7/19/13

From Mark Copeland... The Follow-Up Of The Samaritans (Ac.8:14-25)


                          "THE BOOK OF ACTS"

               The Follow-Up Of The Samaritans (8:14-25)

INTRODUCTION

1. The conversion of the Samaritans was simple and straightforward...
   a. Philip preached Christ and the people heeded him - Ac 8:5-6
   b. They responded by believing and being baptized - Ac 8:12-13

2. Unique with the Samaritans' conversion is the follow-up that
   occurred...
   a. It has been described as one of the most extraordinary passages
      in Acts
   b. Used to teach various doctrines related to confirmation,
      sanctification, and spiritual gifts

[We must be careful not to draw conclusions contrary to the rest of the
Scriptures.  With that goal in mind, let's first review...]

I. THE FOLLOW-UP BY PETER AND JOHN

   A. THEY IMPART THE SPIRIT...
      1. Hearing of the Samaritans' conversion, the apostles sent Peter
         and John - Ac 8:14
      2. Peter and John imparted the Spirit to the Samaritans - Ac 8:15-17
         a. While the Samaritans had been baptized, they had not
            "received the Spirit"
         b. The Spirit had not yet "fallen upon" any of them - cf. 
            Ac 10:44-46; 11:15-17
         c. Through prayer and laying on of the apostles' hands, they
            "received the Spirit"

   B. SIMON TRIES TO BUY THE GIFT...
      1. He sought to buy the ability to impart the Spirit - Ac 8:18-19
      2. Peter rebuked him strongly, called upon him to repent and pray
         - Ac 8:20-23
      3. Simon asks Peter to pray for him - Ac 8:24

[Peter and John preached the gospel in many villages in Samaria on their
return to Jerusalem (Ac 8:25).  Now let's go back and look at some
questions frequently raised...]

II. THE FOLLOW-UP EXAMINED MORE CLOSELY

   A. FREQUENT QUESTIONS...   
      1. Why is it said the Samaritans received baptism by Philip, but
         not the Spirit?
      2. What does it mean "that they might receive the Holy Spirit"?
      3. What did the apostles have that Philip did not?
      4. Was this some sort of confirmation?  Second stage of
         sanctification?  

   B. PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS...
      1. Whatever Luke meant to "receive the Holy Spirit"...
         a. It required the apostles' laying on of hands
            1) Philip could not impart it, making it necessary for the
               apostles to come
            2) Simon could see that it was through the apostles' laying
               on of hands the Spirit was given - Ac 8:18
         b. It was something visible or audible
            1) It caught Simon's attention, who sought to buy the
               ability to impart it
            2) It was clearly something miraculous, perhaps speaking in
               tongues - cf. Ac 19:1-7
            3) It involved the Spirit "falling upon them," as with
               Cornelius - cf. Ac 10:44-46
      2. Was it actually the Spirit Himself, or something the Spirit 
         gives?
         a. All Christians receive the Spirit upon obedience to the
            Gospel - Ac 2:38; 5:32; 1Co 12:13; Ep 1:13-14; Ga 4:6; 
            Ro 8:9-11
         b. But in NT times many (not all) Christians received miraculous
            gifts - 1Co 12-14
      3. Since the Samaritans had believed and been baptized (Ac 8:12,16)...
         a. They probably received the Spirit as any baptized believer
            normally would
         b. They apparently had not received the Spirit regarding
            miraculous gifts (see below)

   C. PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATION...
      1. The expression "receive the Holy Spirit" is a metonymy =
         "receive spiritual gifts"
         a. Metonymy - A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is
            substituted for another with which it is closely associated
            1) E.g., "Washington" for the United States government;
               "Crown" for royalty
            2) E.g., "The pen is mightier than the sword" ("pen" stands
               in for "the written word"; "sword" stands in for "military
               aggression and force")
         b. What the Samaritans had not received were miraculous
            spiritual gifts that the Spirit often bestowed in the early 
            church - cf. 1Co 12:1-11
      2. The apostles of Christ had the ability to impart spiritual
         gifts
         a. Paul imparted the "Holy Spirit" in this way - cf. Ac 19:1-7
         b. Paul hoped to impart such a gift to the Romans - Ro 1:11
         c. He imparted such a gift to Timothy - 2Ti 1:6
      3. The ability to impart spiritual gifts was limited to the
         apostles
         a. Which is why Philip could perform miracles, but not pass
            the ability on to others
            1) The apostles had laid hands on him earlier - Ac 6:5-6
            2) Philip, like Steven, could then do miracles - Ac 6:7;
               8:6-7
         b. Which is why it was necessary for Peter and John to come to
            Samaria
            1) If spiritual gifts came simply by praying, why send for
               Peter and John?
            2) It took an apostle for the spiritual gifts to be imparted!
      4. It was this ability to impart spiritual gifts that Simon wanted
         to buy
         a. He was not content to simply receive a spiritual gift
         b. He wanted that apostolic ability to impart spiritual gifts!
            - Ac 8:19

CONCLUSION

1. The ministry of Philip among the Samaritans had...
   a. Been confirmed by the miracles which Philip did in their midst 
      - Ac 8:6-7
   b. Resulted in true conversions when they believed and were baptized
      - Ac 8:12-13

2. Peter and John's mission to Samaria appears straightforward...
   a. To impart miraculous spiritual gifts by the apostolic laying on
      of hands
   b. Which served to establish the new converts in their faith - cf.
      Ro 1:11

Today, conversion occurs wherever people believe and are baptized (Mk
16:16; Ac 2:38; 22:16).  They are established in the faith when they
observe the apostles' doctrine (Mt 28:20; Ac 2:42) which was revealed and
confirmed by the miraculous gifts of the Spirit in the first century (cf.
He 2:1-4)...


Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2012

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