John Chrysostom, on Acts 8:18

“And when Simon saw, that by the imposition of the hands of the apostles, the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,”

“It was a twofold sign: both the giving to those, and the not giving to this man. Whereas then this man ought, on the contrary, to have asked to receive the Holy Ghost, he, because he cared not for this, asks power to give It to others. And yet those received not this power to give: but this man wished to be more illustrious than Philip, he being among the disciples! "He offered them money." What? had he seen the others doing this? had he seen Philip? Did he imagine they did not know with what mind he came to them?”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.