Simon The Sorcerer In The Bible

What were the origins of Catholic-Babylonian Christianity?What was Simon Magus' religion before he met the apostlePeter? Where did that religion originate? Read in this articlethe detailed and documented account of Simon Magus andhis great COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANITY!by Ernest L. Martin and John D.

KeyserTHE FALSE religious system began very early - almost with Pentecost in 31 A.D.Even in the earliest of Paul’s epistles, he informs us that 'the mystery ofiniquity DOTH ALREADY WORK' (II Thess. Paul wrote this in 50 or 51 ADThe plot to supplant the Truth had already begun. In the later epistles of Pauland in those of the other apostles, we find it gaining considerable momentum.However, even though the apostles discuss the diabolical system which was arising,THEY NOWHERE MENTION HOW IT STARTED. They had no need in mentioning its beginning- that had already been done!The book of Acts is the KEY to the understanding of Christian beginnings.Not only does it show the commencement of the TRUE Church, but it equally revealsthe origins of the False Church masquerading as Christianity. Indeed, you wouldthink it odd if the book of Acts did not discuss this vital subject.The Book of Acts - the KeyFirst, let us recall two points of necessary understanding:1) The book of Acts was written by Luke about 62 AD some 31 years afterthe True Church began. Acts recalls ALL events which affected, in a major way,the True Church.

It especially tells us about the beginnings of matters relatingto Church history.2) Acts does NOT record every single event relative to the Church, importantas one might think them to be.For example, Luke doesn't mention a single thing about the activities of theoriginal twelve apostles of the Messiah. Yet are we to assume that they didnothing important in the history of the Church? Absolutely NOT! They must havedone many mighty works. But we can see from this omission that Luke recordedONLY THOSE EVENTS WHICH WERE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY for YEHOVAH’s Church of thefuture to know.Notice that Luke’s geography leads him towards the Northwest and West of Palestine.He discusses Church history in Asia Minor, Greece and ROME. He wanted to leaveus with the truth of what was going on in the West and North because the propheciesshowed the false system arising in these localities.All other activities of YEHOVAH’s Church - all about the other ten apostles,etc. fall into relative unimportance because the trouble wasn't going tocome from Palestine itself.

It was to come from ROME and adjacent areas. Itis no wonder that Luke spares no pains to tell us the truth of what was reallygoing on in these critical areas, and that is the reason Acts concerns itselfprimarily with Paul.These are well-known principles that help us understand the overall viewpointof Acts.With the foregoing in mind, read the incident recorded by Luke, of the firstencounter of YEHOVAH’s apostles with a heretic. This encounter was not withan ordinary run-of-the-mill individual, but with one of the greatest men inthe East at that time - Simon the Magus!The reason Luke describes the intentions of this man so thoroughly is theprofound effect this man, and his followers, had on YEHOVAH’s Church in AsiaMinor, Greece, and ESPECIALLY ROME. Actually, this man by 62 AD, (when Lukecomposed the book of Acts) had caused the True Church so much trouble that Lukehad to show the people that he was NOT, as he claimed to be, a part of the ChristianChurch.All scholars realize that Luke tells about Simon’s beginning because of hislater notoriety and danger to the Church.In this regard, notice the comment of Hasting’s Dictionary of the ApostolicChurch, Vol. Hunting simulator 2 codes fandom.

Simon Magus, also known as Simon the Sorcerer or Simon the Magician, was a religious figure whose confrontation with Peter is recorded in Acts 8:9–24. The act of simony, or paying for position and influence in the church, is named after Simon. According to Acts, Simon was a Samaritan magus or religious figure of the 1st century AD and a convert to Christianity, baptised by Philip the Evangelist. Simon later clashed with Peter. Accounts of Simon by writers of the second century exist, but. This man is usually spoken of as Simon Magus, “sorcerer,” or “magician.” According to Justin Martyr (First Apology 26) he was born at Gitto, a village of Samaria. He was known for using sorcery or one “who formerly was practicing magic in the city” (Acts 8).

496: 'It seems beyond question that Luke KNEW THEREPUTATION which Simon acquired, and that he regarded the subsequent historyof Simon as the natural result of what occurred in the beginning of his connectionwith the Christians.' If we assume that Luke recorded this encounter of the apostles with Simon Magussimply to show that 'simony' was wrong, we miss the point completely. Thereis a score of places in other parts of the Bible to show the error of buyingecclesiastical gifts.Luke was exposing SIMON MAGUS HIMSELF.

This IS the important point!! Lukewas clearly showing that Simon was NEVER a part of YEHOVAH’s Church, even thoughby 62 AD, many people were being taught that Simon was truly a Christian -taught that he was the HEAD of the only TRUE Christians; the apostle to theGentiles!What Luke Tells Us About Simon MagusNotice the points Luke places clearly before us -1) Simon was a Samaritan, not a Jew - (Acts 8:9).

Remember that theBible tells us salvation was of the Jews - not of the Samaritans (John 4:22).2) Simon Magus greatly used demonistic powers to do miracles and wonders(Acts 8:9).3) The whole population of Samaria (both small and great) gave heedto him (Verse 10). He was looked on as the greatest prophet - all Samaria BELIEVEDIN HIM!4) The Samaritans WORSHIPPED him as 'the Great One' - a god. 'Thisman is that power of God called Great that is the Almighty' (RSV.

Verse 10).Imagine it!

Question: 'Who was Simon the Sorcerer?' Answer:Simon the Sorcerer, sometimes referred to as Simon Magus or Simon of Gitta, is mentioned by Luke in Acts 8:9–24. He appeared in the wake of the newly established church in Samaria. A minor figure in New Testament history, Simon also appears in in which his character and biography are expanded upon, but these accounts are unlikely to be historically reliable due to the nature of these writings and their anonymous authors.It is not clear where Simon was born. In the book of Acts it is stated that he “amazed all the people of Samaria” (Acts 8:9), but the account does not identify him as a Samaritan himself. Christian apologist Justin Martyr is believed to have propagated the idea that Simon was a Samaritan from the city of Gitta, and this has been accepted in early church tradition and today by some church historians.

The Jew called Simon who “pretended to be a magician” is referred to by the historian Josephus ( Antiquities of the Jews, book 20, chapter 7), but this appears to be a different historical figure, as he was born in Cyprus.Sorcery, which is strongly condemned by God (Deuteronomy 18:9–13), was common in the ancient world, and, while some acts and demonstrations were no more than illusions of the mind, others were empowered by Satan in an attempt to discredit the power of God (Matthew 24:24; 2 Thessalonians 2:9). It appears Simon was the latter, as Luke states that he had amazed the Samaritans “for a long time with his sorcery” (Acts 8:11), some even declaring that he was “the great Power of God” (Acts 8:10), a messianic title. Interestingly, however, Simon’s empowerment by Satan did not include loyalty to the demonic. In the wake of hearing and seeing the disciple Philip “as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ' (Acts 8:12), Simon was baptized into the early church and “followed Philip everywhere” (Acts 8:13).The Bible says that “the Holy Spirit had not yet come” upon the Samaritans (Acts 8:16). Later, the apostles Peter and John arrived, at which time the Spirit came upon the believers. Simon witnessed this event and “offered them money and said, ‘Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 8:19–20).

At this point, Peter strongly reprimands Simon for his greed and states that he needs to “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” (Acts 8:22). Fearful of the apostle’s words, Simon pleads with Peter to pray to the Lord on his behalf.After this event, the Bible never again refers to Simon the Sorcerer. It would appear, contrary to apocryphal and Gnostic texts that seek to glorify his role as sorcerer and his previous satanic abilities, that Simon was repentant and may have continued to be a member of the local church in Samaria. However, Justin Martyr and other Christian apologists like Irenaeus insist he was an antichrist and continued his sorcery, even founding Gnosticism itself. The greed of Simon is recalled in the modern word simony, “using religion as a means of profit.”Contemporary Christians should take from the account of Simon that the church, even today, must be careful of those claiming to possess supernatural abilities, and those claiming to be Christians who desire to “buy the gift of God with money,” for their 'heart is not right before God” (Acts 8:20–21).Recommended Resource.