So for Simon the magician, having seen miracles first hand, there is a more pronounced moment of choice or greater accountability than for someone having seen no miracles.īut we aren't told what happened with him later.Your IP address has been temporarily blocked due to a large number of HTTP requests. 24But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.” e For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 23And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. 22But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. " 20Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. One thing though that may explain the intense situation is that this is a very special time with big miracles happening, great signs - for those who either directly saw Christ, or directly saw miracles performed by the apostles, is that they have very direct evidence and thus more than we do here in this day, first hand, so that they would have less excuse!įor instance, consider the towns that rejected Christ Himself in person: But his heart was not right when he wanted to purchase the spirit of course, so we can surmise he hadn't yet truly been born again. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise-men/Magi/ magoi from the east to Jerusalem,Ĭlick to expand.We are doing some guessing, since after the crucial request to be prayed for, perhaps, maybe, he was indeed turned (we aren't told). Now they were giving heed to him because for a long time he had amazed them with the magic-arts/sorceries/ mageiaiV.Īnother form is #3097 which is used 5 times.ģ of those concerning the 3 Maji in Matt 2 (figuratively) an Antichristian party:-Magog magog mag-ogue' of Hebrew origin (4031) Magog, a foreign nation, i.e. Oriental scientist by implication, a magician:-sorcerer, wise man.ģ098. magos mag'-os of foreign origin (7248) a Magian, i.e. mag euo mag-yoo'-o from 3097 to practice magic:-use sorcery.ģ097. Strong's Concordance with Hebrew and Greek Lexiconģ095. Using a concordance we can see where and how that word is used in other places in the NT The first 3 letters are " mag", ĩ Now a certain man named Simon had formerly been practicing sorcery/ magic/mageuwn in the city and amazing the people of Samaria, declaring himself to be someone great, (by extension) magic (literally or figuratively):- sorcery, witchcraft.] pharmakeia far-mak-i'-ah from 5332 medication ("pharmacy"), i.e. [ Also #5531 is another word used for sorcery/magic, and where we get "pharmacy" from, interestingĥ331.
It comes from #3097 and there are a few various forms of that word and is probably where we get the word "magic" from. The greek word #3096 used in vs 9 is only used this one time. Couldn't they have just explained it to him? What was so wicked about thinking he could buy that ability? He didn't know! So again, was he saved? He was described as a believer, after all.Ĭlick to expand.Acts 8:9-24 is a rather eye-opening event. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. Second, why were they so hard on Simon? Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. First, were any of those people saved and "sealed for the day of redemption" ( Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.) if they didn't even have the Holy Spirit yet? This brings up a few questions in my mind. Later, Simon was told that his "heart was not right before God" when he thought he could buy the gift of giving the Holy Spirit to people. But then again, nobody there who believed had the Holy Spirit either (verses 15-16). It's about a guy named Simon who was a magician or sorcerer (depending on the bible version) that was described as a believer of the Gospel (verse 13), but did not have the Holy Spirit. I came across something interesting in Acts 8:9-24.