2. As silver was the everyday medium of ex- change in the ancient world, the Gr. apyvpLov, like the Heb. 1??, frequently denoted money (cf. Fr. argent). When Simon the Magian offered Peter money (xp^o^a) for the power to work miracles by
the Holy Spirit, the Apostle answered, in horror of this ' simony,' or trallicking in sacred things, 'Thy money i,a.pyopi.ot', RV 'silver') perish with thee.' Xenophon {Uyrop. III. i. Xi) has the phra.se ciT apyvpiov XoyiaO^vra, ' cal<-uhited in our money,' anil dpyupiof KaOapdv (Theocritus, xv. 36) meant ' hard cash.'
3. The magical books which were publicly burned in Ephesus during St. Paul's great mission there were priced at 50,000 [pieces] of silver {apyvpiov fivpidSat vivTt, Ac 19'"). The coin understood is the drachma or denarius. When Rome became mistress of the Hellenic world, she allowed the Attic coinage to be continiied along with her own monetary system. Since the SpaxM'i "•nd the denarius were practically equal in value, they be- came convertible terms. As the denarius-drachma (translated 'shilling' in the American RV) was about 9J<1., the books destroyed weie worth nearly Al'JOOO. Many silver shrines, or miniatures of the temple of Diana, were ma<le and sold in the same city. A gild of silversmiths (dpyvpoKdiroi, cf. LXX Jg 17^, Jcr e-'"), of which Demetrius was probably the president during the last year of St. Paul's residence at Ephesus, made their living largely by this lucrative business.
4. In depicting the fate of rich men, James (5') says that their gold and silver are ' rusteil ' (kaWurai). This is not strictly accurate, as both of these metals have the property of resisting corrosion ; but silver is readily blackened or tar- nished in an atmosphere of sul(>huretted hydrogen.
Literature. — Art. 'Argentum ' in W. Smith, Dictionarij of Greek and liolnan ATltiquities, 1848; W. Jacob, Iioiairy into Production atid Consumption of the Precioua Metals, 1831.
James Stkauan. SIMEON.— See Peter, Tribes.
SIMON (the tanner). — A dweller in the town of Joppa or Jaffa ; in his house St. Peter lodged during his sojourn there after the raising of Dorcas (see art. DoRCAS), and from it he was summoned to visit the Roman centurion Cornelius (Ac 9'^ 10'" "■ '^). The fact that Simon's occup.'ition was that of a tanner has given rise to several interest- ing suggestions with regard to the Apostle's state of mind at this period. Tlie trade of Simon, owing to his constant contact with dead bodies, was re- garded by the .Jews as unclean (cf. Edersheim, Jeu'ish Social Life, 1908, p. l.")8). The Apostle's scruples as to ceremonial nncleanness were not so pronounced as to prevent him from lodging with Simon, and perhaps his contact with the tanner, probablj- a Christian believer, may have helped to prepare his mind for receiving the message of Cornelius. We may admit that the reference to the tanner is meant to introduce the ' universalism ' of the following chapter without in any way sug- gesting that the passage is unhistorical (cf. Know- ling, EGT, 'Acts,' 1900, in loco).
W. F. Boyd.
SIMON MAGUS. — 1. The NT account. -Ac 8°"" gives the story of 'a certain m.an, Simon by name,' who 'used sorcery, and amazed the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one(\^7Wi' eTvai rtro ^avrdf fi^yav) : to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying. This man is that power of God which is called (ireat (ij Suvants tou $eov -q Ka\ovix{vq fx(yd\yi), . . . But when they believed Philip preaching good tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men anil women. And Simon also himself be- lieved : and being baptized, he continued with Philip; and beholding signs and gre.at miracles wrought, he was amazed.' The news of the movement in Samaria brought Peter and John from Jerusalem, and through their prayers and the
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layinfc on of their hands, the believers received tlie Holy Spirit. Seeing this, Simon ottered the apostles money, saying, 'Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I laj' my liands, lio may re- ceive the Holy Ghost. Hut Peter said unto him, Tliy silver perish witli thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter : for thy lieart is not right before God. Ileiient there- fore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord if perhaps the thought of thy heart shall be for- given thee. For 1 see that tliou art iu the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity. And Simon answered aiul said, Pray ye for me to the Lord, that none of the things whicli ye liave spoken come upon me.'
These verses tell all that is known definitely about this particular Simon. But in subsequent Christian literature the name became very pro- minent. A Simon Magus was described as an arch- heretic who was the antagonist of Simon Peter. Accounts of his teaching are given in heresiological works. An elaborate legend became current about his conflict with the Apostle. In modern times fresh importance has attached to this legend because the Tubingen .school have tried to show that the oldest accounts are those in which Simon Magus is represented as a caricature of the apostle Paul, and the opponent of the apostle Peter. This has been used as a basis for their reconstruction of early Church history from the point of view that Peter and Paul were in conflict, and that the Acts of the Apostles w^as a conciliatory compromise. The question of the identity of this legen<lary Simon Magus — the disguised Paul — witli the Simon of Ac S can be discussed best after some inquiry into the legend and into the references to Simon in Patristic literature.