Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 8]
dispersion of these earnest disciples resulted in a rapid
diffusion of the gospel" (Alvah Hovey).
8:5 {Philip} (\Philippos\). The deacon (6:5) and evangelist
(21:8), not the apostle of the same name (Mr 3:18). {To the
city of Samaria} (\eis t•n polin t•s 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withdrawn before Jesus ascended on high (Ac 1:8).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}
(\ek•russen\). Imperfect active, began to preach and kept on at
it. Note \euaggelizomenoi\ in verse 4 of missionaries of good
news (Page) while \ek•russen\ 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).
8:6 {Gave heed} (\proseichon\). Imperfect active as in verses
10,11, there with dative of the person (\aut•i\), here with the
dative of the thing (\tois legomenois\). There is an ellipse of
\noun\ (mind). They kept on giving heed or holding the mind on
the things said by Philip, spell-bound, in a word. {When they
heard} (\en t•i akouein autous\). Favourite Lukan idiom, \en\ and
the locative case of the articlar infinitive with the accusative
of general reference "in the hearing as to them." {Which he did}
(\ha epoiei\). Imperfect active again, which he kept on doing
from time to time. Philip wrought real miracles which upset the
schemes of Simon Magus.
8:7 {For many} (\polloi gar\). So the correct text of the best
MSS., but there is an anacoluthon as this nominative has no verb
with it. It was "the unclean spirits" that "came out"
(\ex•rchonto\, imperfect middle). The margin of the Revised
Version has it "came forth," as if they came out of a house, a
rather strained translation. The loud outcry is like the demons
cast out by Jesus (Mr 3:11; Lu 4:41). {Palsied}
(\paralelumenoi\, perfect passive participle). Luke's usual word,
loosened at the side, with no power over the muscles. Furneaux
notes that "the servant was reaping where the Master had sown.
Samaria was the mission field white for the harvest (Joh
4:35)." The Samaritans who had been bewitched by Simon are now
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