Receiving The Holy Spirit

Q

With Phillip preaching the word and crowds hearing and seeing miracles that he did, why do you think that Phillip did not pray for them to receive the Holy Spirit. And that the original disciples Peter and John were sent? Were the original disciples, now apostles, the only ones to pray for this. And at what point was there a transition from them to others. And are there qualifications for this, like pastors, elders, evangelists, prophets?

A

There was a disciple named Philip (John 1:43), but the Philip in Acts 8:4-17 was one of the original deacons (Acts 6:5) and as such was not an apostle. This explains why Peter and John came to lay hands on the new believers (Acts 8:14-17).

By the time Paul wrote his 2nd letter to the Corinthians (about 55 AD) believers were automatically receiving the Holy Spirit directly from the Lord at the time they received Him (2 Cor. 1:21-22), so the laying on of hands by an apostle was no longer necessary.