Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch on the road to Gaza

ACTS 8 BIBLE STUDY ◄
Acts 8:20-25 Simony

Acts 8:26-40 Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

ACTS 8:26-28 26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. 27 So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.

In which direction did Philip travel?
Samaria, where he was, is north of Jerusalem, while "Gaza" (Acts 8:26) is southwest of Jerusalem, so Philip travelled south-southwest.

Where was "Ethiopia" (Acts 8:27)?
This "Ethiopia" refers not to the modern country of Ethiopia but to the ancient kingdom of Nubia, which stretched from what is the southern edge of what is Egypt to central Sudan today. Therefore this Ethiopia was located in what is northern and central Sudan today and was northwest of today's Ethiopia.

Who was "Candace" (Acts 8:27)?
"Candace" wasn't a person's name but the title given to the mother of the Nubian king, not unlike the "Pharaoh" for the Egyptian ruler. In Nubia/ancient Ethiopia, the job of managing the nation was given to the mother of the king, as it was considered too low a task for the king, who was thought to be the son of the sun.

Who was the "eunuch" (Acts 8:27)?
In order to protect the king's harem in ancient royal courts, as well as to deter assassination of the king aimed at eventually benefiting the children of the assassin, men who served the king inside the palace were required to be emasculated. Over time, "eunuch" became synonymous with a high government official - the "Treasury" (Acts 8:27) Secretary or the Finance Minister in this case - so it is unclear if this political eunuch was also one physiologically. But given that "he had come to Jerusalem to worship" (Acts 8:27) and the Law stated, "He who is emasculated by crushing or mutilation shall not enter the assembly of the LORD" (Deuteronomy 23:1), it is likely that this gentleman was still happily intact.

Was he a Jew?
No, he was a gentile, so either a "God-fearer," or more likely a "proselyte," who is able to participate in the Passover and other Jewish feasts (see proselyte).

ACTS 8:29-31 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.

Who told Philip to catch up to the eunuch?
The Holy Spirit

How was Philip able to hear what the eunuch was reading?
In those days, all reading was customarily done aloud, even when alone.

ACTS 8:32-35 32 The place in the Scripture which he read was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opened not His mouth. 33 In His humiliation His justice was taken away, and who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.” 34 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.

Where in Isaiah was he reading?
Isaiah 53:7-8.

ACTS 8:36-40 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” 37 Then 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 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.

What is the Biblical criteria for being baptized?
"If you believe with all your heart" (Acts 8:37) what the Bible says about Jesus, and as is evident from the phrase "with all your heart," the 'belief' here means "to have Christian faith," not simply "to think to be true" (see Simony).

What is the Biblical way to be baptized?
To go "down into the water" (Acts 8:38) and then to come "up out of the water" (Acts 8:39).

What might the eunuch have concluded about Philip?
Given the way he disappeared from his sight, possibly an angel.

What happened to Philip after Caesarea?
See Acts 21:7-9 which depicts some 20 years later.

What happened to this eunuch?
According to Irenaeus, a second century writer, he returned to his country and shared the Gospel. By the 4th century, Christianity was his country’s official religion.

How much 'organized' Bible training is required for one to end up evangelizing an entire nation?

How much Bible training have you received compared to this eunuch?