Acts 8:26-40

Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

1. Divine Direction for Philip (Acts 8:26-29)

Acts 8:26–29 “Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south (about noon) to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza (city in ruins).” This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.””

v. 26: An angel of the Lord instructs Philip to go south to the desert road leading from Jerusalem to Gaza.v. 27: Philip obeys and encounters an Ethiopian eunuch, a high official in charge of the queen's treasury, who is traveling home after worshiping in Jerusalem.v. 28: The eunuch is reading the book of Isaiah while riding in his chariot.v. 29: The Spirit prompts Philip to approach the chariot.

Commentary:

Ethiopia was quite frequently identified with the ends of the earth.

Nubian Kingdom: Kingdom of Meroë (c. 300 BCE–350 CE):

The capital moved south to Meroë, known for its ironworking, advanced irrigation systems, and unique pyramids.Meroitic culture combined African and Egyptian influences, with its own written script, which remains partially undeciphered.It maintained extensive trade networks, connecting Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Indian Ocean world.

Luke provides an example of a conversion of a person of relatively high social status, he was a court official / Theophilus

Eunuch: Deuteronomy 23:1 ““No one whose testicles are crushed or whose male organ is cut off shall enter the assembly of the Lord.” Isaiah 56:3–5 “Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”; and let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.” For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.”

Isaiah 49:6 “he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”” Isaiah 62:11 “Behold, the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion, “Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.””

God’s plan: It is the angel of the Lord that tells Philip to go, God’s Spirit that specifically tells Philip to go over and join the eunuch and timely hears the eunuch reading Isaiah 53. Water happens to be available near them for him to be baptized. Sprit snatched Philip away to another location.

God’s Sovereignty

God’s mission to include all sorts of people in his Kingdom.

Gaza -city in ruin after being destroyed in 96 BC

2. Philip Explains the Scriptures (Acts 8:30-35)

Acts 8:30–35 “So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.”

v. 30: Philip asks if the eunuch understands what he is reading, and the eunuch admits he needs guidance.v. 31-32: The eunuch invites Philip to join him, and they read from Isaiah 53:7-8, a prophecy about the suffering servant.v. 34: The eunuch asks Philip to explain whether the passage refers to the prophet or someone else.v. 35: Beginning with Isaiah, Philip shares the good news about Jesus.

Commentary:

Eunuch’s ability to read and possession of a scroll of Isaiah speaks to his wealth.

A: Do you understand what you are reading?

B: How can I, unless someone guides me?

C: Isaiah 53:7–8 “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” (The Identity of the Servant)

B: About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this about himself or about someone else?

A: Then Philip opened his mouth and beginning with the Scripture he told him the good news of Jesus.

Universalization of the gospel - that it is for all people from the last, least, and lost to the first, most and found.

Luke 3:6 “and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”” Isaiah 52:10 “The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”

Luke 24:31–32 “And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?””

V. 35 leaves us in no doubt. Philip, as Luke portrayed Jesus before him (cf. Luke 24:27, 44–47), sees the Hebrew Scriptures as a prophetic book that speaks about Jesus. The good news about Jesus could be proclaimed starting with these very Isaianic texts.

3. The Eunuch Believes and Is Baptized (Acts 8:36-38)

Acts 8:36–38 “And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.”

v. 36: As they travel, they come across water, and the eunuch asks to be baptized.v. 37 (some manuscripts): Philip confirms the eunuch's faith in Jesus as the Son of God.v. 38: They stop the chariot, and Philip baptizes the eunuch.

Commentary:

4. Philip’s Departure and the Eunuch’s Joy (Acts 8:39-40)

Acts 8:39–40 “And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.”

v. 39: After the baptism, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly takes Philip away, and the eunuch continues on his way, rejoicing.v. 40: Philip is found at Azotus, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reaches Caesarea.

Commentary:

Eunuch was rejoicing in finally being a full member of a religion grounded in the Hebrew Scriptures. Nevertheless several early church fathers attribute to the eunuch the evangelizing of the region (cf., .g., Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.12.8–10)

Psalm 68:31 “Nobles shall come from Egypt; Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.”

Philip in Caesarea / Acts 21:8–9 “On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied.”

For Luke’s purposes, however, at least part of the point of this story is to show that with or without apostles, God was going to fulfill his plan to spread the good news to “all flesh” even unto the ends of the earth, even if it required using an evangelist rather than an apostle, and even if it required direct divine intervention in various forms. The human leaders of Christianity in Jerusalem could only try to catch up with the plan of God, which was operating often apart from and quite beyond their control.