Acts 8 · The Lantern

Saul Persecutes the Church

Now Saul was there consenting to his killing. Then there arose on that very day a great persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem; and all were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Now devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.

"And devout men," it says, "carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him." If they were "devout," why did they "make great lamentation over him?" They were not yet perfect. The man was gracious and amiable: this also shows that they were men - not their fear alone, but their grief and lamentation.

If those who buried Stephen were devout, how did they become despairing? Is it because they were not yet perfect, or because they were deprived of such protection, such teaching, such signs, and because they saw him gentle and kind as dead and crushed by stones?

"And devout men buried Stephen." If they were "devout," then how did they "make great lamentation?" This is because they were not yet perfect. On the other hand, who would not have wept, being deprived of such teaching, such defense, and such miracles, and seeing this righteous man lying dead and stoned?

Saul, however, was destroying the church, entering by the houses; dragging off then men and women, he was delivering them to prison.

Philip in Samaria

Those indeed therefore having been scattered, they went about evangelising the word.

Now Philip, having gone down to the city of Samaria, was proclaiming the Christ to them.

Now the crowds were giving heed with one accord to the things being spoken by Philip, in the time to hear them and to see the signs that he was performing;

for many of those having unclean spirits, crying in a loud voice, were coming out; and many paralyzed and lame were healed.

There was then much joy in that city.

Simon the Sorcerer

Now a certain man named Simon was formerly in the city practicing sorcery and amazing the people of Samaria, declaring himself to be someone great,

But the evil spirits were not satisfied with saying, before Christ's appearance, that those who were said to be sons of Jupiter were born of him; but after He had appeared, and been born among men, and when they learned how He had been foretold by the prophets, and knew that He should be believed on and looked for by every nation, they again, as was said above, put forward othe…

But Bernice, being asked, said: "These things are indeed as you have heard; and I will tell you other things respecting this same Simon, which perhaps you do not know.

Look also at another attempt made by Simon. Luke says that he was regarded as a great power. Thus, at that time there were also those deceived by sorceries, until Philip came and led them out of error, because Simon said to the Jews: "I am the Father," and to the Samaritans: "I am Christ."

to whom all were giving heed, from small until great, saying, “This one is the power of God which is called Great.”

Now they were giving heed to him because of the long time to have amazed them with the magic arts.

When, however, they believed Philip evangelising concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

And Simon also himself believed, and having been baptized he was steadfastly continuing with Philip. Beholding then the signs and great miracles being performed, he was amazed.

Then the people in indignation cast Simon from the court, and drove him forth from the gate of the house; and only one person followed him when he was driven out.

Thus Simon, although he was a magician and flattered the apostles, and although, like others, he had been baptized by Philip, who was one of the seven, he nevertheless did not receive the Holy Spirit through the laying on of the apostles' hands. What then? Did those baptized by Philip not receive the Holy Spirit?

"Simon himself also believed." He believed not for the sake of faith, but so that he too might work miracles. How did he think to work miracles? He himself deceived, and also subdued the demon-possessed, and therefore thought that the apostles likewise made use of some art. That is why he also offered money.

Now having heard, the apostles in Jerusalem that Samaria has received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,

While we wish to obey the commands of love, we may perhaps fall into reproach, since we are writing about a matter that has never been questioned by anyone; for while we do not wish to offend friendship, we entangle the effort that ought to have served to reveal some hidden matter: yet on account of the excessive foolishness of a certain person who emphasizes what we set forth…

Why had not these received the Holy Ghost, when baptized? Either because Philip kept this honor for the Apostles; or, because he had not this gift to impart; or, he was one of the Seven: which is rather to be said. Whence, I take it, this Philip was one of the Apostles.

They sent Peter and John to them. Arator beautifully explains this: Peter often makes John his companion, because the Church favors the virgin.

who, having come down, they prayed for them that they may receive the Holy Spirit;

for He was not yet having fallen upon none of them, but only they were being baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

From all of which we learn that the person of the Holy Spirit is of so great authority and dignity that saving baptism is not complete except when performed with the authority of the whole most excellent Trinity, that is, by the naming of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

For the Holy Spirit was at that time given in such sort, that he even visibly showed himself to have been given. For those who received him spoke with the tongues of all nations, to signify that the church among the nations was to speak in the tongues of all. So then they received the Holy Ghost, and he appeared evidently to be in them.

It is obvious that those baptized by Philip in Samaria had not received the Holy Spirit, because they did not have such a gift; since he, as we said, was one of the seven. For these men received power to do miracles, but not to give the Spirit to others; for this was the special privilege of the apostles.

Then they were laying the hands upon them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.

This is why the passage fitly applies to the Holy Spirit, because he will dwell not in all people or in those who are flesh but in those whose "earth has been renewed." Finally, it was for this reason that the Holy Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands after the grace and renewal of baptism.

"But they," it says, "having come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost: for as yet He was fallen upon none of them. Then laid they their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost." Seest thou that it was not to be done in any ordinary manner, but it needed great power to give the Holy Ghost?

It should be noted, however, that Philip, who evangelized Samaria, was one of the seven. For if he had been an Apostle, he would certainly have been able to lay hands on them so that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For this is reserved to bishops alone.

Now Simon, having seen that through the laying on of the hands of the apostles the Spirit was given, he offered them money,

There is the (infamous) Simon of Samaria in the Acts of the Apostles, who chaffered for the Holy Ghost: after his condemnation by Him, and a vain remorse that he and his money must perish together, he applied his energies to the destruction of the truth, as if to console himself with revenge.

It was a twofold sign: both the giving to those, and the not giving to this man. Whereas then this man ought, on the contrary, to have asked to receive the Holy Ghost, he, because he cared not for this, asks power to give It to others. And yet those received not this power to give: but this man wished to be more illustrious than Philip, he being among the disciples!

One can recognize that in the bestowal of the Holy Spirit something perceptible and remarkable took place. For Simon would not have approached otherwise, had he not seen this. How, then, without seeing the apostles doing this with money, did he dare to offer money? It was not ignorance, but a temptation.

saying, “Give also to me this authority, that on whom when I shall lay the hands he may receive the Holy Spirit.”

Peter, however, said to him, “Your silver, would that it be with you to destruction, because you thought the gift of God to be obtained through money!

Simon the Samaritan was that magician of whom Luke, the disciple and follower of the apostles, says, "But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who beforetime used magical arts in that city, and led astray the people of Samaria, declaring that he himself was some great one, to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This is the power of God, which is…

He offered money to people without possessions, and that too after seeing people bring the price of what they sold and lay it at the feet of the apostles. He did not realize that they who trod underfoot the wealth offered for the sustenance of the poor would surely never sell him the power of the Holy Spirit for a price.

Such cupidity must be tamed by munificence, which includes generosity and magnificence. It is the fountain which pours out water: for the fountain does not keep water within. According to the Philosopher, it is hard to be completely cured from cupidity, for cupidity is delightful in that it makes a man imagine himself to be great, and makes others believe that he is.

There is no part to you nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.

If you did know it, you ought to have known this also, that you should have nothing more to do with that profession of yours which, of itself, fore-chants the climacterics of others, and might instruct you of its own danger. There is no part nor lot for you in that system of yours. He cannot hope for the kingdom of the heavens, whose finger or wand abuses the heaven.

Seeing him attempting this, Peter said, "What madness has moved you to this, wretch? Namely, that you think that what the grace of the Lord gives is something for sale. It is not gained by gold but by a [right] disposition [of mind]; nor is it permitted that corrupt money, which the person whose eyes are fixed on the earth loves, should earn heaven.

We must, I think, investigate the fact that often in the divine Scriptures heart stands for understanding.… It may be clear to all without doubting that the source of our thoughts is there, and that good and evil are drawn from there.

Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray earnestly to the Lord, if indeed the intent of your heart will be forgiven you;

AGAINST NOVATIAN. — His disciples say to Jesus, “Lord, do you want us to say that fire should come down from heaven and consume them, as Elijah did?” And the Lord answered them, saying, “You do not know of what spirit you are. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy souls, but to save them” (Luke 9:54–56).

But otherwise he did not punish him: that faith may not thereafter be of compulsion; that the matter may not seem to be carried ruthlessly; that he may introduce the subject of repentance: or also, because it suffices for correction to have convicted him, to have told him what was in his heart, to have brought him to confess himself overcome.

According to the fables of the heretics, it was superfluous to say to Simon: "repent," because he was created evil. They say that a man, being evil by nature, is incapable of changing by choice.

for in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity I see you being.”

Answering now, Simon said, “Pray earnestly you yourselves on behalf of me to the Lord, so that nothing may come upon me myself of which you have spoken.”

They indeed therefore, having earnestly testified and having spoken the word of the Lord, were travelling back to Jerusalem, and to many villages of the Samaritans they were evangelising.

Philip and the Ethiopian

Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Rise up and go toward the south, to the road which is going down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is the desert road.

And having risen up, he went. And behold, an Ethiopian man, a eunuch, a potentate of Candace queen of Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to then worship;

For this reason, also, Philip, when he had discovered the eunuch of the Ethiopians' queen reading these words which had been written: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb is dumb before the shearer, so He opened not His mouth: in His humiliation His judgment was taken away; " and all the rest which the prophet proceeded to relate in regard to His passion and H…

The women of Ethiopia, who obeyed her, among whom one in succession was Candace: whose eunuch was over the chamber of the royal treasures. It should be known that the Ethiopians call every king's mother Candace: for the Ethiopians do not mention a king's father, but they hand them down as if true sons of the sun: and they call the mother of each one Candace.

"He rose and went." Notice the obedience. Philip did not ask or say, "Why?", but together with the command "he rose and went." "A eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship." Women held power in this Ethiopia; one of them by right of succession was Candace; the eunuch served as her tr…

and he was returning, and sitting in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

The Spirit said then to Philip, “Go near and be joined to this chariot.”

Having run up then, Philip heard him when he is reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you also understand what you are reading?”

He was not ashamed to confess his ignorance and implored to be taught. Therefore, to him who became a learner, the grace of the Spirit was given. But as for those Jews who persisted in their ignorance; as the proverb says, "Death came upon them. For the fool dies in his sins."

It tells well also, that the eunuch looked not to the outward appearance of the man, said not, "Who art thou?" did not chide, not give himself airs, not say that he did know. On the contrary, he confesses his ignorance: wherefore also he learns. He shows his hurt to the physician: sees at a glance, that he both knows the matter, and is willing to teach.

"Do you understand what you are reading?" He asks in a wonderful manner, because he neither flatters, nor praises, nor reproaches him for ignorance. But he asks in such a way as to arouse greater desire and to show that in what is being read there lies a great treasure.

And he said, “For how would I be able, unless someone will guide me?” He invited then Philip, having come up, to sit with him.

Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this: “As a sheep to slaughter He was led, and as a lamb before the one who shearing him is silent, so He does not open His mouth.

But again: Whom did Philip preach to the eunuch of the queen of the Ethiopians, returning from Jerusalem, and reading Esaias the prophet, when he and this man were alone together? Was it not He of whom the prophet spoke: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb dumb before the shearer, so He opened not the month? ""But who shall declare His nativity?

See how often it stresses this point and teaches this to those who are proud and contentious: "He was a wounded man," it says, "and one who knew how to endure weaknesses; for this reason his face is turned away, bearing injuries and not much appreciated. He bears our infirmities, and he is amid sorrows on our behalf.

"Like a sheep, He was led to the slaughter." The meaning of the words cited is very clear, because at a certain time sheep are led away for shearing and the shepherds lay upon them the instruments of shearing, yet the sheep endure this and do not attack those who do it. So also Christ, enduring reviling, did not repay reviling for reviling.

In His humiliation the justice from Him was taken away. The generation of Him, who will describe? For His life is removed from the earth.”

Then he says, "For his life is taken from the earth," that is, it is lifted up, and his life is higher than the things on earth, that is, his society. It is also taken in another sense, and his life is above all, that is, the existence of the Only-Begotten, when thought of apart from the flesh and not yet become toward us. [CYRIL]

In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away. Because the judge of all did not find truth in judgment, but, without any fault, was condemned by the clamor of the Jews and the voice of Pilate.

"In His humiliation His judgment was taken away." He indicates the unlawful judgment against Him, carried out at a time when the truth was hidden. "But who shall declare His generation?" That is, His high dignity revealed after the resurrection, the proof of which is what He accomplished in the work of the divine economy.

Answering now, the eunuch said to Philip, “I pray you, concerning whom does the prophet say this? Concerning himself, or concerning some other?”

Having opened then his mouth, and having begun from this Scripture, Philip evangelised to him about Jesus.

Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. It is likely he had heard that He was crucified, and now he learns, that His life is taken away from the earth, and the rest that He did no sin, nor deceit in His mouth: that He prevailed to save others also: and who He is, Whose generation is unutterable.

Therefore this is Jesus, and Philip proclaims this Scripture to the eunuch, that it is fulfilled in him; and the eunuch, having believed and immediately baptized, was sent to the regions of Ethiopia, proclaiming that which he himself had believed: that there is one God foretold by the prophets, and that this One's Son has already been made present according to humanity, and was…

But Philip opening his mouth, etc. Philip interpreted means 'the mouth of a lamp,' and it is a beautiful sense that the mouth of a lamp opened its mouth, while it brought forth the obscure things of prophecy into the light of knowledge. Although these circumlocutions according to history could signify that his speech at that time would be somewhat longer.

As then they were going along the road, they came upon some water, and the eunuch says, “Behold, water; what prevents me to be baptized?”

That he who believes can immediately obtain (i.e., pardon and peace).]In the Acts of the Apostles: "Lo, here is water; what is there which hinders me from being baptized? Then said Philip, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest."

It should be observed that great zeal existed among Christians entirely for the sensible baptism. Since what is given is twofold, sometimes through water, sometimes in the Holy Spirit and fire, they did not despise the more bodily one on account of the superiority of the baptism in the Spirit. For this also contributes to salvation and to the resurrection of the body. [DIDYMUS]

"Behold, water; what hinders me from being baptized?" See how prudently he acts. First he reads and does not understand, then he reads the same prophecy; it contains the teaching about the suffering, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the bestowal of the grace of the Holy Spirit. Then he asks to be baptized; Philip explains to him in order, beginning from this prophecy.

[Now Philip said: “If you believe from all the heart, it is lawful.” And answering, he said: “I believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God.”]

And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they went down both to the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no longer; for he was going his way rejoicing.