Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
Simon offered money to Peter for the power to lay hands on people so they would receive the Holy Ghost, treating a spiritual gift as something that could be bought and then possessed and conferred by himself. His request came from a covetous and self-seeking heart that wanted supernatural power for personal fame and gain, valuing God's gift as merchandise for worldly and temporal ends. Though baptized and counted among the believers, he was unconverted and his heart was not right with God, showing that neither profession nor money nor church standing can purchase salvation or spiritual power. The gift of the Holy Spirit cannot be bought or sold, but is given through Christ's sacrifice and entrusted to chosen instruments whose lives are free from selfishness and sin. His false seeking for power stands in contrast to the true baptism with the Holy Ghost that heaven is waiting to give to truly converted men who give themselves wholly to God.
Simon's Request and Character
Simon asked Peter to give him power, offering to buy it, so that anyone on whom he himself laid hands would receive the Holy Ghost, treating a sacred spiritual gift as something he could possess, dispense, and confer on others at will. He believed and acted as if the power of the Holy Spirit could be purchased with money, and he actually offered money for it. His motive was covetous and self-seeking, aiming at personal fame and gain and at supernatural power for himself. He valued God's gift as merchandise and as a means of worldly, selfish, material and temporal ends, prizing spiritual power for selfish purposes instead of the eternal inheritance offered through the Holy Spirit.
In seeking this power he belonged to those who welcomed satanic influence in order to obtain supernatural power, rather than suffering under demonic influence, and therefore he had no conflict with the demons. Though baptized and counted among the believers, he was unconverted, an unworthy member and a tare among the wheat in the early church. He was a sorcerer who later opposed the gospel, and Peter exposed his deceptions, defeated his plots, and sharply rebuked him as being in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity, calling him to repentance and to prayer for forgiveness. The gift of the Holy Spirit cannot be bought or sold; it is given through Christ's sacrifice and entrusted to chosen instruments whose lives are free from selfishness and sin.
Warning and True Seeking
Profession and baptism do not make the heart right with God, for Simon was baptized yet remained unconverted, a tare among the wheat who thought the Holy Ghost could be purchased with money and offered money for power to confer Him by laying on of hands. Money and church standing cannot purchase salvation or spiritual power, since he treated the sacred gift of God as merchandise for personal gain. His valuing of God's gift as a means of worldly, selfish, material and temporal gain stands against the eternal inheritance offered through the Holy Spirit. Seeking the power to possess, dispense and confer the Holy Spirit on others for personal gain illustrates the danger of seeking religious authority for selfish ends, like the sale of pardons and claims to spiritual power that drew people away from seeking forgiveness from God. That he as an unworthy, baptized member could be numbered with Christ's followers does not mean the church's teaching was untrue.
His false seeking for the power of the Holy Ghost stands in contrast to the true baptism with the Holy Ghost that heaven is waiting to give to truly converted men. When workers give themselves wholly to God the Holy Spirit will cooperate with them. Such covetous, self-seeking religion draws Peter's sharp rebuke exposing him as in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity and calling him to repentance and prayer for forgiveness. This kind of religion must be met by sharp testimonies that expose the sin and distinguish sacred eternal interests from common things. Workers must not become discouraged when clear truth fails to arouse such benumbed, carnal minds, but must remember that spiritual things are spiritually discerned and the work is by the Holy Spirit.
The chapter is to be carefully studied by gospel workers and by men and women physicians, because it teaches they can do a far greater work than they suppose. That greater work must spread by going into unworked cities with division and subdivision of workers instead of centering in a few places. The account of Philip and the Ethiopian in the same chapter presents the work God calls His people to do. The Spirit of God waits to enlighten souls and convert them to the truth, putting forth effort even for one man. Those who have a knowledge of God and hear His voice must go where He sends them, join themselves to such souls, explain His Word to them, and preach Jesus to them. The Ethiopian, a man of great authority returning from worship and reading Isaiah without understanding, represents a large class reading the Scriptures without understanding their import, and neglect of this heritage of explaining the Word brings judgment on God's people.
Simon offered money to Peter for the power to lay hands on people so they would receive the Holy Ghost, treating a spiritual gift as something that could be bought and then possessed and conferred by himself. His request came from a covetous and self-seeking heart that wanted supernatural power for personal fame and gain, valuing God's gift as merchandise for worldly and temporal ends. Though baptized and counted among the believers, he was unconverted and his heart was not right with God, showing that neither profession nor money nor church standing can purchase salvation or spiritual power. The gift of the Holy Spirit cannot be bought or sold, but is given through Christ's sacrifice and entrusted to chosen instruments whose lives are free from selfishness and sin. His false seeking for power stands in contrast to the true baptism with the Holy Ghost that heaven is waiting to give to truly converted men who give themselves wholly to God.
Simon's Request and Character
Simon asked Peter to give him power, offering to buy it, so that anyone on whom he himself laid hands would receive the Holy Ghost, treating a sacred spiritual gift as something he could possess, dispense, and confer on others at will. He believed and acted as if the power of the Holy Spirit could be purchased with money, and he actually offered money for it. His motive was covetous and self-seeking, aiming at personal fame and gain and at supernatural power for himself. He valued God's gift as merchandise and as a means of worldly, selfish, material and temporal ends, prizing spiritual power for selfish purposes instead of the eternal inheritance offered through the Holy Spirit.
In seeking this power he belonged to those who welcomed satanic influence in order to obtain supernatural power, rather than suffering under demonic influence, and therefore he had no conflict with the demons. Though baptized and counted among the believers, he was unconverted, an unworthy member and a tare among the wheat in the early church. He was a sorcerer who later opposed the gospel, and Peter exposed his deceptions, defeated his plots, and sharply rebuked him as being in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity, calling him to repentance and to prayer for forgiveness. The gift of the Holy Spirit cannot be bought or sold; it is given through Christ's sacrifice and entrusted to chosen instruments whose lives are free from selfishness and sin.
Warning and True Seeking
Profession and baptism do not make the heart right with God, for Simon was baptized yet remained unconverted, a tare among the wheat who thought the Holy Ghost could be purchased with money and offered money for power to confer Him by laying on of hands. Money and church standing cannot purchase salvation or spiritual power, since he treated the sacred gift of God as merchandise for personal gain. His valuing of God's gift as a means of worldly, selfish, material and temporal gain stands against the eternal inheritance offered through the Holy Spirit. Seeking the power to possess, dispense and confer the Holy Spirit on others for personal gain illustrates the danger of seeking religious authority for selfish ends, like the sale of pardons and claims to spiritual power that drew people away from seeking forgiveness from God. That he as an unworthy, baptized member could be numbered with Christ's followers does not mean the church's teaching was untrue.
His false seeking for the power of the Holy Ghost stands in contrast to the true baptism with the Holy Ghost that heaven is waiting to give to truly converted men. When workers give themselves wholly to God the Holy Spirit will cooperate with them. Such covetous, self-seeking religion draws Peter's sharp rebuke exposing him as in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity and calling him to repentance and prayer for forgiveness. This kind of religion must be met by sharp testimonies that expose the sin and distinguish sacred eternal interests from common things. Workers must not become discouraged when clear truth fails to arouse such benumbed, carnal minds, but must remember that spiritual things are spiritually discerned and the work is by the Holy Spirit.
The chapter is to be carefully studied by gospel workers and by men and women physicians, because it teaches they can do a far greater work than they suppose. That greater work must spread by going into unworked cities with division and subdivision of workers instead of centering in a few places. The account of Philip and the Ethiopian in the same chapter presents the work God calls His people to do. The Spirit of God waits to enlighten souls and convert them to the truth, putting forth effort even for one man. Those who have a knowledge of God and hear His voice must go where He sends them, join themselves to such souls, explain His Word to them, and preach Jesus to them. The Ethiopian, a man of great authority returning from worship and reading Isaiah without understanding, represents a large class reading the Scriptures without understanding their import, and neglect of this heritage of explaining the Word brings judgment on God's people.