![]() ![]() Some people are reluctant persecutors, but Saul wasn’t one of these he took pleasure in attacking Christians. The idea behind the ancient Greek word suneudokeo is to approve, to be pleased with. The sorcerer’s interest in obtaining supernatural power for his own use had not vanished. Consenting describes Saul’s attitude, but the English translation probably isn’t strong enough. Luke notes that Simon stayed close to Philip and paid close attention to the miracles performed through him. He apparently realized that someone greater and more powerful than himself had come, so he joined the crowd. As for Simon, Luke says he also believed and was baptized. In fact, the verb “baptized” in the Greek indicates continuing action both men and women were coming to faith in large numbers. They accepted his message and committed themselves to Christ by requesting baptism. The people lost interest in Simon and paid more attention to Philip. Whether the Samaritans realized it or not, spiritual warfare had broken out in their city. Thus, Jesus is portrayed as the King in the kingdom of God. “The name of Jesus Christ” refers to the full revelation of the Son of God, including His earthly ministry and divine office. “The kingdom of God” refers not just to the Gospel but to the kingship and sovereignty of God in this world in opposition to the powers of Satan (which Simon displayed). When Philip arrived, he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus. Despite grave theological errors, the Samaritans did believe in one God, so they apparently thought of Simon as God’s representative. They were astonished by his powers and agreed that he was a great man, even having the power of God. In this case, it appears Satan was using Simon to blind the Samaritans to the truth. 21:8 22:15), for they do not originate with Him and frequently are used to oppose His work. The Bible is clear that these practices are unacceptable to God (Deut. This apparently was the kind of trickery Pharaoh’s mages performed in opposition to Moses. In Samaria, there was a man named Simon who made himself out to be someone great because he could astound the people with magic arts. Acts 8:1-40 shows the Church reaching out. Stephen had had a mind far above national delimitations. Acts 6:1-15 shows the first murmurings of the great debate about the acceptance of the Gentiles. The Church began by being a purely Jewish institution. What we see here is not a contest between two men for public acclaim but a battle between two kingdoms for the souls of the people. Acts 8:1-40 is an important chapter in the history of the Church. That’s why what at first glance seems to be an insignificant vignette about a magician is actually of crucial importance. The success of the Gospel in Samaria was not achieved without opposition. ![]()
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