John Calvin Commentary Acts 8:5

"And Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed unto them the Christ." — Acts 8:5 (ASV)

Luke said that they all preached the Word of God. Now he mentions Philip alone, both because his preaching was more fruitful and effective than the preaching of the others, and also because notable histories followed, which he will add later. He used city of Samaria to refer to the city Samaria, which was destroyed by Hyrcanus, rebuilt by Herod, and called Sebaste.

Read Josephus, in his Thirteenth and Fifteenth Books of Antiquities. When he says that Philip preached Christ, he signifies that the whole sum of the gospel is contained in Christ. The other speech which he uses shortly after is more complete, yet it is the same in effect.

He joins the kingdom of God and the name of Christ together. But because we obtain this goodness through Christ—to have God reign in us, and to lead a heavenly life, being renewed into spiritual righteousness and dead to the world—the preaching of Christ therefore also includes this point.

But the sum is this: Christ, with his grace, repairs the world which was destroyed. This comes to pass, first, when he reconciles us to the Father, and secondly, when he regenerates us by his Spirit, so that the kingdom of God may be established in us when Satan is put to flight.

Moreover, since he previously stated that the apostles did not leave Jerusalem, it is thought that he is speaking here of one of the seven deacons, whose daughters also prophesied.