemption of man. But man isn’t just one line of people, even if all people descend from one man. Rather, there are records of who various people groups are, and we are seeing the divinely unfolding plan of God for those groups of people. Some were to be exterminated for His sovereign reasons. And yet, even in the extermination of those people groups, there are those who are spared. One example is seen in the instructions to Israel –
 
“But of the cities of these peoples which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance, you shall let nothing that breathes remain alive, 17 but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, just as the Lord your God has commanded you, 18 lest they teach you to do according to all their abominations which they have done for their gods, and you sin against the Lord your God.” Deuteronomy 20:16-18
 
Among those in this group who Israel failed to exterminate are several people who became key figures in the redemptive narrative, such as Rahab the harlot, Uriah the Hittite whose wife was Bathsheba, and Araunah the Jebusite. Jesus descends from both Rahab and Bathsheba, and He holds the title to real estate because of the record of a purchase made from Araunah that is found in 2 Samuel. None of these things occurred by accident, even if Israel failed to do as they were instructed.
 
If you feel you are either unimportant or that your role in God’s plans and designs is insignificant, you are incorrect. These people probably felt just the same way. And yet, they became central figures in what God was doing. And you will be a central part of what God is doing as well. Metaphors are used concerning believers such as “living stones” or “pillars” in the temple that the Lord is building.
 
A temple cannot stand without proper support. As such, it cannot stand without you. God has figured you in as a most important part of what He is creating. Be pleased to know this.
 
Lord God, thank You that we are counted as important parts of what You are doing. You hold all of the power of the universe, and more, in Your hands, and yet You have determined that we are useful in the temple You are building where we will dwell with You forever. Thank You that You have such care, even of us. Amen.
 

Acts 8:25

Thursday, 30 June 2022
 
So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. Acts 8:25
 
With the narrative concerning Simon complete, Luke now continues with the actions of Peter and John, beginning with, “So when they had testified.”
 
The word used, diamarturomai, is stronger than simply testifying. It is the giving of full and clear testimony. HELPS Word Studies says it “is always in the Greek middle voice which emphasizes witnessing done with a high level of self-involvement, i.e., with strong personal interest motivating it.” Hence, it may be more suitably translated “having earnestly testified.” They gave their earnest testimony “and preached.”
 
The word here is not the same as the last clause. It means “to say.” Hence, this first clause should read, “They then, indeed, having earnestly testified and having spoken the word of the Lord.” The words give a full description of the care of Peter and John for their mission. They proclaimed the word of the Lord, and they also were fully and intimately involved in testifying to what they personally knew concerning its fulfillment in Christ. Once that was complete in the area where they were, it says, “they returned to Jerusalem.”
 
This mission in Samaria is coming to a close. It is now understood by the apostles that not only was the gospel to be preached to those in Samaria (Acts 1:8) but that the people who believed were given the Holy Spirit. As this is now known, the report of this can be taken back to the apostles in Jerusalem for their understanding. The people of Israel are no longer the only focal point of God’s attention. Something far greater is coming about. The verse next ends with the fact that on their way back, the apostles were also “preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.”
 
Here, the word “preaching” is correct. It is the same word, euaggelizó, used so far in verses 8:4 and 8:12. It means to evangelize or preach the good news. This is what Philip did originally in “the city of Samaria,” and now these two are doing it in the smaller country towns and villages as they wind their way back to Jerusalem.
 
Life application: Suppose you go on a short-term mission trip. You are excited about going, you raise the funds to join, you get your tickets and such and you go with the mission group. When you get there, you are told it will be a public bus that takes 10 hours to get to the location out in the country. You do your mission work, get back on the bus, head to the airport, and fly home.
 
It was a fun time. You got energized about helping others in a remote place. But did you talk to a single person on the way to the mission spot? Did you talk to anyone on the way back home? What was the point of your mission work? If building a house or a church, or helping to plant various crops, is all that you did then your time was not well spent.
 
The people at the mission site have all been evangelized. The building you helped put up could have been done without your help. You just helped it get done sooner. But the people that you passed by on the streets and towns you stopped at never got to hear about Jesus. The same is true with your vacations at home, your shopping at the store each week, and your visit to the restaurant last night.
 
Are you hoping someone else will tell all these people about Jesus? Try taking tracts and handing them out. Or try something really fun and do what Philip did in verse 8:4 and what Peter and John are doing in this verse. Try telling people about what you know. If not you, then who?
 
Lord God, someone told us about Jesus, and we responded. Isn’t it our time to do the same for others? Help us to be willing to share the saving message of Jesus to the people we encounter along life’s path. May it be so, and may we start today. Help us in this, O God. Amen.

Acts 8:24

Wednesday, 29 June 2022
 
Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.” Acts 8:24
 
Peter has completed his words of reproof towards Simon. In them, he said, “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you” (8:22). In response to the sum of Peter’s words, Luke now records, “Then Simon answered and said.”
 
His words are in response to everything Peter has said, but they are directed to both Peter and John. This is evidenced in the next words, “Pray to the Lord for me.” The Greek reads “Pray (plural) earnestly you (plural) on behalf of me to the Lord.”
 
Though Peter has been recorded as the speaker, Simon is addressing both Peter and John and is asking for earnest prayers to be made for him. He then specifically asks “that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”
 
It implies a full understanding of the consequences of his words and actions and hopes for a reprieve from them. Unfortunately, in an effort to convince us that Simon could not be saved, Bible scholars will note various supposed defects in Simon’s thinking and build upon them to show that he was not a part of the body of believers. Such defects included (but are not limited to):
 
He is unwilling to pray for himself, even though Peter told him to pray to God.
He doesn’t ask for deliverance from being bound by iniquity, but for relief from the things that Peter had said would come upon him.
 
Both of these points are easily refutable. First, and has been noted several times, verse 8:13 clearly and unambiguously stated that Simon “believed.” Either the words of Jesus and the epistles (also found repeatedly in Acts) are true or they are not. The premise is, “Believe in the work of Jesus and you will be saved.” Simon is not an exception to this truth; he is clearly an integral part of it.
 
Secondly, the word huper is used, here translated as “for.” In this case, it signifies “on my behalf.” The same word is used in the same manner repeatedly in this same context, meaning having someone praying for someone else. Examples of this are found in 2 Corinthians 9:14, Ephesians 6:18, 2 Timothy 2:1, 2, and James 5:16.
 
It is to be remembered that in believing the gospel that was preached by Phillip, the Holy Spirit did not come upon any in Samaria. There is a set purpose for this, and it is realized in the coming of Peter and John to validate what occurs. In the laying on of their hands, the Spirit then came upon the believers.
 
As this is the case, it is not only natural but wholly expected, that Simon would appeal to the same people, through whom this gift was imparted, to ask them to pray on his behalf.
 
Thirdly, his asking both Peter and John to pray shows an understanding of the power of the prayer of many. This is in accord with 2 Corinthians 1:11 where Paul plainly shows that the prayers of the many are considered right and appropriate.
 
Fourth, in asking for prayers from the penalty of his actions, it means that he understands and is acknowledging that his actions are wrong. Thus, it further implies that he is looking for freedom from the iniquity that binds him.
 
Fifth, Peter had encouraged Simon to pray to “God.” Simon, instead, asks Peter and John to pray to the “Lord,” clearly indicating Jesus. As such, he has directly confessed that he believes Jesus is 1) alive, 2) capable of answering prayer, and 3) God. Peter said to pray to God; Simon equates Jesus with God. Simon has met the qualification of believing the gospel message that he is already said to have “believed” in verse 8:13.
 
Jesus died for his sins, Jesus was buried, and Jesus rose again – all according to Scripture. The case against Simon’s salvation fails the sniff test. He believed the gospel, he accepted that Jesus is God, and he is – according to the words of Jesus and the apostles (as recorded in Acts and the epistles) – saved.
 
Life application: No two people on the planet now, nor any two people who have ever trusted in Christ, are on the same level of maturity. If one’s level of maturity in Christ defined salvation, then no person would ever be saved. This is because everyone in Christ can (and should) increase in the knowledge of the word, in applying that knowledge to his walk, and in turning around and being an example to others of his position in Christ.
 
If a person who is increasing in knowledge finds out he was wrong in a particular point of doctrine and corrects that, when was he saved? The fallacy of judging salvation based on poor doctrine is known as the fallacy of the beard. When a person doesn’t shave, when does his facial hair become a beard? After 2 seconds? After 1 day? After it is ¼ inch long? Who determines that? What is the set and fixed standard?
 
Salvation is based upon belief alone in the one and only gospel, nothing else. Be sure to determine if a person has believed and accepted that. However, it is acceptable to find out exactly what that person has believed. If a person has believed that Jesus was a created being that died for his sins, he is not saved. If a person has believed that Jesus may have fulfilled the law, but he is told (and believes) that the law is still binding on those who come to him and that he must do stuff to be saved, then he is not saved. Etc.
 
In a proper presentation of the gospel, and in the receiving of that by a person, the person who believes is saved. From there, it is up to that person to grow in Christ.
 
Heavenly Father, thank You for the simplicity of the gospel. Help us to share it accurately and often so that those who hear may believe rightly and be saved. Amen.

Acts 8:23

Tuesday, 28 June 2022
 
“For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” Acts 8:23
 
Peter has upbraided Simon for his offer of money to have the power to impart the Holy Spirit to others. He then offered the corrective measure which was for him to repent and pray. Now as an additional poke at him, he says, “For I see.”
 
Peter discerns the wickedness that fills Simon that he spoke of in the previous verse and he identifies it to him with the words, “that you are poisoned by bitterness.”
 
The verb is a present participle and the word “poisoned” is a noun, not a verb. It more precisely reads, “that you are being in the gall of bitterness.” The word translated as “gall” is cholé. It means gall or bitter herbs. It is what was given to Jesus in Matthew 27:34 as a painkiller and which He refused to drink. Here, it is used figuratively.
 
The next word, bitterness, is from the Greek word pikria. It is found only here, and it signifies bitterness, harshness, and such, as in an embittered spirit. This word will be seen in Romans 3:14, Ephesians 4:31, and Hebrews 12:15. In Ephesians 4, Paul notes that this and other negative traits can exist in believers, but they are to be put away.
 
The two words together give the sense of Simon either being corrupted by (poison) or immune (anesthetized) to bitterness. Peter continues with his words saying, “and bound by iniquity.”
 
Again, the first word is a noun, not a verb. In essence, “You are being in the bond of iniquity.” It is as if iniquity (unrighteousness) is acting as a force that restrains him in the state of iniquity so that he can do nothing else. It is a word that Paul uses concerning believers, such as in Romans 3:5 and in an ironic way concerning himself in 2 Corinthians 12:13.
 
It is to be noted that throughout the epistles there are saved believers who are highlighted for their improper conduct and attitudes, but Paul does not question their salvation. They believed and were saved.
 
The record in Acts concerning Simon says he believed. What he needs is repentance and turning to sound thinking and doctrine, something desperately needed throughout the church and in all ages. If the words used to describe Simon were a statement that he was not saved, it would be a statement against the majority of believers at any given time in their lives after salvation.
 
Life application: The Bible says that a person is saved by grace through faith. Grace is unmerited favor. It is, therefore, something that no person deserves. It is also something that any person can obtain. Simon was said to have believed in Acts 8:13. Does his belief not merit grace because he is described in such a negative way by Peter? On the contrary, Paul addresses this in Romans in an ironic fashion noting that the “truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory” (Romans 3:7).
 
In other words, it is like saying, “When a person has done great wickedness and yet is forgiven, it shows the truly great nature of God who will still forgive.” The more sinful a person was before believing, the greater the mark of mercy is granted, and the greater the grace of God is highlighted.
 
Paul then goes further and says that some actually accused him of basically saying, “Well if this is true then let us sin even more so that God can be even more magnified in His forgiveness of us.” Paul immediately shows that that is perverse thinking and someone who thinks that way is justly condemned for entertaining such an idea.
 
Simon believed. Assuming (and there is no reason to think otherwise) that he was saved, it does not mean that he suddenly became a person without fault. Rather, in his state, God’s grace towards him was shown to be exceptional. Now, what Simon needs is correction (something he has been given by Peter), and turning to the appropriate path.
 
As you witness to people more and more, you will find that there are many people who truly believe but who are so theologically confused that it will take a long time to sort them out. And some may never get completely sorted out. Paul refers to a couple of men in this state in 1 Timothy 1:18-20. There is a point where you just have to deliver them over to Satan and let them learn their lesson the hard way.
 
In the end, it is our job to hold fast to what is right, to teach others in this manner, and to live our lives as faithful Christians so that we can be examples for others to emulate. If we do these things, we will be doing our part.
 
Lord God, help us to be sound in our footing as we walk along the paths of right doctrine and personal holiness. In this, we can lead others as well. Give us the ability to remember Your word, to apply it to our lives, and to call it to memory as need be. With this, we can be the example to others that we should be. To Your glory! Amen.

Acts 8:22

Monday, 27 June 2022
 
Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. Acts 8:22
 
After offering money to Peter in order to obtain the power to impart the Holy Spirit, Peter really laid into Simon with the strong words of the previous two verses. Now, a remedy for his wicked thoughts is provided by Peter, saying, “Repent therefore.”
 
This is the first thing he is instructed to do, even before prayer. He must align his thoughts with what is correct and in accord with the will of God.
 
And this is what the word repent means. It is to change one’s mind or to think differently. It is especially so in reference to accepting and turning to the will of God. Peter is telling Simon that his thoughts are incorrect concerning the nature of God and the giving of the Holy Spirit, and he is to change his mind concerning these things. Peter continues by saying he should repent “of this your wickedness.”
 
The Greek says, “from this your wickedness.” In other words, Simon is in a mental state which is contrary to what is proper. Peter describes it as wickedness, and he is telling Simon that he is to turn from that state. If he doesn’t, his walk with the Lord will be completely perverse and at odds with what is right and proper. With that noted, he states the second thing Simon is to do, saying, “and pray God.”
 
Here, some manuscripts say “Lord” instead of “God.” Either way, the intent is to pray to the offended party concerning what has happened, petitioning Him to provide pardon for the wickedness that is so deeply rooted in Simon’s heart. In his praying to God, Peter next gives the purpose of the prayer, noting the conditional words, “if perhaps.”
 
The Greek word, translated as “perhaps,” is ara. JB Lightfoot says, “This difficult-to-translate interrogative particle (adverb) injects the element of surprise and the pressing need to respond. Depending on the context, 687 (ára) will emphasize the aspect of hesitation, bewilderment, etc.”
 
Due to the difficult nature of translating the word, it is variously rendered as indeed, perhaps, if possible, in the hope, if then, and so on. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown may capture the intent of Peter’s words. They say, “this expression of doubt being designed to impress upon him the greatness of his sin, and the need of alarm on his part.” With this in mind, Peter next says, that the “if perhaps” is that “the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.”
 
Peter uses a word found only here in Scripture, epinoia. It signifies “upon the mind,” and thus the intent. It is what is on the mind and where that thought leads to. Simon has profit on his mind, and it would then lead to peddling the imparting of the Holy Spirit to others. In this, it would lead to a complete cheapening of the divine gift of God.
 
Obviously, this is something that could not happen, but it is something that is on Simon’s mind and what he is hoping for in the offering of money in order to obtain it. Peter is saying that such a thought is wicked, and it requires turning from in order to obtain forgiveness.
 
If Simon truly believed, as is implied in verse 8:13, this cannot mean forgiveness to keep his salvation. Rather, it would be the forgiveness needed for a right relationship with the Lord. Without that, there would be an ongoing state where Simon’s actions were not acceptable to Him. An example from the epistles is the person described in 1 Corinthians 5:3-5 –
 
“For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”
 
The person in this passage was to be handed over to Satan. His life would remain completely unusable for the glory of the Lord, and he would enter into the Lord’s salvation without any rewards because of his wasted life. This is what Simon would be facing without changing his mind about his current intent.
 
Life application: It is not uncommon for people to pray about something that is opposed to what is taught in Scripture. In fact, it has almost become the standard in most major denominations. “Lord, we pray to you to guide us in our selection of Tom (who is a homosexual) to be our new deacon.” “Lord, we pray to you concerning the baptism of Jane (who is presently in an adulterous relationship) and accepting her as a member of our church.” “Lord, we pray for knowing which of these two women will be our new pastor.”
 
The prayers themselves are willingly disobedient. God will not provide direction in something that is already contrary to His written word. His word reflects His will, and people know this. Hence, to pray about something like these examples is a mark of rebellion against God. The attitude of the heart must first be right. This is why Peter first told Simon to repent (change his mind). Only then did he continue with direction, telling him to pray.
 
There is no point at all in praying for something until the heart (the mind) is properly directed concerning what is prayed for. One must know the word in order to know what the will of God is. Only then can prayers be properly directed to Him. And no prayer should ever be made that is openly contrary to what His word states. That only adds to the guilt of being presumptuous. How terrible it will be when people who do this find themselves standing before the Lord, set for judgment because of the wicked, unrepentant intents of their hearts.
 
Lord God, please be with us in our efforts to know Your will first, and only then to seek out through prayer what to do concerning matters that are important to us. May we never be presumptuous or disobedient in our prayers, but may they always be in accord with Your will. Amen.

Acts 8:21

Sunday, 26 June 2022
 
You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Acts 8:21
 
Peter just let Simon have it for offering money and asking to be given the power to impart the Holy Spirit to others. He continues that now, saying, “You have neither part nor portion in this matter.”
 
The word Peter uses, and which is translated as “portion,” is kléros. It signifies an assigned portion, coming from a word signifying “to cast lots.” When the lot is cast, the portion is assigned. Peter is not telling him he is not saved or that he has no portion in Jesus. He is saying that he has no part or portion in the imparting of the Holy Spirit, the matter now being considered.
 
This “portion” belonged to the office to which it has been assigned, meaning that of the apostles. This is obvious because Philip, not being an apostle, had preached the gospel and the people had believed, but the Holy Spirit had not come upon them until the apostles had come and placed their hands on the people. Further, this portion is not something that was required at all times, as has been seen earlier in Acts and as will be seen later in Acts.
 
The absence of the apostles is what necessitated their coming to Samaria. The impartation of the Spirit by them was a confirmation to the people that the Spirit had approved them and their office. In other instances, this is obvious. In this instance, because they were not there at the time of the evangelization, it was deemed necessary by God. With this validation, the office – and thus the words from them – are validated. There was no need for this from Simon, and in fact, it would be contrary to the purposes of God for him to receive such powers. Further, Peter exclaims, “for your heart is not right.”
 
The word Peter uses, euthus, means “straight.” It is being straight such as in “straight paths.” It is also used figuratively to mean “true” or “right.” Peter will use it in this sense in his second epistle where he speaks of “the right way” rather than the way of the ungodly. Simon’s heart was perverse and was focused on what is earthly. He needs schooling in order for his heart to be right “in the sight of God.”
 
Here is a word used for the second and last time, enanti. It comes from “in” and “in place of.” Thus, it means “before.” Its other use was in Luke 1:8 where Zecharias was said to be serving “before” God, meaning in his priestly duties while at the temple. This does not mean that Peter is saying he was not a true believer. Rather, it means that in the matter at hand, his heart was not right and would need correction.
 
Life application: The issue of salvation is not the same as learning and instruction in what is pleasing to God (personal sanctification). And the issue of personal sanctification is not the same as positional sanctification. A person is saved by belief in the gospel message –
 
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8, 9
 
A person is sanctified positionally before God at that time –
 
“But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11
 
The meaning of this positional sanctification is that because of being saved by Jesus, the person is now set apart as holy before God. This is more fully explained in Hebrews 10 where the believers had moved from the Old Covenant to the New –
 
“By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” Hebrews 10:10-14
 
Those who are saved are sanctified, or set apart as holy, unto God. It is a done deal. However, there is still the matter of people not being right before God in their attitudes, actions, and manner of life after being saved. This then is what is needed for personal sanctification. In other words, there is not a zapping of the person that is saved by Christ, suddenly converting him into an ultra-spiritual person that conducts himself flawlessly before the Lord. Rather, this is what discipleship is for. We are to grow in personal holiness all the days of our lives –
 
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:9
 
Unfortunately, too many people mix these categories and demand that a person must not “be saved” because he acts in a manner contrary to personal holiness. The fact is that not a person ever saved has been personally perfected before the Lord. Further, every person ever saved is on a different level of personal sanctification. We are not, nor can we be, the standard by which to judge the salvation of others based on such things. We cannot do it with Simon, and we cannot do it with anyone else.
 
It is true that the Bible gives guidelines on such matters though. When we see a person who is named a brother but who is engaging in improper conduct, we are to warn him even to a second time and then have nothing to do with him (Titus 3:11). If such people are in the church, they are to be put out of the church until their actions are corrected (1 Corinthians 5).
 
Let us keep our categories straight. In doing so, we will not make the mistake of deciding who is saved based on external actions. Rather, in treating them as noted in 1 Corinthians 5, it is under the assumption that they are, in fact, saved.
 
Glorious God, may we be willing to grow in holiness before You all our days. Help us in this. We are weak and temptations come easily. Give us both the desire to know Your word, and then to apply it to our walk before You. Thank You for Your word that can mold us into Your image as we await the day of our final glorification! And may that day be soon. Amen.
 

Acts 8:20

Saturday, 25 June 2022
 
But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! Acts 8:20
 
The previous verse cited Simon. He had offered money to Peter and then he said, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” With that, Luke records, “But Peter said to him.” From the coming words, it is evident that Peter completely flipped out at the offer. And more, he strongly rebukes him, saying, “Your money perish with you.”
 
More literally it reads, “Your money be along with you to destruction.” Today, to say this as forcefully as Peter, we might say, “Both you and your money can go straight to the pit.” This should not be taken as many do as Peter calling a curse down on Simon, although it would not be out of character for him. In his denial of Jesus, his words were packed with emotion, literally saying that he began to “anathematize.” It was as if he was calling down curses if he was lying, which of course he was.
 
In the case of his words to Simon, he is surely being expressive of contempt for the money more than contempt for Simon. We might say something like, “Even if you gave me a million dollars, it wouldn’t matter.” The very fact that Peter tells him to repent of his thought in the coming verses shows that he is not adamant that Simon will, in fact, perish. For now, however, Peter continues to correct his thinking about what is happening by saying, “because you thought that the gift of God.”
 
Peter acknowledges exactly what Paul will later write in his epistles. A gift is something that cannot be purchased. It doesn’t matter how good of a bargain it is, if it has a value attached to it, no matter how large or how small, it cannot be considered a gift. The giving of the Holy Spirit is called a gift.
 
As the Holy Spirit is something given upon belief, and as the Holy Spirit is considered a guarantee (see Ephesians 1:14), and because the guarantee is given as a mark of salvation (Ephesians 2:8, 9) which is also called a gift, then it clearly indicates that salvation is eternal. It is this matter that is being considered, and Simon thought it, as Peter says, “could be purchased with money!”
 
As one can see, Peter’s words are more of an idiomatic expression than a curse directed toward Simon. “What God has offered as a gift, you are trying to pay for? You and your money can go to destruction together!” Peter is trying to wake Simon up to the process of salvation and what it ultimately means. If the “gift” can be purchased, then it is not a gift. Further, it would then mean that what occurred does not come with a guarantee. But the process is of God, and it is something that He will see through to the end.
 
Life application: The words of Peter cannot override the promises of God. If Simon believed (which he did as is recorded in verse 8:13), and if belief is what brings salvation (see Ephesians 1:13, 14, for example), then Simon was saved. The giving of the Holy Spirit through the apostle’s hand has a purpose that is fulfilled in the act. It is not something that needs to be done again, as will be evidenced in Acts 10 with the conversion of Cornelius and those with him.
 
Peter is doing what is proper in rebuking Simon for his horrifying doctrine. He has fully misunderstood the process of salvation that takes place, and he is being corrected in his thinking. Later in the chronology of time, Paul will have to do this exact same thing to Peter –
 
“Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.
14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, ‘If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.’” Galatians 2:11-16
 
Who is in the more damaging position from a theological standpoint, Simon Peter or Simon the Magician? Arguably, it is Simon Peter. Simon the Magician had no schooling on the matter, and what he was considering was not something that would keep a person from being saved, simply because what he was asking for was something that could not be granted.
 
On the other hand, what Simon Peter was doing was setting aside the grace of God which comes through the work of Christ through His actions (Galatians 2:21). He was falling back on the law in order to please men. This can, and it does, lead directly to the introduction of a false gospel (Galatians 1:6-8).
 
As this is so, and as Peter remained as saved after his actions as he was the day he was saved, it demonstrates to us that Peter’s words to Simon are surely to be taken in the proper context of a sharp rebuke, but not a statement of condemnation. The grace of God, even in regard to the abject failure of Peter in His conduct before those in Galatia is a comforting reassurance that we are saved despite ourselves. Thank God for His grace in Jesus Christ!
 
Lord God, what a comfort Your word is. It shows us that even when we really botch things up, we are Yours because of Jesus. And more, we will remain Yours because of Jesus. Thank God for the eternal salvation that is found in Him. Amen.

Acts 8:19

Saturday, 25 June 2022
 
But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! Acts 8:20
 
The previous verse cited Simon. He had offered money to Peter and then he said, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” With that, Luke records, “But Peter said to him.” From the coming words, it is evident that Peter completely flipped out at the offer. And more, he strongly rebukes him, saying, “Your money perish with you.”
 
More literally it reads, “Your money be along with you to destruction.” Today, to say this as forcefully as Peter, we might say, “Both you and your money can go straight to the pit.” This should not be taken as many do as Peter calling a curse down on Simon, although it would not be out of character for him. In his denial of Jesus, his words were packed with emotion, literally saying that he began to “anathematize.” It was as if he was calling down curses if he was lying, which of course he was.
 
In the case of his words to Simon, he is surely being expressive of contempt for the money more than contempt for Simon. We might say something like, “Even if you gave me a million dollars, it wouldn’t matter.” The very fact that Peter tells him to repent of his thought in the coming verses shows that he is not adamant that Simon will, in fact, perish. For now, however, Peter continues to correct his thinking about what is happening by saying, “because you thought that the gift of God.”
 
Peter acknowledges exactly what Paul will later write in his epistles. A gift is something that cannot be purchased. It doesn’t matter how good of a bargain it is, if it has a value attached to it, no matter how large or how small, it cannot be considered a gift. The giving of the Holy Spirit is called a gift.
 
As the Holy Spirit is something given upon belief, and as the Holy Spirit is considered a guarantee (see Ephesians 1:14), and because the guarantee is given as a mark of salvation (Ephesians 2:8, 9) which is also called a gift, then it clearly indicates that salvation is eternal. It is this matter that is being considered, and Simon thought it, as Peter says, “could be purchased with money!”
 
As one can see, Peter’s words are more of an idiomatic expression than a curse directed toward Simon. “What God has offered as a gift, you are trying to pay for? You and your money can go to destruction together!” Peter is trying to wake Simon up to the process of salvation and what it ultimately means. If the “gift” can be purchased, then it is not a gift. Further, it would then mean that what occurred does not come with a guarantee. But the process is of God, and it is something that He will see through to the end.
 
Life application: The words of Peter cannot override the promises of God. If Simon believed (which he did as is recorded in verse 8:13), and if belief is what brings salvation (see Ephesians 1:13, 14, for example), then Simon was saved. The giving of the Holy Spirit through the apostle’s hand has a purpose that is fulfilled in the act. It is not something that needs to be done again, as will be evidenced in Acts 10 with the conversion of Cornelius and those with him.
 
Peter is doing what is proper in rebuking Simon for his horrifying doctrine. He has fully misunderstood the process of salvation that takes place, and he is being corrected in his thinking. Later in the chronology of time, Paul will have to do this exact same thing to Peter –
 
“Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.
14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, ‘If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.’” Galatians 2:11-16
 
Who is in the more damaging position from a theological standpoint, Simon Peter or Simon the Magician? Arguably, it is Simon Peter. Simon the Magician had no schooling on the matter, and what he was considering was not something that would keep a person from being saved, simply because what he was asking for was something that could not be granted.
 
On the other hand, what Simon Peter was doing was setting aside the grace of God which comes through the work of Christ through His actions (Galatians 2:21). He was falling back on the law in order to please men. This can, and it does, lead directly to the introduction of a false gospel (Galatians 1:6-8).
 
As this is so, and as Peter remained as saved after his actions as he was the day he was saved, it demonstrates to us that Peter’s words to Simon are surely to be taken in the proper context of a sharp rebuke, but not a statement of condemnation. The grace of God, even in regard to the abject failure of Peter in His conduct before those in Galatia is a comforting reassurance that we are saved despite ourselves. Thank God for His grace in Jesus Christ!
 
Lord God, what a comfort Your word is. It shows us that even when we really botch things up, we are Yours because of Jesus. And more, we will remain Yours because of Jesus. Thank God for the eternal salvation that is found in Him. Amen.
 

Acts 8:18

Thursday, 23 June 2022
 
And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, Acts 8:18
 
It was noted that as Peter and John laid their hands on those of Samaria the people then received the Holy Spirit. Luke now continues with, “And when Simon saw.”
 
There was obviously a visual effect that came about when the Holy Spirit was given. This would have been a necessary confirmation to the apostles that the Samaritans had actually been accepted by God. In other words, this visual event was as much for them as it was for the people. Otherwise, it could later be claimed that God never accepted them, nor does he accept anyone except the Jews who had an obvious audible and visual reception of the Spirit in Acts 2.
 
But with Luke’s record of the events of Acts, it definitively points to the fact that those in Samaria had received the Spirit and were equally accepted by God. With that, Luke continues by noting that Simon saw “that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands.”
 
It was through the physical contact with the hands of Peter and John that the event being described takes place. As noted, these people had already believed, and they had Philip there with them, but no such event took place. Now that Peter and John are present and physically in contact with the people, a visual and/or audible event occurs proving that “the Holy Spirit was given.”
 
This is not unlike Acts 19 where the following account will take place –
 
“And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’
So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’
3 And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’
So they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’
4 Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 7 Now the men were about twelve in all.” Acts 19:1-7
 
At the laying of hands by Paul, these men received the Holy Spirit. Unlike now in Acts 8, the specific proofs of the Spirit are noted which are speaking in tongues and prophesying. That is probably what occurred with these Samaritans, but it remains unstated.
 
Whatever transpired, it was sufficient proof to Peter and John that the matter was settled. There were the necessary “two or three witnesses” to establish the matter, and therefore the matter is established. The written words of Luke confirm that it is so. Seeing this, however, it says that when Simon saw what occurred “he offered them money.”
 
Simon was in the business of amazing the people through magic. It may have been simple tricks to fool them or actual black arts. Either way, his source of livelihood was now gone, and he had believed in something greater. With that now the case, and with seeing the demonstrable proof that what Peter and John had taught was true, he probably thought, “If I can do this, I can continue my livelihood by doing this with others by obtaining this ability.”
 
The coming verses will show the utterly perverse nature of this. With this in mind, it is something that scholars jump on and immediately start claiming that he isn’t saved, and his actions have proven this. On the contrary, verse 8:13 clearly and unambiguously tells us that he believed the gospel. This is what saves, not making stupid errors concerning life in Christ after being saved. If such were the case, not a person who was ever saved would continue to be saved.
 
The account says that the Holy Spirit was given at the laying on of hands by the apostles. We have no idea if that included Simon or not. He may have seen this in others, or it may have occurred to him personally. All that is given is the record of his belief and then of what now transpires.
 
Life application: Are speaking in tongues and prophesying proof today that someone has received the Holy Spirit? The answer must be, “No.” People in other religions and in false sects of Christianity also speak in “tongues,” as well as “prophesy.” As such, these things do not prove anything. So why were these things given to those in the early church in Acts?
 
The answer is not so much to confirm to the people that they had been accepted by God, but to confirm to the apostles that they had. In the case of Paul’s laying on of hands as noted in Acts 19, that was an additional confirmation that not only had these people been accepted, but that it was after belief in Jesus’ fulfillment of what John’s baptism had only anticipated.
 
Repentance from sin imputed under the law cannot save anyone. Jews do that all the time, and not one of them is saved without coming to Christ. Only faith in Jesus’ fulfillment of the law through His death, burial, and resurrection can bring about salvation.
 
As this is true, and as the reception of the Spirit was proof of the work of Jesus for the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah (Acts 2), for the apostles that the Samaritans had been accepted by God (Acts 8), and for the apostles to know that the Gentiles are accepted by God (Acts 10), then such outward signs are no longer needed. The record of them has been established.
 
As for the account in Acts 19, it is a clear record for all today that repentance under the law is not enough to be saved. It is a clear sign to the Judaizers and Hebrew Roots Movement adherents that they are following the wrong path. One must place his faith in Christ to be saved. When that happens, he is saved. The historical descriptions found in Acts confirm these things once and for all time.
 
Lord God, how grateful we are that the book of Acts reveals to us the truth concerning Your acceptance of those who have believed the gospel. We can now read the epistles that instruct us in proper doctrine and know that we too are accepted by faith alone in the completed work of Christ. The record is given, and we live by faith in the word we have been given. Amen!
 

Acts 8:17

Wednesday, 22 June 2022
 
Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:17
 
In the previous verse, Luke carefully noted that the Holy Spirit had not fallen on any who had believed in Jesus. Rather, it said, “They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” With that understood, it next says, “Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.”
 
The verbs in both clauses are imperfect. It more precisely reads, “Then they were laying hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.” This is important because it leaves the number of believers in the area unrecorded, but it gives the sense of a large number. As the apostles laid their hands on each person, that person would then receive the Holy Spirit. With this in mind, the clauses can be evaluated, beginning with, “Then they were laying hands on them.”
 
It is the apostles, after having come down from Jerusalem who “were praying for them” (verse 8:15), meaning the people of Samaria. As they did, they then “were laying hands on them.” How completely different than anything seen yet! It is a recorded account of what happened, and yet something entirely different was needed for the process to be complete.
 
No explanation is given, and yet, it is clear that this was deemed necessary by God for us to learn something concerning both the book of Acts in general, and of His workings within the church as well as He reveals His intent for it. With this act of the apostles noted, it next says, “and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.”
 
There is a process that is being followed and a result that is occurring. Each person who has the hands of the apostles laid upon him only then receives the Holy Spirit. One must ask, “Is this normative?” The answer should be obvious. If it is, then it would have been required for everyone since Acts 2. Further, it would continue to be needed throughout Acts. But in Acts 10, it will say, “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word” (Acts 10:44).
 
One must read the whole account to see the process that occurs there, but it is clear that what is happening now in Acts 8 cannot be normative. And more, it is almost wholly ignored by churches that hold to various accounts in Acts in a prescriptive manner. However, for those churches that do claim hands must be laid upon a person in order for him to receive the Spirit, various problems arise, such as:
 
It ignores the other accounts where this process is not followed.
It assumes that the person laying the hands on another has apostolic authority, which he does not.
It leads to a convoluted theology that does not match what the prescriptive epistles clearly state.
 
In Acts 10, a more thorough evaluation of the various differences between the accounts will be made. At that time, these things will be considered and the purpose for them will be explained.
 
Life application: What has been the common denominator so far in the various accounts recorded in Acts, including in the manner of baptism? Consider this as you read and continue to explore the book. We are being given insights into the redemptive scenario as it continues throughout history.
 
As for the account in Acts 8, one can see the importance of properly translating verbs from the Greek. A few varying translations of Acts 8:17 say –
 
Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. (KJV)Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. (NASB)Then Peter and John laid their hands on them [one by one], and they received the Holy Spirit. (Amplified Bible)Then Peter and John placed their hands on the Samaritans, and they received the Holy Spirit. (NET Bible)then were they laying hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. (YLT)Then they were laying hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. (CG)
 
As you can see, some introduce words (italics) to provide clarity of the subject. The Amplified Bible gives a fuller explanation of the process. Instead of directly translating what is happening, the explanation gives the mind time to consider what is being said. The NET Bible inserts the word “Samaritans” in order to remind the reader exactly who is the object of the action. Young’s (YLT) translates the first imperfect verb as it actually should be, and then it translates the second imperfect verb as a perfect verb. The final translation most closely follows the Greek, but it includes the italicized word “the” before “Holy Spirit” as is needed in the translation.
 
The words are mostly understandable from any of the translations. The italicized words may help with clarity if they are rightly inserted. The explanatory insertions can be useful for a reader who is new to the passage or who just needs help understanding it. But in accurately translating the verbs in the imperfect as they are in the Greek, the sense of motion and continuance is more fully appreciated.
 
Don’t be afraid to read various translations of Scripture, and don’t be captivated by just one as well. Most translations truly want people to understand the word in order for God to be glorified, but not all do. There are hidden agendas behind some translations, so get the advice of trusted sources in order to ensure your study is both productive and glorifying of God.
 
What a gift Your word is, O God! Thank You for it and thank You that we can have a more intimate relationship with You as we search it out, consider it, and apply it to our walk before You. Praises to You for revealing Yourself to us in this Superior Word! Amen.