THE CITY OF SAMARIA (Acts 8:5-17)
The next account of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is in the city of Samaria. Philip went to Samaria and began to preach to them about Jesus. The
whole city was stirred, many were healed, and many believed and were baptized in water. However, no one in the city received the BAPTISM of the Holy Spirit.
Luke records that
Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem
heard that Samaria had received the word of God,
they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they
were come down, prayed for them, that they might
receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen
upon none of them: only they were baptized in the
name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands
on them, and they received the Holy Ghost (Acts
8:14-16).
This account of the Samaritans receiving the BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
presents special problems for those who do not believe in a SUBSEQUENT experience of the BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT after SALVATION. Their usual answer is that the salvation experience of the Samaritans was faulty and they were not converted until Peter and John laid hands on them, even though the record states that "they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ" and that "they were baptized, both men and women" (Acts 8:12). On the other hand, Luke does not record that the Samaritans spoke in tongues when Peter and John laid hands on them that they might receive the BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT. So here we have a definite SUBSEQUENT experience of the BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT but we do not have the EVIDENCE of speaking in tongues.
Luke makes an interesting observation in this account of the outpouring of
the Holy Spirit:
(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only
there were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus)
(Acts 8:16).
On the Day of Pentecost Peter had established a formula for receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit:
Repent, and be baptized every one of you for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the
Holy Ghost (Acts 2:39).
For almost ten years this seemed to be the pattern for the believers to receive the BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT--repent, be baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. However, Luke, by reminding us of this pattern, sets the stage for a new development in spiritual experience: believers may receive the BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT before they are baptized in water. This occurs when Peter goes to the house of Cornelius to preach to the Gentiles.
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