Introduction: One disciple met one man on a deserted road. What happened after the disciple shared the gospel with the other man?
The disciple, Philip
Text, Acts 8:26, KJV: 26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
--Philip, one of the original seven men chosen as deacons (Acts 6), was preaching the Gospel in Samaria (see the first part of this chapter). How long he wanted to stay there is never given.
--He had also performed other miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit; casting out demons, healing those who were lame and had the “palsies (specific disease uncertain)” per 8:5-8.
--But now, in the midst of what seems to be non-stop activity, an (“the”, KJV) instructs Philip to go from Jerusalem to Gaza. Jerusalem was south of Samaria and Gaza was a good ways south-west of Jerusalem near the Mediterranean Sea (according to various maps). This might take anywhere from 3-5 days traveling on foot.
--“Desert” could mean the road went through desert-type land, This was close to, if not identical, to the land called the “south” or the “Negev” per various translations; apparently this area didn’t have as much fresh water as other parts of Israel. Abraham and Isaac both dug wells in this part of the world to find fresh water as recorded in Genesis.
--Some think “desert” meant that Gaza was deserted at the time. No matter, Philip heard the message and obeyed it. This is one mark of a true disciple.
The devotee, the Ethiopian eunuch
Text, Acts 8:27-28, KJV: 27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
--Philip was a believer, a preacher, and a disciple. There is no indication of his social status or career before he became a deacon, first, and then a messenger of the Gospel.
--Contrast Philip with this unnamed Ethiopian official. This man had great authority, and had charge of all-of the queen’s treasure. He’s called a eunuch (a man not capable of being a father) but whether this is the case or not is of no significance here.
--The Ethiopian had gone to Jerusalem to worship but we are not given the reason why he came nor if there was a feast/festival he was celebrating.
--Was this man a Jew of the dispersion? Or was he a non-Hebrew native of Ethiopia who had become a convert to the God of Israel? In the days of Esther, the Persian Empire extended “from India to Ethiopia (compare Est. 1:1 with 8:9-17)” and many peoples from many parts of the Empire became Jews according to the passage cited.
--The Ethiopian was also a student of the Scriptures. Notice that he’s reading a scroll containing the Book of Isaiah (“Esaias”, KJV). Isaiah is a very long book and contains mixtures of prose and vivid language. Imagine how much time it would require to make an accurate copy by hand!
--But apparently this man didn’t understand everything he was reading.
The discussion between the two
Text, Acts 8:29-35, KJV: 29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
--First, an angel of the Lord had told Philip to go from Jerusalem to near Gaza. Did Philip have any doubts or misgivings?
--Now the Holy Spirit Himself says (tersely—God never wastes words!), “Go near and (get in the chariot)”. Philip did exactly that.
--It seems the Ethiopian was reading from Isaiah, aloud. Philip “heard him read” from the scroll.
--Philip asks an interesting question: “Do you understand what you’re reading?” Was there any uncertainty in the Ethiopian’s voice or non-verbal, facial expressions, which led Philip to this conclusion? How did Philip sense this?
--Here the Ethiopian basically “opened the door” for Philip to explain the passage. Providentially, the section they were discussing was Isaiah 53:7-8 (this passage is probably from the Septuagint (LXX, Greek translation of the Hebrew OT)!
The KJV translation of Isaiah 53:7-8 reads as follows (for comparison): “7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken”.
--The Ethiopian’s question showed he could indeed read, but not understand, the prophecy. He asked a sincere question (is the prophet talking about himself or someone else?) and Philip was able to give him a straight answer.
--Jesus Himself had explained many things about Himself from the Old Testament to the two disciples traveling to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-27) and shortly afterwards, He did the same thing to the Eleven Apostles (Luke 24:44-49).
--Where Philip learned this Scripture knowledge is not certain, but learn it he did, and well enough to explain it to a man seeking the Truth!
The decision
Text, Acts 8:36-38, KJV: 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
--Luke does not record when the Ethiopian became a believer, the words or phrases he used to confess his sins and ask for salvation. This could be because his experience, like those of all believers, is unique.
--The important thing is that he first read the Scripture (did he have more than just the scroll of Isaiah in his possession?), then studied the Scripture, asked questions when he didn’t understand what he had been reading, and then exercised “saving faith” in Jesus! He had gone to Jerusalem to worship, now he was a member of God’s family! He had been saved!
--And to prove his desire to follow Jesus, the Ethiopian asked, “why can’t I be baptized?” when he saw water (location unspecified).
--The Ethiopian’s faith was sincere. He told Philp “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Some religions do not believe this to be the case and even some branches of the Christian community deny the Deity of Christ (they do not believe He is God, nor the Son of God).
--To be sure, some people have uttered this or similar phrases but were never genuinely saved or born again. One Bible teacher’s testimony recounted that he decided to “join the church” so he asked the pastor if he could be baptized. The pastor, as the story goes, asked the other man if he believed Jesus was the Son of God and the other man said yes. He was not a believer at the time, and he said that after the pastor baptized him, the only change he made was a change of clothes.
--A tremendous difference between “head knowledge” and “heart belief”, as some used to say.
The departures
A The Ethiopian’s departure
Text, Acts 8:39, KJV: 39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
--This man was headed back to Africa. He probably would have had to go through Egypt in order to cross the Nile Delta and head to Ethiopia. Did he share his new faith as he continued?
--We know nothing more about this man except that he was from Ethiopia, he was a worshiper of God and had gone to Jerusalem (how many times before, we are not told), he had a copy of Isaiah in his possession but didn’t understand everything he had read.
--But he listened, he learned, and he believed!
B Philip’s departure
Text, Acts 8:40, KJV: 40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
--Where Philip baptized the Ethiopian is never disclosed.
--Azotus is the Old Testament “Ashdod”, one of the cities occupied by the Philistines for many years. Of note, Ashdod was where the Philistines carried the Ark of the Covenant after the First Battle of Ebenezer (1 Samuel 5). That things didn’t go so well for the Philistines is noted in the balance of that chapter!
--Philip being “caught away” is only mentioned here. There is no description or elaboration.
--From Azotus/Ashdod, Philip seems to have followed the Mediterranean Sea coastline as he traveled many miles north to Casearea.
--The story ends here, with the Ethiopian continuing on his journey, and Philip going where he was sent. We know little about either one of these men after this chapter, but we can rejoice that the same Lord Who brought salvation for them gives salvation to us, too! All by grace through faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9)!
Scripture quotations were taken from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV).
