Simon attracted people to himself; he posed as a man of power and mystery. The gospel fixes our thoughts exclusively upon Jesus. We preach Him as Lord, and ourselves as servants for His sake. Simon's faith was spurious; he believed about rather than in Christ. John was sent with Peter to bring the fire of Pentecost to the very locality where formerly he and his brother had suggested that they should call fire from heaven to destroy. See Luke 9:54. May we not learn from this mission that some are specially qualified to lead others into the enjoyment of pentecostal blessing? In this service Peter used the power of the keys entrusted to him by the Master; and we may all do likewise when we lead others forward to claim that which awaits them in Christ Jesus.
Simon saw what an additional source of influence would accrue to him if only he could exert the same powers, but he had no idea of the spiritual conditions on which alone they could be obtained. Simony is the name for the practice of making gain by means of religion, 1 Timothy 6:5. Perhaps in Acts 8:22 does not indicate a doubt upon God's side, but upon Simon's side-whether his treacherous heart would ever be able to conform to the divine conditions. [source]
Chapter Summary: Acts 8
1By occasion of the persecution in Jerusalem, the church being planted in Samaria, 4by Philip the deacon, who preached, did miracles, and baptized many; 9among the rest Simon the sorcerer, a great seducer of the people; 14Peter and John come to confirm and enlarge the church; 15where, by prayer and imposition of hands giving the Holy Spirit; 18when Simon would have bought the like power of them, 20Peter sharply reproving his hypocrisy and covetousness, 22and exhorting him to repentance, 25together with John preaching the word of the Lord, return to Jerusalem; 26but the angel sends Philip to teach and baptize the Ethiopian Eunuch
Greek Commentary for Acts 8:15
That they might receive [οπως λαβωσιν] Second aorist active subjunctive of λαμβανω lambanō final clause with οπως hopōs Did they wish the Samaritan Pentecost to prove beyond a doubt that the Samaritans were really converted when they believed? They had been baptized on the assumption that the Holy Spirit had given them new hearts. The coming of the Holy Spirit with obvious signs (cf. Acts 10:44-48) as in Jerusalem would make it plain. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 8:15
Acts 11:27Prophets [προπηται] Christian prophets these were (cf. Acts 13:1) who came from Jerusalem (the headquarters, Acts 8:15). Judas and Silas are called prophets (Acts 14:4; Acts 15:32). They were not just fore-tellers, but forth-tellers. The prophet had inspiration and was superior to the speaker with tongues (1 Corinthians 14:3). John was a prophet (Luke 7:26). We need prophets in the ministry today. [source]
1 Peter 1:11What time or what manner of time [εις τινα η ποιον καιρον] Proper sense of ποιος poios (qualitative interrogative) kept here as in 1 Corinthians 15:35,Romans 3:27, though it is losing its distinctive sense from τις tis (Acts 23:34). The prophets knew what they prophesied, but not at what time the Messianic prophecies would be fulfilled.The Spirit of Christ which was in them (το εν αυτοις πνευμα Χριστου to en autois pneuma Christou). Peter definitely asserts here that the Spirit of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) was in the Old Testament prophets, the Holy Spirit called the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of God (Romans 8:9), who spoke to the prophets as he would speak to the apostles (John 16:14).Did point unto Imperfect active of δηλοω dēloō to make plain, “did keep on pointing to,” though they did not clearly perceive the time.When it testified beforehand (προμαρτυρομενον promarturomenon). Present middle participle of προμαρτυρομαι promarturomai a late compound unknown elsewhere save in a writer of the fourteenth century (Theodorus Mech.) and now in a papyrus of the eighth. It is neuter here because πνευμα pneuma is neuter, but this grammatical gender should not be retained as “it” in English, but should be rendered “he” (and so as to Acts 8:15). Here we have predictive prophecy concerning the Messiah, though some modern critics fail to find predictions of the Messiah in the Old Testament.The sufferings of Christ “The sufferings for (destined for) Christ” like the use of εις eis in 1 Peter 1:10 “The after these things (sufferings) glories.” The plural of δοχα doxa is rare, but occurs in Exodus 15:11; Hosea 9:11. The glories of Christ followed the sufferings as in 1 Peter 4:13; 1 Peter 5:1,1 Peter 5:6. [source]
1 Peter 1:11Did point unto [εδηλου] Imperfect active of δηλοω dēloō to make plain, “did keep on pointing to,” though they did not clearly perceive the time.When it testified beforehand (προμαρτυρομενον promarturomenon). Present middle participle of προμαρτυρομαι promarturomai a late compound unknown elsewhere save in a writer of the fourteenth century (Theodorus Mech.) and now in a papyrus of the eighth. It is neuter here because πνευμα pneuma is neuter, but this grammatical gender should not be retained as “it” in English, but should be rendered “he” (and so as to Acts 8:15). Here we have predictive prophecy concerning the Messiah, though some modern critics fail to find predictions of the Messiah in the Old Testament.The sufferings of Christ “The sufferings for (destined for) Christ” like the use of εις eis in 1 Peter 1:10 “The after these things (sufferings) glories.” The plural of δοχα doxa is rare, but occurs in Exodus 15:11; Hosea 9:11. The glories of Christ followed the sufferings as in 1 Peter 4:13; 1 Peter 5:1,1 Peter 5:6. [source]
1 Peter 1:11When it testified beforehand [προμαρτυρομενον] Present middle participle of προμαρτυρομαι promarturomai a late compound unknown elsewhere save in a writer of the fourteenth century (Theodorus Mech.) and now in a papyrus of the eighth. It is neuter here because πνευμα pneuma is neuter, but this grammatical gender should not be retained as “it” in English, but should be rendered “he” (and so as to Acts 8:15). Here we have predictive prophecy concerning the Messiah, though some modern critics fail to find predictions of the Messiah in the Old Testament. [source]
What do the individual words in Acts 8:15 mean?
whohaving come downprayedforthemthatthey might receive [the]SpiritHoly
Greek Commentary for Acts 8:15
Second aorist active subjunctive of λαμβανω lambanō final clause with οπως hopōs Did they wish the Samaritan Pentecost to prove beyond a doubt that the Samaritans were really converted when they believed? They had been baptized on the assumption that the Holy Spirit had given them new hearts. The coming of the Holy Spirit with obvious signs (cf. Acts 10:44-48) as in Jerusalem would make it plain. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 8:15
Christian prophets these were (cf. Acts 13:1) who came from Jerusalem (the headquarters, Acts 8:15). Judas and Silas are called prophets (Acts 14:4; Acts 15:32). They were not just fore-tellers, but forth-tellers. The prophet had inspiration and was superior to the speaker with tongues (1 Corinthians 14:3). John was a prophet (Luke 7:26). We need prophets in the ministry today. [source]
The very ones who, quippe qui, often in Acts when the persons are enlarged upon (Acts 8:15; Acts 9:35; Acts 10:41, Acts 10:47). [source]
Proper sense of ποιος poios (qualitative interrogative) kept here as in 1 Corinthians 15:35, Romans 3:27, though it is losing its distinctive sense from τις tis (Acts 23:34). The prophets knew what they prophesied, but not at what time the Messianic prophecies would be fulfilled.The Spirit of Christ which was in them (το εν αυτοις πνευμα Χριστου to en autois pneuma Christou). Peter definitely asserts here that the Spirit of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) was in the Old Testament prophets, the Holy Spirit called the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of God (Romans 8:9), who spoke to the prophets as he would speak to the apostles (John 16:14).Did point unto Imperfect active of δηλοω dēloō to make plain, “did keep on pointing to,” though they did not clearly perceive the time.When it testified beforehand (προμαρτυρομενον promarturomenon). Present middle participle of προμαρτυρομαι promarturomai a late compound unknown elsewhere save in a writer of the fourteenth century (Theodorus Mech.) and now in a papyrus of the eighth. It is neuter here because πνευμα pneuma is neuter, but this grammatical gender should not be retained as “it” in English, but should be rendered “he” (and so as to Acts 8:15). Here we have predictive prophecy concerning the Messiah, though some modern critics fail to find predictions of the Messiah in the Old Testament.The sufferings of Christ “The sufferings for (destined for) Christ” like the use of εις eis in 1 Peter 1:10 “The after these things (sufferings) glories.” The plural of δοχα doxa is rare, but occurs in Exodus 15:11; Hosea 9:11. The glories of Christ followed the sufferings as in 1 Peter 4:13; 1 Peter 5:1, 1 Peter 5:6. [source]
Imperfect active of δηλοω dēloō to make plain, “did keep on pointing to,” though they did not clearly perceive the time.When it testified beforehand (προμαρτυρομενον promarturomenon). Present middle participle of προμαρτυρομαι promarturomai a late compound unknown elsewhere save in a writer of the fourteenth century (Theodorus Mech.) and now in a papyrus of the eighth. It is neuter here because πνευμα pneuma is neuter, but this grammatical gender should not be retained as “it” in English, but should be rendered “he” (and so as to Acts 8:15). Here we have predictive prophecy concerning the Messiah, though some modern critics fail to find predictions of the Messiah in the Old Testament.The sufferings of Christ “The sufferings for (destined for) Christ” like the use of εις eis in 1 Peter 1:10 “The after these things (sufferings) glories.” The plural of δοχα doxa is rare, but occurs in Exodus 15:11; Hosea 9:11. The glories of Christ followed the sufferings as in 1 Peter 4:13; 1 Peter 5:1, 1 Peter 5:6. [source]
Present middle participle of προμαρτυρομαι promarturomai a late compound unknown elsewhere save in a writer of the fourteenth century (Theodorus Mech.) and now in a papyrus of the eighth. It is neuter here because πνευμα pneuma is neuter, but this grammatical gender should not be retained as “it” in English, but should be rendered “he” (and so as to Acts 8:15). Here we have predictive prophecy concerning the Messiah, though some modern critics fail to find predictions of the Messiah in the Old Testament. [source]