READING • ACTS 8
Special gifts for a special work
Jesus promised his apostles that God would give them extraordinary powers to support the preaching of the Gospel. These gifts were signs of divine authority and practical help for the first-century ecclesias while the apostolic witness was being established.
Jesus promised signs to accompany the Gospel
Before his ascension, Jesus commissioned his followers to preach. Mark records signs that would accompany the believers in that apostolic period:
“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
Mark 16:17-18 • King James Version
Jesus also told the apostles not to leave Jerusalem immediately, but to wait for “the promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4). That promise was fulfilled at Pentecost.
Pentecost
Acts 2 does not say that the house itself was shaken. It says that there came from heaven a sound “as of a rushing mighty wind”, which filled the house where the disciples were sitting. There also appeared “cloven tongues like as of fire”. Then:
“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Acts 2:4 • King James Version
The languages were recognisable to the visitors in Jerusalem. They were amazed because Galileans were speaking in the languages of the lands from which the hearers had come (Acts 2:7-11).
Why were Spirit gifts given?
One important purpose was to confirm that the apostles’ message really came from God. They were preaching that Jesus, who had been put to death, had been raised from the dead. The New Testament had not yet been completed, so visible signs helped authenticate their witness.
The signs supported the message
The miracles were not entertainment. They accompanied the preaching of the risen Christ and the coming Kingdom of God, giving strong evidence that God was working through the apostles.
The gifts helped the early ecclesias
The first believers quickly became a large community. They needed teaching, guidance and orderly arrangements. Before the New Testament writings were complete and widely available, God supplied different gifts for different kinds of service.
“And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.”
1 Corinthians 12:28 • King James Version
GIFT OR SERVICE
EXAMPLES
PURPOSE
Apostles and prophets
Acts 2; Ephesians 4:11
Authoritative witness and inspired teaching.
Healings and miracles
Acts 3:1-10; 8:6-7
Confirmed the message and relieved suffering.
Tongues
Acts 2:4-11; 1 Corinthians 12
Enabled languages to be spoken by divine power.
Teaching and helps
1 Corinthians 12:28
Built up and organised the early ecclesias.
God’s gifts cannot be bought
Acts 8 gives an important example. Philip preached in Samaria, and many people believed the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ and were baptized. Among them was Simon, a man who had previously practised sorcery and astonished the people of Samaria.
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent Peter and John. The apostles prayed for the new believers and laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-17).
Simon saw what happened and offered money for the ability to confer the Holy Spirit. Peter answered very strongly:
“Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.”
Acts 8:21-22 • King James Version
The lesson is clear: God’s gifts are His to give. They cannot be bought, controlled for personal advantage, or treated as a source of status.
What does Acts 8 show about passing on the gifts?
The wording of Acts 8 is important. The Samaritan believers had been baptized, but the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon them. Peter and John came from Jerusalem, prayed for them and laid their hands on them.
“Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money.”
Acts 8:17-18 • King James Version
WHAT ACTS 8 STATES
CHRISTADELPHIAN CONCLUSION
The Samaritans were baptized before receiving these gifts.
Baptism itself was not the same thing as receiving miraculous Spirit gifts.
Peter and John, who were apostles, laid hands on them.
The transmission of these gifts is closely connected with apostolic authority.
Verse 18 explicitly says the Holy Ghost was given through the apostles’ hands.
Christadelphians understand this as evidence that the gifts could not simply be perpetuated indefinitely by every recipient.
Simon wanted the power to confer the gift on others.
The passage does not say that Simon was granted that power; Peter rebuked his desire.
Acts 8 does not explicitly tell us whether Simon himself received one of the miraculous gifts. What Luke states clearly is that Simon saw the Holy Ghost being given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands and wanted the authority to confer it on others.
The gifts were temporary
Paul told the Corinthians that certain gifts would not continue for ever:
“Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.”
1 Corinthians 13:8 • King James Version
This verse says that prophecy, tongues and special knowledge would cease, but it does not by itself give a calendar date for their ending. Christadelphians understand the wider New Testament pattern — including the apostolic role seen in Acts 8 — to show that the miraculous gifts belonged to the foundational apostolic period and disappeared as that generation passed away.
A careful distinction
The conclusion that apostolic miraculous gifts ceased is a Christadelphian interpretation of the New Testament evidence. It should not be presented as though 1 Corinthians 13:8 itself states exactly when the gifts ended.
What about claims of Spirit gifts today?
Some Christian groups today claim gifts such as tongues, prophecy or miraculous healing. Christadelphians do not accept these claims as a continuation of the apostolic Spirit gifts described in Acts and 1 Corinthians.
The New Testament gives us several principles by which claims should be tested. A claimed sign cannot be separated from the message it supports, and teaching must be examined against the Word of God. The apostolic signs were also striking public acts: people heard real languages, the lame walked, and even the dead were raised.
QUESTION TO ASK
NEW TESTAMENT PATTERN
CHRISTADELPHIAN ASSESSMENT
What message is taught?
Signs supported the Gospel preached by the apostles.
Doctrine must agree with Scripture, not contradict it.
What kind of sign is claimed?
Acts records clear, observable acts of healing and other miracles.
Claims should not be accepted merely because they are dramatic or emotionally powerful.
How was the gift transmitted?
Acts 8 connects transmission with the apostles’ hands.
This supports the view that the gifts were tied to the apostolic age.
What does Paul say?
1 Corinthians 13:8 says such gifts would cease.
Christadelphians therefore do not expect the apostolic gifts to continue today.
“Powers of the world to come”
Hebrews describes first-century believers as having tasted “the powers of the world to come” (Hebrews 6:5). Christadelphians understand the apostolic miracles as a foretaste of the greater divine power that will be openly displayed in the age of the Kingdom.
“And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come.”
Hebrews 6:5 • King James Version
God is still working
To say that apostolic miracle gifts have ceased does not mean that God has ceased to act. God remains sovereign. He hears prayer, works out His purpose, and has given us His Spirit-inspired Word. What Christadelphians reject is the claim that believers today possess the same transferable miraculous gifts given to the apostles and first-century ecclesias.
Our responsibility today
Instead of seeking spectacular experiences, we should listen to God in the Scriptures, test teaching by His Word, pray faithfully, and allow the Gospel to shape our lives.
Holy Spirit gifts in one view
STAGE
WHAT HAPPENED
WHY IT MATTERED
Promise
Jesus promised signs and the Holy Spirit to his apostles.
They would be equipped for worldwide witness.
Pentecost
The apostles spoke in other languages by the Spirit.
The Gospel was heard by people from many lands.
Early ecclesias
Different gifts supported preaching, teaching and organisation.
The apostolic message was confirmed and believers were built up.
Cessation
Paul said prophecy, tongues and special knowledge would cease.
Christadelphians understand the miraculous gifts as temporary to the apostolic age.
SUMMARY
1
Holy Spirit gifts were given to the early believers.
They included tongues, healings, miracles, prophecy and other forms of Spirit-enabled service.
2
The gifts confirmed the apostolic Gospel.
They provided visible evidence that God was working with the messengers of the risen Jesus.
3
The gifts helped establish the first ecclesias.
They supplied teaching and guidance while the New Testament witness was being formed.
4
Acts 8 connects transmission of the gifts with the apostles.
The passage explicitly says that the Holy Ghost was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands.
5
The miraculous gifts were temporary.
Paul said that prophecy, tongues and special knowledge would cease; Christadelphians understand them to have belonged to the apostolic age.
6
Modern claims must be tested by Scripture.
Christadelphians do not accept present-day claims as a continuation of the apostolic miraculous gifts.
7
God remains active today.
He hears prayer, rules over His creation and speaks to us through His inspired Word.
Chapters to read
Acts 8:4-25; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Hebrews 2:1-4
LEARN BY HEART • 1 CORINTHIANS 13:8
“Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.”
1 Corinthians 13:8 • King James Version
Christadelphian Bible Mission • Box CBM, 404 Shaftmoor Lane, Birmingham B28 8SZ, England
CHRISTADELPHIAN BIBLE MISSION • 5
CHRISTADELPHIAN BIBLE MISSION • 1