Acts 8:13 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Then Simon himself believed also:— that this Jesus who enabled Philip to do these things, was some Power superior to any he conversed with. Perhaps as L'Enfant and Limborch conjecture, he might think Philip an abler magician than himself, and hoped, by pretending to be his disciple, that he might have an opportunity of learning his superior arts; or possibly he was afraid, lest Philip should draw away the people from him, if he stood out and opposed him. It seems, however, unquestionable,thathewasfrom the beginning hypocritical and insincere. But though the apostles and several of the primitive Christians had the gift of discerning the spirits and secret intentions of men in some cases; yet this was not one of the gifts which they could exercise at all times, but only upon certain occasions, according to the pleasure and direction of the Spirit; and the Divine Wisdom saw fit that Simon's insincerity should be concealed till he himself discovered it. It is with particular elegance and propriety, that the same word which had been used to express the manner in which the Samaritans were affected with Simon's enchantments, Acts 8:9; Acts 8:11 is here used to describe the impression which Philip's miracles made on him. It seems therefore quite a mistake to translate the former bewitched, and the latter wondered, or was astonished.