Acts 8

• Acts 8:1-3 – Saul approved of the stoning of Stephen. Saul and others greatly persecuted the church at that time. Many Christians were scattered, but not the apostles.
• Acts 8:4 – The people who left preached the word wherever they went. The persecution caused the gospel to spread!
• Acts 8:5 – This is not Philip the apostle. This Philip was one of the seven chosen to attend to the widows in Acts 6:5.
• Acts 8:9 – See Revelation 22:14. God does not look kindly on sorcery. See II Peter 2:2.
• Acts 8:13 – Simon was clearly saved here, having believed and been baptized.
• Acts 8:14-17 – Apostles were sent to transfer spiritual gifts. Philip was able to work miracles but could not pass them on. Only apostles could do that.
• Acts 8:20-24 – Simon had sinned and needed to repent. This causes a problem for Calvinists who believe once saved, always saved.
• Acts 8:26-30 – Philip was not just a robot but eagerly did what the Holy Spirit instructed.
• Acts 8:31 – The Catholic church uses this passage to say that help from clergy is required to understand the scriptures. Today we have the complete Bible, which is a tremendous advantage that the Ethiopian did not have. See Ephesians 3:3-5.
• Acts 8:34-36 – Clearly, teaching Jesus includes teaching baptism.
• Acts 8:37-38 – Baptism is clearly immersion here. They both went down into the water.