Chapter 8

Acts 8:1–4. And there was in that day a great persecution against the Church in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the Church, entering into the houses, and dragging off men and women he handed them over to prison. Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. The apostles themselves, he says, were not scattered, but remained in Jerusalem. For where the war is fiercer, there the chief champions must stand in array and be at hand to others as an example of courage and boldness. ‘And devout men buried Stephen.’ If they were devout, how did they make lamentation? Because they were not yet perfect; and besides, who would not have mourned, being deprived of such teaching and such protection and such signs, and seeing that gentle man lying dead, stoned to death? ‘But Saul was ravaging the Church.’ Great was his madness, both that he acted alone and that he leapt upon the houses; for he had given his soul for the law.

Acts 8:5–8. Philip went down to a city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the crowds with one accord gave heed to the things spoken by Philip, when they heard and saw the signs which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who had them; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city. This was not the apostle Philip who is reckoned among the twelve, but one of the seven chosen for the ministry of the widows; this is he who also baptized the eunuch and catechized Simon. And hear Luke himself saying that, when Stephen had been slain, a great persecution arose against the Church, and all were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. So that it is clear that the apostle Philip remained in Jerusalem with the other apostles. This too serves as proof that Philip baptized those who were made disciples in Samaria, while Peter and John the apostles, coming down from Jerusalem to them, bestowed the grace of the Spirit. For if this man had been one of the apostles, he would have had the authority to give the Spirit; but he baptizes only as a disciple, while the apostles perfect the grace, to whom the authority of such giving was granted. Others say that Philip did not bring down the Spirit upon those baptized because he was only a deacon, put forward by those around Stephen, and did not have the rank of presbyter or bishop, as the disciples of the Lord did. And that he was a deacon, Paul testifies in the Canons, not only concerning him but also concerning Ananias, who baptized Paul himself. Being a deacon, he baptized, first because of the scarcity of presbyters in Samaria; for it is permitted in case of necessity for a deacon also to baptize, when there is no presbyter, as the Spirit itself taught, urging him to draw near to the eunuch. It should be noted that after baptism, by the laying on of hands, through prayer, the Holy Spirit comes upon those baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Therefore even to this day this order is kept in the same way.

Acts 8:9–21. Now a certain man named Simon had previously been in the city practicing magic and amazing the nation of Samaria, claiming that he himself was someone great. To him they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying: This man is the great power of God. And they gave heed to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. But when they believed Philip, who preached the good news concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. And Simon himself also believed; and being baptized he continued with Philip, and beholding the powers and signs that were done, he was amazed. Now when the apostles who were in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who, coming down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them; they had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. But Simon, seeing that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, brought them money, saying: Give me also this authority, that on whomever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit. But Peter said to him: Your silver be with you to destruction, because you thought to acquire the gift of God with money. You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. See another temptation also, that of Simon. He says that they even thought him a great power, so deceived were they by time and by his magic, until Philip, coming upon them, freed them from their error. For Simon used to say to the Jews, ‘I am the Father,’ and to the Samaritans, ‘I am the Christ.’ ‘And Simon himself also believed’—not for the sake of faith, but in order that he too might work signs. How then did that man seem to work signs? He produced illusions; and perhaps he also bound those who were possessed; and as he supposed his own power to be a kind of craft, so he supposed the apostles’ power too to be of some craft. Therefore he also offered money; and in order that he might not be driven away, again for this reason he kept close to Philip.

Acts 8:22–25. Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to God, that perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity. And Simon answered and said: Pray you to the Lord for me, that none of the things you have spoken may come upon me. So they, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. The word ‘Repent,’ spoken to Simon, would be superfluous if he were evil by his very constitution, according to the myths of the heretics. For they say that a man, being evil by nature, is not capable of any change of will. But it is not in vain that it is said, ‘Repent therefore’—for he too then is free—‘and pray to God, that perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.’ He said this as though pardon would not have been granted him even if he had wept and repented. But this kind of expression was customary also with the prophets; and besides, Peter foresaw that he would not turn to repentance. For this reason he says, ‘whether it shall be forgiven you.’ For the words ‘Pray you to the Lord for me’ he spoke not out of repentance and conversion, but only for form’s sake; since, where is his mourning? where the self-condemnation and the confession? ‘For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity.’ These are words full of anger. Yet he does not punish him, lest his faith should thereafter seem to be of necessity and fear, and the matter should appear harsh. ‘So they, when they had testified and spoken the word of God, returned to Jerusalem.’ Perhaps they return because of Simon, that they might not be deceived, that they might thenceforth be secure. And note that they do not go to Samaria of their own initiative, but being driven there by persecution, which also happened in the case of Christ.

Acts 8:26–33. And an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying: Arise and go toward the south, to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza; this road is desert. And he arose and went; and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch, a court official of Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning, and sitting in his chariot he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip: Go near and join yourself to this chariot. And Philip, running up, heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said: Do you then understand what you are reading? And he said: How could I, unless someone guides me? And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: ‘As a sheep He was led to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before its shearer, so He does not open His mouth. In His humiliation His judgment was taken away. And His generation, who shall declare it?’ ‘His life is taken from the earth.’ It seems to me that this Philip was one of the seven. For one would not go from Jerusalem toward the south, but toward the north; whereas from Samaria, where Philip, one of the seven, was staying and teaching at that time, the road runs toward the south. ‘That goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza; this road is desert.’ This the angel said so that Philip should not fear the rising up of the Jews. ‘And he arose and went.’ Note his obedience. He did not ask and say, ‘Why?’ but together with the command he arose and went. ‘Who had come to Jerusalem to worship.’ One may marvel at this eunuch’s love of wisdom on many counts: that, dwelling in Ethiopia and being steward of the royal treasures, he nonetheless went up to worship in Jerusalem. Women ruled that Ethiopia, of whom Candace by succession was one, whose treasurer the eunuch was. Note that, though it was not a feast, he nonetheless went up; that he came from a city given over to superstition; that on the road he was reading, and Isaiah at that, the loftiest of the prophets; and that, though he did not even understand what he read, he was so devoted to knowledge. ‘Do you then understand what you are reading?’ He asks admirably; for he neither flatters nor praises, nor again disparages his ignorance, but asks so as to instill greater longing, at the same time showing that a great treasure lay within. And the eunuch does not conceal his state, but says, ‘How could I?’ Then he asks to be taught. ‘As a sheep He was led to the slaughter.’ Very plain is the meaning of these words. For sheep are carried off to be shorn at the proper times, and the shepherds bring the shearing knives upon them, and yet, though they suffer, they do not leap upon those who do this; so also Christ, being reviled, did not revile in return. ‘In His humiliation His judgment was taken away.’ This signifies the lawless judgment passed upon Him while the truth was hidden. ‘And His generation, who shall declare it?’ That is, His high dignity revealed after the resurrection, the proof of which is what was accomplished in the work of the divine economy. Who shall be able to express in words, when it comes to mind: Who and of what kind is He, even the only-begotten Son begotten of God, who endured all these things? ‘For His life is taken from the earth’—meaning that His life is lifted up and is higher than the things on earth; that is, the conduct or existence of the Only-begotten, when He is contemplated apart from the flesh and is no longer as one among us.

Acts 8:34–40. And the eunuch answered Philip and said: I pray you, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself, or of some other? And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him Jesus. And as they went along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch says: Behold, water; what hinders me from being baptized? And Philip said: If you believe with all your heart, it is permitted. And he answered and said: I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more; for he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus; and passing through, he preached the gospel to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea. ‘I pray you, of whom…?’ This shows his knowing that the prophets speak in one way and about another matter, or about themselves in another person; for his question reveals this, the question of one very observant. ‘Behold, water; what hinders me from being baptized?’ See how all is providentially ordered. First he reads and does not understand; then he reads the very testimony where the passion was, and the resurrection, and the gift; then he asks. It is interpreted to him in order, Philip taking his starting points from the prophecy; and becoming winged with eagerness, he presses on in due course to baptism. He did not say, ‘Baptize me,’ but, ‘What hinders?’ showing in the question his great desire for baptism. ‘And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away.’ The Spirit takes him up, making what happened more wondrous, and at the same time gladdening Philip, that he was counted worthy of such things as the prophets were, like Habakkuk. And it was the Spirit, and not an angel, that took him up, as before; since the vision of the angel was then granted to the more bodily, but that of the Spirit to the more spiritual. And he is caught away from the eunuch to good purpose; for the eunuch would have asked to go away with him, and Philip would have grieved him by refusing, the time not yet calling for it. Thus all things were done in a divine manner. And the Spirit set him at Azotus, where henceforth he also had to preach the gospel.