Acts 8

Acts 8:1

And Saul, which was after, ch. ix., so strangely converted, and became so renowned an apostle, was then one of those that liked well the stoning of Stephen, and joined in it, ch. vii. 58. And at the same time that they dealt thus with Stephen, they vehemently opposed the professing of the faith at Jerusalem, and persecuted all that did so. And all such, but the apostles, particularly the rest of the seven deacons, and divers others, ch. xi. 19, went out of Jerusalem, and were dispersed into several places through Judæa and Samaria, and as far as Phœnice and Cyprus and Antioch, ch. xi. 19; and in all those places those that were thus dispersed (being filled

Acts 8:2

And some proselytes that were there (see note

[a] carried Stephen] Συγκομίζειν is to dress and fit the dead body for the funeral, and differs both from ἀνακομίζειν and ἐκκομίζειν; so saith the Scholiast on Æschylus, συγκομιδὴ signifies τὴν πρὸ τοῦ τάφου πάσαν ἐπιμέλειαν, “all the care that is used before the burial,” ἐκκομιδὴ, τὴν πρὸς τὸν τάφον ἀπαγωγήν, “the carrying out to the grave or sepulchre,” ἀνακομιδὴ, τὴν ἐκ τάφον εἰς τάφον μετάθεσιν, “the removing from one sepulchre to another.” The same is expressed, ch. v. 6, by συνεστίλαντο, winding the dead body in a sheet.

Acts 8:4

And thereupon they that were driven from Jerusalem into Judæa and Samaria, ver. 1, rested not there, but went farther off, and all the way they went published the glad tidings of the gospel, told every where what they knew of it.

[b] preaching the word] Some difference may perhaps be here

Acts 8:5

Then Philip the deacon, not the apostle, (and therefore Peter and John, ver. 15, are sent to impose hands,) went from Judæa to Samaria; and though the Jews conversed not with them, and though in the first going out of the apostles, Matt. x. 5, they were appointed not to go to any city of the Samaritans, yet now in this dispersion and persecution from the Jews at Jerusalem, ver. 1, it was thought fit to preach the gospel unto them, and Philip accordingly preached it in Sebaste, an eminent city in Samaria.

Acts 8:6

And all that city were persuaded by Philip to receive the faith of Christ, being convinced by the miracles wrought by him.

Acts 8:7

For out of many that were possessed they cast out devils, which at their coming out made loud acknowledgment of the irresistibleness of the power by which they acted: and many taken with palsies—

Acts 8:9

But before this preaching and miracles of Philip there had been in the city one Simon, which was a magician, which had done some strange things, which posed and amazed the ignorant people, by which means he took upon him to be a divine person.

Acts 8:12

But when Philip, (one of the seven, ver. 5, and ch. vi., called evangelist, ch. xxi. 8, because of his preaching the gospel here, see note [b] John xx.,) by preaching the Christian faith, and doing far greater miracles, had converted them to Christianity, they all came in as proselytes to the gospel, and received baptism of him, all of all sorts.

c was himself amazed at the miracles Philip did, as the people had been at his, vv. 9, 11.

Acts 8:14

And when the apostles that remained at Jerusalem, ver. 1, heard that by Philip’s preaching the whole country of Samaria was converted and baptized, and knowing that Philip had no farther power, they sent two of their own company, Peter and John,

Acts 8:15

To confirm them, and to ordain them elders or bishops, (in every city one,) by prayer and imposition of hands.

Acts 8:16

(For Philip had not done either of these, nor consequently provided for the necessaries to the continuance of a church; only he had preached the faith, and baptized them with that baptism which Christ commanded to be used, Matt. xxviii. 19, that in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.)

Acts 8:17

Then Peter and John confirmed and ordained them elders or bishops in all their cities, to rule or govern them in the faith; and in doing it they used that ceremony of imposition of hands, (known among the Jews, Deut. xxxiv. 9,) and thereby was bestowed on them the gift of the Holy Ghost, working of miracles, speaking with tongues, &c.

[c] laid they their hands on] The several uses of imposition of hands are at large set down in note [f] on 1 Tim. iv. Three in the Old Testament: 1st, as a ceremony in prayer; 2dly, in paternal benediction; 3dly, in creating officers. And proportionably to these, many more in the new: 1st, for curing diseases; 2dly, for absolution of penitents; 3dly, for blessing of infants, or those that are to be baptized, to prepare them to it; 4thly, in confirmation; 5thly, in ordination of officers for the church. Of the three former of these there is none which can pretend to be here meant; and so all the difficulty is, whether of the two latter it was. That it was confirmation may appear probable, because it so soon attended their conversion and baptism: when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, ver. 14, which agrees well with that of confirmation, which is an act reserved to the rulers of the church, and not communicated or allowed to inferior officers, such as Philip the deacon here. And accordingly the bishops are called διδάσκαλοι, doctors, as that signifies the further instructing them to whom the gospel hath formerly been preached, and as εὐαγγελίζεσθαι differs from διδάσκειν, preaching from teaching. And in confirmation it was, that in those first times the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost used to be conferred on them, (see note [d] on ch. ii. and Acts xix. 6.) But it is probable also, that the faith being here planted by Philip, and the apostles coming down to confirm them, and those not staying there, but returning to Jerusalem, ver. 25, they did at their being there ordain elders or bishops in the several cities, as we know Paul and Barnabas did, ch. xiv. 23, and Titus in Crete, Tit. i. 5. This, saith Clemens Romanus, the apostles did in their journeyings, when they went out preaching the gospel, Κατὰ χώρας οὖν καὶ πόλεις κηρύσσοντες, καθίσταιον ἀπαρχὰς αὐτῶν εἰς ἐπισκόπους καὶ διακόνους τῶν μελ-

• Ep. 1 ad Cor.

Acts 8:18

And Simon the sorcerer seeing those miraculous effects, consequent to the apostles’ imposition of hands, offered to give them money for this power.

d he may receive those gifts and graces of working miracles, &c.

Acts 8:21

Thou shalt never have any part of this privilege, nor right of dispensing or administering of these holy things; for thy design in desiring this is not the enlarging Christ’s kingdom, but the getting an opinion of power to thyself.

Acts 8:22

Repent therefore, and humble thyself before God for this wicked project of thine, (and humbly beseech his pardon; and it is not impossible but that it may yet be obtained by thee.)

Acts 8:23

For I perceive thou art in a condition poisonous to thyself, and bitter to God, very dangerous to thee, and displeasing to him, and makest this proposal out of a villainous treacherous design, not to advance Christ’s kingdom, but to destroy it, and accordingly thou art to expect to be dealt with by God.

[d] gall of bitterness] What is the importance of χολή πικρίας (or πικρία χολῆς, as the ancient Greek and Latin MSS. read it) will be best discerned (see note [f] on Matt. xxvii,) by Deut. xxix. 18, where apostasy, or falling from God, is described to be a root bearing gall and bitterness, say the vulgar, gall and wormwood, say our English, and the Septuagint, φύουσα ἐν χολῇ καὶ πικρία, springing up in gall and bitterness: but the Hebrew שאי, which we render gall, signifies also a poisonous herb, and so must signify there, where it is joined with a root bearing or bringing forth; and so the wormwood following will best agree with it, and both together will express that sin to be a root, whose effects are poisonous and bitter, very hurtful and infectious to men, and most displeasing to God. Answerable and equivalent to this is the χολή πικρίας here, which therefore signifies this apostatical condition of Simon, so lately baptized, to be dangerous to him, and odious in God’s sight, he being that first-born of Satan, as he is styled, and an apostate from the Christian faith. And accordingly his followers the Gnostics and the poison of their heresy (together with him, the root from whence all those pests of the primitive apostolic church did spring) are expressed, Heb. xii. 15, by ῥίζα πικρίας ἄνω φύουσα, lest, saith the apostle, there be any root of bitterness springing up, (not ἐνοχλῇ, as we read it, but as by the Greek now cited from Deut. xxix. 18, and by the agreeing of the participle φύουσα with the like ὑστερῶν precedent, seems the most probable reading,) ἐν χολῇ, in poison, a root of wormwood bringing forth or fructifying in poison, that is, bringing on the person that which is ruinous to himself, or on others that which is poisonous or infectious to them. And such most eminently was the heresy of the Gnostics at that time.

[e] bond of iniquity] The word σύνδεσμος signifies, in the Septuagint of the Old Testament, treason, 2 Kings xi. 15, and xii. 20, and Jer. xi. 9, a conspiracy, league, or covenant, and by it the Hebrew קשר is rendered, Jer. xi. 9, where Symmachus reads συνωμοσία, conspiracy. The Hebrew הרצבות, which Isaiah lviii. 6 is rendered σύνδεσμος, is, saith David de Pomis, equivalent to קשרים, and so signifies a binding

Acts 8:24

And Simon besought them that they would pray for him, that God would pardon this wickedness of his, and not inflict on him such punishment as they seemed to foretell would fall upon him.

Acts 8:25

And when they had confirmed those in the faith (bearing witness to the truth which Philip had taught) who were baptized by him, they returned to Jerusalem, and as they went, preached the gospel to all the villages of Samaria, where Philip had not preached it, and had good success in it.

Acts 8:26

And Philip had a vision, and therein an angel from heaven spake unto him, saying, Arise and go toward the south—

one intrusted with that office of greatness, which anciently was wont to be conferred on eunuchs, that is, the high treasurer to the queen or king’s mother (see Ecumenius) of Ethiopia, had been at Jerusa-

Acts 8:29

Then Philip was by prophetic divine afflation, or revelation, directed to go near to the chariot and speak to him.

ᶻ give me some direction, and tell me what it is that the prophet’s words belong to? And he desired Philip—

[f] the Spirit said] It may here be questioned what is meant by τὸ Πνεῦμα, the Spirit’s saying unto Philip. Some kind of extraordinary revelation it certainly was, but whether in a vision by appearance of an angel, or, 2dly, by a voice from heaven, or, 3dly, by afflation of the Spirit of God, after the manner that prophets received revelations, it is uncertain. Of the first sort there are examples in this book; ch. x. 3, Cornelius in a vision saw an angel of the Lord coming, and saying to him, and so here ver. 26, the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip: of the second, at the baptism of Christ, and at the conversion of St. Paul: and of the third, ch. x. 19, where after his vision of the sheet, as he thought thereupon, the Spirit said unto him; and the same is repeated again, ch. xi. 11; and so ch. xiii. 2, as they were ministering, that is, praying and fasting, the holy Spirit said, Separate to me Barnabas and Saul: which as it was not in any dream or vision, so that it was by voice from heaven, doth not appear probable by any argument discernible in the story; but on the other side, the frequent testimonies of the Spirit’s revealing by way of prophetic afflation, who should be set apart for the offices of the church, are evidences that it was so here. Thus Clemens tells of those times, that “they ordained bishops,” Πνεύματι δοκιμάσαντες, “discerning by the Spirit” who should be ordained; and again, that they did it πρόγνωσιν εἰληφότες τελείων, “having received perfect foreknowledge” who should be constituted bishops, as “Moses,” saith he, “foreknew by revelation from God, that Aaron should have the priesthood,” and accordingly that without the direction of the Spirit they advanced none to this dignity. So saith St. Paul of Timothy, that the χάρισμα, or episcopal office, διὰ προφητείας ἰδόθη, was given him by prophecy, 1 Tim. iv. 14, and ch. i. 18, that is, by revelation, as prophesying is of things presently to be done, as well as predictions of the future, and signifies no more, 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 31, than having somewhat revealed to him, ver. 30. So saith St. Chrysostom, Τὸ τῆς διδασκαλίας καὶ ἱερωσύνης ἀξίωμα μέγα ὃν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δεῖται ψήφου, &c. “The episcopal dignity being great, wanted God’s suffrage to direct on whom it should be bestowed.” (see note [e] on 1 Tim. i.) Thus Acts xx. 28, it is said of the bishops of Asia, that the Holy Ghost had set them over the flock. And in this sense it may fitly be affirmed of Philip, that being full of the Holy Ghost, ch. vi. 3, he had the afflations of the Spirit of God, such as prophets, and by such an afflation the Spirit here had him, &c. Thus Agabus signified by the spirit, that is, by prophetic revelation, that there should be a famine, ch. xi. 28. Thus the Holy Ghost witnessed in every city, that is, prophets foretold, ch. xx. 23, and xxi. 11, that bonds and afflictions did abide Paul. One

† Epist. 1 ad Cor. § In 1 Tim. iv. 14.

Acts 8:31

[g] The place of scripture] Περιοχή is the Hebrew פרק, the name of a section or lesser division of scripture, of which there be two in the first chapter of Matthew, and so forward. The Greeks call them τμήματα, partitions or sections.

Acts 8:33

By an assembly and by judgment, by the sanhedrim of the Jews, and the Roman procurator Pilate, he was taken away; or, in his state of exinanition and humiliation, when he was apprehended and arraigned by the Jews, he was most unjustly dealt with, put to death, being most innocent. And who shall describe the wickedness of that age that used him thus, which put him to death for coming to do good to them?

ᵇ demanded of Philip, saying, I pray thee—

[h] In his humiliation] This verse is acknowledged to be a citation of Isa. liii. 8, not out of the Hebrew, but the Septuagint’s translation, which therefore must be interpreted by looking back on the original there. And that will be best rendered thus, כעצר, by an assembly, (so the word is used Jer. ix. 2, and rendered σύνοδος, synod,) that is, by the sanhedrim of the Jews, who had determined to have him put to death, and made the people cry out against him, Αἴρε, αἴρε, away with him, away with him, (whereas the Greek seems to have read כעצב, ἐν ταπεινώσει,) וממשפט, and by judgment, or the sentence of the Roman procurator Pilate, לקח, he was taken away, distinctly signifying the manner of his being put to death, which being so foul, and irrational, and strange that he that came to save, should not only not be believed, but be also put to death by them, be entertained so coldly, and used so barbarously, the Jews and Romans both conspiring in it, the exclamation that follows, ואת דורו מי ישוחח, who shall describe his generation? will most probably signify what an accursed wicked generation was that wherein he was born? for so the word דורו, his generation signifies, as Gen. vi. 9, perfect, ἐν γενεᾷ αὐτοῦ, in his generation. So where it is called a wicked generation, Deut. xxxii. 5, this word is used. This though it be not the sound of the words in Greek, must be resolved to be the meaning of the prophet, whose words here St. Luke having occasion to name or set down only, (as the passage the eunuch was reading,) not to make any use of them, was in all reason to repeat in the Septuagint’s translation of them, which the eunuch was a reading, and which they used, for whom he wrote this story, but not to affix any new sense to the original prophecy. Yet because the words, as they lie in the Greek, may have a commodious sense also, though that differing from the Hebrew, I have in the paraphrase set down that also, upon this ground, that Job xxxiv. 5, taking away his judgment signifies dealing unjustly with him.

Acts 8:35

And on occasion of this scripture, which, though it had one literal completion about the time of Isaiah’s writing it, yet had another higher comple-

Acts 8:39

[i] the Spirit] In this verse the king’s MS. reads thus, Πνεῦμα Ἅγιον ἐπίπεσιν ἐπὶ τὸν Εὐνοῦχον, ἄγγελος δὲ Κυρίου ἤρπασε τὸν Φίλιππον, The Holy Ghost fell upon the eunuch, and the angel of the Lord caught, or snatched, away Philip.

Acts 8:51

[i] stiffnecked] Σκληροτράχηλοι proverbially signifies undisciplinable, foolish people; according to a rule in physiognomy, that those that have necks that do not easily bend are such: so saith Adamantius Physiog. l. 2. c. 26, σκληροτράχηλοι, ἀμαθεῖς, “hard-necked persons are indocile and ignorant;” and again, τισὶ διὰ μωρίαν γίνονται ἀκλινεῖς τράχηλοι, “some men have necks that will not bend, and this is an argument of folly.” But I suppose the meaning of St. Stephen is not to be fetched from this notation of the word, but from the metaphor of beasts, oxen, &c., that till they be disciplined and accustomed to the yoke, are not willing or patient to bend down to it. And so hard or stiffnecked signifies no more than refractory, disobedient, undisciplinable, and so it is here set to denote them that do always resist the Holy Ghost, in all God’s methods toward them walk contrary to him.

Acts 8:56

And he proclaimed his vision, saying, Behold— 57, 58. And they dealt with him by the judgment of zeal, used among the Jews against those that departed from the Jewish (and set up any new) worship; and first cast him out of the gates of the city, then stoned him; and they that brought evidence against him, ch. vi. 13, and were therefore by law to throw the first stone at him, and are therefore called executioners, ch. xxii. 2, put off their clothes to fit themselves for their work; and a young man called Saul undertook to look to their clothes, who consequently had a hand in the stoning of him, ch. viii. 1.

Acts 8:59

And all the time that they cast stones he continued in prayer to God, and at the last concluded in these words, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. * gave up the ghost. ### CHAP. VIII.

Acts 8:60

[k] lay not this] Μὴ στήσης may here be rendered by referring to the use of that word, (among these writers,) of loans or sales, which were done by weighing out the money, and receiving it back again by weight. This is called στήσας, Isa. xxxii. 9, ἔστησα αὐτῷ ἑπτὰ σίκλους, I weighed him, or, I told him out, seven shekels; whence Hesychius, στάσιμον τὸ δεδανισμένον, “that that is weighed is that that is lent,” for, saith he, σταθμῷ πάλαι ἐδάνειζον, “anciently they lent by weight.” Thus the Hebrew יָשַׁע, which is answerable to it, is oft rendered τίειν and ἀποτίειν, as to weigh out is to pay, that is, to punish. So that the importance of Stephen’s prayer is, that God would not require back this debt, that is, punish them for this sin. And that this prayer was heard for them that had a hand in Stephen’s blood appears by God’s special mercy to Saul, who was a principal person in it, and is miraculously converted in the ninth chapter, according to that saying of the father, Si Stephanus non orasset, ecclesia Paulum non habuisset; “If Stephen had not prayed, the church had not had St. Paul.”