In the Question Chair

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 3, 1901

In the Question Chair.

[Designed for the consideration of such questions as will be of interest and profit to the general reader. All correspondents should give their names and correct post-office address, that queries not replied to here may be answered by mail.]

826.— Receiving the Holy Ghost.

Will you please give us some light on Acts 8: 14-17? 1. Why was it necessary for Peter and John to be sent down to Samaria, in order that the new converts there might receive the Holy Ghost? Why was not Philip as able to administer this gift as were Peter and John, from the fact that he was full of the Holy Ghost himself; and verses 5-7 state that he performed miracles that convinced the people, and even astonished Simon the sorcerer, and healed many that were palsied and lame? 2. What is meant by being baptized in the name of Jesus only?

A. M. M., New York.

Answer.—“When the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John.” This act seems to have been by the voluntary, unanimous consent of the apostles as to what was best to do under the circumstances. Certainly no one apostle appears here directing the others how to act, or exercising any lordship over them. There was no primacy among the apostles at this point. It is probable that the sending was simply an informal agreement that it was advisable to send these two apostles to see what could be done to help on the work which had been begun by one who was not an apostle, or at least who is not called such. As a first important step, on coming to Samaria, they prayed that the converts there might receive the Holy Ghost; for as yet the Holy Ghost had not fallen upon any of them. Then after prayer, they laid their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost. From the records given respecting the giving of the Holy Ghost, it does not appear that there was any established program or any uniform custom concerning it. Sometimes it came without any preliminary action, as in Acts 10: 41-48; sometimes by prayer alone, as in Acts 4: 31; and sometimes by prayer and the laying on of hands, as in the case before us, in Acts 8: 17. But generally the Lord saw fit to work in this way through His apostles; and this is doubtless why it was thought best for Peter and John to go down to Samaria, when it was learned by the saints at Jerusalem that Samaria had received the word of God.

2. So in regard to baptism. It seems to have taken some time before all became established in a regular practice. At first they knew only John's baptism. Acts 19: 3. Then sometimes they baptized only in the name of Jesus. But at length the custom became established to use the whole formula of the commission, and baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.