As The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia explains, “It is not strange to find the gospel brought into direct conflict with magicians, for in the 1st and 2nd centuries there were a multitude of such persons who pretended to possess supernatural powers by which they endeavored to deceive men” ( ISBE, “Simon Magus”).Ī few years later, the apostle Paul had a similar experience with a sorcerer. This account of Simon the Sorcerer exemplified one of the great challenges for those who preached the gospel of the Kingdom of God in the early centuries. The final piece of information recorded in the Bible regarding Simon the Sorcerer is that, instead of actually repenting of his sin, he just asked Peter to pray for him that “none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me” (verse 24). For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity” (Acts 8:20-23). Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. Realizing that his motive was wrong, Peter strongly corrected Simon the Sorcerer, saying, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. It was common for magicians to purchase tricks from one another, so Simon may have viewed the apostles as religious “magicians” or hucksters and was trying to purchase their “trick.” Perhaps he saw this as an opportunity to make more money or enhance his own reputation. Sadly, Simon’s request was based upon impure motives. Historically, this is the origin of the word “simony”-the buying or selling of a church office or an ecclesiastical power. Seeing that people received the Holy Spirit through “the laying on of the apostles’ hands,” Simon offered them money if they would give him power to give people the Holy Spirit ( verses 17-19). Since the people Philip baptized had not yet had hands laid on them for the receiving of the Holy Spirit, Peter and John came from Jerusalem to perform this important part of baptism ( verses 14-16). He “was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done” through the power of God (verse 13). Simon was among those who believed and was also baptized. When people “believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized” (verse 12). Simon the Sorcerer’s status was apparently threatened when Philip entered the city and preached the gospel of the Kingdom of God. The Samaritans viewed angels as “powers.” Simon the Sorcerer may have claimed to be a revealing angel from God, or this could have been the origin of the gnostic doctrine of emanations or various spirit beings “emanating” from the Godhead. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament, commentary on Acts 8:10). “They believed Simon was an impersonated power of God” (M.R. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, commentary on Acts 8:10). “This ‘power’ was considered a spark of God himself” (A.T. The people of that city mistakenly assumed that he was “the great power of God” ( verse 10). Simon the Sorcerer had “bewitched” ( Acts 8:9, 11, King James Version) the people of Samaria “with his sorceries for a long time” ( verse 11). For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). God told the ancient Israelites: “There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. This practice is specifically forbidden by God. It is a means of working magic with the assistance of the devil or evil spirits. Although the term “Magus” is not found in this passage, it is also an appropriate description since in Act 8:9 “the present participle mageúōn is used, and is translated … ‘used sorcery’” ( The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 1947, “Simon Magus”). The Simon mentioned in Acts 8:9-24 is commonly called Simon the Sorcerer or Simon Magus.
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