I. The gospel was either rejected or believed by sorcerers. In the New Testament, the English word sorcerer translates the Greek word magos (whence magician), “the name given by the Babylonians (Chaldeans), Medes, Persians, and others, to the wise men, teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, augers, soothsayers, sorcerers etc.” (Thayer’s Greek Definitions). As you see from this definition, a magos (magi in the plural) can be either honorable or diabolical. Honorable magi included the “wise men” who sought Jesus during the days of His infancy (Matthew 2:1ff). Diabolical magi included sorcerers who employed evil spirits and the occult. This latter sense of this term is that which is used in The Acts of the Apostles.
1. The gospel was rejected by some sorcerers. This was true in Paphos, Cyprus (13:6-12) regarding “a certain sorcerer [Greek magos], a false prophet [deceptively claiming the foretell the future], a Jew [who therefore should have known better] whose name was Bar-Jesus [or Son of Jesus]” (v.6) and “Elymas [or Wise Man]” (v.8). He not only rejected the gospel preached by Paul, but also tried to dissuade another person from believing it (v.8), and perverted the straight ways of the Lord (vv.9f).
2. But the gospel was believed by other sorcerers. This was true in Ephesus, Asia Minor (19:19f): “many of those who had practiced magic [curious arts in KJV] brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.” O that we might see such a reception of the gospel by sorcerers today! |
