“(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)”
because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus - the explanation clarifies the absence of Spirit gifts: the Samaritans 'had simply been baptized' (bebaptismenoi monon ēsan) but had 'not yet' received the Spirit. The two stages are distinct: water baptism (historical) precedes Spirit reception (eschatological). This pattern is unique to Samaria and perhaps reflects a transitional moment in Luke's narrative of the expanding church.
Church Fathers on Acts 8:16
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
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