The Ethiopian Eunuch Series

The Ethiopian Eunuch

Acts 8:26-40

The story of the Ethiopian Eunuch is a pivotal passage for many reasons. One of those reasons is that it is considered the fulfilment of Acts 1:8. At the coming of the Holy Spirit the gospel would go to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. Ethiopia is the “ends of the earth” in this context. This man is from Ethiopia and on his way home and he comes to faith. This Ethiopian Eunuch represents the breakthrough of the gospel going viral to the ends of the earth.

Another important aspect of this passage is that this Ethiopian Eunuch is reading from Isaiah. The passage he is reading about is a prophecy of the coming Messiah. Phillip explains to him that Jesus’ life, death on the cross, and resurrection is the fulfillment of this prophecy. It will also be important to look at the wider Isaiah passage, Isaiah chapters 53-56, and see that the Lord made many incredible promises. One of those incredible promises is how Jesus coming is a special blessing for the Eunuchs. This is especially significant because he is a Eunuch.

That was the passage he was reading when he so readily accepted Jesus Christ and he was the one asking Phillip to baptize him. That was how enthusiastically the Eunuch accepted the good news at a time when others opposed it. As a matter of fact Phillip was out preaching because at his home in Jerusalem people were going house to house and dragging Christians to prison for talking about Jesus the way Phillip is doing here.

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 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 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. (Acts 8:26-28)

After Philip left Jerusalem because of the severe persecution he has been preaching the gospel in Judea and Samaria. Now the angel of the Lord led him to the Ethiopian Eunuch on the desert road. When Philip went to the place, he met the Ethiopian Eunuch. This was an official in charge of the treasury of the queen of Ethiopia.

This Eunuch had come to Jerusalem to worship God. He had with him a scroll and was reading from the prophet Isaiah while seated in his chariot. It was a divine appointment and Philip would be taking the gospel to the final aspect of Acts 1:8. He had preached in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and now to the ends of the earth.

Not only was this Ethiopian a gentile who is considered an outsider of Israel, but he was a Eunuch. There was a specific Levitical law that the Eunuchs were to remain outside the assembly. They were explicitly excluded from the Lord’s assembly.

“No one whose testicles are crushed or whose male organ is cut off shall enter the assembly of the LORD. (Deuteronomy 23:1)

As a Gentile there was exclusion from the citizenship of Israel (Ephesians 2:12). But this gentile came to Jerusalem to worship God and he was reading from the prophet Isaiah.

And was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” (Acts 8:28-29)

Philip asked him if he understood what he read.

So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” (Acts 8:30)

His famous answer,

And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. (Acts 8:31)

Here is the passage we have in Isaiah.

32 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.

33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.

Who can describe his generation?

For his life is taken away from the earth.”

The passage comes from Isaiah 53:7-8. I want you to see first the wider context of this passage to include from verse 7 until verse 12. We can see that the Lord orchestrated this passage for him to see how he was part of the Lord’s grand masterplan.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,

yet he opened not his mouth;

like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,