After Stephen’s martyrdom and the intense persecution that scattered the disciples from Jerusalem, Philip landed in Samaria. God worked miracles through him as he preached the good news of Jesus. People were baptized, crowds were amazed—and even Simon the sorcerer believed.
“Even Simon himself believed. And after he was baptized, he followed Philip everywhere and was amazed as he observed the signs and great miracles that were being performed.”
Simon wasn’t just any believer. He had a reputation:
A man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and amazed the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody great. They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, and said, “This man is called the Great Power of God.” They were attentive to him because he had amazed them with his sorceries for a long time.
In Acts, we see a pattern echoing the Gospels: “The Jews look for a sign.” The Samaritans had believed in Jesus but hadn’t yet received the Holy Spirit. The key? The apostles’ laying on of hands. Peter and John arrived, laid hands on the believers, and the Holy Spirit came—amazing! This mirrors later moments, like with John the Baptist’s disciples and Cornelius, where God used the apostles to show the Jews that His Spirit was for Samaritans, Gentiles, and the whole world.
Simon, though, got caught up in the spectacle. Amazed, he offered money to buy the power to give the Holy Spirit. Peter’s response was sharp:
“May your silver be destroyed with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart’s intent may be forgiven. For I see you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by wickedness.”
Wow. “You have no part or share in this matter”—why? “Because your heart is not right before God.” Peter calls out Simon’s desire to dazzle the crowds again, exposing deeper issues: “poisoned by bitterness” and “bound by wickedness.” Here’s the kicker: Simon was a believer. Yet he still had bitterness and wickedness to repent of.
This hit me hard. Why did I come to Jesus? I’ve believed, but have I fully surrendered my heart? Peter’s rebuke might seem harsh, but it was a chance for Simon to see himself, seek God, and repent. Sadly, we don’t see that here:
“Pray to the Lord for me,” Simon replied, “so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
When Jesus reveals our hearts or our motives get called out, how do we respond? Whatever drew us to Him, God keeps working in us, urging us to surrender everything. When our mixed motives are exposed, it’s an opportunity—embrace it, repent, and trust God to forgive. That way, we can reflect Him more fully to the world.
