So the point we are trying to make is that Simon was more intimately acquainted with the devil’s plan and program than the ordinary man on the street. We find this alluded to by Luke in verses 9 and 10. In reading commentaries and Bible Dictionaries concerning Simon, we find that he actually passed himself off to the Samaritan people as being deity! A former prostitute named Helen was his constant companion and his so-called "first divine idea", while people in both Samaria and Rome (later on) held him to be a god. (Just as a side note, I find it fascinating that God used these tools of the devil to provide gold, frankincense, and myrrh as gifts to the "Christ Child"-expensive gifts that provided the necessary finances to enable Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus to flee to Egypt when King Herod tried to kill all of the babies in Bethlehem!) These Magi considered themselves to be "adepts", or experts, in the field of the magical arts and apparently believed that there were various levels of this expertise-leading up to that of "ascended masters." Many of the religions of the world consider Jesus Christ to have been an ascended master on the same plane as Mohammed, Buddha, Confucius, Vishnu, etc., but nevertheless still just a man and not God Himself, come in human flesh. Luke informs us that this man had been a practitioner of the "magic arts" and we know from this description that he may have had some connection with the Babylonian "Magi." The Magi was the sect of "wise men" that we find in Babylon at the time of Daniel the prophet and also members of the group that visited the baby Jesus after He was born-as they followed the "Star of Bethlehem." They were known as followers of a sect called Zoroaster, and practiced astrology, fortune telling, and other occultic practices too numerous to mention, and were, accordingly, very ungodly, very occultic, men. We go from the "rejoicing" of verse 8, to the "but" of verse 9-which is the Holy Spirit’s way of warning us that Simon is to be watched! Even the smallest and seemingly insignificant words of Scripture carry great meaning if we are careful to note them. Notice that I emphasized the word "but" at the beginning of verse 9, by making it bold. And seeing signs and miracles of great power which were being performed, he was utterly amazed" (Parallel Bible, KJV/Amplified Bible Commentary, emphasis mine).
Even Simon himself believed- he adhered to, trusted in and relied upon the teaching of Philip-and after being baptized devoted himself constantly to him. But when they believed the good news (the Gospel) about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, as Philip preached it, they were baptized, both men and women. And they were attentive and made much of him, because for a long time he had amazed and bewildered and dazzled them with his skill in magic arts. They all paid earnest attention to him, saying This man is that exhibition of the power of God which is called Great (intense). "But there was a man named Simon who had formerly practiced magic arts in the city to the utter amazement of the Samaritan nation, claiming that he himself was an extraordinary and distinguished person. And there was great rejoicing in that city." For four spirits came out of many who were possessed by them, screaming and shouting with a loud voice, and many who were suffering from palsy or were crippled were restored to health. "Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed the Christ, the Messiah, to them and great crowds of people with one accord listened to and heeded what was said by Philip, as they heard him and watched the miracles and wonders which he kept performing. And beginning in verse 5 we read the following:
He is introduced to us by "the beloved physician" Luke, the human author of Acts. We have in the Book of Acts, chapter 8, a very interesting account of the man normally referred to as "Simon the sorcerer" (or " Magus", the Babylonian equivalent). Subtitle: Wherefore By Their Fruits Ye Shall Know Them (Matt.7:20)
TITLE: SIMON MAGUS, THE PROTOTYPE FOR THE DEVIL’S VERSION OF A "BELIEVER" "HOW CAN WE SURVIVE?" TRUSTING GOD'S PROMISES IN TIMES OF JUDGMENT
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