“And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.”
They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery - the causation is clear: Simon's 'long time' (hikanos chronos) practice of sorcery has created a dependent following. They follow not out of conviction but out of wonder; the 'amazement' (existēmi) has become a spiritual prison, binding them to Simon's false authority. The contrast with Philip's sign-based proclamation is implicit: Philip's signs point to Christ; Simon's signs point to himself.
Church Fathers on Acts 8:11
Giving out, it says, that he was himself some great one. To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
Publish a reflection on this verse
No reflections on this verse yet. Be the first to write one!