Lesson 41: Acts 8:36-40

Acts 8:36–40 (NASB)

36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 37 And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.

36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

Matthew 3:6 (NASB)

6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

Acts 2:41 (NASB)

41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

Acts 8:12 (NASB)

12 But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike.

37 And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

Romans 10:9–10 (NASB)

9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Romans 4:2–5 (NASB)

2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,

John 6:27–29 (ESV)

27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

James 2:19 (NASB)

19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

Hebrews 11:6 (NASB)

6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.

John 3:23 (NASB)

23 John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized—

Romans 6:4–7 (NASB)

4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin.

New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries: Updated Edition (907 βαπτίζω (baptizō))

907. βαπτίζω baptizō; from 911; to dip, sink:—Baptist(3), baptize(9), baptized(51), baptizes(1), baptizing(10), ceremonially washed(1), undergo(1).908. βάπτισμα baptisma; from 907; (the result of) a dipping or sinking:—baptism(20).909. βαπτισμός baptismos; from 907; (the act of) a dipping or washing:—washing(1), washings(2).

39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.

1 Kings 18:7–12 (NASB)

7 Now as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him, and he recognized him and fell on his face and said, “Is this you, Elijah my master?” 8 He said to him, “It is I. Go, say to your master, ‘Behold, Elijah is here.’ ” 9 He said, “What sin have I committed, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab to put me to death? 10 “As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent to search for you; and when they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made the kingdom or nation swear that they could not find you. 11 “And now you are saying, ‘Go, say to your master, “Behold, Elijah is here.” ’ 12 “It will come about when I leave you that the Spirit of the Lord will carry you where I do not know; so when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth.

Ezekiel 3:12–15 (NASB)

12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great earthquake: “Blessed be the glory of the Lord from its place!” 13 It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them, and the sound of a great earthquake. 14 The Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the hand of the Lord being strong upon me. 15 And I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who were dwelling by the Chebar canal, and I sat where they were dwelling. And I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days.

40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.

Azotus is the Greek name for the city “Ashdod”. It is a city of the Philistines. It is about halfway between Gaza and Tel Aviv, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

1 Samuel 5:1–4 (NASB)

1 Now the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. 3 When the Ashdodites arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set him in his place again. 4 But when they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. And the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left to him.

Caesarea is north of both Ashdod and Tel Aviv. It is about 60 miles from Ashdod. Philip ends up living in Caesarea long term.

Acts 21:8 (NASB)

8 On the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him.

Caesarea is a key location in the book of Acts. It is a major port city so almost all of the missionary journeys that required travel by boat are launching from Caesarea. No doubt, Philip the evangelist, played a major part in making disciples in Caesarea.

Acts 8:5–8 (NASB)

5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them. 6 The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing. 7 For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 So there was much rejoicing in that city.

Acts 8:25–26 (NASB)

25 So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans. 26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.)

God used Phillip to spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to Samaria to Africa through the Ethiopian, to Ashdod, the city of the Philistines, up the coast to Caesarea, the port city, and from there to the rest of the world. Most scholars say Paul was the first missionary, but the term, “missionary” is never used in the Bible. The first time we see the heading “missionary journey”, it is Paul and Barnabas, but that heading isn’t inspired Scripture. Pretty much the only headings that are Scriptural are found in the Psalms. If you ask me, Philip was practically speaking, the first missionary before Paul and Barnabas were missionaries.