“And he (Jesus) said unto them …….. ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:7-8

Jesus let the disciples know they were to take the Gospel of the Kingdom not only to the Jew, but to the Samaritans and even to “the uttermost part of the earth.”

Acts 8, verses 4-24 tells of the missionary work of Phillip as well as Peter and John’s trip to Samaria.

The Jews looked down on the Samaritans.  Galilean and Judean Jews viewed Samaritans as half-breeds and even as foreigners. The Samaritans had inter-married with non-Israelites and the northern kingdoms of Israel had long since split with the kingdoms of Judah and Benjamin. yet, when Jesus coupled Judaea and Samaria in Acts 1:8, it is clear that he still considered Samaria as part of Israel.

The Samaritans had their problems with the Jews, too. The Samaritans believed that they practiced a pure form of Judaism that was observed before the Babylonian captivity, whereas they saw rabbinical Judaism as an amended religion, which was brought back from the Babylonian captivity.

As voiced by the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well, “Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” John 4:20

Jesus replied, “Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.” John 4:21 Jesus was letting her know that he was bringing change to how God would interact with man.

Because of this encounter, “many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him.” John 4:39
When Phillip went down to Samaria, the message he was bringing was not entirely new. The Samaritans had met Jesus. Rather, Phillip was bringing new revelation to them. The revelation that Jesus had died and resurrected. That salvation was through the Lord.

In Samaria, Phillip met Simon. “Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.“ Acts 8:13 Simon heard and believed the Gospel. He followed Phillip and learned from him.
Now Simon was not your average Samaritan.

“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: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.” Acts 8: 9-11

That Simon was referred to by the people of the Samaritan city as “the great power of God “ is significant. The title, “God’s Great Power”  comes from the Samaritan Targum—an Aramaic translation of the Samaritan Hebrew Bible, known as the Samaritan Pentateuch. In the Samaritan Targum, the Hebrew word  ’el (לא, ‘God’) is translated hela (אליח, ‘power’).

God is then called ‘great’ (בר, rab). Not surprisingly, “the Great Power” was used in Samaritan hymns and writings as a substitute for the divine name, much in the same way orthodox Jews say ha-shem (םשׁה, ‘the Name’) instead of pronouncing the divine name ‘Yahweh.’   [Samaritan Pentateuch http://www.bible.ca/manuscripts/Samaritan-Pentateuch-SP-Bible-manuscripts-Old-Testament-Torah-Paleo-Hebrew-1362AD]

In other words, Simon had held himself out as God incarnate. But when he met Phillip, he believed in the man, Jesus, that was the real God incarnate. It is interesting that it appears from the text Simon believed before he saw the miracles. The people also believed. (Acts 8:12)

“Now when the apostles which 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 Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” Acts 8: 14-16

Peter and John went down to investigate the matter of Samaritans believing. The Samaritan believers received the Holy Ghost. “And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.” Acts 8:18-19

Simon, a believer, saw this and wanted to be able to do this great work of God, too. He had, it seems, stopped using trickery to fool the people. Phillip had certainly demonstrated to the Samaritans that “the Great Power” was Jesus, not Simon. From all appearances, Simon wanted the real power of God.

Unfortunately, he made a big mistake. He thought the power of God was something he could buy.
“But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.” Acts 8:20-23

Peter soundly rebuked Simon. The gifts of God are not something you can buy.

“Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.” Acts 8:24

Simon immediately repented. Sadly, Simon has been made out to be a bad, bad guy. However, if we look at the story, we see the contrary. Simon started out as a bad guy. As we all do. (Romans 3:23) He heard the Gospel preached by Phillip and he believed.

When he saw the power of the Holy Spirit, he wanted this power. How many of us have done the same, wanting some amazing gift from God. When Peter exposed his motives and method were not in line with God’s, he repented. Yet, the purchasing of religious position is called “Simony” to this day.

We have remembered the mistakes of Simon, rather than the great work God did in bringing a false teacher to repentance and then continuing to bring a believer back to repentance.

May God show us the errors in our hearts, as Peter showed Simon. And let us pray God will give us repentance unto forgiveness.

Dennis Regling is available to preach and teach at your church or event: www.bibledefender.com