14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” 24 Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.” 25 So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
Commentary
Vs. 14-17 14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
When word came to the apostles at Jerusalem of the Samaritans receiving the Word of God, (for they remained there even after the severe persecution arose to the church and believers there), thus the capital of the church is not Rome, it is and has always been Jerusalem, they immediately sent Peter and John to them, the two apostles who were then the most effective amongst them. And so, when they arrived there, they prayed that the new believers might receive the Holy Spirit, for as the Scripture says, He had not yet fallen upon anyone there, the reason being when they were baptized, they were only baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and not baptized in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit as Jesus had commanded all His disciples be (see Matt. 28:18-20). These things then that may same seem unimportant are in fact really important especially when were operating in the Spiritual realm, and they needed to learn this for themselves, therefore God withheld His Spirit’s Person from them until they properly acknowledged all Persons of the GodHead or Trinity. Therefore, not until the apostles Peter and John had prayed for them and laid their hands on them did they receive the Holy Spirit (vs. 17). Thus, by doing so God was also revealing to the Samaritans that it was not Philip whom should now replace Simon in their minds as the great power of God, but that Peter and John were His chosen apostles who were of those assigned to lead His church. While Peter and John by seeing these things for themselves also learned that God had now also received the faith of the Samaritans, thus they too were now to be included as equals in the church! Therefore, the laying on of hands as a means to receiving the Holy Spirit belongs to the very early church that was still learning these things, and thus those circumstances which warranted it in order for God to reveal Himself as accepting someone or more specifically some people group into His fold.
Vs. 18-19 18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
Even though Simon was then numbered amongst the believers in Samaria, here his heart is revealed. For when he saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands that the Holy Spirit was given he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Vs. 19 Simon then had neither come to repentance towards God, nor to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. For clearly, he had not repented of his greedy desires to bear rule over people whom he could manipulate and exploit and profit from through such great Power, power which far and away exceeded anything he had ever done through his previous sorceries. Therefore, Simon wasn’t concerned about the salvation of his soul, and thus to be cleansed, freed and healed of all his sins and transgressions, having his guilt and transgressions dealt with and taken away forever, no Simon’s heart was still locked on seeking power and wealth for himself, and so as long as it was, he would never have the transforming Power of the Holy Spirit in himself.
Vs. 20-23 20 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”
When Peter heard Simons request, he immediately rebuked him, saying, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!” vs. 20 Take heed then for God’s salvation and thus His Spirit (and thus forgiveness of sins and eternal life) can never be purchased for no amount of money, (consider Psalm 49, vs. 6-9; 146:3-4). If it could then it would only nullify the incredible Sacrifice and Service of the Lord Jesus Christ who by His own death on the Cross “purchased it” for us all who believe in Him. Therefore, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the demarcation line that separates those who receive the Holy Spirit and those who don’t, and thus who only think they can get Him by some other means. The apostle Peter then having strongly rebuked Simons attempt to purchase the gift of God with money, now tells him he has neither part nor portion in the Holy Spirits gift of eternal life because his heart is not right in the sight of God! (vs. 21). Those people then (no matter how “great” or small) who only look at the Lord Jesus Christ and or Christianity as a means for making profit for themselves are only impoverishing their own souls to their own eternal damnation! Therefore, the apostle Peter having rebuke Simons attempt to purchase the gift if God now tells him, “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” Vs. 22-23 If it wasn’t abundantly clear already it should be now that Simon was not a child of God, though Peter by saying as much to him leaves room for his repentance and faith, if Simon himself would seek it.
Vs. 24 Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”
However, Simon does not repent and believe which would have entailed his personally turning to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith. Instead, he only appeals to Peter to pray for him so that the consequences of his sin would not come upon him! And sadly, the same is often true today as people will often ask for prayer for themselves, but they themselves will not seek the Lord for themselves. And yet until they do, they cannot have salvation for themselves.
Vs. 25 “So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.”
The apostles then having testified and preached the Word of the Lord in many villages of the Samaritans, and thus having brought to them the full revelation of the Gospel, returned to Jerusalem which is the first and only city of the church.
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
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