Acts 8: 9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which, before-time in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: 10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, this man is the great power of God.
The magician, by the name Simon Magus, had been obviously working miracles for many years in that city, and the fact that he had gained the respect of the masses of people, testifies to the veracity of the things he was doing. In the following passages, when we read the words: from the least to the greatest, we must understand that almost everyone, from senators, Governors and mayors to your everyday John Doe on the street had come to a settled conclusion that God was working amongst them through Simon.
A person never gains renown, confidence or respect if what he is purporting to do is fake news, because the intelligent minds in the city would certainly have exposed his work as a scam years before. And yet, for all their claims that it was the power of God at work it was actually the devil who was in the background, apparently helping out the citizens of the city, all the while. Witch doctors do not only cast spells and curses on people, they also do some medicinal work and quite often employ the supernatural power of the devil to heal diseases.
In fact, the word translated “Sorcery” in our next passages is taken from the Greek word Pharmakeia, from which we get our modern word “Pharmacy”. Thus, Simon Magus, the magician was doing some level of good work amongst the people of that city, intermingled with the evil, therefore, it is a grim fact that we will have to be reconciled to, that devils can and often do, some level of good.
Acts 8:11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!