Name: Margie
Question: Can you please explain Acts 8:14-17. I was always taught that when you receive Christ as Savior, that you also receive the Holy Spirit. These verses sounds like they received Christ, but had to be prayed for to receive the Holy Spirit. What is your thought? Thank you.
Answer: Margie, thank you for the question.
I agree with you, once we repent and accept Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit.
So Acts 8:14-17 is a bit peculiar, if we believe people need help receiving the Holy Spirit. In reality, what’s being implied is the people needed the Apostles in order to receive gifts from the Holy Spirit. So we are talking about two different things here.
I’ll explain.
We Receive The Holy Spirit Upon Acceptance Of Jesus
Let’s begin by proving, once we repent and accept Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit.
Turn your Bible with me to,
Ephesians 1:12-13
Also: Rom 8:9-11, 1 Cor 12:13
“…in Christ … In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,”
That proves it, baptism is not a requirement.
Now, let’s jump over to the Book of Acts.
Acts 2:38
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Peter guaranteed, once they repent and become baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, they will receive the Holy Spirit. So there are no question marks there. This promise was not only for the Israelites whom he was addressing, but “to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call,” (Acts 2:39).
So why was baptism added here?
Peter was doing exactly what Jesus asked him too, (Matthew 28:19).
So then, those repenting, accepting, and being baptized would have certainly received the Holy Spirit. So why does Acts 8:14-17 say they did not receive Him?
The answer is simple…
We’re going to discover, the Holy Spirit was with them, just not the “gifts” of the Holy Spirit.
Let’s continue…
The Holy Spirit Provided Visible Gifts
To really figure this one out, we have to backup to verse 9.
Acts 8:9
But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
So you have this guy named Simon who was a sorcerer. Everyone in the land thought he was a big deal, even saying, “This man is the great power of God,” (Acts 8:10). No doubt, Simon enjoyed the attention, as he thought he was “some great one.”
That right there is the key to remember.
Nevertheless, in Acts 8:12, many of these people,
…believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Praise God!
Philip must have done a bang up job to have persuaded the people to accept Jesus and become baptized. From what we learned in Acts 2:38, this means they did receive the Holy Spirit. God’s love and comfort.
Look what happens next.
Acts 8:13
Also: Acts 19:6
Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
We’re told even Simon the sorcerer believed, and he was also baptized.
Notice what’s going on here though…
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Miracles and signs are being performed right in front of Simon’s eyes. We’re not told exactly what those miracles and signs were, but they were very visible to everyone.
Now, did Simon really stop being a sorcerer, or was he seeking more power and trying to stay “relevant?”
Acts 8:14
Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
Apparently, a little bit of time passed. Peter and John now received word that the Samaritans accepted the Word of God and they were baptized.
Act 8:15-16
15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
Now this does sound like the Samaritans didn’t receive the Holy Spirit, but let’s walk through this.
Peter and John went down to Samaria to pray for those who were baptized so they would receive the Holy Spirit. Now right off the bat, that contradicts what we learned in Acts 2:38. So we know there’s more to the story, and it involves the “gifts” of the Holy Spirit, (1 Corinthians 12:1-12).
Those “miracles and signs” that we read about in Acts 8:13.
Make no mistake about it, those who accepted Jesus Christ had already received the Holy Spirit, but they did not receive gifts from the Holy Spirit. Those gifts would allow them to perform miracles and signs, just as the Disciples had done before.
Acts 8:17
Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
Again, it doesn’t say it, but they received gifts from the Holy Spirit. It will become clear, but if that were not true, then the Bible would contradict itself, and we know, it never does that.
Acts 8:18
And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
This verse tells us a few things.
All of the Samaritans did not receive these special gifts. Obviously, Simon was left out, so we cannot be talking about the Holy Spirit. More importantly, Simon “saw” that the “Holy Spirit” was given to some of the Samaritans whom the Apostles touched.
I’m sure you’ve been baptized, and I’m quite sure you’ve seen others be baptized.
Have you every ‘seen’ the Holy Spirit be given?
Nope, none of us have.
Therefore, we must be talking about something other than the Holy Spirit. We must be talking about visible gifts from the Holy Spirit that were seen in the form of “miracles and signs” by all in attendance. In my opinion, these special gifts were reserved for a few of the people who would lead the church.
By the way, did you notice what Simon did?
He offered the Apostles money for the gift of the Holy Spirit!
Acts 8:19
Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
Plainly stated, the Apostles didn’t give the people the Holy Spirit, they gave them the power of the Holy Spirit that was visible. This gift provided miracles and signs before the people.
Unfortunately, the sole concern of Simon the sorcerer was power and being important in the eyes of the people.
Listen to Peter’s response.
Acts 8:20
But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
There we have it.
Simon was after “the gift of God,” described as the Holy Spirit. This “gift of God” enabled those with it to perform visible and powerful miracles and signs. No doubt, this power was bestowed to provide miracles and signs to help build up the early church and spread the Gospel.
Peter continues…
Acts 8:21-22
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
So Simon believed in Jesus, in the sense that he knew Jesus was someone with real power, and Simon wanted a piece of the action. This tells us, he didn’t really repent, he simply wanted to remain popular and continue to build his influence with those in the region.
These details help us understand, it was “the gift of God” that the Apostles bestowed upon the Samaritans, as they had already received the Holy Spirit when they were baptized. This “gift of God” was visible, and it no doubt manifested itself in the form of “miracles and signs” seen by all.