8:9-11 Another person who was doing miracles in Samaria, but by satanic power, was Simon whom people have sometimes called Simon Magus. Magus is the transliteration of the Greek word magosmeaning magician or sorcerer. The magic that he did was not sleight of hand deception but sorcery, the ability to control people and or nature by demonic power. This ability had made Simon very popular, and he had encouraged people to think that he was a great power whom God had sent.356
"As the counterfeit of the true, these false prophets were among the most dangerous enemies of Christianity; and the distinction between the true and the false, between religion and spiritualism, had to be sharply drawn once for all."357
8:12 Simon promoted himself, but Philip preached Christ.
"I believe that Simon is the first religious racketeer in the church--but, unfortunately, not the last."358
Luke described Philip's message as the good news about God's kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ. Those who trust in Christ become partakers in His spiritual rule over them now and eventually will enter into His future earthly millennial rule. The phrase "name of Jesus Christ"points to the fact that Jesus is the Christ, the anointed Messiah (cf. 1 John 5:1). Note that water baptism followed conversion almost immediately (cf. 2:38). Both men and women were believing and were undergoing baptism. This was clearly water baptism since they did not experience Spirit baptism until later (v. 17).
8:13 Even Simon believed. I see no reason to conclude that Simon's faith was spurious.359The text says that he believed just as the others Luke mentioned (v. 12), and there is no reason to doubt the reality of their faith. Having practiced Satan's magic Simon could not believe the difference between Philip's God-given miracles and his own magic.
