SEV Biblia, Chapter 8:5
Entonces Felipe, descendiendo a la ciudad de Samaria, les predicaba el Cristo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 8:5
Verse 5. Then Philip] One of the seven deacons, chap. vi. 5, called afterwards, Philip the Evangelist, chap. xxi. 8. The city of Samaria] At this time there was no city of Samaria existing: according to Josephus, Ant. lib. xiii. cap. 10, sect. 3, Hyrcanus had so utterly demolished it as to leave no vestige of it remaining. Herod the Great did afterwards build a city on the same spot of ground; but he called it sebasth i.e. Augusta, in compliment to the Emperor Augustus, as Josephus tells us, Ant. lib. xv. cap. 8, sect. 5; War, lib. i. cap. 2. sect. 7; and by this name of Sebast, or Augusta, that city, if meant here, would in all probability have been called, in the same manner as the town called Strato's Tower, (which Herod built on the sea coasts, and to which he gave the name of Caesarea, in compliment to Augustus Caesar,) is always called Caesarea, wherever it is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. Bp. Pearce.
As Sychem was the very heart and seat of the Samaritan religion, and Mount Gerizim the cathedral church of that sect, it is more likely that it should be intended than any other. See Lightfoot. As the Samaritans received the same law with the Jews, as they also expected the Messiah, as Christ had preached to and converted many of that people, John iv. 39-42, it was very reasonable that the earliest offers of salvation should be made to them, before any attempt was made to evangelize the Gentiles. The Samaritans, indeed, formed the connecting link between the Jews and the Gentiles; for they were a mongrel people, made up of both sorts, and holding both Jewish and Pagan rites. See the account of them on Matt. x. 5.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 5. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria , etc.] The city which was formerly called Samaria, but now Sebaste; it had been destroyed by Hyrcanus, and was rebuilt by Herod; and called by him, in honour of Augustus, by the name of Sebaste f388 ; and so R. Benjamin says f389 , that from Luz he came in a day to Sebaste, wrmw ayh , this is Samaria; where yet may be discerned the palace of Ahab king of Israel -and from thence are two parsas to Neapolis, this is Sichem.
Which last place, Sichem, is by Josephus said to be the metropolis of Samaria; and is thought by Dr. Lightfoot to be the city Philip went to, and where our Lord had before been, and preached to the conversion of many persons: this place lay lower than Jerusalem, and therefore Philip is said to go down to it; and who was not Philip the apostle, but Philip the deacon, for the apostles abode at Jerusalem; and beside, though this Philip preached the Gospel, and baptized, and wrought miracles, yet did not lay on hands, in order that persons might receive the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost; this was peculiar to the apostles, and therefore Peter and John came down for this purpose, when they heard of the success of Philips ministry: the subject matter of which follows: and preached Christ unto them ; that Christ was come in the flesh, that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, and that he was the Son of God, and the alone Saviour of men; who by his obedience, sufferings, and death, had wrought righteousness, procured peace and pardon, and obtained eternal redemption for his people; and was risen again, and ascended into heaven, and was set down at the right hand of God, where he ever lived to make intercession, and would come again a second time to judge both quick and dead.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 5-13 - As far as the gospel prevails, evil spirits are dislodged, particularl unclean spirits. All inclinations to the lusts of the flesh which wa against the soul are such. Distempers are here named, the mos difficult to be cured by the course of nature, and most expressive of the disease of sin. Pride, ambition, and desire after grandeur have always caused abundance of mischief, both to the world and to the church. The people said of Simon, This man is the great power of God See how ignorant and thoughtless people mistake. But how strong is the power of Divine grace, by which they were brought to Christ, who is Truth itself! The people not only gave heed to what Philip said, but were fully convinced that it was of God, and not of men, and gave u themselves to be directed thereby. Even bad men, and those whose heart still go after covetousness, may come before God as his people come and for a time continue with them. And many wonder at the proofs of Divine truths, who never experience their power. The gospel preache may have a common operation upon a soul, where it never produced inwar holiness. All are not savingly converted who profess to believe the gospel.
Greek Textus Receptus
φιλιππος 5376 N-NSM δε 1161 CONJ κατελθων 2718 5631 V-2AAP-NSM εις 1519 PREP πολιν 4172 N-ASF της 3588 T-GSF σαμαρειας 4540 N-GSF εκηρυσσεν 2784 5707 V-IAI-3S αυτοις 846 P-DPM τον 3588 T-ASM χριστον 5547 N-ASM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
5. Philip. The deacon (Acts vi. 5). Not the apostle. On the name, see on Mark iii. 18.Christ (ton Criston). Note the article, "the Christ," and see on Matthew i. 1.
He did (epoiei). Imperfect. Kept doing from time to time, as is described in the next verse.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
8:5 {Philip} (filippos). The deacon (#6:5) and evangelist (#21:8), not the apostle of the same name (#Mr 3:18). {To the city of Samaria} (eis ten polin tes samarias). Genitive of apposition. Samaria is the name of the city here. this is the first instance cited of the expansion noted in verse #4. Jesus had an early and fruitful ministry in Samaria (#Joh 4), though the twelve were forbidden to go into a Samaritan city during the third tour of Galilee (#Mt 10:5), a temporary prohibition withdrawn before Jesus ascended on high (#Ac 1:8). {Proclaimed} (ekerussen). Imperfect active, began to preach and kept on at it. Note euaggelizomenoi in verse #4 of missionaries of good news (Page) while ekerussen here presents the preacher as a herald. He is also a teacher (didaskalos) like Jesus. Luke probably obtained valuable information from Philip and his daughters about these early days when in his home in Caesarea (#Ac 21:8).
