BIBLE CHARACTERS

Lesson #13

 

Simon

The Saved Sorcerer Who Sinned

Acts 8:5-24

Victor M. Eskew

 

1.    Define the following words found in Acts 8:9.

 

A.   Sorcery

 

B.   Bewitched

 

2.    Why do people get involved in such things as sorcery and witchcraft?

 

3.    The Scriptures tell us that the people of Samaria made this statement about Simon:  “This man is the great power of God.”  How do people get fooled by man like Simon?

 

4.    Simon was converted to Christianity (Acts 8:13).  What does this tell us about him?

 

5.    Do you believe that Simon’s offering Peter and John money for the ability to lay hands on others in order to have the ability to give miraculous gifts to others was linked to his previous life as a sorcerer?  Or, was this a new temptation for him?

 

6.    Do you believe that Simon’s conversion was genuine when you read how quickly he falls into this temptation?

 

7.    Why do you think money was offered by Simon?

 

8.    Peter’s rebuke of Simon was very stern.  Was this appropriate seeing Simon was a new convert?

 

9.    What would Simon have needed to do in order to repent as Peter instructed? (See Acts 8:22)

 

10. Do you believe that Simon was saved following Peter’s rebuke?