Holy Spirit

Accepting the Gift

So it is widely discussed as to why Philip left out the discussion of the gift of the Holy Spirit when preaching the gospel to the Samaritans. I will say that when Jesus walked through Samaria the Disciples did explain to him that they avoided these people.

This town in Samaria called Sychar-original name (Sichem or Shechem. The name used now by the Jews meant seat of drunkards. Perhaps this place is much like people in our world today who we tend to think of as undesirables. The Disciples avoided walking through this area because they were not good people. Jesus on the other hand went there on purpose. 1 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2(although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 4 And he had to pass through Samaria.

Now the Disciples discover that these same Samarians have accepted the Gospel. Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).

The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. (1989). (Ac 8:14–16). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Do we all wait to see if they will accept the Word before we offer the gift?