Acts 8:20

Therefore this man also, who in buying himself has bought the Spirit of Christ, will hear that word, "Your money perish with you, since you have thought that the grace of God is to be had at a price!" Yet who will despise him for being (what he is), a denier? For what says that extorter? Give me money: assuredly that he may not deliver him up, since he tries to sell you nothing else than that which he is going to give you for money.

He who through ignorance wishes to buy is less guilty than he who sells the gift of God, making it a business transaction. And, if you sell what you have received as a gift, you will be deprived of its grace, as if you had been sold to Satan. Furthermore, you are introducing into the church, where we have been entrusted with the body and blood of Christ, the bartering of material for spiritual things.

That the grace of God ought to be without price. In the Acts of the Apostles: "Thy money be in perdition with thyself, because thou hast thought that the grace of God is possessed by money." Also in the Gospel: "Freely ye have received, freely give." Also in the same place: "Ye have made my Father's house a house of merchandise; and ye have made the house of prayer a den of thieves." Also in Isaiah: "Ye who thirst, go to the water, and as many as have not money: go, and buy, and drink without money." Also in the Apocalypse: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to him that thirsteth from the fountain of the water of life freely. He who shall overcome shall possess these things, and their inheritance; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

How was it then that they did not strike him dead, as they did Ananias and Sapphira? Because even in the old times, he that gathered sticks on the sabbath-day was put to death as a warning to others and in no other instance did any suffer the same fate. So too on the present occasion, "Peter said to him, Thy money perish, because thou hast imagined that the gift of God is to be purchased with money." Why had not these received the Holy Ghost, when baptized? Either because Philip kept this honor for the Apostles; or, because he had not this gift to impart; or, he was one of the Seven: which is rather to be said.

"Thy money with thee to perdition": since thou hast not used it as it ought to be used. These are not words of imprecation, but of chastisement. "To thee," he says, be it to thee: being such. As if one should say, Let it perish along with thy purpose. Hast thou so mean conceptions of the gift of God, that thou hast imagined it to be altogether a thing of man? It is not this. Wherefore also Peter well calls the affair a gift: "Thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money." Dost thou observe how on all occasions they are clean from money?

"For thine heart is not right in the sight of God." Dost thou see how he does all of malice? To be simple, however, was the thing needed. For had it been done with simplicity, he would have even welcomed his willing mind. Seest thou that to have mean conceptions of great things is to sin doubly?

He offered money to people without possessions, and that too after seeing people bring the price of what they sold and lay it at the feet of the apostles. He did not realize that they who trod underfoot the wealth offered for the sustenance of the poor would surely never sell him the power of the Holy Spirit for a price.

Now after a few days there was a great commotion in the midst of the church, for some said that they had seen wonderful works done by a certain man whose name was Simon, and that he was at Aricia, and they added further that …

Only a wretched man sells the grace bestowed upon him. Whence did this selling first enter? Surely from Simon the magician, to whom the Apostle Peter said: "May your money perish with you."

Such cupidity must be tamed by munificence, which includes generosity and magnificence. It is the fountain which pours out water: for the fountain does not keep water within. According to the Philosopher, it is hard to be completely cured from cupidity, for cupidity is delightful …

"Your money perish with you," and other things. When holy men pronounce a sentence of cursing, they do not erupt from the desire of vengeance, but from the justice of examination. For they see the subtle judgment of God inwardly, and recognize the evils rising …

May your money perish with you. More accurately, it is written into perdition, according to the Greek authority, rather than in perdition. For in that perdition, in which a wicked man was condemned, his money was not to be with him, but he was commanded …

All the buying and selling of pardons and indulgences in the church of Rome is the product of this same wicked thought, that the gift of God may be purchased with money, when the offer of divine grace so expressly runs, without money and without price. (2.) He shows him his character, which is inferred from his crime.

But Peter said to him,....

Thy money perish with thee--that is, "Accursed be thou and thy money with thee." It is the language of mingled horror and indignation, not unlike our Lord's rebuke of Peter himself (Mt 16:23).

Thy money perish with thee - This is an awful declaration; and imports thus much, that if he did not repent, he and his ill-gotten goods would perish together; his money should be dissipated, and his soul go into perdition.

Thy money perish with thee - This is expressive of the horror and indignation of Peter at the base offer of Simon. It is not to be understood as an imprecation on Simon. The main idea is the apostle’s contempt for the “money,” as if he regarded it as of no value. “Let your money go to destruction. We abhor your impious offer. We can freely see “any” amount of money destroyed before we will be tempted to sell the gift of the Holy Spirit. But there was here also an expression of his belief that “Simon” also would perish. It was a declaration that he was hastening to ruin, and as if this was certain, Peter says, let your money perish “too.” The gift of God - That which he has “given,” or conferred as a favor. The idea was absurd that what God himself gave as a sovereign could be purchased. It was “impious” to think of attempting to buy with worthless gold what was of so inestimable value. The “gift of God” here means the extraordinary influences of the Holy Spirit, Act 10:45; Act 11:17. How can we pay a “price” to God? All that “we” can give, the silver, and the gold, and the cattle on a thousand hills, belong to him already. We have “nothing” which we can present for his favors. And yet there are many who seek to “purchase” the favor of God. Some do it by alms and prayers; some by penance and fasting; some by attempting to make their own hearts better, and by self-righteousness; and some by penitence and tears. All these will not “purchase” his favor. Salvation, like every other blessing, will be “his gift”; and if ever received, we must be willing to accept it on his own terms; at his own time; in his own way. We are without merit; and if saved, it will be by the sovereign grace of God.