"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: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost."
The beginning of today's quote identifies Simon, "the sorcerer", as a sly man who had for a long time fooled the Samarian people with his sorcery.
The body of today's lesson contains some of what appear to be very confusing and contradicting statements about baptism and the qualifications for receiving the Holy Ghost.
Verse twelve says; "But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, THEY WERE BAPTIZED, both men and women."
It should be understood that those men and women, after having heard Philip preach Jesus Christ, were baptized in water. However, they were baptized in water only for the purpose of obeying Jewish law and tradition as will become clearer later in this lesson. They were most certainly NOT to achieve salvation.
Remember, John the baptist clearly gave us the Jewish purpose for baptizing in water; "I indeed baptize you with water UNTO REPENTANCE: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: HE SHALL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY GHOST, and with fire"
Water baptism clearly has nothing to do with receiving the Holy Ghost.
The moment a lost soul is redeemed through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ that soul receives the Holy Ghost.
The following quote from Acts 10:47 clearly verifies that fact; "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which
WHICH HAVE RECEIVED THE HOLY GHOST AS WELL AS WE?" Peter made it very clear that those for whom he had asked baptismal water, had ALREADY RECEIVED THE HOLY GHOST.
In the final analysis of today's quote we find that those who were referred to as having "believed" Philip preaching the name of Jesus Christ, and were "baptized" in the "name of Jesus Christ", had only been taught according to "John's baptism", they had not yet truly understood how they must accept Jesus Christ as their eternal Redeemer.
Salvation and the coming of the Holy Ghost was not accomplished for those men and women until Peter and John came and prayed for, and with, them.
It is good to note also that they were NOT baptized in water after they received the Holy Ghost as implied as necessary in Acts 10:47.~
NOTE: There will be much further discussion of baptism and its true implications as these lessons progress.
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