Acts 8:5

Philip. This cannot refer to Philip the apostle, since verse 1 specifically states that the apostles remained in Jerusalem. The reference must therefore be to the deacon by that name (see on ch. 6:5). Because he was conspicuous in this early evangelism, he was afterward known as Philip the evangelist (ch. 21:8).

City of Samaria. Opinion is divided as to whether this refers to Sebaste (previously known as Samaria), the capital of Samaria, or to an unidentified city. Whatever the precise location may have been, the seed had already been sown in Samaria (see on John 4:4-42). As a result the fields were “white already to harvest” (John 4:35).

Preached. Greek kerusso, a different word from that used in verse 4, and meaning, “to proclaim [as a herald],” implying a more formal, deliberate preaching than that of the unordained believers. The word is used of the preaching of both John the Baptist and Christ (Matt. 3:1; 4:17). The tense of the verb implies that Philip continued to preach.

Christ. Rather, “the Christ,” the Anointed One, or Messiah. John 4:25 implies that the expectation of the Messiah was strong among the Samaritans, as among the Jews, and Philip’s work therefore was to proclaim that the long-expected One had come, that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, the Son of God.