Acts 8 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

Acts 8 in 5 Minutes

WHEN:

• The events of chapter 8 likely happened between 33-35 A.D.

CHARACTERS:

• Saul (Paul) – A Pharisee who was a vicious persecutor of the early Church.  

• Philip – An evangelist who was one of the 7 men selected to care for the Hellenist widows in chapter 6.

• Peter and John – Two of the original 12 Apostles.

• Simon – A man who practiced magic in Samaria. Many Samaritans thought he possessed the power of God.

• Ethiopian Treasurer – “A eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure” (8:27).

WHERE:

• Judea – The Region west of the Dead Sea and the Jordan river. Its eastern border was the Mediterranean Sea. The city of Jerusalem was located in Judea.

• Samaria – The region directly north of Judea.

• Road from Jerusalem to Gaza – This road was approximately 50 miles long and led to the main trade route to Egypt.

OUTLINE:

• THE BELIEVERS ARE PERSECUTED (8:1-3):

  • After Stephen’s death, the Jews started persecuting the Christians more widely.

  • The disciples were scattered throughout Judaea and Samaria.

  • Saul (Paul) was one of the most zealous persecutors. He went around “ravaging the church” and sent men and women to prison for their faith.

• PHILIP PREACHING IN SAMARIA (8:4-25):

  • When the believers fled Jerusalem, they took the gospel message with them and began preaching in other areas.

  • Philip went to Samaria and had success teaching among the people.

  • Many sick people were healed, and unclean spirits were cast out of those they possessed.

  • Peter and John visited Samaria to lay their hands on the new believers so they so they could “receive the Holy Spirit.”

  • One of the new believers, Simon, who had previously been a sorcerer, coveted the Apostles ability to give the Holy Spirit to others.

  • He went to Peter and John and offered them money saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

  • Peter strongly rebuked Simon and told him to pray to God for forgiveness.

  • Simon, feeling bad for what he had done, repented and asked Peter to pray for him.

• PHILIP AND THE ETHIOPIAN TREASURER (8:26-40):

  • An angel told Philip to travel down to the road between Jerusalem and Gaza.

  • When he arrived, the Holy Spirit directed him to speak to an Ethiopian man.

  • The man was a eunuch, an official over the treasury of the queen of Ethiopia.

  • Philip joined the Ethiopian official in his chariot and began a discussion about the Christ using a text from Isaiah 53.

  • After a while, the chariot passed some water and the Ethiopian asked Philip if he could be baptized.

  • After baptizing the man, the Spirit of God “carried Philip way” to another city and the Ethiopian “went on his way rejoicing.”

APPLICATION:

• God can advance His cause through circumstances created by evil men.

• The men who were persecuting God’s Church were serving Satan, but God used the persecution as a catalyst to spread the gospel message to new regions.

• As we observed in chapter 2, and will continue to observe throughout the book, there is a consistent pattern of people being baptized immediately after believing in Jesus.

• There was no delay. Those who believed were baptized right away. Unfortunately, many churches postpone baptism as if its optional or unimportant.