Philip went down to a city in SamariaPhilip, one of the seven deacons chosen in
Acts 6, is now seen taking the gospel beyond Jerusalem. The phrase "went down" is geographically accurate, as Jerusalem is situated on a higher elevation than Samaria. Samaria was a region with a complex history, often at odds with Jewish traditions. The Samaritans were descendants of Israelites who had intermarried with foreigners after the Assyrian conquest, leading to religious syncretism. This context is crucial as it highlights the breaking of cultural and religious barriers, fulfilling Jesus' command in
Acts 1:8 to be witnesses "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
and proclaimed the Christ to them
Philip's proclamation of "the Christ" signifies the announcement of Jesus as the Messiah, a message that would have been both revolutionary and controversial. The Samaritans had their own version of the Pentateuch and awaited a messianic figure known as the Taheb. Philip's message would have resonated with their expectations but also challenged their beliefs, as it centered on Jesus of Nazareth. This proclamation is a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah, such asIsaiah 53, and demonstrates the early church's mission to spread the gospel beyond Jewish boundaries. The act of proclaiming Christ to the Samaritans is a type of the universal mission of the church, reflecting Jesus' own ministry to the marginalized and outcast.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
PhilipOne of the seven deacons chosen in
Acts 6:5, Philip is known as "Philip the Evangelist." He plays a crucial role in spreading the Gospel beyond Jerusalem, particularly to the Samaritans and later to the Ethiopian eunuch.
2.
City of SamariaThis refers to a region historically at odds with the Jews. The Samaritans were a mixed race with their own version of the Pentateuch and worship practices, which often led to tension with the Jewish people.
3.
Proclaimed the ChristPhilip's mission was to preach about Jesus as the Messiah, fulfilling the Great Commission to spread the Gospel to all nations, including those traditionally seen as outsiders by the Jewish community.
Teaching Points
Breaking Cultural BarriersPhilip's mission to Samaria teaches us the importance of reaching out to those who may be culturally or socially different from us. The Gospel transcends all human divisions.
Obedience to the Great CommissionPhilip's actions remind us of our responsibility to share the Gospel with everyone, regardless of their background or previous beliefs.
The Power of the GospelThe acceptance of the message by the Samaritans highlights the transformative power of the Gospel, which can bring unity and reconciliation.
Role of the EvangelistPhilip's example encourages believers to embrace the role of evangelism in their own lives, using their unique gifts and opportunities to share Christ with others.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Acts 8:5?
2.How can we emulate Philip's example of preaching Christ in our communities today?
3.What does Philip's ministry in Acts 8:5 teach about evangelism's importance?
4.How does Acts 8:5 connect with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20?
5.Why is it significant that Philip preached "the Christ" in Acts 8:5?
6.How can we overcome barriers to share the gospel like Philip did?
7.What significance does Philip's journey to Samaria hold in the context of early Christian mission work?
8.How does Acts 8:5 illustrate the breaking of cultural barriers in spreading the Gospel?
9.Why was Samaria chosen as a destination for Philip's preaching in Acts 8:5?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Acts 8?
11.How should the miraculous healings in Acts 8:5–7 be understood without clear historical or scientific corroboration?
12.Who was Simon the Sorcerer in the Bible?
13.Who was Philip in the Bible?
14.What does "Do the Work of an Evangelist" mean?What Does Acts 8:5 Mean
Who is Philip?Acts 8:5 opens with a man whose story has already begun inActs 6:5, where Philip is named among the seven “full of the Spirit and wisdom.” His role shifts from serving tables to evangelizing:
•Acts 8:4 frames the context—believers scattered by persecution “went about preaching the word,” and Philip is one of them.
• Later glimpses (Acts 8:26–40; 21:8) show the same Philip obediently following the Spirit, illustrating a consistent pattern of availability to God’s call.
These references anchor Philip as a Spirit-led servant whose ministry expands beyond Jerusalem, fulfillingActs 1:8’s promise that witness would reach “Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”
went down“Philip went down” describes a geographical descent from Jerusalem’s higher elevation; it also hints at humble readiness to move wherever God directs.
• The phrase echoes other Spirit-prompted journeys—Peter “went down” to the men from Cornelius (Acts 10:21) and Paul “went down” to Antioch (Acts 13:4).
• Such steps of obedience remind us that God often advances the gospel through ordinary movements of His people (Proverbs 16:9).
In practical terms, Philip’s downward journey becomes an upward advance for the kingdom.
to a city in SamariaCrossing into Samaria carried historic tension (2 Kings 17:24–41;John 4:9). Yet Jesus had already modeled ministry there (John 4:4–42) and commanded it (Acts 1:8). Philip’s arrival signals:
• The gospel demolishes ethnic and religious barriers (Ephesians 2:14).
• God keeps His word: what Jesus sowed in Sychar now blossoms through Philip.
• Revival can erupt in unexpected places—Luke 9:51–56 records earlier Samaritan rejection of Jesus, but byActs 8 the soil is ready.
Philip’s presence in Samaria showcases the inclusive reach of Christ’s mission.
and proclaimed the Christ to themPhilip doesn’t offer generic spirituality; he “proclaimed the Christ.”
• “Proclaimed” reflects the pattern of apostolic preaching—Acts 5:42 says, “Every day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming Jesus as the Christ.”
• Centering on “the Christ” fulfills Old Testament promise (Isaiah 61:1) and New Testament mandate (1 Corinthians 1:23).
• The result in Samaria is immediate:Acts 8:6–8 records attentive crowds, miracles, great joy.
Philip’s clear, Christ-focused message—unchanged from Jerusalem to Samaria—demonstrates that power resides in the person of Jesus, not in location or messenger (Romans 1:16).
summaryActs 8:5 captures a Spirit-directed chain reaction: a faithful servant (Philip), a willing step (“went down”), a boundary-crossing destination (Samaria), and an uncompromising message (“proclaimed the Christ”). The verse reminds us that God advances His kingdom through obedient believers who carry the unaltered gospel wherever He sends them, turning cultural divides into mission fields and filling once-hostile territories with “great joy” (Acts 8:8).
(5)
Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria.--More accurately, "
a city." The sequence of events implies that it was not the Apostle, but his namesake who had been chosen as one of the Seven. As having been conspicuous in the work of "preaching the glad tidings of Christ," he was afterwards known as Philip the Evangelist (
Acts 21:8). It was natural enough that the identity of name should lead writers who were imperfectly informed to confuse the two, as Polycrates, Bishop of Ephesus, seems to have done in the passage quoted by Eusebius (
Hist. iii. 31). The "city of Samaria" is described in precisely the same terms as in
John 4:5, where it is identified with Sychar, the Sichem of the Old Testament. (See Note on
John 4:5.) "Samaria," throughout the New Testament (as,
e.g.,in
Acts 9:31;
Luke 17:11;
John 4:4-5), is used for the province, and not for the city to which it had been attached in earlier times. This had been new-named
Sebaste (the Greek equivalent of Augusta) by Herod the Great in honour of the Emperor, and this had more or less superseded the old name (Jos.
Ant. xv. 8, ? 5). Assuming the identity with Sychar, the narrative of John 4 suggests at once the reason that probably determined Philip's choice. The seed had already been sown, and the fields were white for harvest (
John 4:35). Possibly, as suggested above (Note on
Acts 7:16), there may have been some previous connection with the district. Some of that city had already accepted Jesus as the Christ. . . .
Verse 5.- And for
then, A.V. ;
proclaimed unto them the Christ for
preached Christ unto them, A.V.
Philip; the deacon and evangelist (
Acts 6:7;
Acts 21:8), not the apostle. As regards Samaria, it is always used in the New Testament of the country, not of the city, which at this time was called Sebaste, from
Σεβαστός,
i.e. Augustus Caesar (see
Acts 25:21, 26, etc.;
John 4:5; and Josephus, 'Ant. Jud.,' 15. 7:9). Whether, therefore, we read with the T.R.
πόλιν, or with the R.T.
τὴν πόλιν, we must understand
Samaria to mean the country, and probably the city to be the capital, Sebaste. Alford, however, with many others, thinks that Sychem is meant, as in
John 4:5.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
PhilipΦίλιππος(Philippos)Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5376:From philos and hippos; fond of horses; Philippus, the name of four Israelites.went downκατελθὼν(katelthōn)Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2718:From kata and erchomai; to come down.toεἰς(eis)Preposition
Strong's 1519:A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.[a] cityπόλιν(polin)Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4172:A city, the inhabitants of a city. Probably from the same as polemos, or perhaps from polus; a town.[in] SamariaΣαμαρείας(Samareias)Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 4540:Of Hebrew origin; Samaria, a city and region of Palestine.[and] proclaimedἐκήρυσσεν(ekēryssen)Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2784:To proclaim, herald, preach. Of uncertain affinity; to herald, especially divine truth.theτὸν(ton)Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.ChristΧριστόν(Christon)Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547:Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.to them.αὐτοῖς(autois)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846:He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.
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NT Apostles: Acts 8:5 Philip went down to the city (Acts of the Apostles Ac)