Acts 8:9
But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
Before the gospel reached Samaria, a man named Simon had won great fame there through sorcery. His sorcery worked by Satan's supernatural power to bewitch, amaze and deceive the people, while he gave out that he himself was some great one of importance and power. He welcomed satanic influence to gain that power and so had no struggle against demons, even making money from his sorceries by claiming to share their secrets. His course unfolded when persecution after Stephen's death scattered believers from Jerusalem, and Philip preached the risen Christ in Samaria to Samaritans who welcomed the message, with many believing and being baptized. Though Simon himself joined the believers and was baptized, he remained unworthy, showing that false and true believers may be found together among professed Christians. His presence is no reason to doubt Christianity or become disheartened, even though he later opposed the gospel by deception at Rome and helped induce Drusilla to leave her husband for Felix.
Gospel Comes to Samaria
Acts 8:9 belongs to the account of the gospel reaching Samaria after persecution scattered the believers from Jerusalem following Stephen's death. In that scattering Philip went to Samaria and preached there the risen Christ as Redeemer, and the message about Jesus stirred the city. The Samaritans were stirred, welcomed the believers, were willing to hear about Jesus, and were ready to receive Christ's messengers, with many believing and being baptized.
Their welcome shows the gospel reaching beyond the Jews and not confined to them, coming to a people once hostile to Christ. That readiness followed Jesus' loving treatment of the Samaritans despite their earlier rejection of Him, so that many became followers when His messengers arrived. Together with Philip's work with the Ethiopian eunuch, the setting of the verse portrays the work God calls His people to do. The Spirit of God waits to enlighten souls and convert them to the truth, sending missionaries where God sends them to join themselves to those reading the Scriptures without understanding, to explain God's Word to them and preach Jesus to them.
Simon's Sorcery and Boast
Before the gospel arrived in Samaria, Simon had already gained great fame there through sorcery.
His sorcery worked by Satan's power and supernatural influence to bewitch the people and to amaze and impress them.
At the same time he gave out that he himself was some great one, presenting himself as a person of great importance and power.
He made merchandise and money from his sorceries, claiming to pass on and share their secrets with others.
He welcomed satanic influence in order to gain supernatural power, and therefore had no struggle or conflict against the demons.
He used sorcery to deceive the people while presenting himself as a person of great power, and their honoring of him as God's great power shows how multitudes may be deceived by Satan's counterfeit of Christ and mistake sorcery for divine power.
Warning From Simon's Course
Before the gospel came he had practiced sorcery and impressed the people of Samaria by claiming to be someone great, yet he joined the believers and was baptized while remaining an unworthy member counted among the early believers. His being found among them shows that false and true believers may be found together in the church, with false brethren among professed believers. The presence of such false brethren is no reason to doubt Christianity or to become disheartened.
He later followed Peter to Rome, where he worked by deception and schemes to oppose the gospel. Nero supported him and believed in magic, and was angered by Peter's success in exposing him. He is also the conjurer whose satanic deception helped Felix induce Drusilla to leave her husband and marry Felix.