Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 8]
God_.
8:11 {Because that of long time he had amazed them with his
sorceries} (\dia to hikan•i chron•i tais magiais exestakenai
autous\). Causal use of \dia\ with the accusative articular
infinitive (perfect active _Koin•_ form and transitive,
\exestakenai\). Same verb as in verse 9 participle \existan•n\
and in verse 13 imperfect passive \existato\ (cf. also 2:7
already). \Chron•i\ is associative instrumental and \magiais\
instrumental case.
8:12 {They were baptized} (\ebaptizonto\). Imperfect passive
(repetition, from time to time), while {believed} (\episteusan\)
is constative aorist antecedent to the baptism. Note dative case
of Philip with \episteusan\. Note the gospel of Philip
"concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ."
8:13 {And Simon also himself believed} (\Ho de Sim•n kai autos
episteusen\). Note the same verb in the aorist tense
\episteusen\. What did he believe? Evidently that Jesus was this
"power of God" not himself (Simon). He saw that the miracles
wrought by Philip in the name of Christ were genuine while he
knew that his own were frauds. He wanted this power that Philip
had to add to his own pretensions. "He was probably half victim
of self-delusion, half conscious impostor" (Furneaux). He was
determined to get this new "power," but had no sense of personal
need of Jesus as Saviour for his sins. So he submitted to baptism
(\baptistheis\, first aorist passive participle of \baptiz•\),
clear proof that baptism does not convey salvation. {He continued
with Philip} (\•n proskarter•n t•i Philipp•i\). Periphrastic
imperfect of the verb \proskartere•\ (see on ¯2:46). He stuck to
Philip (dative case) to find out the secret of his power.
{Beholding} (\the•r•n\). Watching the signs and miracles (powers,
\dunameis\ that threw his "power" in the shade) as they were
wrought (\ginomenas\, present middle participle of \ginomai\).
The more he watched the more the wonder grew (\existato\). He had
"amazed" (verse 9) the people by his tricks and he was himself
more "amazed" than they by Philip's deeds.
8:14 {That Samaria had received} (\hoti dedektai h• Samaria\).
The district here, not the city as in verse 5. Perfect middle
indicative of \dechomai\ retained in indirect discourse. It was a
major event for the apostles for now the gospel was going into
Samaria as Jesus had predicted (1:8). Though the Samaritans
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