Simon Magus

American  

noun

1. Simon.

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Simon Magus British  

noun

1. New Testament a Samaritan sorcerer, probably from Gitta, of the 1st century _ad After being converted to Christianity, he tried to buy miraculous powers from the apostles (Acts of the Apostles 8:9–24). He is also identified as the founder of a Gnostic sect

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Example Sentences

In Simon Magus, the contingency of the early Christian church flows from an image of the apostles preaching in villages, "perched on wobbly barrels".

From The Guardian

Of the five groups of the Gnostic family, which seem to agree in little beside worshipping the devil, holding to "emanations," and owing their origin to Simon Magus, the particular group that made Alexandria its headquarters acknowledged as its leading names Basilides, Valentine, and Mark, each of whom outdid the other in the absurdity of his ravings about eons, generations, and the like, and in the abominableness of his practical licentiousness.

From Project Gutenberg

No one can tell satisfactorily what made these precious followers of Simon Magus spend their days in patching up second-hand systems out of the rags of cast-off Oriental mysticism.

From Project Gutenberg

Opposite to this tomb is an oil painting on slate, by Francesco Vanni, of the Fall of Simon Magus.

From Project Gutenberg

In the left transept, which ends in the chapel of S. Bruno, are: on the left, St. Basil by the solemnity of the Mass rebuking the Emperor Valens, Subleyras; and the Fall of Simon Magus, Pompeo Battoni;—on the right, the Immaculate Conception, P. Bianchi; and Tabitha raised from the Dead, P. Costanzi.

From Project Gutenberg