To Samaria and Beyond!

This is the study page for the small group meeting on Thursday, October 18.  We'll be studying Acts 8.  A lot happens in this chapter, and it makes for good reading.  Go ahead and get lost in the story.

Read the chapter a few times, and jot down questions and observations.  There are plenty of odd things to find.  After reading and making your own notes, read through again and think about the questions below:

• What's odd about how verse one begins?
• There are four sets of "actors" in the first 3 verses.  What does each do distinctly different from each other?  It's like "compare and contrast" for Luke.  What is his assessment?
• The set of characters "scattered" from Jerusalem, what do they do as they scatter?
• Culturally, what is odd about the church going to Samaria?  What problems are mentioned by Luke about this?
• What is the response of the people in Samaria?
• What is "Simon" known for?  Look up "magic" or "sorcery" (G3096) and follow the link for "Vines" to open that comparative explanation.  What do you learn from this description?
• If Simon is some great power, like the "power of God" or something what's interesting about his interest in Philip, Peter and John?
• How much does Simon understand about what is going on even though he joins the "movement"?
• What sort of problems do Peter and John see with working among Samaritans?  Why is that unexpected?
• With such a great "revival" is breaking out among the Samaritans, Philip is sent somewhere else.  What sort of hesitation or limits does Philip put his response?
• He's on a desert road, and who does he see?
• Who is "Candace"? Follow the links and read about the Queen and country.
• There is an interesting pun in the text, missed in English.  In verse 26, the word for Gaza is this one (G1048), and in verse 27, the word for "treasury" is this one (G1047).  It turns out to be an accident of language (Gaza is of Philistine origin, and treasury is of Persian origin), but they could be related in some way.
• How is Philip receiving his "orders"?  What does that tell you about the Spirit of God?
• Where is the eunuch headed?  So where has he come from?  Why wouldn't he be able to get an explanation from where he came from?
• What happens to Philip after the baptism?  This is a debated event, think about how it's described in a few different translations.

That should be plenty for this go around.  I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow!

Blessings!