UCLC News

   The Old Testament Lesson for tomorrow is from Acts 8:26-35. It is about the Apostle Philip and an Ethiopian eunuch.

   The Apostle Philip was the brother to Bartholomew or Nathanael. Scholars believe that Bartholomew and Nathanael were the same person. Philip was told by an angel to “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza” (8:26 ESV). Most of you know a lot more about Gaza now than you did last year at this time. Philip went immediately, and upon arrival, when the Holy Spirit spoke to him, he ran to the Eunuch. The Ethiopian Eunuch was passing through on his way back to Ethiopia. (Eunuchs were the servants of royal women in some courts.) This gentleman was a minister of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians. He “was in charge of all her treasures” and “had come to Jerusalem to worship” (v. 27). The Eunuch, who was not given a name in scripture, was returning home. He was “seated in his chariot,” reading from the prophet Isaiah, when Philip arrived. Philip was told to approach the Eunuch, which he did. Philip heard him reading from Isaiah. This becomes Philip’s way of establishing a rapport. Philip asked the Eunuch if he understood what he was reading (vs. 28-30).

   The Eunuch responded, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip “to come up and sit with him” (v. 31). The passage of the scripture which he was reading was this: “As a sheep led to the slaughter or a lamb before its shearer is dumb, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken up from the earth.” The Eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, pray, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” and “then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture he told him the good news of Jesus” (v. 35).

   The two traveled together for a little while. And as they went “along the road they came to some water, and the Eunuch said, “See, here is water! What is to prevent my being baptized?” and “he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the Eunuch, and he baptized him.” Then “when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught up Philip; and the Eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing” (vs. 36-39).

   Philip baptized with water as John the Baptist did. Even though the Holy Spirit led them there, it was not a baptism of the Holy Spirit, but only water. At least in this case, it appears that way. In Acts 19:1-6, when Paul went to Ephesus, he was preaching and asked how the people were baptized, and they said in the Baptism of John the Baptist. Paul then baptized them in the Holy Spirit. There is no mention that this was the case with the Eunuch.

   Philip’s mission was accomplished, and for those of you who remember a show called, “Quantum Leap,” Philip leaped again, to another place where the Holy Spirit was calling him to go. It was to the town of Azotus, and passing on “he preached the gospel to all the towns till he came to Caesarea.” The distance was about 30 miles. We are told that Philip was caught up in the Spirit (Acts 8:40).

   The Eunuch went home rejoicing and praising God (Acts 8:39). How about you? If God called you, how quick would you be to respond to a calling by an angel or the Holy Spirit? When you arrived, would you run or walk to tell someone you did not know about Jesus the Christ?