289
The Ethiopian eunuch is baptized
by Philip the Evangelist, in a
stained-glass window in Brackley,
England. This act symbolized the
start of the Ethiopian Church.See also: Ruth and Naomi 108–09 ■ The Suffering Servant 154–55 ■ The Great Commission 274–77 ■
The Day of Pentecost 282–83 ■ The Road to Damascus 290–91ACTS, EPISTLES, AND REVELATION
Wherever the believers go, they
“preach the word” to the great joy
of those who hear and accept it.The Ethiopian
In Samaria, Philip, a former
associate of the martyred Stephen,
makes an impact. He was one of
seven men appointed to oversee
the distribution of food to widows
in Jerusalem. Now in Samaria,
he preaches to large crowds and
performs dramatic healings.
Luke describes two aspects
of the events that follow. On one
level is the persecution that
scatters the believers, who then
set out to preach the word. On the
other is the direct intervention of
God, whose influence becomes
clear when He sets Philip a new
task. As Philip returns to Jerusalem
from Samaria, an angel tells him to
take the road to Gaza. He sets out
and sees a chariot ahead. God’s
Spirit tells Philip to catch up with
it, and there he finds a high official
of the Queen of Ethiopia, a eunuch
who has been to Jerusalem to
worship. The man is reading oneof the Suffering Servant Songs
from the Book of Isaiah, which
speaks of the arrival and suffering
of the Messiah. Philip asks the
eunuch if he understands what
he is reading. The eunuch replies
that he does not and invites Philip
to sit with him to explain the
passage. Philip agrees and tells
the man “the good news about
Jesus,” as predicted by Isaiah.
Later, when they pass a stretch
of water, the eunuch asks Philip
to baptize him. Philip does so,
and then the “Spirit of the Lord”
miraculously takes Philip away,
depositing him on the coast near
Caesarea. The eunuch, meanwhile,
continues on his way, rejoicing.
Joy thus marks the spreading
of the Gospel—a process that
Saul’s persecution has only, in the
end, promoted. As Jesus foretold,the “good news” has spread from
Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria.
Now, with the conversion of the
Ethiopian, it pushes farther afield.God of all
The conversion of the eunuch
shows a key difference between
Judaism and Christianity. For Jews,
castration was unlawful, so, as a
eunuch, the Ethiopian would not
have been allowed to worship in
the Temple. God, however, prompts
Philip to baptize the man. The
episode is seen as proof that the
word of God was meant for the
whole world—not just the Jews. ■They all paid close attention
to what He said. For with
shrieks, impure spirits came
out of many, and many
who were paralyzed or
lame were healed.
Acts 8:6–7US_288-289_Word_spreads.indd 289 27/09/17 10:17 am