Before Peter and John came to Samaria, the Holy Spirit was already active amongst the people. Faith is a gift of God the Spirit (Philippians 1:29; cf. Ephesians 2:8; Acts 5:31) and so we must assume that some of the Samaritans were already regenerated before the apostles arrived (Acts 8:12, John 4:39–41). What is in view then is not the regenerating work of the Spirit but a visible confirmation of his presence. A descent of the Spirit that affirms the once for all extension of the gospel across redemptive-historical boundary lines from Jerusalem to Samaria.
These verses demand our special attention. The apostles are in Samaria and get acquainted with the new followers, Messiah-confessing Samaritans. The church members are together for a prayer service. Then it becomes clear that something special is happening: the Holy Spirit has not yet fallen or come down on any of them, (epi-pipto; ESV: fallen), but they were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
That is why the apostles pray for the Samaritans to receive the Spirit (Acts 8:15) and after the prayer they lay their hands on the people and they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17).
In Acts 8:18 we read that Simon saw that “the Spirit was given”; it says “didomi” (ESV: given) and not a form of plѐroo
as various translations read that they were filled with the Holy Spirit
(as it says in Acts 2:4).
That it concerns the Spirit here who is given and received after prayer, underscores the gift of grace. This is important for what follows, from which it becomes clear that the Spirit cannot be purchased!
This interesting question is sometimes called the mystery of Samaria.
Two questions tie in to this:
1. Did they have a real faith and a real baptism in Samaria at first—while they had not yet received the Spirit?
2. If they already had a real faith and had received the Spirit as well, is this second gift of the Spirit
then separate from the first, so that one must think of a second experience later (in life), like baptism with the Spirit?
Did Philip baptize them too quickly? They do receive the ritual of baptism, but the reality of the gift of the Spirit only comes later. Were they genuine Christians then? How can you be a Christian without the Spirit (Romans 8:9)? When we gauge the situation in Samaria from this viewpoint, it remains a difficult matter. But from the fact that many Samaritans accepted the Word and found their Saviour in Jesus, it becomes clear that the Spirit was working with them!
Was it a pseudo-repentance, a mass-emotion, a miracle faith, such as becomes evident later with Simon? Was it only on the outside? Had they all too easily transferred from Simon to an even greater miracle-doctor Philip? Hadn’t Philip done his work correctly, by being silent about the Holy Spirit?
Only after prayer and the laying on of hands by the two apostles, is the Spirit received by the Samaritans. Was Philip unable to do that because the laying on of hands was a privilege of the apostles?
Over against this, Philip, too, is a man full of the Spirit. There is nothing wrong with his preaching of the gospel. He brought a complete gospel of the kingdom, the mega joy of verse 8 is truly a gift of the Spirit.
The apostles do not disapprove of Philip’s work, and they do not repeat the baptism. They are thankful that the Samaritans have accepted the Word and discover that this faith is real and genuine! They ask God if these recently converted Christians may receive the Spirit.
The Spirit had not yet fallen (epipepto) on the Samaritans, as the Spirit had been poured out (ex-cheo) in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost on the believers there (Acts 2:33). That does not mean that in Samaria they had never heard of the Spirit (compare Acts 19:2). It also does not mean that the Spirit was not with them yet and could not work in them!
It says in John 7:39 as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
And yet the Spirit was fully at work before the day of Pentecost: think of the believers in the old covenant up until Simeon (with whom the Holy Spirit is mentioned three times, Luke 2:25–27).
The twelve disciples could, on behalf of Jesus, do signs and wonders and drive out demons by the power of the Spirit, all before Pentecost. Therefore, before they actually received the promised Spirit on the feast of Pentecost, the Spirit was already working in and with them.
Also, in the ten uncertain days before the feast of Pentecost, the Spirit was working in the praying apostles and those first congregation members, a group of approximately 120 persons.
Before the outpouring of the Spirit, is the moment that Jesus baptizes them in (or with) the Spirit, as he had promised (Acts 1:5).
The Spirit was already at work and at the same time they kept praying in the upper room Come, Creator, Spirit,
a prayer for the outpouring of and fulfillment with the Spirit, as was promised (Acts 1:4–5; Acts 2:1–4 and Acts 2:33).
The baptism in and with the Spirit can be seen on the day of Pentecost in the special signs of tongues and prophecy: in this way one can see and hear what it is to be filled with the Spirit!
God let the promised Spirit descend upon us or better: poured out (ek-cheo) (Acts 2:33).
They pray for the Spirit, as they have also done in Jerusalem, after the ascension on the way to the day of Pentecost. Instead of doubt and shallow faith, they ask God for a follow-up step: that the Spirit may come upon them, just like they experienced with Pentecost in Jerusalem. So, surely, they had already received the Spirit before the laying on of hands, as it was the Spirit which taught them to believe in Jesus, their new Lord (compare 1 Corinthians 12:3).
Philip took care of the basic package,
so to speak, to come to faith. Now, from Jerusalem comes a necessary add-on with special gifts of the Spirit which were especially needed in this beginning situation to expand the kingdom of God and to clearly show that the Samaritans were also part of the church of the Lord and equals to the believers in Jerusalem.1
15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,