02.11. Conversion Of The Samaritans

CONVERSION OF THE SAMARITANS.

LESSON text:Acts 8:1-25. memory verses:Romans 1:16-17. THE CITY OF SAMARIA. The city of Samaria was builded by Omri, the sixth king of Israel (1 Kings 16:23-24), and thereafter was the capital city of the kingdom of Israel, being later taken by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria (2 Kings 18:9-10). It is now a "squalid and fanatical Moslem village whose paths and fields are cluttered with a multitude of fallen columns." THE SAMARITANS. When the king of Assyria captured the kingdom of Israel, he carried the people out of the land of Samaria and repeopled the land with heathen peoples from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim (2 Kings 17:22-24). At the request of the people the king sent a priest of Israel back to this land to teach the people the manner of the God of the land (2 Kings 17:25-29). They gradually outgrew their idiolatry and adopted the Pentateuch as their law. There was never much sympathy between them and the Jews. When they were refused the privilege of assisting in rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem, they became very angry. Their anger finally grew into bitter enmity, so that they refused the Jews passage through their land. This enmity had considerably subsided in the days of Jesus, as is shown by his reception at Sychar, a city of Samaria (John 4:1-54).

LEADING UP TO THE LESSON

After the gospel began to be preached in Jerusalem, the apostles for some time, perhaps two years, confined their labors to Jerusalem, preaching only to Jews. Vast multitudes became Christians. These multitudes were being trained for the great work of carrying the gospel to others. Finally the great persecution arose against the church on the occasion of the martyrdom of Stephen, and the entire church was scattered abroad, except the apostles (Acts 8:1). THE SCATTERED CHURCH.

"They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles." But this seemingly great calamity did not break their spirit nor cool their zeal. "They therefore that were scattered abroad went about preaching the word" (Acts 8:4). They went about evangelizing, for so the original word signifies. Perhaps only a small part of them delivered public addresses; certainly the women did not: yet they all, men and women, went about evangelizing. Evangelizing is preaching the gospel, whether to multitudes assembled or to individuals, whether at home or abroad. They went evangelizing— that is, they evangelized as they went. The very form of the expression shows that the going and the evangelizing were different acts.

PHILIP.

Amongst the very active ones driven out of Jerusalem by this persecution was Philip, one of the seven chosen to serve the church in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). Later he was referred to as Philip the evangelist (Acts 21:8). When the church at Jerusalem was scattered his services as deacon, of course, ceased; and, by virtue of the fact that he then gave his time to preaching the word, he became Philip the evangelist. He was not "set apart" as a preacher by some ecclesiastical body. The apostles had been filing the church with the word, and any Christian who became as full of the word as was Philip would preach it. To the extent any one preaches the word, to that extent he is an evangelist, for an evangelist is one who preaches the word. Of Philip’s early life we know nothing. He is first mentioned in connection with the seven chosen to serve tables (Acts 6:1-15). Acts 8:1-40 gives a record of some of his work as a preacher. We hear no more of him till mention is made of him in Acts 21:8. At this time his home was in Caesarea, and he was called Philip the evangelist.

PREACHING CHRIST.

"AND PHILIP WENT DOWN TO THE CITY OF SAMARIA" (Acts 8:5). This is not Philip the apostle, for the apostles remained at Jerusalem (Acts 8:1), but it is Philip the deacon, who with others was chosen to serve - tables (Acts 6:1-15).

"and proclaimed unto them the Christ" (Acts 8:5). The Christ was the burden of the preaching of God’s inspired preachers. "For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified," said Paul (1 Corinthians 2:2). But what is it to preach Christ? Evidently to preach the gospel and to preach Christ is the same, for Philip was carrying out the Great Commission to preach the gospel. Though Paul determined to know nothing among the Corinthians save Jesus Christ and him crucified, he declared to them that he preached the gospel to them (1 Corinthians 15:1). Preaching the gospel, preaching Christ, and preaching the word are all the same, for in describing the planting of the church in Corinth, where Paul declares he preached the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1), where he affirms that he preached Christ (1 Corinthians 2:2), Luke declares that Paul dwelt in Corinth a year and a half, "teaching the word of God among them" (Acts 18:11). In our lesson it is declared that those who "were scattered abroad went about preaching the word," and it is declared that Philip was one of those who went about preaching the word, and that he preached Christ to the people of Samaria. To preach Christ, therefore, is to preach his word, the gospel. "For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath" (Acts 15:21). Hence, reading and teaching the law of Moses was preaching Moses. The same is true of preaching Christ. preach Christ—let other folks alone. Christ is the Son of God, the Savior of man, prophet, priest, and king. These titles grow out of his relationship to God and man, and to preach him fully all the relationships indicated by the various names applied to him must be shown. In preaching him fully no man can "just preach Christ and let other folks alone." To preach him as the Son of God one must antagonize infidels. If he is preached as the Savior, the question naturally presents itself: "Will he save every one?" If you properly answer this question you will antagonize the Universalist—you can’t preach Christ and let him alone. If he will not save every one, then whom will he save? Will he save only the "elect," as taught by the Calvinist? The gospel preacher, or teacher, cannot answer this question and let other folks alone. If the Calvinist doctrine of "election" is not true, then whom will be saved? Will Christ save people without conditions to be performed by them? If not, then what are the conditions of salvation? In answering this question fully, scripturally, the teacher, or preacher, will antagonize every denominationalist in the land. It is certain Philip told the Samaritans what to do to be saved.

Christ as God’s prophet,God’s message bearer God’s teacher to man (Hebrews 1:1-2). A prophet is one who speaks for another, one who delivers the message of another. Hence, God’s prophet is God’s spokesman. The essential idea is that a prophet speaks for God. As God’s prophet to man, what did Jesus teach? Here again every faithful teacher must come in conflict with every theory out of harmony with the teaching of Christ.

Christ the high priest.Christ is our High Priest. There is a difference between the significance of the words "prophet" and "priest." The prophet is God’s representative to man, the priest is man’s representative to God. We are all priests (Revelation 1:6), but Christ is our High Priest—through him we approach God. To properly develop and present the New Testament idea of the priesthood is to antagonize every priestly order in the ecclesiasticisms of today.

Christ as king. As such he has laws—what are they? His kingdom has subjects—who are they? How may one enter the kingdom? In preaching Christ Philip gave answer to all these questions, for the record says: "When they believed Philip preaching good tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ" (Acts 8:12). In preaching Christ as Philip did, and there is no other way to preach him, the gospel preacher cannot "let other people alone." Can you name one thing you can preach, or teach, fully and not conflict with some denominational doctrine? Away with the compromising spirit of the age, and pray: "Grant unto thy servant to speak thy word with all boldness" (Acts 4:29). THE RESULTS OF PHILIP’S PREACHING.

"AND THE MULTITUDES GAVE HEED WITH ONE ACCORD UNTO THE things that were spoken by philip" (Acts 8:6). Not often have such favorable results followed any man’s preaching The signs that Philip did, or the miracles that were wrought through him, showed the people that God was with him. These signs confirmed his preaching. The miracles did not convert them, but attracted the attention of the people and proved to them that Philip was a teacher from God. The purpose of miracles in connection with a preacher’s work was to confirm the word (Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:2-4). When Philip reached the city of Samaria, he found the people under the spell of one Simon, a magician, who had completely captivated them, and they regarded him as a great man. The works of Simon were then, as such works are now, astonishing to the people, and to the masses they were inexplicable; but, after all, such works are mere tricks, and the workers of them seek self-aggrandizement, or to bewilder the people. Philip came in direct conflict with the works of this magician, this wonder worker in Samaria. No sooner were the miracles he performed compared with the works of Simon than the people saw that Simon was a mere trickster; whereas Philip brought them blessings, for the people were healed of diseases and the lame made whole. The people were convinced that Philip was sent from God.

"and there was much joy in that city." Certainly there was great joy, for unclean spirits were cast out of many and many having fleshly infirmities were healed. And besides this, a new, glorious light had come to them.

WHAT THE PEOPLE DID.

"But when they believed Philip preaching good tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." Luke’s record of this conversion is .brief, his language simple and plain. Philip preached, the people believed, and were baptized. The narrative is in perfect harmony with the Great Commission, both as to the conditions and the simplicity of the language. "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned" (Mark 16:15-16). The preaching was done first, accompanied by miracles to prove the trustworthiness of the message, and the people believed. "So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17). And Peter says: "Brethren, ye know that a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe" (Acts 15:17). believed and were baptized. "They were baptized, both men and women." From this it is seen that in preaching Christ unto men Philip taught them to be baptized, for there was no other way for them to learn this duty. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," said the Lord. These people believed and were baptized; hence, they were saved. It is expressly stated that they believed before they were baptized. It must follow, then, that there was not an infant in the number baptized. More, there was not a church there to vote on them to determine whether the minister should baptize them!

SIMON.

Even Simon, who had been practicing his magic and bewitching the people, saw the superiority of the miracles wrought through Philip over his tricks of sorcery. To give up his pretentions to greatness and to come down from the pedestal on which the admiring public had placed "him and sit at the feet of Philip like the humblest and most ignorant, required a greater effort and more self-abasement than most pretentious people are willing to make. But he did. "And Simeon also himself believed: and being baptized," in this new-found joy, he "continued with Philip." was simon saved? This question would never have been raised had it not been that after his baptism he fell into grievous sin. More, were it not for the doctrine that it is impossible for a child of God to fall from grace, so far fall as to be lost, as taught by Baptists and Presbyterians, the question as to the salvation of Simon would never have been raised. Those who teach that a believer cannot be lost were confronted with the fact that Simon, after he was baptized, was said to have fallen under condemnation. To save their doctrine, they must declare that Simon was never saved! Even if Simon could have deceived Philip he could not have deceived Jehovah; and Luke, writing by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said that Simon believed. If Simon did not believe, then we cannot believe the plain statement of God. Is it not strange that a professed believer in God, simply to sustain his doctrine, will virtually accuse God of making misleading statements about Simon? God says: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," and the authors of this book believe it. He also said Simon believed and was baptized, and we believe that; and if we did not believe what God said about Simon having believed we would feel that our condition was about on a par with Simon’s when later he sinned and Peter said: "Thou are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity."

PETER AND JOHN SENT TO SAMARIA.

"Now when the apostles that were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit: for as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit" (Acts 8:14-17). "Whatever other purpose may have prompted the mission of the two apostles, such as confirming the faith of the disciples or assisting Philip in his labors, it is quite certain that the chief purpose was the impartation of the Holy Spirit. What they did on their arrival was certainly that for which they went; but the chief thing which they did was to confer the Holy Spirit; therefore, this was the chief purpose of their visit."—McGarvey. At least it would seem that, what they did on their arrival was that for which they came. But this miraculous endowment of the Spirit was not necessary to the remission of sins, nor membership in the church, for these disciples enjoyed both these blessings, having been "baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus."

WHY THE MIRACULOUS ENDOWMENT? The apostles were baptized in the Holy Spirit that they might be able to preach the gospel to all people, and perform signs to confirm the word, and give the world, through their writings, a full revelation of God’s will. But the complete revelation was not full written out for about three-quarters of a century after the gospel was first preached. The apostles could not be present with every church, and the New Testament had not been written. What, then, would the church do for guidance? To meet this need certain persons in the different congregations were miraculously endowed, some having one gift and some another. Paul’s discussion of these gifts may be found in the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth chapters of First Corinthians. In a later volume we will discuss this matter fully.

SIMON’S SIN.

"Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostle’s hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit" (Acts 8:18-19). Be it observed that Simon did not offer money for the miraculous power conferred by Peter and John, but for the power to impart this miraculous power to others by laying on his hands as Peter and John had done. A man’s mode of living and thinking leave their impress on his character, and even after he turns from them he is likely to fall into his old error under strong temptation. Simon had gained money and notoriety through tricks of sorcery. Now a new field seems to be open to him, in which he could gain even more money and greater notoriety. He offered them money. But Peter, without an effort to use soft words, promptly replied: "Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right before God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if perhaps the thought of thy heart shall be forgiven thee. For I see that thou are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity" (Acts 8:20-23). Peter charges only one sin against him—the desire to purchase the gift of God with money—and he called on him to repent of only one sin—"this thy wickedness." Had he not been forgiven of his old sins, Peter’s speech would have been misleading, for Peter certainly gave him to understand that he needed to repent of only one sin. But this sin was so grievous as to bring him into the "gall of bitterness" and into the "bond of iniquity." Certainly Simon expected no such reply from Peter; and though it drove to the heart like a pointed shaft, he did not resent it. In fear he said: "Pray ye for me to the Lord, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me" (Acts 8:24). Who can doubt for a moment that Peter did pray for him, or doubt God’s willingness to forgive?

What course of life Simon followed after this is a mere matter of conjecture. THE TWO LAWS OF PARDON. That the child of God who sins and the alien sinner stand in different relationships to God is apparent to any thoughtful person; one is outside the family of God, the other is an erring child. To the alien, those outside the family, outside the kingdom, Peter said: "Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins" (Acts 2:38). This is part of what one must do to become a child sf God. If the child sins, what then? The case of Simon gives the answer. To him, as an erring child, Peter said.: "Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord."

TOPICS FOR INVESTIGATION AND DISCUSSION.

• Laying on Hands.

• Magicians and Familiar Spirits.

• Have Miracles Ceased?

• Our Attitude Toward Members of Church Who Sin?

• Our Duty in Preaching the Word.

QUESTIONS.

Show that the record harmonizes with the Great Commission.