(However, he did lend his name to the still-existing word "simony", which refers to an attempt to purchase spiritual gifts or religious positions with money or other material assets. In any event, it appears that Simon Magus never repented following his confrontation with Peter. (Accounts of Simon from other sources are discussed in the Wikipedia article pertaining to him ().) Archaeological finds reputed to have confirmed Simon’s divinization have not proved genuine. God then descended in the form of Simon Magus, to rescue his Ennoia, and to confer salvation upon men through knowledge of himself. The 2nd-century theologian Justin Martyr relates that Simon visited Rome at the time of the emperor Claudius (4154) and was there deified by followers fascinated with his miracle working. Her many reincarnations included Helen of Troy (among others), and she finally was reincarnated as Simon's associate. Thereafter, she was reincarnated many times, each time being shamed. But the angels rebelled against her out of jealousy and created the world as her prison, imprisoning her in a female body. The First Thought then descended into the lower regions and created the angels. Justin Martyr and Irenaeus indicate that he went to Rome and became associated with a pagan woman named Helen, who had formerly been a slave and prostitute in the Phoenician city of Tyre.Īs described by Epiphanius, Simon taught that in the beginning God had his First Thought, which was female. These sources describe Simon as possibly being the founder of the heretical teachings of Gnosticism. Subsequent mention of him is found only in tradition or in sources such as Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Hippolytus, and Epiphanius. Sorcery, which is strongly condemned by God ( Deuteronomy 18:913 ), was common in the ancient world, and, while some acts and demonstrations were no more than illusions of the mind, others were empowered by Satan in an attempt to discredit the power of God ( Matthew 24:24 2 Thessalonians 2:9 ). Army To my knowledge, there is no further reference to Simon Magus in the Bible following his confrontation with Peter in Acts 8 as noted in the question. Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S.
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