Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 8:4

"They therefore that were scattered abroad, went about preaching the word." — Acts 8:4 (ASV)

Luke records the mission to Samaria as inaugurated by Philip and carried on by Peter and John as “Exhibit A” for his thesis that “those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” Luke does this because in the mission to Samaria he sees in retrospect a significant advance in the outreach of the Gospel.