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Acts Lesson Twenty

Acts Lesson Twenty: Acts 9:32-43 – Peter Spreading the Gospel

32 As Peter was traveling from place to place, he also came down to the saints who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed,” and immediately he got up. 35 So all who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. 

36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. She was always doing good works and acts of charity. 37 In those days she became sick and died. After washing her, they placed her in a room upstairs. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to him who begged him, “Don’t delay in coming with us.” 39 So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him to the room upstairs. And all the widows approached him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them. 40 Then Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down, prayed, and turning toward the body said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. 41 He gave her his hand and helped her stand up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her alive. 42 This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And Peter stayed on many days in Joppa with Simon, a leather tanner. (HCSB)

Luke now switches the narrative from Paul back to Peter. It is clear from the beginning of this passage that Peter is now on an evangelism trip. This passage will focus on two significant events that occur during the journey. Accordingly, this passage will be split into two sections.

  • The healing of Aeneas in verses 32-35.
  • The raising of Tabitha in verses 36-43.

Verses 32-35

The setting for the healing of Aeneas is Lydda. This city, predominately Gentile, was located about twenty-five miles from Jerusalem. Historical records don’t indicate who the first evangelists were who visited the area, but there are several possibilities.

  • Believers who were converted at Pentecost and returned to the town.
  • Believers who were scattered during the persecution recorded earlier in Acts.
  • Philip, as he traveled north from Gaza, Azotus, and Caesarea.

The last possibility, Philip, is the least likely to have first evangelized. However, it is safe to say that he was involved in some type of ministry work as he traveled north.

Even less is known about Aeneas.

  • How old was he?
  • Was he a believer?
  • Was he a Jew or Gentile?

What we do know about Aeneas.

  • He had been paralyzed for eight years.
  • This meant he was crippled and unable to take care of himself.
  • He was a burden to himself and others.
  • There wasn’t any prospect of him being healed.

Let’s also make a quick comparison of the ministry of Peter and Paul.

  • Both healed crippled people.
  • Both were arrested and put in jail.
  • Both were delivered by divine intervention.
  • Both were treated like gods.
    • Peter – Acts 10:25-26.
    • Paul – Acts 14:8-18.
  • Both gave a bold witness before authorities.
  • Both confronted false prophets.
    • Peter – Acts 8:9-24.
    • Paul – Acts 13:6-12.
  • Both conducted their ministry through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The last point is the most important. Outside of the power of the Spirit, ministry is meaningless.

Key points about the healing of Aeneas.

  • Aeneas didn’t ask to be healed.
  • Aeneas was healed in Jesus’ name.
  • It was instantaneous.
  • He immediately rose to his feet.
  • He made his bed. In the original Greek, this could mean one of two things.
    • It simply means that he got up and made his bed.
    • It could also mean preparing a meal for Peter. 
    • In the context, and in comparison where Jesus healed a paralytic, it seems the first possibility is the correct understanding.
  • The news of his healing spread rapidly. 
  • Those who saw Aeneas walking around became believers. A proper understanding of verse 35 is essential.
    • It doesn’t mean all those who lived in Lydda and Sharon became believers.
    • It does mean that all who saw Aeneas walking became believers. A similar situation occurred in John 12:10-11. 
    • Aeneas became a walking miracle and a testimony to the healing power of the resurrected Messiah.
    • The news of the healing spread to Joppa, where Tabitha died, leading to the residents of that town sending for Peter.

This passage in Acts doesn’t list any further work of Peter. However, from the context of Acts, it is safe to draw the conclusion that Peter was busy. He likely evangelized, taught, and encouraged the members of the church to grow in their faith. Peter was faithful to the commission that Jesus laid upon him in John 21:15-17.

Verses 36-43.

The city of Joppa is where modern-day Jaffa is located. It was on the coast, about ten miles away from Lydda. The city has a connection to the Old Testament. It was where Jonah boarded a boat to escape the call of going to the Gentiles. However, it is here that Peter received his call to go to the Gentiles, a call that he faithfully obeys.

It is clear from the passage that Tabitha was highly regarded in the community. Whether she made the clothes out of charity or if she was particularly skilled in that area and used that to bless others is unknown. We can learn from the context of the passage that she was respected and valued among the widows, a group that was particularly vulnerable in the ancient world.

The believers in Joppa heard that Peter was in the area and swiftly sent for him to come. There is no recorded incident in Acts of any of the Apostles raising the dead, yet their faith in Peter caused them to summon him. 

The standard Jewish custom regarding a dead body is the following:

  • The body was washed.
  • It was anointed with spices.
  • It was buried.

There are several events recorded in Scripture of the dead being raised to life.

  • Elijah raising the son of the widow Zarephath – 1 Kings 17:17-24.
  • Elisha raising the son of the Shunammite woman – 2 Kings 4:32-37.
  • Jesus raising the widow’s son – Luke 7:11-17.

However, the closest connection is found in Jesus raising Jairus’s daughter in Mark 5:35-43.

  • In both cases, the mourners were removed from the room where the dead body was.
  • The words spoken were almost identical.
    • Mark: talitha cumi – little girl, arise.
    • Acts: Tabitha cumi – Tabitha, arise.
  • Both touched the body.
    • Jesus took the girl’s hand before speaking, not being concerned about becoming ceremonially unclean.
    • Peter took Tabitha by the hand after she was raised from the dead.
  • In both cases, it was the power of God that raised the dead person.

Just as the healing of Aeneas attracted great attention, there is little doubt that Tabitha rising from the dead would have spread like wildfire throughout the region. We don’t know precisely how long “many days” equaled. We do know that it was long enough for Peter to evangelize the area and to create a firm foundational understanding of following Jesus entailed, as faith built on miracles alone is not a strong faith.

The fact that Peter would stay with Simon, a leather tanner, is in itself quite remarkable. Tanners were considered unclean by rabbinical standards (Leviticus 11:35-40). Here, we see a picture of Peter moving steadily from a Jewish legalistic mindset to one of freedom in God’s grace.

Applications

  • Do you go/do when the Spirit calls you? In this passage, Peter is obedient several times. He was faithful to take the Gospel to the lost, he healed Aeneas without being asked, and he quickly went to Joppa when called even though the situation would appear hopeless. We need to remember this was the first “raising from the dead” that happened in the new church. 
  • Are you selfless in serving others? Again, we see Peter in this passage serving others selflessly. He did what needed to be done, when it needed to be done.
  • Do you let your cultural norms interfere with your Kingdom work? As a Jewish Christian, one would think that Peter would avoid staying with a tanner. However, Peter placed Kingdom work over cultural norms. Our allegiance should be first and foremost to Jesus. Whenever there is a conflict between Kingdom and worldly expectations, Kingdom expectations must take priority.
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Acts Lesson Nineteen

Acts Lesson Nineteen: 9:1-31 – The Commissioning of Saul (Paul)

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest 2 and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. 4 Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 “Who are You, Lord?” he said. 

“I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting,” He replied. 6 “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 

7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9 He was unable to see for three days and did not eat or drink. 

10 There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” 

“Here I am, Lord!” he said. 

11 “Get up and go to the street called Straight,” the Lord said to him, “to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there. 12 In a vision  he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so he can regain his sight.” 

13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.” 

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go! For this man is My chosen instrument to take My name to Gentiles, kings, and the Israelites. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for My name!” 

17 So Ananias left and entered the house. Then he placed his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were traveling, has sent me so that you can regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 

18 At once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 And after taking some food, he regained his strength. 

Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some days. 20 Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: “He is the Son of God.” 

21 But all who heard him were astounded and said, “Isn’t this the man who, in Jerusalem, was destroying those who called on this name and then came here for the purpose of taking them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 

22 But Saul grew more capable and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this One is the Messiah. 

23 After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. So they were watching the gates day and night intending to kill him, 25 but his disciples took him by night and lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall. 26 When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to associate with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe he was a disciple. 27 Barnabas, however, took him and brought him to the apostles and explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that He had talked to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 Saul was coming and going with them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He conversed and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they attempted to kill him. 30 When the brothers found out, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 31 So the church  throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace, being built up and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, and it increased in numbers. (HCSB)

Acts Lesson Nineteen: 9:1-25 – The Commissioning of Saul (Paul)

The narrative now switches from the mission work among the Samaritans and Gentiles by Philip to Saul, who I will call Paul from this point forward. Paul was a witness to the execution of Stephen and was likely aware of the evangelism efforts of the early church. Paul was so incensed by what he perceived as the blasphemous conduct of the Christian church that he became a one-man wrecking crew, trying to destroy the church by rounding up every believer he could find. However, on his way to Damascus to arrest any Christian he might find there, Paul had a one-on-one encounter with Jesus. I’ll break this lesson into three parts.

  • Paul’s encounter with Jesus, verses 1-9.
  • Paul’s encounter with Ananias, verses 10-19.
  • Paul’s in Damascus, verses 20-25.
  • Paul in Jerusalem, verses 26-31.

Paul’s encounter with Jesus – verses 1-9.

Before we dig into this passage, it can be neatly summarized in three points.

  • Paul saw a light.
  • Paul heard a voice.
  • Paul obeyed a call.

Every sinner lives in a world of darkness until the light of Jesus illuminates them to the truth of who Jesus is and how Jesus can take away their sins and restore their fellowship with God.

There is another interesting point regarding Paul and what would eventually be his calling to bring the Gospel to the lost. The church of Jesus is one united body made up of both Jews and Gentiles. Paul was both Jewish and Gentile. He was a Jew by birth but a Gentile by citizenship. Paul was trained in Old Testament scripture, well versed in Greek philosophy, and knowledgeable in Roman law. Paul was the ideal choice to bring the Gospel message as his life was an example of both Jew and Gentile being equal in Christ. 

Now let’s return to the passage. There is some debate about whether or not the Sanhedrin would have jurisdiction in this case, which involved individuals living outside of the Jewish nation. Historical records do indicate that the high priest had been given rights of extradition in earlier times. Therefore, it is possible that the Roman government still granted the high priest this same right. Paul also speaks, in 2 Corinthians 11:24, of receiving scourgings from synagogues. Regardless, Paul left Jerusalem with authorization letters from the Sanhedrin to arrest any believers he may find. The very idea that Paul would make that journey illustrates the level of zeal he possessed in rooting out the members of the young church. The distance between the two cities is approximately 150 miles, requiring a journey of around 10-14 days to complete. 

Historical records indicate that, at the time, Damascus had a sizeable Jewish population, with as many as 30-40 synagogues in the city. Since there were already believers there, it is apparent that the church was being effective in its evangelism efforts. It is also likely that some of the believers fled the persecution that was occurring in Jerusalem, which may have also factored into Paul’s desire to go to Damascus and bring the believers back.  

From the point that Paul experienced the blinding light, he is a broken man. Here is why he was broken.

  • Paul had relentlessly persecuted the followers of Christ.
  • Paul now has a one-on-one encounter with Christ, confirming His resurrection.
  • In persecuting the followers of Jesus, Paul now understands that he was persecuting the risen Lord.
  • Persecution against any believer is persecution against the church of Jesus.
  • In persecuting the risen Lord, Paul was an enemy of God.
  • The realization that he was an enemy of God completely flips his world. What he thought he was doing for God, he now realizes he was doing against God.

Jesus then instructs Paul to go into the city and wait for further instructions. Without even questioning what was asked of him, he obeys the command. 

Paul’s companion travelers were a witness to what occurred even though they didn’t receive the same revelation.

  • They could verify that a heavenly manifestation occurred.
  • However, they were not the recipients of it, but they could attest to the change that happened to Paul after the event.

There could be several reasons for Paul not eating or drinking for three days.

  • It could be an expression of repentance.
  • It could be because of shock and confusion.
  • It could be because of his broken spirit upon realizing what he had done against God.
  • It could be a combination of all of the above.

Paul’s encounter with Ananias – verses 10-19a.

The narrative now switches to a disciple named Ananias. Not only does Jesus appear to Ananias in a vision, but He also appears in a vision to Paul that Ananias would come to him, lay hands on him, and that he would regain his sight.

One has to wonder what went through Ananias’ mind as he was told to seek out the, at that time, biggest threat to the church, Paul. I believe it also gives a glimpse to Ananias’ standing within the Christian community in Damascus. Although it is possible that any believer could have been called to perform this task, it would make Paul’s acceptance into the Damascus Christian church easier if Paul’s advocate was a well-respected member, or possibly even someone in a leadership position.

Evidence of Ananias’ doubt and concern is evidenced by his statement that he’s heard how much damage Paul has inflicted on the church and that the purpose of Paul’s visit is known within the Christian community. 

There is a linkage between verses 15 and 16. Paul, once the persecutor, was now to become the persecuted as he shared the Gospel. 

From Ananias’ greeting to Paul, “brother,” it is clear that Paul was now part of the body of Christ. His spiritual conversion had occurred somewhere between the initial meeting with Jesus and his period of reflection while he waited for Ananias to lay hands on him. Ananias informs Paul that Jesus sent him, verifying the vision that Paul received, and Paul regained his sight. Ananias then baptized Paul and Paul began to eat and regain his strength. 

Paul in Damascus – verses 19b-25.

If there were any doubts about the validity of Paul’s conversion, his actions in proclaiming the Gospel in the synagogues would have dispelled those doubts. Still, his astounding conversion amazed the believers in Damascus. It would appear that his zeal in evangelism far surpassed his previous zeal in trying to arrest and kill Christians.

In verse 24, the Greek word that was translated into “proving” means to join or put together. From the context of the passage, it appears that what Paul was joining was Old Testament passages that pointed to Jesus and then explained how Jesus fulfilled them. Paul’s previous schooling under Gamaliel now bears fruit as Paul is able to articulate how Jesus is the fulfillment of numerous Old Testament prophecies and skillfully deflect any attempts by the Jews to prove otherwise. 

Eventually, this led to the Jews in Damascus hatching a plot to kill Paul. The phrase “after many days” is somewhat misleading, as Luke underplays the amount of time. We know from Galatians 1:17-18 that the time Paul spent in Damascus was three years. Once the plan to kill Paul was known, his disciples came up with a plan to ensure his escape.

Since the Jews were watching the gates, they had to come up with a plan that would avoid the use of the gates. Paul also mentions this event in 2 Corinthians 11:32-33. There he says that the governor under King Aretas, a Nabatean king, was guarding the city. Why would an Arabian king be looking for Paul? It is quite possible that during his time in Damascus, he also embarked on a mission trip to the surrounding Arab areas. The Jews likely joined forces with the Nabateans to capture Paul, with the Jews watching the gates and the Nabatean forces watching the surrounding areas. Regardless of the forces arrayed against Paul, he was able to make good his escape from Damascus and made his way to Jerusalem.

Paul in Jerusalem, verses 26-31.

Although Paul had been evangelizing in Damascus for approximately three years, he still wasn’t trusted or accepted in Jerusalem. The memory of what he had done to the believers previously in Jerusalem was still fresh in their minds. Undoubtedly, they believed that his “conversion” was a ploy to infiltrate and then crush the Jerusalem church. A few points about their rejection of Paul.

  • It would be reasonable to believe that the church in Damascus would have relayed the news about Paul’s work there. Therefore, their rejection is somewhat strange.
  • Possibly Paul’s disappearance for almost three years lent a feeling of suspicion to the validity of his conversion.
    • Where did he go?
    • What did he do?
    • Why did he wait so long to contact the elders in Jerusalem?
    • What right did he have to call himself an apostle?

It was the efforts of Barnabas that led to a breakthrough in the Jerusalem’s church acceptance of Paul. This is the same Barnabas from Acts 4:36-37, known as the “son of encouragement” to those around him. Because of Barnabas’ reputation, there is no reason to find a hidden meaning behind his support of Paul. It was through the effort of Barnabas that Paul was accepted into the Jerusalem Christian community. 

Paul now begins his preaching of the Gospel in Jerusalem. We don’t know how long it took, but eventually, the Hellenistic Jews plotted to kill Paul. Let’s look at this topic in more detail.

  • The Hellenistic Jews were the same ones plotted against Stephen, leading to his martyrdom.
  • Paul was a Hellenistic Jew and likely felt an obligation or responsibility to take up the mantle left by Stephen. Paul makes a reference to this in Acts 22:20.
  • The Hellenists were not going to let Paul become the new Stephen. 
  • To understand more fully what transpired, read Acts 22:17-21, where Paul gives a more detailed account of this event.
    • Jesus appears to Paul in a vision and tells him to leave.
    • The church leaders help Paul to leave Jerusalem and go to Tarsus.
    • The fact that they believed Paul’s vision demonstrates proof that the Jerusalem church had fully accepted and trusted Paul by this point.
  • Paul doesn’t appear in Acts again until Acts 11:25 when Barnabas brings Paul to the church at Antioch.
    • That places Acts 11:25 about seven to ten years after Paul left Jerusalem and ten to thirteen years after his conversion.
    • It is safe to believe that Paul used Tarsus as a base for reaching the Gentiles with the Gospel.
    • It is possible that some of the trials listed in 2 Corinthians 11:24-26 occurred during the seven years in question.
      • Only one Roman beating is recorded in Acts (16:22), with two others unaccounted for.
      • The five Jewish beatings are not recorded anywhere.
      • Only one shipwreck is recorded in Acts 27. leaving two unaccounted for.
    • Although Paul doesn’t appear for about seven years, it seems he was far from idle during that time.

Luke now inserts a summary verse.

  • The Gospel was being spread just as Jesus commanded.
  • The center would shift from Jerusalem to Antioch.
  • The key leader would shift from Peter to Paul.
  • The Gospel would be taken to the ends of the earth.
  • Although it was a time of peace for the church, it wasn’t a time of complacency.
    • They grew spiritually.
    • They grew in numbers.

Applications

  • If you have a clear word or instruction from God, are you obedient even when it may not make sense? Both Paul and Ananias were obedient even though Paul had to do a 180, and Ananias was called to go visit the very person he should’ve been avoiding.
  • Do you make an active effort to share the Gospel? Regardless of our spiritual gifting, Jesus commands all of us to bring the Gospel to the lost.
  • When you come in contact with others who are either sharing a false message, either purposely or because of lack of understanding, do you attempt to correct them? We should never condone false teaching in the church, even if our actions could harm us.
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Acts Lesson Eighteen

Acts Lesson Eighteen: Acts 8:26-40 Philip Evangelizes an Ethiopian Eunuch

26 An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip: “Get up and go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is the desert road.) 27 So he got up and went. There was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch and high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians,  who was in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to worship in Jerusalem 28 and was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud. 

29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go and join that chariot.” 

30 When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you’re reading?” 

31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the Scripture passage he was reading was this: 

He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, 

and as a lamb is silent before its shearer, 

so He does not open His mouth. 

33 In His humiliation justice was denied Him. 

Who will describe His generation? 

For His life is taken from the earth.

34 The eunuch replied to Philip, “I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about—himself or another person?” 35 So Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning from that Scripture. 

36 As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, “Look, there’s water! What would keep me from being baptized?” [37And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”] 38 Then he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer. But he went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip appeared in Azotus, and he was traveling and evangelizing all the towns until he came to Caesarea. (HCSB)

In the previous lesson, Philip was being successful as an evangelist in the region of Samaria. Now, he is told by an angel to go to an area southwest of Jerusalem for another evangelistic mission, this time to an important Ethiopian eunuch. As we go through this passage, we’ll see three critical requirements for a successful missions trip or evangelistic outreach.

  • A man of God. In this example, it is Philip. God uses people to reach the lost with the gospel message.
  • The Spirit of God. The Spirit led Philip to the eunuch. The Spirit opened the heart of the eunuch to receive the message. When the Spirit brings an obedient messenger into contact with a softened heart, a harvest occurs.
  • The Word of God. Scripture reveals the truth about Jesus and leads to understanding and submission to the truth.

A couple of other facts to remember as we go through this passage.

  • In the minds of the Greeks and Romans at the time this occurred, Ethiopia was considered the “end of the earth” and illustrated part of the completion of Jesus’ Great Commission, to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
  • The conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch may very well be the first conversion of a Gentile.

Verse 27

There are a few critical points to know regarding this unnamed Ethiopian official.

  • Since he was in charge of Candace’s treasury, his official title was likely equivalent to a modern country’s Minister of Finance.
  • Eunuchs were considered trustworthy and loyal to their rulers, making them particularly suited for a financial role.
  • He had finished a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and was heading home.
  • He was likely a God-fearing Gentile who believed in Yahweh but had not become a complete convert to Judaism.
  • Since he was a eunuch, he would not be able to become a full member of a Jewish congregation.

Verses 28-29

It was likely no accident that the eunuch was reading from Isaiah. Of all the Old Testament writings, Isaiah is the one that holds the greatest hope for the eunuch in the picture of God’s ideal future. Isaiah 56:3-8 No foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord should say, “The Lord will exclude me from His people”; and the eunuch should not say, “Look, I am a dried-up tree.” 4 For the Lord says this: “For the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold firmly to My covenant, 5 I will give them, in My house and within My walls, a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters. I will give each of them an everlasting name that will never be cut off.6 And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord minister to Him, love the name of Yahweh and become His servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold firmly to My covenant— 7 I will bring them to My holy mountain and let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” 8 This is the declaration of the Lord God, who gathers the dispersed of Israel: “I will gather to them still others besides those already gathered.”

Verses 30-33

Philip now runs up to the chariot and asks the eunuch if he understands what he is reading. When the eunuch replies that he doesn’t, the opportunity to evangelize presents itself. The passage that the eunuch is reading is Isaiah 53:7-8, but it’s from the Greek Septuagint and one of the most difficult of the servant texts to interpret. Here is a list of the basic pattern of suffering, humiliation, and exaltation of Jesus.

  • The image of the slaughtered lamb is Jesus’ crucifixion.
  • The silent lamb is Jesus’ silence before those who accuse Him.
  • The justice that was denied to Jesus reminds us of the false accusations of blasphemy and the failure of Pilate to release Jesus.
  • The phrase “describe His generation” is a difficult one to interpret. This may be a reference to all of Jesus’ disciples through the generations (years).
  • The phrase “taken from the earth” is a reference to Jesus ascending in His glory and being exalted to the right hand of the Father.

Verses 34-35

The eunuch is curious to learn more about the passage, and this presents an opportunity for Philip to explain what the prophet is saying and point to the fulfillment in Jesus. In the same way, we need to be sensitive to those around us who are curious to learn more about God and be a faithful witness of the Gospel message.

Verses 36-38

Although the passage doesn’t explicitly state that Philip ended his explanation of the Gospel message with an invitation to commit his life to Jesus, it is obvious that an invitation occurred. This invitation led to the eunuch asking to be baptized as they passed by some water. Philip follows up this request for baptism with a question to confirm that the eunuch understood the Gospel and was willing to commit to Jesus. When the eunuch confirms his belief in the Gospel message, Philip tells the chariot to stop, and he baptizes the eunuch.

Verses 39-40

After the baptism, the two are separated. Philip is miraculously transported to Azotus, which is close to Gaza, and he then proceeds to Caesarea. During his journey up the coast, he was not idle but was faithful with his time, evangelizing in the towns as he went.

The eunuch continued his journey home, “rejoicing” as he went. It is likely that he shared his newfound joy with those around him and those that he met on the journey. There is no other confirmed information regarding him. Some of the later church fathers said he became a missionary to Ethiopia, but that is not confirmed through other sources. If nothing else, he would have shared what had happened to him with others.

As a summary, here are a few facts regarding this passage.

  • Barriers to the spread of the Gospel continue to fall.
  • The eunuch was a Gentile and black. His baptism into the fellowship of God’s people demonstrates that all are welcome, regardless of color or physical handicaps.
  • The first converted foreigner in Acts was an African, long before Paul brought the message of the Gospel to Europe.
  • Philip’s accomplishments were considerable.
    • He pioneered the Samaritan mission.
    • He opened the door for the Gentile mission.
    • Peter followed him in evangelism in both Samaria and Caesarea (the conversion of Cornelius).
    • Philip was a visionary in mission work outside of Israel and the Jews.

Applications

  • Are you sensitive and responsive to the leading of the Holy Spirit? In this passage, Philip’s submission to the Holy Spirit led to his obedience and the opportunity to share the Gospel leading to the eunuch’s salvation.
  • Are you ready in and out of season to share the Gospel? Philip had no plans to travel outside of Samaria. Still, he was ready when called upon.
  • Do you have the ability to discern whether someone has genuinely submitted to Jesus? Philip’s assessment was that the eunuch did understand and submit to the truth of the Gospel, allowing him to baptize the eunuch. This is in contrast to the previous passage where Simon the Sorcerer was able to fool Philip. We won’t always get it right, but we need to make a determination before baptizing someone.  
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Acts Lesson Seventeen

Acts Lesson Seventeen: Acts 8:1-25 The Gospel Spreads

Saul agreed with putting him to death. 

On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. 3 Saul, however, was ravaging the church. He would enter house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison. 

4 So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the message of good news. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. 6 The crowds paid attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the signs he was performing. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city. 

9 A man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and astounded the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody great. 10 They all paid attention to him, from the least of them to the greatest, and they said, “This man is called the Great Power of God!” 11 They were attentive to him because he had astounded them with his sorceries for a long time. 12 But when they believed Philip, as he preached the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Then even Simon himself believed. And after he was baptized, he went around constantly with Philip and was astounded as he observed the signs and great miracles  that were being performed. 

14 When the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had welcomed God’s message, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 After they went down there, they prayed for them, so the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For He had not yet come down on  any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 

18 When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power too, so that anyone I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.” 

20 But Peter told him, “May your silver be destroyed with you, because you thought the gift of God could be obtained with money! 21 You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” 

24 “Please pray to the Lord for me,” Simon replied, “so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”

25 Then, after they had testified and spoken the message of the Lord, they traveled back to Jerusalem, evangelizing many villages of the Samaritans. (HCSB)

Today’s lesson can be divided into three parts.

  • The introduction of Saul as the main persecutor of the church.
  • Philip’s evangelism in Samaria.
  • The story of Simon the Sorcerer.

Verses 1-3

Luke introduced Saul at the end of the previous chapter. Now, he introduces Saul as the main antagonist of the early church. Before moving on, let’s get a detailed picture of Saul from various sections of Scripture.

  • Born in Tarsus of Cilicia – Acts 22:3.
  • A Hebrew of Hebrews – Philippians 3:5.
  • The son of a Pharisee – Acts 23:6.
  • A Roman citizen – Acts 16:37.
  • Educated in Jerusalem by Gamaliel – Acts 22:3.
  • A devoted Pharisee – Acts 26:4-5.
  • A blameless life when measured against the Law – Philippians 3:6.
  • On the path to becoming a great leader in the Jewish faith – Galatians 1:14.
  • Zealous for the Law leading him to persecute the church – Galatians 1:13-14.
  • Served God with a clear conscience – 2 Timothy 1:3.
  • Persecuted both men and women to death – Acts 22:4.
  • Entered synagogues to arrest, imprison, and beat believers – Acts 22:19.
  • A blasphemer against Jesus – 1 Timothy 1:13.

When considering the background and characteristics of Saul, it is only by the grace of God that such a man could be used to be the greatest evangelist and church planter, as well as writing 28% of the New Testament.

A couple of points to consider over these first few verses.

  • The scattering mentioned likely pertains to the Hellenistic believers as the apostles were not scattered. The Hellenistic view that God was not bound to a place or nation would have rubbed the religious leaders of Judaism the wrong way. In contrast, the Aramaic-speaking Christians had remained faithful to some Jewish institutions. However, this led to the following actions.
    • The persecution and scattering led to the Gospel being spread quicker and further.
    • The second phase of the Great Commission began; the witness to all Judea and Samaria.
  • Saul began to “ravage” the church. 
    • The Greek word used here would denote wild beasts such as lions, bears, or leopards tearing at the flesh.
    • He went from house to house, attacking both men and women. 

Verses 4-8

Instead of being distraught by the turn of events from Saul’s persecution, the believers took the message of the Gospel to new fields.

A quick historical reminder about Samaritans; they were a mixture of Jewish and Gentile heritage. The region was formed when the Assyrians invaded and captured the ten northern tribes of Israel in 732 B.C., deporting some and resettling Gentiles into the region to intermarry with the Jews. The Samaritans had their own temple, priesthood, and both Jew and Samaritans opposed interaction with the other. 

Now, let’s identify the essential points from these verses.

  • The Christians scattered from Jerusalem were faithful in proclaiming the Gospel in the areas where they went.
  • Philip was chosen as a deacon, Acts 6:5, but like Stephen, he grew into an influential evangelist, Acts 21:8.
    • In verse four, the word “preaching” means to evangelize.
    • In verse five, the word “proclaim” means to announce as a herald.
    • Philip was God’s chosen herald to spread the Gospel in Samaria.
    • To reject the messenger would mean to reject the message and the one who commissioned the herald to deliver it, God.
  • Philip not only shared the Gospel, but he also performed miracles among them.
    • Many who were demon-possessed were healed.
    • Many who had physical ailments were healed.
    • However, the emphasis is on the Gospel. 
    • They believed in the Gospel because they saw the miracles. 
      • In believing the Gospel, they were saved. 
      • The miracles didn’t save them.
    • There was great joy among the inhabitants because of the work of Philip.
  • The Gospel had now begun its outward arc from Jerusalem.
    • Samaritans were part Jew and part Gentile.
    • God built a bridge between the two enemies and united them in Christ.
    • Soon the bridge would extend to the Gentiles in an ever-widening arc.
    • In the Gospel, there are no unacceptable people, no physical rejects, and no place for prejudice.

Verses 9-25

A basic biblical principle is that whenever there is a movement of God’s work, Satan will try and hijack that movement with false teachers or false doctrine. It happened in the Old Testament, and it continues now in the church age. The enemy doesn’t want the church to advance and win souls, so he will try anything to derail the work of the church. 

Let’s further break this section down into two parts. Verses 9-13 and 14-25.

Verses 9-13

We see here a contrast between true holy work done through the power of the Holy Spirit and work that is done through other forces, often demonic or dark in nature. There are times that seemingly good works are, in fact, not done through holy power. Jesus warns of this in Matthew 7:21-23, even going so far as to say that some who do works in His name are deceivers. Let’s look at some details of this section of the passage.

  • Because the people were astounded and amazed at Simon’s tricks, they believed the things he said. 
    • Scripture doesn’t say precisely what he said, but it does say that the people called him “the Great Power of God,” which he didn’t deny.
    • This was not only misleading the people as to where his “power” came from but was blasphemy since it wasn’t the work of God.
    • Simon was an example of those who practice “lawlessness” as described in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12.
  • He was popular and recognized by the people.
    • They all paid attention to him.
    • He had been working among them for a long time.
    • He enjoyed the attention and adulation.
  • The work of the Holy Spirit through Philip now began to shift people from Simon to Philip.
    • The people saw the work of Philip.
      • People were healed.
      • Demons were cast out.
    • The people heard the Gospel message.
      • They became followers of Jesus.
      • They were baptized.
    • Simon was likely afraid he would lose all or most of his following.
      • He “believed.” 
        • It was a false belief.
        • Jesus spoke about how the demons even believed in Him. Believing doesn’t mean following.
        • Simon’s belief was based on wanting to acquire the power he saw manifested in Philip.
      • Simon fooled Philip with his false belief.
        • Although Philip was doing work through the power of the Holy Spirit, Simon was able to fool him. 
        • Both Jesus and Paul warn about false believers and/or teachers infiltrating the church and causing harm. 
        • We must always be on guard against those who would harm the church from the inside. 
          • Enemies from the outside are often easy to spot.
          • Enemies on the inside are much harder to see but often do more significant damage.
      • We don’t know for sure, but it’s possible the reason Simon followed Philip everywhere was to try and learn the “secret” behind Philip’s miracles.

Verses 14-25

Before we jump into the issue of Simon in this section of the passage, two other points need to be discussed.

  • The apostles sent Peter and John to Samaria. Why did this occur?
    • From a historical standpoint, we know that there was a deep and long divide between the Jews and the Samaritans. The two groups had their own view of Judaism and even a somewhat different Pentateuch. Unity is a critical factor in the church.
    • The Holy Spirit had fallen on them yet. This brings up point number two.
  • Why didn’t the Holy Spirit fall on them at conversion?
    • Just as the Jewish church had their Pentecost moment, now the Samaritan church will have theirs. 
    • By having Peter and John go to them, lay hands on them, and for them to receive the Holy Spirit would demonstrate that they were no longer two separate people groups in Jesus’ church. They were now one. 
    • Peter was given the keys to the kingdom of heaven by Jesus in Matthew 16:19.
      • Peter opened the door to the Jews at Pentecost.
      • He now opened the doors to the Samaritans.
      • He would later open the doors to the Gentiles in Acts 10.
  • The first ten chapters in Acts show a transition from Jew to Samaritan to Gentile. 

Now let’s move on to the conclusion of the narrative addressing Simon’s prideful heart.

Just as in Simon’s following Philip around to see if he could discover the secret behind the power of Philip’s ministry, he now sees Peter and John lay hands on the people and wants the same ability. However, he views it as a commodity and thinks he can purchase it from the apostles. We can draw a few conclusions from the final section of this passage.

  • Simon was never truly converted.
    • May your silver be destroyed with you.
    • You have no share in this matter.
    • Your heart is not right before God.
    • Repent of your wickedness. This phrase is usually reserved for unbelievers.
    • He was poisoned by bitterness.
    • He was bound by iniquity.
    • All of these factors lead to an overwhelming conclusion that Simon was never saved.
  • Simon’s response is also telling.
    • He seems more concerned about avoiding the consequences that Peter pronounced.
    • Instead of offering a prayer of repentance, he asks Peter to pray for him.
      • We shouldn’t confuse this with asking others to pray for our needs.
      • However, only the individual can repent and pray for forgiveness.
      • Those who won’t pray a prayer of repentance for themselves won’t enter God’s kingdom.
  • This narrative shows how close a person can get to salvation and still not cross the threshold.
    • Simon heard the Gospel.
    • Simon saw the miracles. 
    • He made a verbal profession of faith.
    • He was baptized.
    • He was never born again.
    • He was a clever counterfeit. 
    • If he was not discovered, he could have caused untold damage from inside the church.
  • Peter and John then make their way back to Jerusalem.
    • As they passed through Samaria on the return journey, they shared the Gospel.
    • They didn’t waste an opportunity to reach the lost.
    • Through the efforts of Philip, Peter, and John, the Gospel was now spreading throughout Samaria.

Applications

  • Ministry must be done in the power of the Holy Spirit. Successful ministry is never done in our strength. It may appear to work for a time, but eventually, it will crumble, and nothing will be left.
  • We must always be on the lookout for counterfeit Christians who would undermine the church from within. These same people would also cause the church to look foolish to those on the outside who need to hear the Gospel and come to salvation. 
  • Don’t let pride and jealousy stand between you and salvation. Simon had an unhealthy desire for the power that he saw demonstrated, and instead of submitting to Christ and being used for kingdom work, he tried a shortcut. No matter where God places you, no matter your spiritual gifting, be joyful as you contribute to the kingdom. 
  • Always look for opportunities to share the Gospel, even when you aren’t planning on sharing. Peter and John didn’t waste the opportunities on the trip back to Jerusalem. We run into people every day who are on the path to hell. Don’t miss those chances to share.