Question about Sunday's reading from Acts

[ajcstr]

From Acts 8:14 - NAB - “Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Is this passage saying that the Holy Spirit was not received because the baptism was not in the full trinitarian formula?

 

[TimothyH]

The next verse says

***Then they laid hands on them and they received the holy Spirit. *(Acts 8:17)

This sounds like the sacrament of confirmation.

-Tim-

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Our priest explained that this passage is showing the sacrament of confirmation. The new believers had been baptized with water (and presumably in the trinitarian formula, despite that not being spelled out in the passage.) They they received confirmation from the apostles/bishops and so received the Holy Spirit and the fullness of the faith.

 

[smichhertz]

The above posters are correct. At the time, confirmation was usually done at the earliest opportunity after baptism. So basically, whenever the bishop was nearby, they’d immediately confirm those baptized.

The scripture is not trying to state that a non-Trinitarian baptism took place.

 

[puzzleannie]

From Acts 8:14 - NAB - “Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Is this passage saying that the Holy Spirit was not received because the baptism was not in the full trinitarian formula?

It is evidence of what we see throughout Acts, whenever the apostles, including Paul, encounter a believing community who has received the Holy Spirit, they baptize, and wherever the come upon a community who has been baptized only, the immediately lay hands upon them and invoke the Holy Spirit to come upon them. Clearly since the earliest days Jesus’ injunction to baptize with water and the Holy Spirit is taken seriously and literally, and one is not complete without the other.

 

[Barbkw]

Baptism into the family of God as Christian, Eucharist to take Jesus into our bodies and transform us, and Confirmation to receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

 

[ajcstr]

Yes, I should have stated I am aware of the tie in to Confirmation. I was just struck by the “they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus”. I never noticed that before.

 

[NHInsider]

It probably reflects a transitional point in the development of the administration of the sacraments. We often don’t recognize the “timeline” of the book of Acts, which covers a period of several decades.

Also worth noting that the “Philip” in this and the next episode are believed to be Philip the deacon rather than Philip the Apostle.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

See Acts 10:44-48

44 While Peter was still saying this, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can any one forbid water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

and Acts 11:15-17

15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16* And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?"

When Saint Peter was slow to get the message The Holy Spirit confirmed the gentiles directly and left Saint Peter to follow up with Baptism. This indicates that they are clearly separate sacraments, and that both are required.