Philip and the Ethiopian

A busy place. Philip had been preaching about Jesus in the city of Samaria, and “there was great joy in that city” (8:8). A new command. Then an angel said, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza” (8:26). Gaza was a town near the sea, and the road ran through desert land. Ready to obey. “So he arose and went” (8:27). Philip did not argue or ask for reasons. He obeyed before he was told why. A man of Ethiopia. Ethiopia was a kingdom far to the south of Egypt. The man was “a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians” (8:27). Here a eunuch means an officer who served in a royal palace. In charge of the money. He “had charge of all her treasury” (8:27). A treasury is where a kingdom keeps its money and treasures. A worshiper. He “had come to Jerusalem to worship” (8:27). That was a very long trip. Most likely he had come to love the God of Israel. Reading on the road. “Sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet” (8:28). He wanted to know God through His Word. Sent to one. God moved Philip away from a city full of people to meet one man. God knew exactly where that man would be and what he was reading. What we learn. God sees every person who is looking for Him. When He tells you to do something, do it, even before you understand why.

From a crowd to a road (8:5-8, 26). Philip had “preached Christ” in Samaria, and “there was great joy in that city.” Then an angel told him, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” The road ran through desert country. Ready obedience (8:27). “So he arose and went.” The command made little sense: leave a city where many were believing and walk into empty land. Philip obeyed without being told why. Ethiopia. In the Bible, Ethiopia is the land of Cush, south of Egypt along the Nile River. Candace was most likely a title, like Pharaoh, used for the queens of that land. A court official. The man was “a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury.” Men like him often served as trusted officials in royal courts. Long before, God had promised a place among His people to foreigners and eunuchs who held on to His covenant (Isaiah 56:3-5). A worshiper far from home. He “had come to Jerusalem to worship.” Most likely he had come to believe in the God of Israel and had made a long journey to worship Him. A seeker with a scroll (8:28). “Sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.” He had God’s Word in his hands, and he was reading it on the way home. God arranged the meeting (8:29). “Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go near and overtake this chariot.’” The angel sent Philip to the road, and the Holy Spirit showed him the very chariot. Application. Obedience often comes before understanding. When God’s Word shows you something to do, do it, and trust Him with the reasons.

Philip had been telling big crowds about Jesus. Then an angel gave him a new job. God sent him to a quiet desert road. The angel did not tell him why. But he got up and went right away. That is what obeying God looks like. On the road was a man from Ethiopia. Ethiopia was a land far to the south. The man was an important officer for the queen. He had traveled all the way to Jerusalem to worship God. Now he was reading God’s Word on the ride home. God sent Philip to one man who wanted to know Him. God cares about each person, and He cares about you.

God sent Philip to a quiet desert road. Philip obeyed right away. God knew a man there needed to hear about Jesus.

Philip ran. When the Spirit said, “Go near and overtake this chariot” (8:29), “Philip ran to him” (8:30). He was eager to obey. Reading out loud. Philip “heard him reading the prophet Isaiah” (8:30). In Bible times, people often read out loud, even when they read alone. A kind question. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” (8:30). He did not start with a speech. He started by caring about what the man was thinking. An honest answer. “How can I, unless someone guides me?” (8:31). Guides means leads the way, like a guide on a trail. Humble enough to ask. This man was in charge of a queen’s money, yet he said he needed help. Asking for help is not weak. It is wise. An invitation. Then he invited Philip to come up into the chariot (8:31). He wanted to learn. God’s helpers. God gives His people helpers to explain His Word: parents, pastors and teachers. He also gives His Holy Spirit to everyone who trusts Jesus. Hearing the Word. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). God uses His Word to bring people to Jesus. What we learn. The Bible is God’s Word for you. When part of it is hard to understand, do not give up. Ask God, and ask someone who loves Jesus to help you.

He ran (8:30). “So Philip ran to him.” Philip did not stroll after the moment God had prepared; he ran to meet it. A play on words. Philip’s question in Greek has a play on words: ginoskeis ha anaginoskeis (say: gih-NOH-skace hah ah-nah-gih-NOH-skace), “Do you understand what you are reading?” Ginosko (say: gih-NOH-skoh) means to know or understand; anaginosko (say: ah-nah-gih-NOH-skoh) means to read. Reading the words and understanding them are not always the same thing. Unless someone guides me (8:31). The word for guides is hodegeo (say: hoh-day-GEH-oh), to lead someone along the way. The official had the scroll, the time and the desire to learn, but he still needed a guide. Humility. A powerful man in charge of a royal treasury asked, “How can I?” and then invited Philip up into his chariot. Humble people keep learning; proud people stay stuck. Faith by hearing. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). The official already had the Word. What he needed was someone to explain it. The Spirit and the Word. The Holy Spirit led Philip to the chariot and used Philip’s words to open the Scripture. God often uses one believer to help another understand His Word. Application. Read the Bible with your questions in mind, and do not be embarrassed to admit that you do not understand a part. Ask God, and ask a mature believer to help you.

The Holy Spirit told Philip to go near the chariot. Philip did not walk slowly. He ran! He heard the man reading out loud. Philip asked if he understood what he was reading. The man was an important officer. But he was not too proud to say, “How can I understand?” He asked for help. Then he invited Philip up into the chariot. God’s Word is for everyone. Sometimes we need help to understand it. God gives us parents, teachers and pastors to help. When you do not understand, ask a grown-up who loves Jesus. And ask God to help you too.

Philip asked the man a good question. The man needed help to understand God’s Word. It is good to ask for help.

The verses he was reading. “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth” (8:32). A shearer cuts a sheep’s wool. Treated unfairly. “In His humiliation His justice was taken away” (8:33). Humiliation means being shamed. He would not get a fair trial. A life taken. “For His life is taken from the earth” (8:33). The One in these verses would die. The big question. The official asked, “Of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” (8:34). That is the right question to ask about these verses. Philip’s answer. “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him” (8:35). Jesus, the Lamb. Jesus stayed silent before the people who judged Him unfairly. Like a lamb, He was led away to the cross. John the Baptist had called Him “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Written long before. Isaiah wrote these words hundreds of years before Jesus was born. God planned to save us long before it happened. What we learn. When you read the Bible, look for Jesus. The Bible tells one big story, and Jesus is at the center of it.

Isaiah 53:7-8 (8:32-33). The official was reading Isaiah’s words about the suffering Servant of the Lord: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth.” Justice taken away. “In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.” The Servant would be shamed, denied a fair judgment and put to death. The question about His generation most likely means: who could even speak of His descendants, when His life was cut short? The question (8:34). “Of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” Isaiah could not have meant himself, because the Servant suffers “for the transgressions of My people” (Isaiah 53:8). Beginning at this Scripture (8:35). “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.” Philip started where the man was reading and showed him Jesus. The silent Lamb. At His trials Jesus stayed silent before His accusers, just as Isaiah had said. He did not defend Himself, because He had come to die. God’s Lamb. John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). The quiet Lamb of Isaiah 53 is the Lamb who carries sin away. Promise kept. Isaiah wrote about seven hundred years before Jesus. The silence, the unfair trial and the death for others all came true at the cross. Application. Read the Old Testament looking for Jesus. When you find Him, tell someone else, the way Philip did.

The man was reading words Isaiah wrote long ago. They were about Someone who was like a lamb. He stayed quiet when people treated Him unfairly. His life was taken away. The man asked, “Who is the prophet talking about?” Philip knew the answer. Isaiah was talking about Jesus! Jesus stayed quiet when people said untrue things about Him. He let people take Him to the cross. He did it to take the punishment for our sins. Then God raised Him from the dead. Philip started with Isaiah and told the Good News about Jesus. The whole Bible points us to Jesus.

Isaiah wrote about a quiet Lamb. Philip said the Lamb is Jesus. Jesus gave His life for us.

Some water. The official said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” (8:36). Hinders means stops or gets in the way. Believing first. Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” He answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (8:37). Believing in Jesus comes first. Baptism follows. What baptism means. Baptism does not save; Jesus saves everyone who trusts Him. It is an outward picture of what Jesus has already done inside: the old life buried, and a new life with Him. Down into the water. “Both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him” (8:38). Caught away. “The Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more” (8:39). Philip was gone, but the official had Jesus. Rejoicing. “He went on his way rejoicing” (8:39). Rejoicing means full of joy. He had come looking for God, and now he knew Jesus. Still preaching. “Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea” (8:40). Toward the end of the earth. Jesus had said His witnesses would go “to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Many Christians believe this man carried the good news home to Ethiopia. What we learn. Nothing can keep a person who believes in Jesus from belonging to Him. Trusting Jesus brings real joy.

Nothing in the way (8:36). “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” The Greek word for hinders is koluo (say: koh-LOO-oh), to forbid or hold back. The official found that nothing could keep him from Christ. Faith first (8:37). “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Faith in Jesus comes before baptism, as at Pentecost: “those who gladly received his word were baptized” (Acts 2:41). What baptism is. Baptism does not save. It pictures being “buried with Him through baptism into death” so that we “should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). It shows on the outside the change Jesus has already made inside. Into the water (8:38). “So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.” He did not wait to go home first. Caught away (8:39). “The Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more.” The official went on with the Scriptures, his faith and his Lord, and that was enough. Rejoicing. “He went on his way rejoicing.” His joy came from believing in Jesus, not from having Philip beside him. Azotus to Caesarea (8:40). “Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.” Azotus was the old Philistine city of Ashdod; Caesarea was a port city on the coast. The end of the earth. Jesus said His witnesses would go “in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Many Christians believe this official carried the gospel home to Ethiopia, an early step toward the end of the earth. Application. Ask what is holding you back from trusting Jesus fully. Nothing in your past, your family or your background can keep you from Him if you believe.

The chariot came to some water. The officer asked, “What is stopping me from being baptized?” Philip said he could, if he believed with all his heart. The officer said he believed Jesus is the Son of God. First he believed. Then he was baptized. Baptism does not save us. Jesus saves us when we trust Him. Baptism is a picture that shows we belong to Jesus. Then God’s Spirit took Philip away. The officer went home full of joy. He had found Jesus, and his heart was glad! Many Christians believe he told people in Ethiopia about Jesus. Philip kept telling people about Jesus in every town.

The man believed in Jesus, and Philip baptized him. Baptism does not save us, but Jesus does. The man went home full of joy!