The Book of Acts traces the gradual unfolding of the terms of Christ’s will. At first the only Christians were Jews or people who were Jewish by conversion (Acts 2:10). The Samaritans were of mixed blood, part-Jewish and part-Gentile. Most Jews despised them. The Samaritans lived in the neighboring region, north of Jerusalem. Yet there was no immediate mission to share with them the Good News preached at Pentecost. The first major change came when persecution drove many Christians out of Jerusalem.
Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ…. But when they believed Philip as he preached Good News about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. (Acts 8:4-5, 12)
God gave the Spirit to these Samaritans through the hands of Peter and John (Acts 8:17). By using two apostles—leading “pillars” of the church (cf. Galatians 2:9)—God convinced Jewish Christians to accept Samaritan converts. The New Covenant’s terms had made Samaritans acceptable from the beginning. But it took time for that acceptance to become a practical reality.