Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
All Commentaries on Acts 8:17 Go To Acts 8
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Do you see that it was not to be done in any ordinary manner, but it needed great power to give the Holy Ghost? For it is not all one, to obtain remission of sins, and to receive such a power. (b) By degrees it is, that those receive the gift. It was a twofold sign: both the giving to those, and the not giving to this man. Whereas then this man ought, on the contrary, to have asked to receive the Holy Ghost, he, because he cared not for this, asks power to give It to others. And yet those received not this power to give: but this man wished to be more illustrious than Philip, he being among the disciples! (a) He offered them money. (v. 18, 19.) What? Had he seen the others doing this? Had he seen Philip? Did he imagine they did not know with what mind he came to them? (b) Your money with you to perdition
