On Pentecost God baptized the 12 Apostles with the Holy Spirit who also spoke in tongues. According to Acts 2:38 the eunuch and the Samarians had the gift of the Holy Spirit through Philip’s preaching. But Philip could not provide the baptism of the Holy Spirit for either. Acts reveals that beyond the two outpourings, only the Apostles through the laying on of their hands could baptize people in the Holy Spirit. It was the proof of apostleship Hebrews 2:4.
Samaria was a unique case and it was important for the apostles to accept them. The verse you cite in no way supports your conclusion, and does not even mention imparting gifts through the laying on of hands.
In Acts, Peter tells Simon why he could have no part in laying hands on people and their receiving the Holy Ghost.
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
Peter's answer was that it was because his heart was not right in the sight of God. It was NOT because Simon was not an apostle.
Was Ananias one of the twelve. This man is referred to is referred to as a 'disciple.'
Acts 9
17 And
Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and
putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and
be filled with the Holy Ghost.
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
About 7 years later, God poured out the Holy Spirit on the gentiles at Cornelius’ house which resulted in their speaking in tongues just as the Apostles did at Pentecost.
And this was apparently done without Peter laying hands on them. They heard his message and believed.
Scripture doesn’t mention the 3000 converts on the day of Pentecost as baptized with the Holy Spirit. Nor the 5,000 converts days later. But we might assume those whom the Apostles baptized in water also received the baptism with the Holy Spirit through their hands. But anyone baptized by someone other than an apostle would have been like the Eunuch who received only the gift of the Holy Spirit.
This is speculation. It could also be an area of ministry that Philip, an evangelist, did not minister in. The Old Testament already established long ago that one could be empowered by the Spirit to prophesy without the laying on of hands of the 12 apostles, who weren't even born yet. Zecharias was filled with the Spirit and prophesied.
You have no authority to bind the Spirit only to work in some of the ways mentioned in scripture, but not in others. Elders can lay hands on people, and gifts can be imparted through prophecy.
I Timothy 4
14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
Later, Paul preached to the disciples at Ephesus Acts 19:1. These like the Eunuch received the gift of the Holy Spirit. But they also received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit through the apostle’s hands the same way the Samarians did.
Paul received the Spirit, apparently without the help of the 12 apostles. That shows that God can fill someone with the Holy Spirit, someone who lays hands on others who are then filled with the Spirit, without going through the 12 apostles... if He so chooses. I make my assertion based on the fact that Paul says of his visit to meet certain apostles in Jerusalem that they that seemed to be somewhat added nothing to him, and the statement of Ananias about his being sent that Paul might receive his sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
Your method of considering verses that disprove our theory as exceptions, and thereby assuming the Spirit of God must bow and submit to your theories is flawed. God is sovereign, and He is not bound to follow the conclusions you draw from, or read into, the scriptures you cherry-pick as relevant.
The Baptism with the Holy Spirit provided God’s word through tongues and prophecy until the New Testament canon became complete.
That's a convoluted concept. Tongues and prophecy were evident in scripture at some cases of people being baptized with the Holy Spirit. Baptism with the Holy Spirit is more than that. It describes individuals being immersed in the Holy Spirit. The Spirit being poured out is a picture of the Spirit being poured out on people.
Why would you think the Lord would want to be stingy with the Holy Spirit when it comes to His people after Christ sent the comforter?
Luke 11
9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children:
how much more shall your heavenly
Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
The Baptism with the Holy Spirit provided God’s word through tongues and prophecy until the New Testament canon became complete. How do we know this? Paul says scripture thoroughly equips us 2 Timothy 3:17. Paul said tongues and prophecy provided only partial knowledge 1 Corinthians 13:9. So it makes sense scripture replaced them when completed.
Again, the scriptures you refer to do not support your conclusion. The fact that you may go to a church that misuses II Timothy 3:17 that way does not mean that is the appropriate interpretation. You are trying to make it mean something that it clearly did not to either Paul or Timothy. They did not have a completed canon. Paul was reminding Timothy of the scriptures he grew up with, which would likely have been the Old Testament, unless his mother or grandmother had access to some early epistles like James or a written gospel. So Paul was not talking about the complete New Testament canon, which Timothy did not even have access to, replacing the spiritual gifts.
If Paul were issuing a cessationist decree and saying Timothy had all he needed in the scripture he had, then scripture written later, like II Timothy 4 and the book of Revelation would not be inspired. The gift of prophecy would have ceased so those books could not be inspired. Revelation predicted future prophets and miracles, by the way.
Let's look at the verses in question
II Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture
is given by inspiration of God, and
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
(NKJV)
'Man of God' is used as the near equivalent of 'prophet' in the Old Testament. Timothy already has a gift he received through prophecy with the laying on of hands of the elders. He already has a gift in him through the laying on of Paul's hands.
Paul does
not say 'Scripture is all that is given...that the man of God may be...thoroughly equipped." The verse says "All Scripture is given..." Some cessationists appear to have dyslexia.
Give a soldier a rifle so that he may be thoroughly equipped. That makes sense. But that statement doesn't prove the rifle is all he needs. He's not thoroughly equipped without the rifle. But he may also have a uniform, a helmet, and some tools and provisions. the rifle is necessary for him to be fully equipped.
Similarly, this passage tells us that scripture is given that the man of God might be fully equipped, but not that it is all he needs.
The foolish thing about arguing for cessationism based on this is that the scriptures indicate that we need gifted members of the body of Christ. Cessationists wouldn't say that we don't need faith, hope, love, water baptism or holiness because we have the Bible. These are things the Bible teaches we need. So it doesn't make sense to say that we don't need spiritual gifts because the Bible teaches that we do need these.
Beyond Acts, the Corinthians no doubt received the Baptism with the Holy Spirit through Paul’s hands. And Paul mentioned he wanted to visit the Romans to give spiritual gifts to them too Romans 1:11. Paul mentions laying his hands on Timothy who also received a gift 2 Timothy 1:6.
And Timothy received a gift through prophecy with the laying on of hands of the elders, mentioned earlier. One can also pray to receive a spiritual gift like interpretation of tongues (I Corinthians 14:13.) The doctrinal teaching of scripture is that gifts are given as the Spirit wills. (I Corinthians 12:11.) Examples and teaching of scripture show the Spirit being received and gifts and manifestations of the Spirit being given spontaneously as the Spirit fell (Acts 2), through the laying on of the apostles hands (Acts 10, II Timothy 2), through prophecy accompanied by the laying on of the apostles hands (II Timothy 4), and in response to prayer (I Corinthian 14:13.)
We should take all scripture into account, not just look at one and create a doctrine that contradicts the others.