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.”
And so it shall be with all who, in blind arrogance, think they can purchase that which God offers freely. “Yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price” (Isa. 55:1). “And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17).
21. “Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.”
Man’s outward religious appearance, diligent efforts at good works, reasonings and philosophies of his mind—none are of value to God. Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart (1 Sam. 16:7). Let us ever remember that “He knoweth the secrets of the heart” (Psa. 44:21).
22-23. “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.”
The wickedness hidden inside (“gall”) and visible outside (“bond”) Simon had completely bound him. Yet God, in infinite, loving grace held open a place of refuge—but it must be entered through the door of repentance. How vitally, eternally important is true repentance before God!
24. “Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.”
Poor, blinded Simon! There was only one safe path open to him. He must bow before God as the publican in a prior day, saying, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). Sadly, like King Saul (1 Sam. 15:15-30), there was evidently no personal reality. He desires Peter to pray for him—to make things right with God for him. Fatal error! “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5).
25. “And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.”
How beautiful to see the grace of God at work. It took a great persecution to scatter the gospel from Jerusalem to Samaria, by disciples fleeing Jewish religious hatred. Now, as some disciples return to Jerusalem, they too preach the gospel. The persecution resulting from Stephen’s martyrdom is still used of God to bring blessing!
26. “And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.”
While many preached the gospel as they fled from Jerusalem, Philip does not seem to have done so. He is referred to as the evangelist in Acts 21:8. He is evidently exercising his evangelical gift when he goes (not “flees”) to Samaria to preach the gospel. After his work there is accomplished, the Lord (not “persecution”) sends him to another location.
All believers are to do the work of an evangelist—whether in the daily tasks of life or resulting from persecution of the enemy. We are to be instant in season and out of season.
Those who have been given the gift of an evangelist, however, have but one guide—the Lord’s voice. Philip’s path shows the Spirit’s leading (rather than guidance by circumstances—see Psalm 32:8-9) in his travels to Samaria, then to the desert, and finally when taken to Azotus.
27-28. “And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.”
How often in our lives, in order to bless us, the Lord must strip away all that we rest in—position, ability, wealth and friends. Then, placing us in desert circumstances where there is no distraction nor visible means of support, He shows through His Word where the source of true blessing is found.
The eunuch, with the intense longing of an unfulfilled heart, had made a difficult and, no doubt, expensive pilgrimage to the place where he naturally expected to find heart satisfaction. Yet he was returning as empty and unsatisfied as he had come. But in that desert wasteland, he was finally to discover true heart satisfaction.
29. “Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.”
The Spirit’s leading and a willingness to identify with those in need are two essential requirements for evangelizing. “This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them” (Luke 15:2).
30. “And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?”
We find here three more essential elements of evangelization—eagerness to share, willingness to listen, and ability to discern real soul needs.
31. “And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.”
A sixth essential element of evangelization is humbleness. Philip took the low place until he was invited to come up and help the seeking eunuch.
32-33. “The place of the Scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: in his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.”
Nothing the eunuch had observed in the proud, unbelieving religious display at Jerusalem corresponded to the divine prophecy of Isaiah 53.
34-35. “And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.”
A seventh essential element of evangelization is preaching Jesus. May God ever fill the hearts, minds and lips of all who evangelize with that precious name which is above every name.
Ed.