Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 6.djvu/85

Rh them all; (v. 4.) They went every where, preaching the word. They did not go to hide themselves for fear of suffering, no nor to shew themselves as proud of their sufferings; but they went up and down, to scatter the knowledge of Christ in every place where they were scattered. They went every where, into the way of the Gentiles, and the cities of the Samaritans, which before they were forbidden to go into, ch. 10. 5. They did not keep together in a body, though that might have been a strength to them, but they scattered into all parts; not to take their ease, but to find out work. They went evangelizing the world, preaching the word of the gospel; that was it which filled them and which they endeavoured to fill the country with, those of them that were preachers, in their preaching, and others in their common converse. They were now in a country where they were no strangers, for Christ and his disciples had conversed much in the regions of Judea; so that they had a foundation laid there for them to build upon; and it would be requisite to let the people there know what that doctrine which Jesus had preached there some time ago was come to, and that it was not lost and forgotten, as perhaps they were made to believe.

II. A particular account of what was done by Philip. We shall hear of the progress and success of others of them afterward, (ch. 11. 19.) but here must attend the motions of Philip, not Philip the apostle, but Philip the deacon, who was chosen and ordained to serve tables, but having used the office of a deacon well, he purchased to himself a good degree, and great boldness in the faith, 1 Tim. 3. 13. Stephen was advanced to the degree of a martyr, Philip to the degree of an evangelist, which when he entered upon, being obliged by it to give himself to the word and prayer, he was, no doubt, discharged from the office of a deacon; for how could he serve tables at Jerusalem, which by that office he was obliged to do, when he was preaching in Samaria? And it is probable that two others were chosen in the room of Stephen and Philip. Now observe,

1. What wonderful success Philip had in his preaching, and what reception he met with.

(1.) The place he chose, was, the city of Samaria; the head-city of Samaria, the metropolis of that country, which stood there where the city of Samaria had formerly stood, which we read of the building of, 1 Kings 16. 24. now called Sebaste. Some think it was the same with Sychem or Sychar, that city of Samaria where Christ was, John 4. 5. Many of that city then believed in Christ, though he did no miracles among them; (v. 39, 41.) and now Philip, three years after, carries on the work then begun. The Jews would have no dealings with the Samaritans; but Christ sent his gospel to slay all enmities, and particularly that between the Jews and the Samaritans, by making them one in his church.

(2.) The doctrine he preached, was, Christ; for he determined to know nothing else. He preached Christ to them, he proclaimed Christ to them, so the word signifies; as a king, when he comes to the crown, is proclaimed throughout his dominions. The Samaritans had an expectation of the Messiah's coming, as appears by John 4. 25. Now Philip tells them that he is come, and that the Samaritans are welcome to him. Ministers' business is to preach Christ; Christ, and him crucified; Christ, and him glorified.

(3.) The proofs he produced for the confirmation of his doctrine, were, miracles, v. 6. To convince them that he had his commission from heaven, (and therefore not only they might venture upon what he said, but they were bound to yield to it,) he shews them this broad seal of heaven annexed to it, which the God of truth would never put to a lie. The miracles were undeniable, they heard and saw the miracles which he did; they heard the commanding words he spake, and saw the amazing effect of them immediately; that he spake, and it was done. And the nature of the miracles was such as suited the intention of his commission, and gave light and lustre to it.

[1.] He was sent to break the power of Satan; and, in token of that, unclean spirits, being charged in the name of the Lord Jesus to remove, came out of many that were possessed with them, v. 7. As far as the gospel prevails, Satan is forced to quit his hold of men and his interest in them, and then those are restored to themselves and to their right mind again, who, while he kept possession, were distracted. Wherever the gospel gains the admission and submission it ought to have, evil spirits are dislodged, and particularly unclean spirits, all inclinations to the lusts of the flesh, which war against the soul; for God has called us from uncleanness to holiness, 1 Thess. 4. 7. This was signified by the casting of these unclean spirits out of the bodies of people, who, it is here said, came out crying with a loud voice, which signifies that they came out with great reluctancy, and sore against their wills, but were forced to acknowledge themselves overcome by a superior power, Mark 1. 26.—3. 11.—9. 26.

[2.] He was sent to heal the minds of men, to cure a distempered world, and to put it into a good state of health; in token of that, many that were taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. Those distempers are specified, that were most difficult to be cured by the course of nature, (that the miraculous cure might be the more illustrious,) and those that were most expressive of the disease of sin, and that moral impotency which the souls of men labour under as to the service of God. The grace of God in the gospel is designed for the healing of those that are spiritually lame and paralytic, and cannot help themselves, Rom. 5. 6.

(4.) The acceptance which Philip's doctrine, thus proved, met with in Samaria; (v. 6.) The people with one accord gave heed to those things which Philip spake; induced thereto by the miracles which served at first to gain attention, and so by degrees to gain assent. There then begins to be some hopes of people, when they begin to take notice of what is said to them concerning the things of their souls and eternity; when they begin to give heed to the word of God, as those that are well pleased to hear it, desirous to understand and remember it, and that look upon themselves as concerned in it. The common people gave heed to Philip, οἱ ὄχλοι—a multitude of them, not here and there one, but with one accord; they were all of a mind, that the doctrine of the gospel was fit to be inquired into, and an impartial hearing given to it.

(5.) The satisfaction they had in attending on, and attending to, Philip's preaching, and the success it had with many of them; (v. 8.) There was great joy in that city, for, (v. 12.) They believed Philip, and were baptized, into the faith of Christ, the generality of them, both men and women. Observe, [1.] Philip preached the things concerning the kingdom of God, the constitution of that kingdom, the laws and ordinances of it, the liberties and privileges of it, and the obligations we are all under to be the loyal subjects of that kingdom; and he preached the name of Jesus Christ, as King of that kingdom; his name, which is above every name, he preached it up in its commanding power and influence; all that by which he has made himself known. [2.] The people not only gave heed to what he said, but at length believed it; were fully convinced that it was of God, and not of men, and gave up themselves to the conduct and government of it. As to this mountain, on which they had hitherto worshipped God,