ActesChapitre 8

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Saul approved of Stephen's execution. That same day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.

Devout men buried Stephen and mourned him deeply.

But Saul was ravaging the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and threw them into prison.

Those who had been scattered went from place to place, preaching the word.

Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them.

The crowds listened with one mind to what Philip said, hearing him and seeing the signs he performed.

For unclean spirits came out of many who had them, shrieking with a loud voice, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.

So there was great joy in that city.

Now a man named Simon had been in the city for some time, practicing magic and astounding the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great.

Everyone, from the least to the greatest, paid attention to him and said, "This man is the power of God that is called Great."

They gave him their attention because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.

But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he stayed close to Philip, amazed at the signs and great miracles that were taking place.

When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.

They went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit,

for the Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money

and said, "Give me this authority too, so that anyone I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit."

But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy God's gift with money!

You have no part or share in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.

Repent, then, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

For I see that you are full of bitter gall and bound up in wickedness."

Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me, that none of what you have said may come upon me."

After they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages along the way.

An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip: "Get up and go south, to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is a desert road.

So he got up and went. And there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship,

and was on his way home, sitting in his chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah.

The Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and stay close to that chariot."

Philip ran up and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. "Do you understand what you are reading?" he asked.

"How can I," he said, "unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

This was the passage of Scripture he was reading: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth.

In his humiliation he was denied justice. Who can tell of his descendants? For his life is taken from the earth."

The eunuch said to Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet speaking about? Himself, or someone else?"

Then Philip began with that passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

As they traveled along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. What is to keep me from being baptized?"

Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."[^1] [^1]: This verse is not found in the earliest manuscripts.

He ordered the chariot to stop, and both of them went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and Philip baptized him.

When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.

Philip, however, found himself at Azotus, and he traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

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Résumé2

Chapitre 8

Main Theme: The gospel spreads to Samaria and to the ends of the earth through persecution and God's guidance.

Content: After Stephen's death, a great persecution breaks out in Jerusalem, and believers are scattered into Judea and Samaria. Philip proclaims Christ in Samaria with signs and healings, and many come to faith—including the magician Simon. When Peter and John arrive from Jerusalem, the new believers receive the Holy Spirit, but Simon tries to buy this gift and is sharply rebuked. Then God leads Philip to an Ethiopian court official who is reading Isaiah; Philip proclaims Jesus to him, and the official is baptized and continues on his way with joy.

Key Words/Images:

Persecution and Scattering: The persecution in Jerusalem paradoxically leads to the gospel spreading into new regions.
Simon the Magician: Warns against trying to buy God's gifts with money (simony).
The Ethiopian Court Official: Represents the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth and to all nations.
Isaiah 53: The prophecy about the suffering servant is interpreted as fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Contexte historique

Historical and Cultural Context for Acts 8

People

Philip (Φίλιππος) was one of the seven men chosen to serve at the tables in chapter 6, and must not be confused with the apostle Philip. He is later referred to as "Philip the evangelist" (Acts 21:8) and was the first to bring the gospel beyond Jewish circles on a large scale. His ministry in Samaria and toward the Ethiopian official represent important milestones in the spread of the gospel.

Simon (the Magician) was a well-known figure in Samaria who practiced magic (μαγεύων) and was credited with divine power by the people. Early church historians such as Irenaeus and Justin Martyr (himself from Samaria) refer to him as the founder of Gnostic heresy. The term "simony" – the buying and selling of spiritual offices – originates from his attempt to buy the power of the Holy Spirit. Historically, he represents a type of religious entrepreneur common in the Hellenistic world.

The Ethiopian official (εὐνοῦχος δυνάστης) was the treasurer under Candace (Κανδάκης), which was a dynastic title for queen mothers in the Nubian kingdom of Meroë (modern-day Sudan). The term "eunuch" could mean a castrated court official or simply a high-ranking officer. If he was actually castrated, according to Deuteronomy 23:1 he would have been excluded from full participation in temple worship, making his conversion theologically significant.

Places

Samaria was the region between Judea and Galilee, inhabited by Samaritans – a people of mixed Israelite and pagan origin following Assyrian deportations and population transfers in the 700s BC. Jews and Samaritans had an hostile relationship that had lasted for centuries. The Samaritans had their own sanctuary on Mount Gerizim and accepted only the five books of Moses as sacred scripture. Archaeological excavations at Sebaste (the Hellenistic city in Samaria) have revealed significant structures from the Hellenistic and Roman periods.

The road from Jerusalem to Gaza ran southwest toward the Mediterranean coast. Gaza was one of the ancient Philistine cities and served as an important trade hub on the route to Egypt. The addition "this is desert" (αὕτη ἐστὶν ἔρημος) may refer either to the fact that the road passed through wilderness, or to old Gaza which was destroyed in 96 BC and rebuilt closer to the coast.

Ashdod (Ἄζωτος) was the Greek name for the ancient Philistine city of Ashdod, one of the five Philistine cities. Caesarea (Καισάρεια) was the great port city built by Herod the Great, and later became Philip's home city (Acts 21:8). Archaeological excavations have revealed Herod's impressive harbor facilities and theater.

Events and Customs

Burial and mourning rituals (verse 2): The expression "made great lamentation" (κοπετὸν μέγαν) refers to traditional Jewish mourning practices that included loud weeping, beating the breast, and wailing. That "devout men" (ἄνδρες εὐλαβεῖς) performed this for Stephen even though he had been executed as a blasphemer was a courageous act demonstrating that they recognized him as righteous.

Magic in the Hellenistic world: Simon's practice (μαγεύων) was part of a widespread phenomenon in antiquity. Magicians often combined elements from various religious traditions and claimed access to divine powers. Papyrus finds from Egypt (the so-called "Greek magical papyri") document extensive magical practices during this period, including spells, amulets, and rituals.

Jewish pilgrimage: The fact that the Ethiopian official had gone to Jerusalem to worship (προσκυνήσων) and owned a scroll of Isaiah indicates that he was either a Jewish proselyte or "God-fearing" (a Gentile who worshipped the God of Israel without full conversion). Scrolls were expensive, and his possession of the prophecy of Isaiah demonstrates both his wealth and his religious seriousness.

Key Terms

"The power of God, which is called Great" (ἡ Δύναμις τοῦ θεοῦ ἡ καλουμένη Μεγάλη) was the title given to Simon by the people. "Power" (δύναμις) was a common circumlocution for divine beings in Jewish and Samaritan thought. The Samaritans expected a Taheb (a Moses-like restorer), and Simon may have exploited such expectations.

Laying on of hands (ἐπίθεσις τῶν χειρῶν) was an established Jewish practice for blessing, ordination, and the transfer of authority. In this context it is connected with the imparting of the Holy Spirit, demonstrating the unique authority of the apostles in the early church.

"Bitter gall and a chain of unrighteousness" (χολὴν πικρίας καὶ σύνδεσμον ἀδικίας) in verse 23 is an allusion to Deuteronomy 29:18 (Septuagint), which warns against idolatry. Peter uses this Old Testament language to describe Simon's spiritual condition.

Chapter-Specific Findings

The Kingdom of Meroë and Candace: Archaeological excavations in Sudan have uncovered pyramids and temples from the Meroitic kingdom, which flourished from approximately 300 BC to 300 AD. Inscriptions confirm that "Candace" was a royal title used by several queens and queen mothers. This kingdom had extensive trade connections with the Mediterranean world and known contacts with the Jewish world.

Early Ethiopian Christianity: The tradition of the Ethiopian church claims that the official, often called Simeon Bachos, brought the gospel to Ethiopia and founded the Christian church there. Although this cannot be confirmed historically, it testifies to the chapter's significance for Ethiopian Christian identity. The Ethiopian church is one of the world's oldest Christian traditions.

Personnages7

Isaiah2 Stephen1 Jesus3 Philip13 John1 The Holy Spirit1 Peter6

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Mots-clés

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Chronologie4