Living in the Image of God M05S04
The account of Simon the Sorcerer illustrates Christ teaching that there could be wolves among the sheep: people that embed themselves among followers of Christ but are motivated by a selfish and dangerous purpose. Given time and opportunity, they will show themselves through interactions with others. Simon the Sorcerer was hungry for personal power and embedded himself among members of the early church in Samaria, pretending to be one of them. He was, however, motivated by envy for the power he saw in the apostles and desired to acquire similar power for personal greatness. His intention was not recognized initially but revealed itself when he offered money to buy the power of God he saw in the apostles. Peter rebuked him and advised him to repent and pray for forgiveness.
We discuss the account of Simon the Sorcerer to advance understanding of Christ teaching regarding wolves in sheep’s clothing: people that embed themselves among followers of Christ but are motivated by a selfish and dangerous purpose. The teaching provides a two-part message. First, he warns that there could be wolves among the sheep. Second, he calls for patience regarding the wolves, because they will show themselves through interactions with others, given time and opportunity. The message calls for cautious vigilance regarding motivations among the Christian family: those living to follow Jesus and love people and others seeking camouflage for a selfish and nefarious motivation.
The account of Simon the Sorcerer provides an excellent illustration of wolves in sheep’s clothing. He was a widely admired magician in Samaria that embedded himself among Christian followers of the apostle Philip, during the early history of the church there. Several members of the early church in Jerusalem left after the death of Stephen. One of them, Philip, arrived in Samaria and began to grow the church there. Simon the Sorcerer embedded himself among followers of Philip and pretended to be one of them. However, his motivation was that he admired the power he saw in Philip and sought to gain similar power for personal greatness. The Christians did not recognize his intentions initially.
Later, Peter and John arrived in Samaria to assist with growing the church there. They led people to receive the Holy Spirit by laying hands on them. Simon the Sorcerer offered money to Peter and John to purchase the power to give the Holy Spirit. Through this action, he revealed his real motivation for following along with the Christians: he was seeking personal greatness that he hoped to achieve by acquiring the power he saw in the Apostles. Peter rebuked him and advised him to pray for forgiveness, for seeking to buy the power of God with money.
Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing
Christ teaching regarding wolves in sheep’s clothing provides a two-part message. First, he warns every Christian to watch out for possible wolves among the sheep. Second, he encourages every Christian to be patient regarding such people; because wolves among the sheep will show themselves, given time and opportunity [Matthew 7:15]: “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” That is, wolves among the sheep refers to people that embed themselves among followers of Christ but are motivated by a selfish and dangerous purpose.
Jesus uses the analogy of a tree and its fruit to explain that the wolves will show themselves given time and opportunity [Matthew 7:16–20]: “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”
Given time and opportunity, the wolves will show themselves through interactions with others, by words or deed, like bad trees show themselves through bad fruit. A good tree bears good fruit but a bad tree bears bad fruit. Therefore, “by their fruit you will recognize them.”
The account of Simon the Sorcerer, a wolf among the sheep that the early Christians encountered in Samaria, provides an excellent illustration of Christ’s teaching regarding wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Simon the Sorcerer
Simon the Sorcerer was a magician that lived in Samaria during the planting and growth of the church there. He amazed people with his magic. He proclaimed himself great. Several people followed him and associated his power with the power of God [Acts 8:9–10]: “Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, ‘This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.’”
When the apostle Philip arrived in Samaria and began to win people over with the message of Jesus, Simon the Sorcerer embedded himself among the followers of Philip and presented himself as one of them. His real motivation, however, was that he was astonished by the power he saw in Philip and wished to acquire similar power to grow his personal greatness [Acts 8:13]: “Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.”
He presented himself as a Christian and followed Philip among the other believers. However, later events will show that his real motivation was his personal ambition to acquire the great power he saw in Philip.
Peter and John in Samaria
The church in Jerusalem sent Peter and John to assist with growing the church in Samaria. They arrived in Samaria and began to pray for the new Christians to receive the Holy Spirit. The new Christians had received the gospel, were baptized in the name of Jesus, but had not received the Holy Spirit [Acts 8:15–16]: “When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Simon the Sorcerer Sought to Buy Power of God
The interactions of Peter and John with members of the new church in Samaria provided an opportunity for Simon the Sorcerer to show himself as a wolf among the sheep. The believers received the Holy Spirit when Peter and John prayed for them and laid hands on them. Simon the Sorcerer was amazed at the power manifest in the apostles. He offered money to Peter and John that they may give him the same power: “When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he 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 8:18–19].
Peter Rebukes Simon the Sorcerer
Peter rebuked Simon the Sorcerer for the wickedness he showed through his offer [Acts 8:20–21]: “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.” He advised him to repent and pray for forgiveness [Acts 8:22-23]: “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. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”
Note that Peter’s rebuke of Simon the Sorcerer included an opportunity for him to repent and pray for forgiveness. The Sorcerer requested prayer against what he feared might happen to him, which is quite different from repentance and prayer for forgiveness: “Then Simon answered, ‘Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me’” [Acts 8:24].
Summary of What We Learned
The account of Simon the Sorcerer illustrates Christ teaching that there could be wolves among the sheep: people that embed themselves among followers of Christ but are motivated by a selfish and dangerous purpose. Given time and opportunity, they will show themselves through interactions with others.
Simon the Sorcerer was hungry for personal power and embedded himself among members of the early church in Samaria, pretending to be one of them. He was, however, motivated by envy for the power he saw in the apostles and desired to acquire similar power for personal greatness. His intention was not recognized initially but revealed itself when he offered money to buy the power of God he saw in the apostles. Peter rebuked him and advised him to repent and pray for forgiveness.