Tuesday Acts 8:26-40

Philip encounters the Ethiopian eunuch.

Click here for an online Bible. Acts 8:26-40

After the Holy Spirit came upon the believers in Samaria, the apostles went back to Jerusalem and Philip moved on. Philip was not just wandering aimlessly; he was guided by God. An angel from God told him to go south to the road that goes through the desert from Jerusalem to Gaza. Philip obeyed and there he encountered the Ethiopian eunuch.

The biggest question of this passage concerns who the Ethiopian is. He obviously is a believer in the one true God. He follows Judaism since he has gone all the way to Jerusalem to worship. There are several options for this man’s status:

1. A Jewish man living in Ethiopia. This is possible, but there is nothing in the text to support this.
2. A “God-fearer.” These were people who believed in the true God, but did not adopt the Jewish practices.
3. A “proselyte of the gate.” These were people who not only believed in God, but adopted a modified level of Jewish practice. They did everything except circumcision.
4. A full proselyte. These were people who had fully converted to Judaism. This included undergoing circumcision.

There is also the question of what Luke meant by “eunuch.” The term means a castrated male. But since many royal officials in some eastern cultures were castrated, the term could also be used generically of any court official. The simplest reading is usually the best practice. Luke probably meant that the man was not only a court official but also a physical eunuch. That would fit with his position as an attendant to the queen of the Ethiopians. In that case, he could not be a full proselyte.

We also know that he probably was not a God-fearer. In that case, he would have still been considered a Gentile. The first Gentile to come to faith in Christ is Cornelius in chapter 10. Understanding this man to be a proselyte of the gate fits well with the picture that Luke is painting for us in the spread of the gospel.

Jesus told the apostles in chapter 1 that they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. Luke shows the gospel spreading. One of the big concerns is the legitimacy of each new group as they respond to the gospel. The initial group is the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea. Then the Samaritans are added. Now with the eunuch, a new category is added. He is a “half-proselyte.” He is not completely acceptable to the Jewish faith due to his physical condition. However, he is fully acceptable to Christ. The gospel is available to everyone. Luke is leading up to the call of Paul to reach out to the Gentiles and the Gentiles actually coming to faith in chapter 10.
Philip was led by the Holy Spirit to approach a man who was already searching for spiritual answers. Philip was available to show the answers with the gospel of Christ