Ver. 18, θεασάµενος: the word would seem to point on (so ἰδών, see critical notes) to some outward manifestation of
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7S Πνεῦμα τὸ Άγιον, προσήνεγκεν αὐτοῖς yphpara,! λέγων, 19. Δότε κἀμοὶ τὴν ἐξουσίαν ταύτην, ἵνα ᾧ ἐὰν ἐπιθῶ τὰς χεῖρας, λαμβάνηῃ
Πνεῦμα "Άγιον.
20. Πέτρος δὲ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν, Τὸ ὀργύριόν σου
σὺν σοὶ ein εἰς ἀπώλειαν, ὅτι τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐνόμισας διὰ
1D, Gig. Par. read παρακαλων και λεγων (cf. ver. 24 where παρακαλω is also found in D), so Hilg.; combination not infrequent, Matt. viii. 5, Acts ii. 40, xvi. 9, to strengthen the request. After ινα D, Par. Const. apost. insert καγω. εαν SNABCELP, so Tisch., W.H., Weiss; av DH 36, Const. apost., Bas., Chrys., Cyr.-Jer. (so Blass
in B, and Hilg.),
the inward grace of the Spirit, so Weiss, Wendt, Zéckler; so Felten, although he does not of course limit the recep- tion of the Holy Spirit to such outward evidences of His Presence. The word may further give us an insight into Simon’s character and belief—the gift of the Spirit was valuable to him in its external manifestation, in so far, that is, as it presented itself to ocular demonstra- tion as a higher power than his own magic.—8.a τῆς ἐπιθ. τῶν χ. τῶν ἀποστ., see above on ver. 17, cf. διά, “ the laying on of hands’’ was the instrument by which the Holy Ghost was given in this instance: ‘‘Church,” Hastings’ B.D., i., 426.---προσήνεγκεν αὐτοῖς χρήματα: Simon was right in so far as he regarded the gift of the Spirit as an ἐξουσία to be bestowed, but entirely wrong in suppos- ing that such a power could be obtained without an inward disposition of the heart, as anything might be bought for goldin externalcommerce. So De Wette, Apostelgeschichte, p. 124 (fourth edition), and he adds: “ This is the fundamental error in ‘Simony,’ which is closely con- nected with unbelief in the power and meaning of the Spirit, and with materialism” (see also Alford in loco). (See further on ‘‘Simony,’’ Luckock, Footprints of the Apostles as traced by St. Luke, i., 208.) Probably Simon, after the manner of the time, cf. xix. 19, may already have purchased secrets from other masters of the magical arts, and thought that a similar purchase could now be effected.
Ver. το. ἵνα ᾧ ἐὰν ἐπιθῷ: ‘that on whomsoever I lay my hands,” 1.ε., quite apart from any profession of faith or test of character; no words could more plainly show how completely Simon mistook the essential source and meaning of the power which he coveted.
Ver. 20. τὸ ἀργύριόν σου κ.τ.λ.: the words are no curse or imprecation, as is evident from ver. 22, but rather a vehement expression of horror on the
part of St. Peter, an expression which would warn Simon that he was on the way to destruction. Rendall considers that the real form of the prayer is not that Simon may perish, but that as he is already on the way to destruction, so the silver may perish which is dragging him down, to the intent that Simon him- self may repent and be forgiven : so Page, “thy money perish, even as thou art now perishing,’ cf. G2cumenius, in loco (and to the same effect St. Chrys.): οὔκ. ἐστι ταῦτα ἀρωμένου ἀλλὰ παιδεύοντος, ὡς ἄν τις εἴποι ' τὸ ἀργύριον σον συν- απόλοιτό σοι μετὰ τῆς προαιρέσεως.. But see also on the optative of wishing, Burton, N. T. Moods and Tenses, p. 79, where he speaks of Mark xi. 14 and Acts. viii. 20 as peculiar, being imprecations of evil, and cf. also Blass, Grammaitik, p. 215.—€in cis ἀπώλειαν: a frequent con- struction, “‘ go to destruction and remain: there,” see Felten, Wendt, Page, and cf. ver. 23, eis χολὴν . . . ὄντα. The noun occurs no less than five times. in St. Peter’s Second Epistle, cf. also- 1 Peteri. 7. εἰς ἀπώλ. occurs five times elsewhere, Rom. ix. 22, 1 Tim. vi. 9, Heb. x. 39, Rev. xvii. 8, 11, and it is: frequent in LXX; cf. 1 Chron. xxi. 17, Isa. xiv. 23, liv. 16, Dan. iii. 29, and ii. 5, Theod., etc.; 1 Macc. iii.42, Belandthe Dragon, ver. 29, and several times in Ecclus.—rhv Swpeav: and so, not to be bought, cf. Matt. x. 8, and our Lord’s own words in Samaria, John iv. το, εἰ δεις τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ Θεοῦ κ.τ.λ.---ὅτι .. » ἐνόμισας διὰ x. κτᾶσθαι: “ because thou hast thought to obtain,”’ to acquire, gain possession of, κτᾶσθαι, deponent verb, so in classical Greek, not passive as in A.V., see Matt. x. 9, and elsewhere twice in St. Luke’s Gospel, xviii. 12,- xxi. 10, and three times in Acts, i. 18, viii. 20, xxii. 28, and once in St. Paul, 1 Thess. iv. 4, frequent in LXX, and in same sense as here of acquiring by money.— évép.: it was not a mere error of judg- ment, but a sinful intention, which: