Acts 8:9 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Used sorcery, &c.— Had practised magical arts, and astonished the people. Heylin and Doddridge. Some think the word Μαγευων to be entirely of the same signification with the word Μαγος, and intended to inform us, that this Simon was one of the sect of the Magi. He might possibly profess himself of this sect; but the word Μαγευων imports much more, and amounts to the same with "one who used enchantments," pretending at least, in consequence of them, to exert some supernatural powers: whereas the word Μαγος, at least about Christ's time, signified much the same with our English word sage, and denoted a proficient in learning, and especially in astronomy and other branches of natural philosophy, to which the Persian magi addicted themselves, and so gave name to many who were far from holding the peculiarities of that sect. Irenaeus informs us, that Simon boasted he had appeared to the Samaritans as the Father, to the Jews as the Son, and to the Gentiles as the Holy Spirit; and Justin Martyr informs us, that he asserted, that all the names of God were to be ascribed to him, and that he was God, above all principality, power, and virtue. But if ever he made these pretences, it was probably after this time; for before it he seems to have been entirely a stranger to the first elements of the Christian doctrine, to which these blasphemies refer. Dr. Heylin renders the last clause of this verse, pretending that he was some extraordinary person.