The Evangelist, The Sorcerer And The Eunuch

Feature 3 – June 2020 – Grace & Truth Magazine

The Evangelist, The Sorcerer And The Eunuch

We read in the opening verse of Acts 8 that the believers were scattered because of persecution. However, according to verse 4 ( NKJV ), they were not scattered into hiding but “went everywhere preaching the Word”!

The word for preaching in verse 4 means “to proclaim” or “to evangelize,” while the word in verse 5 means “to announce as a herald.” Phrases similar to “went everywhere” (v.4) are used throughout the book of Acts for missionary endeavors (for example 8:40, 9:32, 13:6, 14:24, 15:3,41, 16:6, 18:23, 19:1,21, 20:2). Thus we can say that Philip, the primary gospel preacher in Acts 8, was a commissioned herald who would go about proclaiming the gospel. He started as one chosen to help meet the needs of widows (6:1,5), but we see how faithfulness is rewarded. When we are faithful in the small things, the Lord opens the door of service more widely (Mt. 25:23).

Philip is the only man in Scripture who is called an “evangelist” (Acts 21:8). His ministry marks a turning point as to the gospel’s audience, for Philip proclaimed the good news to the Samaritan people – a mixture of Jews and Gentiles. The result of his preaching was that “multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip” (v.6). It is important to note that the emphasis of Philip’s ministry was the preaching of the Word (8:4,5,12,35,40). The results were that souls were saved, unclean spirits were driven out, and the paralyzed and lame were healed. The Word of God was preached first, and the Spirit of God gave evidence of the work being done.

Another result of the preaching of Philip is that “there was great joy in that city” (v.8). This joy was not simply because of their physical healing or their spiritual deliverance from demons. Their great joy came from a complete deliverance from sin through the One whom Philip proclaimed, the Lord Jesus Christ! This emphasis on the joy of salvation is very much a characteristic of Luke’s writings (see Lk. 2:10, 15:7,10, 24:52; Acts 13:52, 15:3). It is the result of a life truly changed by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Simon The Sorcerer
As the Word of God is preached and the gospel spreads, the enemy is not still. Wherever the Lord is working, Satan will come in “like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). When that does not work, he “transforms himself into an angel of light” or as a serpent seeking to deceive (2 Cor. 11:14,3). He is the great counterfeiter! We see this in the Lord’s parable of the wheat and the tares (Mt. 13:24-30,36-43). It has been the same wherever the true gospel is preached, whether in the time of John the Baptist (Mt. 3:1-17) or the Lord Jesus (Mt. 23:15,33, Jn. 8:44). Paul also experienced Satan’s deceptive work (Acts 13:6, 2 Cor. 11:1-4,13-15), just as Philip did here.

Activity, But No Reality
Not everyone who heard Philip proclaim the gospel was saved. Some were false believers, even clever imposters. Simon, a man who had previously practiced sorcery, had astonished the people of Samaria. The Greek word is used three times in our portion and is variously translated as “astonished,” “bewitched,” “amazed” or “wondered” (8:9,11,13). Simon thought very highly of himself, and so did his audience! All the people, from the least to the greatest, believed he was someone great. He had fooled all who saw his deceptive arts. The word for “sorcery” can be translated “magic,” which is often a mix of science and superstition and has its roots in occultic practices. Behind this magic is the force of darkness. It was said of Simon, “this man is the great power of God” (v.10). We never read of Simon’s denying such a claim of deity, and it would seem that he embraced it! This tells us much of the motives of Simon.

When Simon heard the preaching of Philip and saw others turning to Christ and being baptized, we are told that he too believed and was baptized. What was it that Simon believed? Did he really trust the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, confess his sins and repent of them? We are never told this, but we read: “Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done” (v.13). He was impressed with the miracles and signs, and evidently that is all he believed.

We have already seen that Simon had a wrong view of himself, and we never read of his repenting; but here we also see that he had a wrong view of faith and salvation. His basis of faith was not in the Word of God but in the miracles he saw. He was baptized outwardly, but there was no work of Christ inwardly accomplished in Simon. As important as baptism is, providing an outward sign of an inward work, it cannot save a person – and Simon is proof of that.

Amazement But No Ability
Simon continued on with Philip, not to learn more of Christ but to witness more miracles and to learn how he might have the same ability. When the apostles Peter and John heard of the work that God had accomplished among the Samaritans, they went to investigate (8:14). There had long been a division between the Jews and the Samaritans, and if they had received the Holy Spirit independently of the local church in Jerusalem this division could have continued.

The Lord Jesus is the head of the Church, not of two churches, one Jewish Church and one Samaritan. In delaying the Spirit’s coming upon the Samaritan believers and later upon the Gentile believers (Acts 18) the Lord was preserving the oneness of the Church. We read: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). The apostles were able to give witness to what the Lord was doing among the Samaritans. Peter and John, with apostolic authority, laid their hands on the Samaritans believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.

When Simon saw this, he was intrigued! He wanted to perform miracles and be able to give others the Holy Spirit, so he offered the apostles money. Peter wasted no time addressing Simon about this matter. Some might think Peter lacked grace. However, when it comes to the holiness of God and the way of salvation, nothing can be bought with any price other than what was paid in full at Calvary’s cross with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Peter’s Response
As we break down Acts 8:20-21 we can see clearly by Peter’s response that Simon was not a true believer:

• “Your money perish with you” – No believer will ever perish (Jn. 3:16,36)
• “You have neither part nor portion in this matter” – He was not in the fellowship of believers.
• “Your heart is not right in the sight of God” – This is a description of an unbeliever.
• “You are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity” – This is the condition of the unsaved.

In addition, as we read through the book of Acts it is interesting to note the continuous conflict between money and the things of God. Money in itself is not wrong, but “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Tim. 6:10). Here are some of the instances in Acts where we see this to be true:

• Acts 5:1-11 – Ananias and Sapphira lost their lives because they lied to the Holy Spirit about what they gave, holding back some of the profits.
• Acts 16:16-24 – Paul and Silas were imprisoned because the salvation of a previously demon-possessed girl cut into her owners’ profits.
• Acts 19:23-41 – A silversmith helped start a riot because Paul’s preaching was reducing the prosperity of his business.

These examples show that the gospel was never meant to be the big money-making industry it has become in many circles today. Instead, it is to be about the salvation of souls!

Greedy, But Shackled
Peter told Simon, “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you” (8:22). The term “repentance” occurs a number of times throughout the book of Acts, and it is always a call to individuals who are unsaved. Simon was told to turn from his sin to God. He thought – meaning he “plotted” or “schemed” – that he could buy the gift of God. In verse 21 Peter had said, “You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right [literally, straight] before God.” The heart of Simon’s problem was in fact a problem with his heart! That is the way it is with every one of us. His heart was not straight before God; it was crooked, and it needed to be changed.

Peter informed Simon that he was “poisoned by [or “in the gall of,” KJV] bitterness, and bound by iniquity” (v.23). The phrase “the gall of bitterness” is an Old Testament term (Dt. 29:18) suggesting a very strong, bitter ingredient or bile. It describes a harsh, bitter, distasteful condition. Peter also told Simon that he was bound, or shackled, by iniquity. Proverbs 5:22 informs us that sin is a cruel taskmaster: “His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, and he is caught in the cords of his sin.” This is exactly how Peter was describing Simon.

After all those warnings, Simon did not repent. Instead he said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.” He was more concerned with avoiding judgment than getting right with God, but he needed to turn toward God and away from sin. Paul described it this way: “Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Cor. 7:9-10).

We have a beautiful contrast in Acts 8. Simon claimed to be a believer but was exposed as one having only a false profession of faith all along. He was never really a possessor; he was simply a professor! His example teaches us that not everyone who heard Philip proclaim the gospel was saved. Some were false believers or even clever imposters. Simon made a profession of faith but did not have the reality of genuine faith.

The Ethiopian Eunuch
Then, in the Ethiopian eunuch, we see a real believer. He was honestly searching. His heart had been prepared by the Spirit of God, and he had a deep concern for the state of his soul. As this man read the Word of God, the Spirit of God took it and prepared his heart so he became a child of God.

There is a transitional aspect of the gospel in the book of Acts. The gospel began in Jerusalem, where the Church began, and in chapters 1–7 the good news went out to the Jews. At the stoning of Stephen, we see their final rejection of the gospel as a nation. Then the gospel was brought to the Samaritans in the first part of Acts 8. Here, from this part of chapter 8 and through the rest of the book of Acts, we see the gospel spreading to the Gentiles. It began with the Ethiopian eunuch and continued with the conversion of the apostle to the Gentiles, Saul of Tarsus, in Acts 9.

The case of the Ethiopian man reminds us of Romans 10:17, which declares, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” There are two sides of this which might be helpful to notice. First there was Philip, the vessel whom the Lord was going to use to be the messenger. Then there was the one who would receive the Word, the Ethiopian eunuch. Both of these men needed to be prepared by the Spirit of God. Let’s look at the preparation of each one.

Philip’s Preparation And Preaching
First we see that Philip was sensitive to the sovereignty of God (Acts 8:26). He was willing to be led by the Spirit. We might say he was pliable in the hand of the Spirit of God as both the angel and the Spirit spoke to him (vv.26,29). He was sensitive to the call! In verse 26 the angel spoke of the providential work of God, while in verse 29 the Spirit told of the personal work of God. In both cases Philip was in the condition to hear the message. Sensitivity to the sovereignty of God and of the call will not happen if we are not allowing ourselves to be led by the Spirit in our private lives (Gal. 5:16,18,25). Philip was personally prepared to be used by the Lord because he was led by the Spirit of God. He did not live for himself, but he recognized that God was at work and he was willing to be used.

Next we recognize that Philip was available (Acts 8:27). It has often been said, “The Lord is not looking for those with ability, but those with availability.” The Spirit does not call the equipped; He equips the called. Closely connected to being available is being obedient. When Philip was told to go south, he arose and went! He was submissive to the Master’s instruction. These instructions might not have made sense at the time, but Philip obeyed.

Today the Lord is still looking for those that would prepare themselves, making themselves available and being willing to submit in obedience to His will and Word. This is what Paul mentioned in 2 Timothy 2:20-21: “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”

Another feature we see in Philip is his enthusiastic initiative (Acts 8:30). He did not meander or stroll casually up to the Ethiopian’s chariot; he ran to him! Philip heard him reading from the prophet Isaiah and took the initiative to enquire, “Do you understand what you’re reading?” When the eunuch said, “How can I unless someone guides me?” Philip did not rush right in. Instead, he waited to be invited into the chariot. Here we see his patient tact or approach (vv.30-31).

Notice next that Philip picked up where the Spirit of God was working with this person. With decisive precision Philip began at that Scripture, opened his mouth and preached Jesus to the man. When it comes to sharing the Word of God it has been said by others, “Stand up so you can be seen, speak up so you can be heard, shut up when you are finished, and sit down so it can be appreciated; and then, back it up with your life.” We see some of this in Philip. He knew the Word and was able to share what he understood. Philip pointed this searching soul to the Lord Jesus, and he did so by using the Word. Lifting up the person of Christ and using the Word are the two essential things when presenting the gospel.

The last characteristic we see of Philip is his willingness for obscurity (vv.39-40). It is so easy to think that the work we are involved in is ours, and only we are able to do it the way it should be done. However, we do not see this attitude in Philip. When the Spirit of the Lord moved him to another field of service, he faithfully continued preaching the Word from city to city until he settled down in Caesarea with his family (21:9).

The Ethiopian’s Preparation And Path
Going back over this portion we can also look specifically at the eunuch’s spiritual journey. First, he was a foreigner, a high court official of Candace, the queen of Ethiopia. It is obvious also from our portion that this man had a spiritual hunger which was not yet satisfied, even though he was returning from Jerusalem. He had gone there to worship, which perhaps implies that he was a Jewish proselyte, a Gentile who had converted to Judaism.

We are told he was a eunuch, a man who had been castrated for the purpose of trusted servitude in a royal household (compare Est. 1:10, 4:4; Dan. 1:9). According to Deuteronomy 23:1, which says, “He who is emasculated by crushing or mutilation shall not enter the assembly of the LORD,” he would have been unable to participate fully in the Jewish worship services. Still, he was certainly a God-fearing man who desired to know more of the God he had heard about.

On his trip home to Ethiopia he had a life-changing encounter. As his chariot rolled along the desert road, the eunuch was reading aloud from the book of Isaiah. He was a man who read the Word of God.

What is significant about reading in the book of Isaiah? It is interesting that Isaiah addresses both eunuchs and foreigners. In Isaiah 56:1-8 we read the following passage:

Thus says the LORD: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for My salvation is about to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who lays hold on it; who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

Do not let the son of the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD speak, saying, “The LORD has utterly separated me from His people”; nor let the eunuch say, “Here I am, a dry tree.” For thus says the LORD: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast My covenant, even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.

“Also, the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants – everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant – even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “Yet I will gather to him others besides those who are gathered to him.”

Perhaps this portion had special meaning to this eunuch, although we are not sure of it. But as Philip approached him, we are certain the Ethiopian was reading in Isaiah 53. When Philip asked him whether he understood what he was reading, the eunuch replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” He then invited Philip to come sit with him in the chariot (Acts 8:31). This man was open to being taught.

Think of what he would have already read in Isaiah 53. He was reading of the suffering Servant. In that chapter, Isaiah first described the birth of the Lord Jesus (vv.1-2), then mentioned His life and ministry (53:4-9), and His victorious resurrection (53:10-12). The Ethiopian man had Isaiah 53:7-8 before him: “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken.”

As the man read, the Spirit of God was working. He asked, “Of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” (v.34). As Philip explained this passage, the eunuch recognized the Lord Jesus as the suffering sacrifice for sinners. When the Ethiopian eunuch understood the way of salvation, he responded to the gospel message. It is clear from this passage that he repented of his sins and believed in Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior. He clearly declared, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (v.37),* and he desired to identify with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ by being baptized. Therefore he commanded the chariot to stop, and he went down into the water with Philip to be baptized. Now this man, who had gone up to Jerusalem searching could go on his way rejoicing!

Joy is the mark of a true believer (Jn. 15:11, 17:13). There must have been many in the caravan traveling with the eunuch, and he gave testimony as a faithful witness to all who looked on! Through the faithfulness of Philip the evangelist, cities and individuals were pointed to the Savior.

ENDNOTE
* Some may have difficulty with verse 37 because it is not present in all New Testament manuscripts, but it is important to note that there is nothing unbiblical about it (Rom. 10:9-10).

By Timothy P. Hadley