ACC ~ Acts 8 v17

THE GIFT RECEIVED BY DEGREES. CHRYSOSTOM: See how many things are brought about by God’s providence through the death of Stephen and how by degrees these receive the gift. It was a twofold sign—both the giving to those and the not giving to this man. … This man should have asked to receive the Holy Spirit, but because this was of no concern to him, he asks, on the contrary, for the power to give it to others. But even those did not receive this power to give, and this man, who was only one of the disciples, wished to be more illustrious than Philip! HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 18.

THE SPIRIT AND THE LAYING ON OF HANDS. ORIGEN: This is why the passage fitly applies to the Holy Spirit, because he will dwell not in all people or in those who are flesh but in those whose “earth has been renewed.” Finally, it was for this reason that the Holy Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands after the grace and renewal of baptism. ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 1.3.7.

THE BAPTISM BY PHILIP NEED NOT BE REPEATED. CYPRIAN: The Samaritan believers had come to the true faith and had been baptized by Philip the deacon, whom these very apostles had sent, within the one church to which alone it has been granted to give the grace of baptism and to loose sins. Since they had already obtained the lawful baptism of the church, it would have been wrong to baptize them any more. Peter and John supplied only what they lacked. LETTER 73.9.

Acts