Bible Commentaries
Acts 8

Verses 1-3

41 Idolatry is, etymologically, the offering of divine service to that which can be perceived by the senses. In this way, all objects of worship, even if they are supposed to be representations of the true God, are idols. God will have no images of Himself but One-His beloved Son. He is the Image of the invisible God ( Col_1:15 ). The idolatry here mentioned is usually referred to Israel in the wilderness. But their conduct at that time was hardly the occasion of the Babylonian exile. In neither Amos ( Act_5:25-27 ) nor Acts is the time given, but it was, most likely, in the days of the kings, before the captivity. One of the causes of their exile was that they had transgressed very much after all the abominations of the nations ( 2Ch_36:14 ). In the land they corrupted the form of the wilderness worship, substituting the tabernacle of Moloch for the testimony which Jehovah had directed to be constructed according to the model Moses had seen. It is possible that the Hebrew should be translated "your king", rather than "Moloch". Amos writes concerning Israel ( Amo_1:1 ), so that the reference may be to their first king, Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. He, like Aaron, made a "calf" or bull for the people to worship. In fact, he made two, and placed one in Bethel and the other in Dan ( 1Ki_12:25-30 ). In one case it was a revolt from the prophet of Jehovah, in the other it was secession from the rightful king and the house of David. Besides the false tabernacle, they also had a substitute for the glory, which seems to have been an image of one of the constellations. Thus they worshiped the "host of heaven". Raiphan, or Remphan, is sometimes identified with Saturn, but it is not certain.

44 Stephen is charged with speaking against the temple. Hence he traces God's dwelling place to the temple of Solomon, yet proves from Scripture that the true temple is not made with hands. The God of glory had left that temple tenantless ( Eze_9:3 ; Eze_10:4 ; Eze_10:18 ; Eze_11:23 ) and had taken up His abode in His Son, as He had tabernacled amongst them, full of grace and truth ( Joh_1:14 ). And now the glory was in their midst, irradiating the face of Stephen.

48 The quotation from Isaiah provoked opposition.

See Act_22:22 .

51 A review of Israel's history reveals a series of apostasies. All of God's spokesmen suffered at their hands. Even while maintaining the outward form they were always at variance with the holy Spirit. This charge is of special import at this time, for this is the first great crisis in this book. The holy Spirit's testimony to Jerusalem is summarily rejected. The question, Art Thou at this time restoring the kingdom to Israel? receives an emphatic negative, so far as Jerusalem and Judea are concerned. The testimony now goes to Samaria.

55 Stephen begins his address with "the God of glory" and now he beholds the glory in heaven, and Jesus standing, ready to return and bless them should they repent. After this He is always represented as seated, His work accomplished, waiting until the apostate nation is ready to receive Him as their Messiah.

59 Like his Master, Stephen prays for his murderers with his last breath. But, for the nation, this sin against the holy Spirit could not be pardoned. Until Paul's last visit, we hear of no further testimony in Jerusalem.

55 Stephen was the messenger sent after the departed Nobleman with the message "We do not want this man to reign over us!" ( Luk_19:14 ).

1 With Stephen was interred the hope of the kingdom. Yet at the same time God begins to hint at another testimony of a very different character. The kingdom called for righteousness. It visited iniquity with swift judgment. In preparing for the new departure, God introduces Saul of Tarsus, not as a just or holy man, but as a malignant and vicious enemy. This is necessary because He is about to deal with those who are sinners and enemies on the ground of grace. Grace cannot be shown to those who deserve aught. Merit mars it and hinders its outflow. Saul was, in very truth, the foremost of sinners. He exceeded the most rabid of the Sanhedrin in his hatred of Messiah and His people. If any man deserved to be damned, that man was Saul of Tarsus. Yet, eventually, he it is who is raised to the highest pinnacle of glory-far beyond the fondest hopes of Stephen or the twelve apostles. Such is the potency of grace when it is unhindered by human help!

Verses 4-25

4 We now enter the second cycle of the kingdom testimony. Jerusalem and Judea have not heeded its proclamation. It is now offered to Samaria, then it will go to the limits of the earth, and even to the proselytes like the eunuch and Cornelius. Thus it was that the Lord had commanded ( Act_1:8 ). After the ten tribes, whose capital was Samaria, were exiled, the king of Assyria sent colonists to repopulate the country ( 2Ki_17:24-27 ). They intermarried with the remaining Israelites and thus sprang the mixed race of the Samaritans. Because the Jews would not recognize them or allow them to help in rebuilding the temple, they stirred up the Persian king against the Jews, and hindered the work of restoration. They also built their own temple on mount Gerizim and worshiped according to the law. They recognized only the five books of Moses. Thus sprang up a jealous antagonism between them and the Jews, so that the latter refused to have any dealings with them. As they, however, worshiped Jehovah and taught the law and had a strain of Jewish blood, it was fitting that they should hear the proclamation of Christ, after Judea had been evangelized. Physically they were nearer the Jews than any other nation. Thus the widening testimony to the kingdom spread, until the evangel reaches the limits of the land. Then it is carried beyond by means of Saul, who at this time, was its chief opponent.

9 The Roman Empire was overrun with fortune tellers and jugglers and magicians, many of whom were Jews, The Samaritans were a simple, credulous people, and in their amazement, they gave Simon the place which belongs to Christ. But when the evangel came, Simon himself was amazed for he could see that it was accompanied with a power such as he had never known. His case is an example of "faith" founded on miracles, which is very different from the faith which is based on God's word, apart from the evidence of the senses. Many believed in the Lord when they beheld the signs which He did, yet Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew what was in humanity ( Joh_2:23-25 ).

14 As our Lord told the woman at the well, salvation is of the Jews. And moreover, the twelve apostles were appointed to have jurisdiction over the whole land, including Samaria. Hence, holy Spirit is not imparted to them except through the mediacy of the apostles. This is in marked contrast with the case of Cornelius and his friends, who received holy Spirit without baptism or the laying on of hands. It is evident from this that physical affinity and miracles hinder rather than help the outflow of the spirit. The exceptional dealing with the Samaritan believers, who were a circumcised people; is seen in the fact that, though repentant and baptized, they had not received the holy Spirit upon these conditions as promised by Peter to the believers in Jerusalem ( Act_2:38 ). The ancient schism must now end, and Samaria must acknowledge Jerusalem as God's earthly seat of government. The supreme gift can be bestowed only as they recognize their dependence on Peter and John as come down from

Jerusalem.

18 To this day men fondly imagine that spiritual gifts may be bought with money. One of the most delusive and disastrous notions in the church today is that a billion dollar budget will buy billions worth of spiritual benefit. God's gratuities are not sold to the best bidder; we cannot gain His grace with gold. Any effort to bribe Him can only bring down His displeasure. Would that there were more like Peter, who spurned the silver which sought to buy the benefits of the evangel! The church has sunk so low that it is eager to trade its blessings for sordid gain. Peter would lose prestige today if he would not take advantage of such an opportunity to add a goodly sum to the fund for the furtherance of the kingdom!

19 Among the nations, in Paul's later ministries, the spirit is received on believing, without the intervention of apostles, or baptism, or laying on of hands ( Eph_1:13 ). And with the removal of such mediate causes, the effect of holy Spirit's presence also changes. It is no longer manifest in signs which confirmed the coming of the kingdom, such as the gift of tongues and healing, but in the love, joy and peace which become God's dwelling place.

Verses 26-40

26 It is notable that the messenger, or angel, who spoke to Philip is also called "the spirit" (29) and "the spirit of the Lord" (39). This suggests that these expressions may refer to created beings in some places where we are accustomed to understanding it of the holy Spirit of God. In order to leave the subject open and not inject our own opinions or prejudices it has been thought best to spell spirit always without a capital S in the Version. This will leave the matter open to the students own interpretation.

26 Gaza, once one of the five chief cities of the Philistines, was located near the southern limits of the land, not far from the Mediterranean.

27 Ethiopia includes the country south of Egypt, of which the island of Meroe, in the upper Nile, was the chief center; The title, Candace, was usually given to the queens, who ruled in Ethiopia in ancient times. The eunuch must have been a proselyte of Judaism, to come all the way from Ethiopia to worship at Jerusalem. It seems strange that he should not have been reached with the evangel of Christ in the holy city, where the apostles still remained. It indicates the fact that Jerusalem and Judea are apostate, for this stranger is going away without knowing the One Who fulfilled the fifty-third of Isaiah. But where God has prepared such a reader and hearer of His word as this Ethiopian, He always sends His preacher. The kingdom, when it is set up by Christ in the day of the Lord, will reach all the descendants of Noah's sons. In the early part of Acts they are evangelized representatively; The eunuch probably traced his lineage from Ham. Cornelius was a descendant of Japheth. The Jews, of course, sprang from Shem.

32 Hezekiah, king of Judah, was the most beautiful type of Christ as the Vicarious Sufferer. The prophet Isaiah probably refers to his experience in the fifty-third chapter, in which are some statements which cannot be applied literally to the great Antitype. But the spirit charges the prophets words with higher truth and deeper doctrine, so that Hezekiah's typical sufferings foretell the sufferings of His Lord.

1 Saul was at the stoning of Stephen ( Act_7:58 ). He endorsed his assassination, and seems to have been the leader in the persecution which followed, until Jerusalem was emptied of all disciples except the apostles.

3 The call of Saul is the most marvelous of all the manifestations of God's grace. It is a pattern for us who believe in this day of grace. He was the foremost of sinners, yet God made him the foremost of His saints. The grace of the Lord overwhelmed Him, with faith and love in Christ Jesus ( 1Ti_1:12-16 ). The twelve apostles were called by the Lord on earth, before His ascension. Saul was called by the ascended glorified Lord from heaven. They were called in the land. He was called outside the land. Their ministry was confined to the land and the

Hebrews of the dispersion. Paul's service was outside the land among the Hellenists and aliens. They were concerned with the earthly life of our Lord before His ascension. Paul begins with the Lord in glory.

4 This is only a brief outline of what was said. The following combines the three accounts and probably includes all that passed between Saul and the Lord:

THE LORD: Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting Me? Hard is it for you to be kicking against the goads.

SAUL: Who art Thou, Lord?

THE LORD: I am Jesus, the Nazarene, Whom you are persecuting.

SAUL: What shall I be doing, Lord?

THE LORD: But rise and stand on your feet, for I was seen by you for this, to fix upon you before for a deputy and a witness both of what you have perceived and that in which I will be seen by you, extricating you from the people and from the nations, to whom I am commissioning you, to open their eyes, to turn them about from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God, for them to get a pardon of sins and an allotment among those who have been hallowed by faith that is in Me. Rise and go into the city of Damascus, and there you will be spoken to concerning all which has been set for you to do.

7 The apparent discrepancies between this verse Act_9:7 and Act_22:9 are easily explained when we see that the vision was intended exclusively for Saul and not for his fellow travelers. They were probably a little distance away and heard a sound and saw a light, but did not see the Person Who was speaking or recognize the sound as His voice. At first they fell on their faces, but they rose before Saul. There is a close harmony rather than any discrepancy in the various accounts. The call of Saul is an entirely novel departure in this book. It is the first exhibition of pure grace-favor shown to one who deserves punishment-and is the key to the character of the ministries of the apostle Paul which occupy the latter half of this treatise on the proclamation of the kingdom. After the failure of the testimony in Jerusalem and Judea, Saul is called to carry it to the dispersion among the nations and to the proselytes and even to the idolaters themselves. Hence it must be founded, not on righteousness, for they had no deserts, but on grace. So he is called outside the land, by the Lord from heaven, while he is still the most malignant enemy of the evangel and deserving of the direst doom.