Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.” Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
"The twelve, having heard at Jerusalem that the Samaritans had received the Word of God, had sent Peter and John to them. Why? And why had not those who had believed and been baptized received the Holy Spirit according to the program of the 'great commission' (Mark 16:16,17) and of Pentecost (Acts 2:38)? The answer to this question is again found in the relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans. As we have seen, the schism between Jerusalem and Samaria must be healed before Christ can reign. Israel and Judah, the ten tribes and the two, must be reunited (Ezek. 37:15-19) for Christ is to reign over all twelve tribes. The apostles recognized this, for had not our Lord promised them twelve throne in the kingdom? (Matt. 19:28). Nor was it enough that the two factions should be brought together. It was the ten tribes which had apostatized and had made Samaria their capital city and had set up their own temple at Mt. Gerizim. They must now renounce all this and recognize Jerusalem as the seat of authority, for there Christ and the twelve must reign. Meantime this fact is also impressed upon the Samaritan believers, for though these Samaritans had believed and been baptized, they did not receive the Holy Spirit until two apostles had come from Jerusalem and had prayed for them and laid their hands upon them. Two apostles were enough for this, for it is written: 'In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established' (Deut. 17:6; 19:15; 2 Cor. 13:1) and Peter and John, with Philip, made three witnesses. Indeed our Lord had specified that any two of the apostles could act officially for Him in His absence: 'Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if TWO of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. For where TWO OR THREE are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them' (Matt 18:18-20). Thus the believers at Samaria recognized the authority of the twelve at Jerusalem and, had the kingdom been accepted, would have become one nation with the Jews. As it is, the restoration of the United Kingdom of Israel under Messiah awaits a future day." (Stam)
he offered them money - "Simon thought he could buy the gift of God (v. 20). When Peter urged him to repent, Simon replied, in effect, 'Pray for me that I may escape punishment' (v. 24). He was still thinking in terms of magical powers rather than repentance of heart." (Ryrie)
gall of bitterness - "Refers to Simon's apostasy and idolatry (Deut. 29:18)." (Ryrie)
"It is from this base act of Simon's that the word 'simony' is derived. He sought to deal in sacred things for financial gain. He actually wished to buy and sell the gift of the Holy Spirit! Peter's utter disgust with such unspeakable wickedness is seen in his retort: 'Thy money perish with thee!' It had been demonstrated again and again, as the kingdom was proclaimed, that those who believed with their hearts and were baptized were saved, but it had also been demonstrated that those who did not believe with their hearts, whether baptized or not, remained lost (See Mark 16:16). Though intellectually convinced of the truth, this sorcerer had to hear Peter say: 'Thou has neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.'" (Stam)
"He was alarmed. He trembled like the demons, who believe and tremble. There is no confession from his lips, no self-judgment. He does not exhibit confidence in the Lord nor does he ask for forgiveness. He was not moved by repentance, but only by fear. We do not read anything again of him in the Word of God. Much is reported of Simon the sorcerer by the most ancient sources, the writings of the so-called fathers. Justin Martyr, who was a native of Samaria, who lived about a hundred years later, tells us that Simon held the doctrines of Gnosticism (the same which have appeared in a modern garb in Christian Science) and that the Samaritans worshipped him as a divine being. Epiphanius declares that he claimed deity among the Samaritans and that he was a Messianic pretender. Other sources say that he became after this a greater enemy of the truth, and having lost his prestige in Samaria he went to Rome and there established a wicked movement, which became a gall and bitterness to the true believers there. That he should have met Peter again in Rome and found his end there is only a legend. It is certain that he did not repent." (Gaebelein)
"The twelve, having heard at Jerusalem that the Samaritans had received the Word of God, had sent Peter and John to them. Why? And why had not those who had believed and been baptized received the Holy Spirit according to the program of the 'great commission' (Mark 16:16,17) and of Pentecost (Acts 2:38)? The answer to this question is again found in the relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans. As we have seen, the schism between Jerusalem and Samaria must be healed before Christ can reign. Israel and Judah, the ten tribes and the two, must be reunited (Ezek. 37:15-19) for Christ is to reign over all twelve tribes. The apostles recognized this, for had not our Lord promised them twelve throne in the kingdom? (Matt. 19:28). Nor was it enough that the two factions should be brought together. It was the ten tribes which had apostatized and had made Samaria their capital city and had set up their own temple at Mt. Gerizim. They must now renounce all this and recognize Jerusalem as the seat of authority, for there Christ and the twelve must reign. Meantime this fact is also impressed upon the Samaritan believers, for though these Samaritans had believed and been baptized, they did not receive the Holy Spirit until two apostles had come from Jerusalem and had prayed for them and laid their hands upon them. Two apostles were enough for this, for it is written: 'In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established' (Deut. 17:6; 19:15; 2 Cor. 13:1) and Peter and John, with Philip, made three witnesses. Indeed our Lord had specified that any two of the apostles could act officially for Him in His absence: 'Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if TWO of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. For where TWO OR THREE are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them' (Matt 18:18-20). Thus the believers at Samaria recognized the authority of the twelve at Jerusalem and, had the kingdom been accepted, would have become one nation with the Jews. As it is, the restoration of the United Kingdom of Israel under Messiah awaits a future day." (Stam)
he offered them money - "Simon thought he could buy the gift of God (v. 20). When Peter urged him to repent, Simon replied, in effect, 'Pray for me that I may escape punishment' (v. 24). He was still thinking in terms of magical powers rather than repentance of heart." (Ryrie)
gall of bitterness - "Refers to Simon's apostasy and idolatry (Deut. 29:18)." (Ryrie)
"It is from this base act of Simon's that the word 'simony' is derived. He sought to deal in sacred things for financial gain. He actually wished to buy and sell the gift of the Holy Spirit! Peter's utter disgust with such unspeakable wickedness is seen in his retort: 'Thy money perish with thee!' It had been demonstrated again and again, as the kingdom was proclaimed, that those who believed with their hearts and were baptized were saved, but it had also been demonstrated that those who did not believe with their hearts, whether baptized or not, remained lost (See Mark 16:16). Though intellectually convinced of the truth, this sorcerer had to hear Peter say: 'Thou has neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.'" (Stam)
"He was alarmed. He trembled like the demons, who believe and tremble. There is no confession from his lips, no self-judgment. He does not exhibit confidence in the Lord nor does he ask for forgiveness. He was not moved by repentance, but only by fear. We do not read anything again of him in the Word of God. Much is reported of Simon the sorcerer by the most ancient sources, the writings of the so-called fathers. Justin Martyr, who was a native of Samaria, who lived about a hundred years later, tells us that Simon held the doctrines of Gnosticism (the same which have appeared in a modern garb in Christian Science) and that the Samaritans worshipped him as a divine being. Epiphanius declares that he claimed deity among the Samaritans and that he was a Messianic pretender. Other sources say that he became after this a greater enemy of the truth, and having lost his prestige in Samaria he went to Rome and there established a wicked movement, which became a gall and bitterness to the true believers there. That he should have met Peter again in Rome and found his end there is only a legend. It is certain that he did not repent." (Gaebelein)
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