Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 8:16
(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
16. they were baptized in [into] the name, &c.] The preposition, which is the same that is used by Christ (Mat 28:19) at the institution of the Sacrament, implies the tie by which the new converts are in baptism bound to Christ as His followers, servants, worshippers.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He was fallen – This expression is several times applied to the Holy Spirit, Act 10:44; Act 11:15. It does not differ materially from the common expression, The Holy Spirit descended. It means that he came from heaven; and the expression to fall, applied to his influences, denotes the rapidity and suddenness of his coming. Compare Act 19:2.
In the name of the Lord Jesus – See the notes on Act 2:38. See also Act 10:48; Act 19:5-6.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
For as yet he was fallen upon none of them; by which it is plain that the Holy Ghost as the author of saving grace, is not here meant, for so he was fallen upon all them that did believe, for faith is the gift of God; but he was not yet bestowed upon them as the author of those extraordinary gifts mentioned Act 2:4.
They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus:
1. They were baptized by his authority and commission, Mat 28:19.
2. By baptism they now belong unto and are united with him; they are baptized into Jesus Christ, Rom 6:3.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them,…. They had received him as a spirit of illumination and sanctification, and as, a spirit of conversion and faith; they had been regenerated, enlightened, and sanctified by him; and were converted by him, and brought to believe in Christ, and live, by faith upon him; they were baptized believers, and no more; as yet, none of them had gifts qualifying them for the ministry; and still less could any of them speak with tongues, or prophesy, or work miracles; the Holy Ghost had not yet descended on them for such purposes:
only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus: all as yet appeared in them was, that they were believers in Christ, and had been baptized in his name, upon a profession of their faith; and more than this they had been called to, or qualified for: the word “only”, does not respect the form of baptism, as if they had been baptized only in the name of Christ; whereas they were doubtless baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; but refers to baptism itself, which was the only ordinance as yet administered to them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He was fallen ( ). Periphrastic past perfect active of , old verb. The participle is neuter here because of the grammatical gender of , but the translation should be “he” (natural gender), not “it.” We should not use “it” for the Holy Spirit.
Only they had been baptized ( ). Periphrastic past perfect passive of with (see verse 9 ), instead of .
Into the name ( ). Better, in the name (see on 2:38).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
They were [] . See on Jas 2:15. Rev., more literally, had been.
In the name [ ] . Lit., “into the name.” See on Mt 28:19.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them:(oudepo gar en ep’ oudeni auton epipeptokos) “Because he was not yet having fallen on any (a) one of them,” of the baptized believers, just as he had not on certain believers (disciples) at Ephesus in Asia Minor. Apostles were to “lay hands,” for conferring the gifts of the Holy Spirit, only upon baptized believers, a thing Paul verified before laying hands on certain brethren of Ephesus, Act 19:1-7.
2) “Only they were baptized,” (monon de bebaptismenoi huperchon) “They were (as yet) only having been baptized,” as believers, as disciples, in proper scriptural order, Mat 28:18-20, but had not received any special spiritual gift, 1Co 12:1-11; Act 19:2. This does not negate the baptism of Philip, but merely strengthens the concept of the need of scriptural baptism before one received the spiritual gifts.
3) “In the name of the Lord Jesus. “ (eis to onoma tou kuriou lesou) “In the name (by the authority) of the Lord Jesus,” as He had authorized His disciples. They first made believers or disciples, then baptized them, then taught them to observe, follow, or obey the call and teachings of Jesus Christ, Col 3:17. To be baptized (into), with reference to the Lord Jesus, means to be baptized or immersed, rising to follow and to serve Jesus as Master and Lord of life, Eph 2:10.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
16. But here ariseth a question, for he saith that they were only baptized into the name of Christ, and that therefore they had not as yet received the Holy Ghost; but baptism must either be in vain and without grace, or else it must have all the force which it hath from the Holy Ghost. In baptism we are washed from our sins; but Paul teacheth that our washing is the work of the Holy Ghost, (Tit 3:5.) The water used in baptism is a sign of the blood of Christ; but Peter saith, that it is the Spirit by whom we are washed with the blood of Christ (1Pe 1:2.) Our old man is crucified in baptism, that we may be raised up unto newness of life, (Rom 6:6😉 and whence cometh all this save only from the sanctification of the Spirit? And, finally, what shall remain in baptism if it be separate from the Spirit? (Gal 3:27.) Therefore, we must not deny but that the Samaritans, who had put on Christ, indeed, in baptism, had also his Spirit given them; and surely Luke speaketh not in this place of the common grace of the Spirit, whereby God doth regenerate us, that we may be his children, but of those singular gifts wherewith God would have certain endued at the beginning of the gospel to beautify Christ’s kingdom. Thus must the words of John be understood, that the disciples had not the Spirit given them as yet, forasmuch as Christ was yet conversant in the world; not that they were altogether destitute of the Spirit, seeing that they had from the same both faith, and a godly desire to follow Christ; but because they were not furnished with those excellent gifts, wherein appeared afterwards greater glory of Christ’s kingdom. To conclude, forasmuch as the Samaritans were already endtied with the Spirit of adoptioni the excellent graces of the Spirit are heaped upon them, in which God showed to his Church, for a time as it were, the visible presence of his Spirit, that he might establish for ever the authority of his gospel, and also testify that his Spirit shall be always the governor and director of the faithful.
They were only baptized. We must not understand this as spoken contemptuously of baptism; but Luke’s meaning is, that they were only endued then with the grace of common adoption and regeneration, which is offered to all the godly in baptism. As for this, it was an extraordinary thing that certain should have the gifts of the Spirit given them, which might serve to set forth the kingdom of Christ and the glory of the gospel; for this was the use thereof, that every one might profit the Church according to the measure of his ability. We must note this, therefore, because, while the Papists will set up their feigned confirmation, they are not afraid to break out into this sacrilegious speech, that they are but half Christians upon whom the hands have not been as yet laid. This is not tolerable now because, whereas this was a sign which lasted only for a time, they made it a continual law in the Church, as if they had the Spirit in readiness to give to whomsoever they would. We know that when the testimony and pledge of God’s grace is set before us in vain, and without the thing itself, it is too filthy mockery; but even they themselves are enforced to grant that the Church was beautified for a time only with these gifts; whereupon it followeth that the laying on of hands which the apostles used had an end when the effect ceased. I omit that, that they added oil unto the laying on of hands, (Mar 6:13😉 but this, as I have already said, was a point of too great boldness, to prescribe a perpetual law to the Church, that that might be a general sacrament, which was peculiarly used amongst the apostles, (Gal 3:7; Rom 6:6😉 that the sign might continue still after that the thing itself was ceased; and with this they joined detestable blasphemy, because they said that sins were only forgiven by baptism, and that the Spirit of regeneration is given by that rotten oil which they presumed to bring in without the Word of God. The Scripture doth testify that we put on Christ in baptism, and that we are engrafted into his body, that our old man may be crucified, and we renewed into righteousness. These sacrilegious robbers have translated that to adorn the false visor of their sacrament which they have taken from baptism. (516) Neither was this the invention of one man only, but the decree of one council, whereof they babble daily in all their schools.
(516) “ Detracta baptismo spolia,” the spoils taken from baptism.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(16) As yet he was fallen upon none of them.The same verb is used of the gift of the Spirit in Act. 10:44; Act. 11:15, and of Peters trance in Act. 10:10. It is manifestly used to express an unlooked-for change in a mans normal state of consciousness, the sudden advent of new powers and feelings.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
Ver. 16. For as yet he was fallen upon none of them ] sc. In those extraordinary gifts of tongues and miracles.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Act 8:16 . : the verb is characteristic of St. Luke, and used by him both in his Gospel and in Acts of the occurrence of extraordinary conditions, e.g. , the sudden influence of the Spirit, cf. Luk 1:12 , Act 10:44 ; Act 11:15 ; Act 19:17 , cf. Rev 11:11 (Act 10:10 cannot be supported, and in Act 13:11 read ). Similar usage in LXX, Exo 15:16 , 1Sa 26:12 , Psa 54:4 , Jdt 2:28 ; Jdt 11:11 , etc. Friedrich, Das Lucasevangelium , p. 41 For the word as used by St. Luke in another sense also characteristic of him, see below on Act 20:37 , and Plummer on Act 15:20 . On the formula of baptism see above p. 91, and “Baptism,” B.D. 2 , p. 352, and Hastings’ B.D. here perhaps = “made a beginning,” took the first step (Lumby).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
none = no one. Greek. oudeis. There is a double negative in the sentence.
were = had been. Greek. huparcho See Luk 9:48.
baptized in = baptized into. App-115.
Jesus. App-98. See App-185.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
he was: Act 10:44-46, Act 11:15-17, Act 19:2
only: Act 2:38, Act 10:47, Act 10:48, Act 19:5, Act 19:6, Mat 28:19, 1Co 1:13-15
Reciprocal: Heb 6:2 – the doctrine
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6
Act 8:16. These people had obeyed the Gospel but had not received the Holy Ghost, which shows that the gift was not bestowed simultaneously with baptism.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 8:16. For as yet he was fallen upon none of them. It has been often asked whether this was owing to any defect in the faith of the Samaritans. Nothing, however, in the history would lead us to suppose that this was the case. The opinion of Chrysostom, followed by many modern commentators, supplies the most probable answer: Philip could not bestow the Holy Ghost, because he was not an apostle. The plain truth seems to be: none but the apostles were empowered to bestow this mighty gift. The early cessation of miraculous power in the Church is discussed briefly in the Excursus at the end of this chapter. The special duty of imposition of hands on the baptized, up to this time exclusively belonged to the apostles. It appears subsequently to have passed to the Episcopal order, which, before the close of the first century, undoubtedly arose in the Christian Church; but while the solemn right to lay hands on the baptized, and thus formally to invoke the blessed presence of the Holy Ghost, was inherited by the bishops from the apostles, it does not seem that the power of working miracles was ever communicated by the imposition of hands, by any save the apostles themselves.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 14