ACC ~ Acts 8 v13

AS CHRIST CHOSE JUDAS. CHRYSOSTOM: How did he come to baptize also Simon? In the same way that Christ also chose Judas. And “seeing” the “signs” that [Philip] worked, since the others did not receive the signs, [Simon] dared not ask for it. How was it then that they did not put him to death, as they did Ananias and Sapphira? The ancient saying is that he who gathered sticks was put to death as a warning to others. No one else suffered this same fate. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 18.

FOUR TYPES OF BAPTISM. AUGUSTINE: The good baptized the evil, as Simon Magus was baptized by Philip, a holy man. These four types, therefore, my brothers, are well known. Look, I repeat them again. Hold fast to them, count them, pay attention to them. Beware those types which are evil; hold fast to those which are good. The good are born from the good when holy people are baptized by holy people; the evil from the evil when both they who baptize and they who are baptized live wickedly and impiously; the good from the evil when they who baptize are evil and they who are baptized are good; and the evil from the good when they who baptize are good and they who are baptized are evil. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 11.9.1-2.

STEALING BAPTISM. BEDE: It was either that he too was overcome by the power of the blessed Philip’s words so that he truly believed in the Lord, or, as is more believable, that he pretended that he believed until he could receive baptism. For he was so eager for praise that he wished to be believed to be the Christ, as histories tell, and he hoped to learn from him the arts by which he worked miracles. His followers were also taught to do this. “Trained in the evil arts of their founder to enter the church by any sort of deception,” they were accustomed to steal baptism.COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 8.13.