I would not say that the baptisms were, therefore, “defective,” but that Luke finds it essential to interject apostolic authority into the whole mission to verify its authenticity. Carl Holladay describes the scene as “apostolic authentication,” while Johnson refers to it as “continuity of this new venture with the Church in Jerusalem” (Holladay, “Acts,” 997 Johnson, Acts, 151). Joseph Fitzmyer notes that this detail of the text is “strange,” and Richard Dillon calls it an “anomaly” (Dillon, “Acts,” in NJBC, 743), but it connects to Luke’s view of the institutional church and the need for the authority of the apostles to be present to confer the authority (Fitzmyer, Acts, 400-01). The text here does not say that directly, but it might be assumed since the two apostles “prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus) (Acts 8:15-16). Are we intended to see this as due to a fault or lack in Philip, however, which resulted in “defective” baptisms which only apostles can rectify? Pervo calls this a “shock” and wonders if this indicates that Philip’s baptisms were “defective” (Pervo, Acts, 213). In the case of Samaria, Peter and John attend it is implied because although the Samaritans “had accepted the word of God” (Acts 8:14), they did not receive the Holy Spirit. As Holladay says Acts 2:38 seems to indicate that baptism and the Holy Spirit go together, but it is not always the case in practice (Holladay, “Acts,” 997). The apostles come in where Philip has already trod, but as is sometimes the case in Acts, baptism does not always imply the giving of the Holy Spirit, just as sometimes in Acts, as we will see with Paul in chapter nine and Cornelius and his family in chapter ten, the giving of the Holy Spirit sometimes precedes baptism. The third is the turn from Simon Magus as someone who accepts the Gospel openly with Philip to someone who wants to buy the power of the Holy Spirit. The second is the seeming need, at least on Luke’s part, to have the apostles come in to authorize what would seem to be a successful mission by Philip. One level is textual, since the report intrudes on what would otherwise be a constant narrative of Philip the evangelist in chapter eight.
The narrative of the apostles Peter and John traveling to Samaria in response to an oral report is intriguing at a number of levels. 23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the chains of wickedness." 24 Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may happen to me." 25 Now after Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, proclaiming the good news to many villages of the Samaritans. ( NRSV) 22 Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. 18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, "Give me also this power so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." 20 But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God's gift with money! 21 You have no part or share in this, for your heart is not right before God. 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 15 The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit 16 (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). This entry deals with the apostles Peter and John taking up Philip’s mission to Samaria and Simon the magician offering money for the Holy Spirit.įor previous entries, please now go to the Complete Acts of the Apostle Commentary, where you can find links to each of the entries updated after each new blog post.ĭ) Persecutions of the “Hellenist” Jewish Christians and the First Mission outside of Jerusalem (6:1-8:40): Mission to Samaria and Simon the Magician (8:14-25):ġ4 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. This is the twenty-fourth entry in the Bible Junkies Online Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles.
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