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When the apostles laid their hands on them, they received the Holy Spirit.

 

Acts 8:14-17 When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen on any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then the apostles laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

The Samaritans did not have complete faith, but they accepted the word of God. It is a similar concept to the prayer of acceptance today. There is a difference between welcoming the Lord with words and truly living with the Lord as your master. It is not that you receive the Lord just by saying the prayer of acceptance with words, but that you receive the Lord when you are born again by the Holy Spirit. When you are born again, you receive Christ, who is the Word. Those who do not have Ho Logos in their hearts are not born again, and they have not received the Lord.

When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans also received the word of God (ho logos), they sent Peter and John to Samaria. The two apostles went down to Samaria, prayed for the new believers there, laid their hands on them, and on their way back to Jerusalem, they preached the gospel in several Samaritan villages. The believers there also received the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit used Philip for another missionary work to the Gentiles. The fact that Stephen, who was as good a worker as the twelve apostles, was martyred so early must have been a great loss to the church. However, the martyrdom was by no means in vain.

Simon the magician received money for his magic, so people praised him as having the power of God. Acts 8:9-11 『For some time in the city there was a man named Simon who practiced magic and astonished the people of Samaria, saying that he was someone great. Everyone, from the least to the greatest, followed him, saying, ‘This man is the great power of God.’ And they followed him for a long time because they were amazed at his magic.』

However, Simon met Philip and saw the amazing signs he did. He saw the power to heal the sick and cast out demons. So he was baptized by Philip. Simon was not interested in baptism, but in signs. He followed Philip around diligently, wondering how he could do such signs. While thinking about this, he saw Peter baptizing with the Holy Spirit. He saw Simon the magician baptizing with the Holy Spirit and seeing amazing signs and powers.

Simon, seeing this sight, thought that he could buy this power with money.

Labosin (λάβωσιν) means to receive the Holy Spirit. Prosuke is a prayer that goes to the Holy of Holies where the Holy Spirit is present in the soul. If there is no rebirth by the Holy Spirit in the process of deacon Philip performing a sign and receiving the word of God after seeing the sign, there is no baptism of the Holy Spirit and the presence of ho logos does not work. Peter and John must have gone to them and explained about rebirth and ho logos. Then, they laid their hands on them and baptized them in the Holy Spirit. The difference between deacon Philip and Peter and John is that Philip plays the role of making people receive the word of God through the ministry of gifts. However, Peter and John help the believers who receive the word to have the presence of ho logos work.

Simon the magician was not interested in baptism, but only in gifts. Simon thought that receiving the Holy Spirit was the same as receiving a gift, so he tried to buy it with money. Acts 8:18-20 When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered him money, saying, “Give me also this power, that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!”

Today, similar scenes appear. There are gatherings that receive the Holy Spirit, heal the sick, and cast out demons. They eventually receive money as a membership fee and ask for donations. They say that they use the donations because they need money to hold events. However, there is no mention of the early church giving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, holding meetings to heal the sick, and casting out demons, and asking for donations. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and showed these signs. It is wrong to associate the power of God with money.

Peter says to Simon the magician who tried to buy the power of the Holy Spirit with money in Acts 8:21-23, "You have neither part nor lot in this way (en to logos), because your heart is not right before God. Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, if possible, that he may forgive you the thoughts of your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness, in the bondage of iniquity."

En to logos (ἐν τῷ λόγῳ) means in Christ, the Word. He points out that Simon did not have the right heart for the gift. The gift is a gift from God to those who have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but Simon was very interested in it, but his method was wrong. He tried to buy something that he got for free with money. En to logogon does not mean the way, but in Christ, the Word. The way is a term used in other religions.

Simon speaks in fear at Peter's words. Acts 8:24 Simon answered and said, "Pray to the Lord for me, that none of what you said may come upon me." When Peter strongly criticized him, Simon the magician asked Peter and John to pray for him. The important thing is those who misunderstand the gifts like Simon. There are those who use various methods to possess the gifts and think of them as something to brag about.

A gift is a gift that God gives to believers who have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is to enable them to spread the gospel of Ho Logos well. However, those with a wrong concept consider such a gift as if they have been granted great power. A gift is God working through the Holy Spirit through the believer. The believer is merely a channel for the gift.