The Ethiopian Eunuch I. Questions A. What can we know regarding the Ethiopian eunuch? B. What can we gain from his example? II. Base Text: Acts 8:26-40 III. Context: Acts 8 and the Ethiopian eunuch A. The Gospel had begun to go forth from Jerusalem 1. The church was all assembled in Jerusalem, as it has since its origin in Acts 2:41-48 2. Stephen, who had been serving in the church, was killed after a lengthy speech against the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:1-60) 3. A general persecution of Christians began in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1-4), leading to the dispersion of Christians into Samaria and Judea, as the Lord had foretold (Acts 1:8) 4. Philip the evangelist preached the Gospel in Samaria, and many converted; Peter and John came down from Jerusalem and gave many the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:5-25) 5. It is after preaching in Samaria that the Spirit advises Philip to go down to Judea, to the desert road between Jerusalem and Gaza (Acts 8:26) 6. It is there where he met the eunuch (Acts 8:27) B. The Nature of the Eunuch 1. The eunuch is described as a man of great authority under Candace the queen, the head of the treasury (Acts 8:27) a. "Candace" is the Kandake, one of a series of queens who ruled over the Kushites in the first century b. This is the first “dignitary” recorded in Acts as being receptive to the Gospel c. A man of great responsibility! d. Despite his stature, we will see that the eunuch remains a humble man e. Might well have been a eunuch; it remains possible that "eunuch" had become a court title 2. He also is said to have come to Jerusalem to worship a. Meroe in Kush to Jerusalem is around 1500 miles! b. Probably on some form of “official business” c. Regardless, a demonstration of strong faith to travel such a distance 3. The eunuch is either a proselyte or a member of an isolated Jewish community, but probably the latter a. He is unlikely to be a Gentile or a “God-fearer,” since the divine signs that would lead to the understanding that the Gentiles were to receive the Gospel would not come until later (Acts 10:1-48) b. The Biblical reasons for thinking of him as a member of an isolated Jewish community will be mentioned in context; there are some historical reasons for it 4. "Ethiopia" = Kush a. Whereas today we associate "Ethiopia" with the nation of that name, in the ancient Near Eastern and Classical worlds, "Ethiopia" was the Greek term used to refer to Kush and the Kushite Empire b. The Kushite Empire extended from the border of Roman Egypt, at times between the first and second cataracts of the Nile to the confluence of the "White" and "Blue" Nile rivers in modern day Sudan c. The Kushite Empire was the only "legacy" empire which we can read about in the Old Testament which still exists in New Testament times! d. Kush was very much a part of the ancient Near Eastern world: for a moment they even conquered all of Egypt, and sent an army to relieve Judah against the Assyrians (cf. 2 Kings 19:9, Isaiah 18:1-2, 37:9) e. In Jeremiah 38:7-13, we read of Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian eunuch, serving in the court of Zedekiah, and working to release Jeremiah from prison 6. Seeing the dispersion of Jews after the Babylonian captivity, with Jews definitely in Egypt (Jeremiah 43), even as far as Elephantine (extreme southern Egypt) by the Persian period... 7. ...and also the strong associations between Kush and Judah formerly, it is not unlikely for there to have been a community of Jews in Kush beginning sometime between 586 BCE and the time of Christ 8. Therefore, it is entirely possible for the Ethiopian eunuch to be a part of such a community, and therefore traveled a thousand of miles to worship God in Jerusalem C. Seeing, therefore, the nature of the circumstances and of the eunuch, let us examine more fully the nature of his conversion IV. Interpretation A. The Ethiopian eunuch is reading in Isaiah (Acts 8:28) 1. Isaiah 53:1-12, as we will see 2. In ancient times, one "read" not by silently gazing over a page, but by reading the words to oneself 3. Not an easy endeavor while in a bumpy chariot in the desert 4. He was most probably reading in Hebrew; this is evidence that he is fairly well acquainted with Judaism, since even though the eunuch's native language would have been Semitic like Hebrew is, there would be many differences B. The Spirit commands Philip to join the chariot (Acts 8:29) 1. This would not have been the easiest thing to do 2. Nevertheless, Philip obeys C. Philip, hearing the eunuch reading Isaiah, inquires as to whether he understands what he reads (Acts 8:30) 1. The question is a good one 2. Do we understand what we read? 3. Will we have the spirit of the eunuch? D. The eunuch asked the right question, and invited Philip into the chariot (Acts 8:31) 1. Imagine the eunuch's response...some guy comes up to him while he's traveling a long highway in the middle of the desert! 2. He is, however, willing to look into the Scriptures with eunuch 3. The question is excellent a. We remember that prophecy is not of the prophet's interpretation, but the message of God (2 Peter 1:19-21) b. To that end, we all require assistance in understanding God's message, and who better than those inspired of God in the New Testament? c. We all require guidance in our understanding of the Scriptures; we must make sure, however, that the guidance is truly based on the Scriptures and not the opinions of men (2 Corinthians 13:5, 2 Timothy 2:15) E. The eunuch reads from Isaiah 53:7-8, and asks an insightful question (Acts 8:32-34) 1. Isaiah 53, of course, is the passage detailing the suffering that Jesus went through 2. The eunuch's question is interesting a. His question reveals that he is thinking independently of Jewish traditions and contextually in Isaiah b. Had he been a proselyte of the Essene or Pharisaical sects, he would know the passage to refer to someone else, a Messiah figure c. Within Isaiah, however, the prophet has used the first person in chapters 49 and 50 d. More evidence that he was a Jew from an isolated community and not a proselyte and also that he is doing well at trying to understand the text F. Philip begins with this Scripture and preaches Jesus to him (Acts 8:35) 1. While we may not know the particular words Philip spoke, we do know the substance of the message 2. Using Isaiah 53, Philip would speak of the suffering of Jesus for our sins, that He was the Christ, the Son of God, predicted throughout the Old Testament 3. The message would be similar to what Peter preached in Acts 2:14-37 G. While traveling, they come upon a pool of water, and the eunuch is baptized (Acts 8:36-38) 1. It is by necessity that the Gospel of Jesus which Philip preached included the need for baptism, else why would the eunuch request it at seeing water? 2. The confession of the eunuch is textually disputed, with some manuscripts not having the verse, yet it is attested by authors of the late second century 3. The confession is assuredly very similar to that which the eunuch would have pronounced to Philip 3. Baptism is manifestly not a public act, since Philip and the eunuch were far from civilization and anyone else 4. Baptism is also immersion, since both Philip and the eunuch "went down" into the water H. The Spirit carries Philip away to Azotus (OT Ashdod), and he preaches up the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea, where he is found later in Acts (Acts 8:39-40, 21:8-9) I. In Acts 8:39, the eunuch goes on his way rejoicing after obeying the Gospel 1. Salvation was a source of joy for him 2. Do we rejoice in our salvation? 3. 1 Peter 1:3-9 4. When not all is well with our lives, we should always look to the great joy that we should have in Christ, having received the forgiveness of sin and looking forward to the salvation of our souls... 5. ...let alone the association we have with God and one another J. We can wonder regarding whatever happened to the eunuch 1. Ostensibly he returned to Kush 2. He would not have received the Holy Spirit from Philip, since he could not give it (cf. Acts 8:14-17) 3. He would not have a "New Testament," for such did not exist yet 4. Whatever his trials and struggles, and joy and success, we may learn of them in the resurrection V. Conclusion A. Thus we see the conversion of the eunuch B. The narrative is interesting: it is related to us perhaps to show us how the Gospel goes from Judea to Kush C. Regardless, there is much we can learn from the narrative of the eunuch and his conversion D. We see that he needed to understand the Scriptures, and understand about Jesus the Christ, how He died for our sins and is now exalted in Heaven E. May we submit to the Gospel as the eunuch did and share in salvation in Jesus! E. Invitation/songbook Scripture, Meditation, and Application 1: And he arose and went: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship; and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah (Acts 8:27-28). The Gospel began to spread beyond Jerusalem. Philip was called to preach Jesus to a eunuch of the Kushite queen Kandake. He had gone to Jerusalem to serve God and was returning to Kush. He was most likely of Jewish descent or perhaps a proselyte, and a dedicated believer, studying Isaiah while traveling. What can we gain from the example of the "Ethiopian" eunuch? 2: And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Understandest thou what thou readest?" And he said, "How can I, except some one shall guide me?" And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him (Acts 8:30-31). The eunuch is a perceptive reader of Scriptures; his question demonstrated faithful engagement with the text. And yet the eunuch also recognized that what he was reading required interpretation and instruction. He was not so arrogant or foolish to imagine he could understand without guidance. We would be wise to consider his example. How can we understand what God has made known, except someone guide us? 3: And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, "Behold, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?" (Acts 8:35-36) Philip preached the Gospel of Christ based on Jesus as the suffering Servant. The eunuch heard, understood, and believed what Philip taught. We understand that Philip must have explained the need for baptism as part of the Gospel to the eunuch based upon the latter's question. He confessed Jesus and was immersed in water in Jesus' name. What can we learn about the Gospel and its response from the eunuch? 4: And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing (Acts 8:39). The eunuch rejoiced in his salvation and the news he had received about what God had accomplished in Jesus the Christ. We do not know what came of him: we assume he returned to Kush and faithfully served the Lord Jesus and made His name known there. We should look forward learning more from him in the resurrection. How should we feel when we have become part of Christ? What should we do afterward?