It’s About Time

Why would the apostles Peter and John need to come down to Samaria and lay hands on these new believers before the Holy Spirit was given to them? 

Some reasoned that it is because these folks weren’t saved the first time around and so the second stage was the reason conversion experience since Holy Spirit always resides in a person at point of salvation (Eph 1:13-14).  Another view suggest that though the Samaritans are saved when Philip preached unto them, they needed the apostles’ laying of hands because the full manifestation of the Holy Spirit wasn’t manifested earlier. The impartation of spiritual gifts and graces take place at this second stage. Unlike the Charismatics or Pentecostals, this is not perceived as “second blessing” but a reinterpretation from the epistle’s teachings. 

Others suggests that salvation is a two-stage experience. In other words, initiation into Christ is a two-stage experience.  Even in this view there are two different groups with variation to it.  The Roman Catholics and the Pentecostals (Charismatics) belonged here. To the Pentecostals, the initiation in Christ at the 1st stage requires conversion: faith and regeneration; however, the second stage takes place later when the Spirit baptizes the person with miraculous gifts thereby, completing the initiatory rite into Christ. Better known as “second blessing.” This is inward and spiritual in emphasis.

The Roman Catholics however, suggests that stage one of initiation into Christ is via the sacrament of water baptism whereby a priest with authority would baptize the individual; followed by stage 2 whereby the laying of hands confer the gift of Holy Spirit. This is largely outward and ceremonial.  Both still requires 2-stage. This Acts 8 passage provides the proof text for such position.

Another view prsented by the Landmark Baptists (not in name necessarily but in conviction) suggests that the apostles needed to be present because otherwise the Samaritan church would have no authority to exist & call itself a church.  By implication, without proper authority, its future pastors and ministry have no valid reason to do biblical ministry. According to the Landmark theory, successionism requires proper authority conferred by the ’sending’ or ‘mother’ church. Thus apostles had to travel that distance for that purpose.  Thus even today, there are those who would incline themselves to trace their lineage to ensure legality of existence. This is unbiblical let alone untenable.  Of course, we wonder if Philip wasn’t ‘authorized’ in the first place to evangelize the lost. If so, why wouldn’t the Samaritan church be ‘authorized’?

In view of the brief survey of various interpretation of this passage, how then do we have a sound interpretation of Scripture? The principle of hermeneutics suggests that we remember the unity of Scripture and therefore let scripture interprets scripture. That it, using the clear passages of scripture pertaining to salvation to explain unclear or obscure passages rather than the other way around.  This principle is applicable where the context is unclear.

We begin first by asking, what is biblical salvation? What takes place at the point of conversion?  The Epistles states clearly that at salvation the Holy Spirit is given to the person (Eph 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit seals the believer at conversion. The Holy Spirit comes to indwell the believer and secures and preserves his eternal salvation. The sealing of which Paul speaks refers to an official mark of identification placed on a letter, contract, or other document. That document was thereby officially under the authority of the person whose stamp was on the seal. Four primary truths are signified by the seal: 1) security (cf. Dan. 6:17; Matt. 27:62–66); 2) authenticity (cf. 1 Kin. 21:6–16); 3) ownership (cf. Jer. 32:10); and 4) authority (cf. Esth. 8:8–12). The Holy Spirit is given by God as His pledge of the believer’s future inheritance in glory (cf. 2 Cor. 1:21).

This is critical because Holy Spirit testify to the believer’s sonship to God (Rom 8:9, 14). Moreover that this is an instantaneous occurrence means there is no 2-stage events that take place.  Besides Paul also teaches that the Holy Spirit at salvation places the person into Christ (1 Cor 12:13). This is called baptism of the Holy Spirit.  So to say that Acts 8 teaches a 2 stage initiation into Christ is wrong.  Besides the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not something to pray for but to acknowledge as truth because it is promised by Christ. 

Why then is this anomaly? Interpretation of a passage requires one understand the historical context especially of narrative passage.  Remember the longstanding hostility between Jews and Gentiles that has been in existence for centuries.  In reaction to the Jews’ rejection of them, the Samaritans set up a rival religious group akin to Judaism except that they retain the Pentateuch while rejecting the other books of the OT. They changed the Temple location to Gerezim too.  Jesus Christ rebuke the Samaritan woman that she worships what she know not. The hour will come when people will worship God in Spirit and in truth. The hour finally came when Philip preached the Messiah and the Kingdom of God to the Samaritans. They believed but the Holy Spirit didn’t descend as in the usual cases because both Jews and Samaritans needed to know there are no rival Christian churches. a brand new entity has come into existence.  The Holy Spirit given to the Samaritans assures them that they are of the same calibre as the Jews; whereas the Jews need to acknowledge that the Holy Spirit also descended on the Samaritans just as He did on them. So they needed to accept them as brethren. This truth is later elucidated in Ephesians 2:11-22.  I believe Paul’s explanation regarding the Body of Christ is to clearly spell out to both Jews and Gentiles that they are not NT Israel but a new entity call the Church whose existence hinges on their vital living relationship to Christ; and their unity hinges on the relationship between members of the same Body; to the Head. 

So Luke the author of Acts show the reader that in Christ, all is now One – one faith, one Lord, one baptism.  No more rival factions – Jews vs Samaritans. But that in Christ, the Head of the Church – the Body of Christ – all have equal standing as the Church – comprising of Jews & Gentiles.  This truth cannot be clearer than that which Paul explains in Eph 1:18-2:22.