And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
Acts 8:11 describes Samaria after Stephen's death when Philip preached Christ with success and many believed and were baptized as the gospel spread beyond the Jews. The Samaritans gave Simon their regard and attention because for a long time he had amazed and impressed them with sorceries. His fame and influence came through Satan's power and Satanic arts by which he deceived the people, and he made a trade of those arts while pretending to pass their secrets to others. He belongs to those who welcome Satanic influence in order to gain supernatural power and therefore have no conflict with evil spirits, and his arts show how Satan's devices influence people toward wrongdoing. His hold on the people led to false profession, showing that unworthy and false members may be baptized and counted among believers and should be borne with patiently rather than uprooted. As Samaria was long bewitched, cities long neglected are held by Satan who delights in the neglect, so Acts 8 calls for spreading out into unworked places with humble missionary work, small schools, books and papers, and physicians joined with ministers, until by the Holy Spirit thousands are converted.
Simon's Hold on Samaria
Acts 8:11 belongs to the account of the gospel spreading to Samaria after Stephen's death, when Philip preached Jesus there with success. In that setting the Samaritans were receptive to hearing about Jesus, many came to believe, and many received Christian baptism as the mission extended beyond the Jews. The verse itself gives the background of Simon's hold upon them, that they gave him their attention and regard because for a long time he had bewitched them. They heeded and regarded him because his sorceries had amazed and impressed them and held them under their influence over that long period.
His fame and influence came through Satan's power and by Satanic arts, not from God's power. By that long practice of sorcery he deceived the people and won their attention and regard. He also made a trade and merchandise of sorcery and Satanic arts, pretending to pass their secrets on to others.
Doctrine and Present Application
Simon Magus is an example of those who welcome satanic influence in order to obtain supernatural power, and for that reason they have no conflict with the demons. The people gave him their attention, heed and regard because for a long time he had amazed, bewitched and held them under the influence of sorcery. His deceptive arts in gaining their regard by long-practiced sorcery are an example of satanic devices that can influence people and lead them into wrongdoing.
His influence drew people into a false profession of faith, showing that unworthy and false members may be baptized and counted among believers and disciples in the church. The presence of such false believers shows that Christians are to bear patiently with them rather than try to uproot them. Simon himself later opposed Peter's gospel work, using deception and plotting to hinder it.
As the Samaritans were long bewitched by sorceries, so cities long neglected are held by Satan, who delights in the neglect and orders his forces year after year to make souls harder to reach. For this reason Acts 8 should be carefully studied for its call to spread out instead of centering in a few places, and to divide and subdivide the men who have acted an important part for years. It calls for entering unworked cities with humble missionary work in unpretentious buildings, for establishing small schools in new places, and for preparing and educating workers by taking them along to instruct them. It calls for dispensing books and papers with simple Bible lessons, and for physicians to join gospel ministers, so that through the cooperation of the Holy Spirit and baptism with the Holy Ghost thousands now unconverted will be converted and will work for other souls.
Acts 8:11 describes Samaria after Stephen's death when Philip preached Christ with success and many believed and were baptized as the gospel spread beyond the Jews. The Samaritans gave Simon their regard and attention because for a long time he had amazed and impressed them with sorceries. His fame and influence came through Satan's power and Satanic arts by which he deceived the people, and he made a trade of those arts while pretending to pass their secrets to others. He belongs to those who welcome Satanic influence in order to gain supernatural power and therefore have no conflict with evil spirits, and his arts show how Satan's devices influence people toward wrongdoing. His hold on the people led to false profession, showing that unworthy and false members may be baptized and counted among believers and should be borne with patiently rather than uprooted. As Samaria was long bewitched, cities long neglected are held by Satan who delights in the neglect, so Acts 8 calls for spreading out into unworked places with humble missionary work, small schools, books and papers, and physicians joined with ministers, until by the Holy Spirit thousands are converted.
Simon's Hold on Samaria
Acts 8:11 belongs to the account of the gospel spreading to Samaria after Stephen's death, when Philip preached Jesus there with success. In that setting the Samaritans were receptive to hearing about Jesus, many came to believe, and many received Christian baptism as the mission extended beyond the Jews. The verse itself gives the background of Simon's hold upon them, that they gave him their attention and regard because for a long time he had bewitched them. They heeded and regarded him because his sorceries had amazed and impressed them and held them under their influence over that long period.
His fame and influence came through Satan's power and by Satanic arts, not from God's power. By that long practice of sorcery he deceived the people and won their attention and regard. He also made a trade and merchandise of sorcery and Satanic arts, pretending to pass their secrets on to others.
Doctrine and Present Application
Simon Magus is an example of those who welcome satanic influence in order to obtain supernatural power, and for that reason they have no conflict with the demons. The people gave him their attention, heed and regard because for a long time he had amazed, bewitched and held them under the influence of sorcery. His deceptive arts in gaining their regard by long-practiced sorcery are an example of satanic devices that can influence people and lead them into wrongdoing.
His influence drew people into a false profession of faith, showing that unworthy and false members may be baptized and counted among believers and disciples in the church. The presence of such false believers shows that Christians are to bear patiently with them rather than try to uproot them. Simon himself later opposed Peter's gospel work, using deception and plotting to hinder it.
As the Samaritans were long bewitched by sorceries, so cities long neglected are held by Satan, who delights in the neglect and orders his forces year after year to make souls harder to reach. For this reason Acts 8 should be carefully studied for its call to spread out instead of centering in a few places, and to divide and subdivide the men who have acted an important part for years. It calls for entering unworked cities with humble missionary work in unpretentious buildings, for establishing small schools in new places, and for preparing and educating workers by taking them along to instruct them. It calls for dispensing books and papers with simple Bible lessons, and for physicians to join gospel ministers, so that through the cooperation of the Holy Spirit and baptism with the Holy Ghost thousands now unconverted will be converted and will work for other souls.