Commentators unanimously agree that Peter's rebuke goes beyond Simon's single action to the core issue: the state of his heart. God, who cannot be deceived, saw that Simon's motives were not pure but driven by pride and greed. Scholars stress that our outward religious acts are meaningless if our inner affections and intentions are not 'right in the sight of God.' This serves as a call to self-examination, ensuring our faith is sincere from the inside out.