Acts 8:25-40
25 So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." ( This is a desert road.) 27 So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot." 30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31 And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:
"HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER;
AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT,
SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH.
33 "IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY;
WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION?
FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH."
34 The eunuch answered Philip and said, "Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?" 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. 36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?" 37[ And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."] 38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.
NASU
Acts 8:25-40 Exposition
25 So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
Remember that the foremost mission of the Apostles was the preaching of the gospel. After speaking as recored before, both to Simon the Sorcerer as well as baptizing the new believers at that “city in Samaria” (Acts 8:5) where Phillip had been preaching the Apostles set out to return to Jerusalem. The text clearly refers to the Apostles even though it is “they” who returned, since, we remember that the Apostles had not fled Jerusalem during this persecution as others such as Phillip had. Yet even in their return trip they were employed in their calling to preach the gospel as they would do in each of the Samaritan villages they traveled through. Likewise, if we are to follow their example, it is our calling to use the opportunities afforded by our circumstances to preach the gospel wherever life may take us. Note too that since the Spirit had been given to the “outsider” Samaritans, there is no hesitation on the return trip to share the gospel with other Samaritans, not just those who had been prepared by others such as Phillip.
26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." ( This is a desert road.)
A side note here: Notice the detail of Luke. There are those who would tell us the Bible contains mostly fiction. Yet in argument the author includes details of Geography as well as in the following verse, of people, whose identity could be verified. A historian could verify the existence of such people as officials, perhaps not the eunuch himself, but at least the queen, and archaeologists could verify details of geography. Even more so there were the contemporary readers of the account who would know of such places and people and would have refuted them if it would discredit the Christian accounts which they opposed. Perhaps this story is not as good an example as Luke's birth narrative of Jesus, but it occasions this discussion. A writer who is trying to advance some idea as truth risks much by including details which could be verified in his accounts. See Lee Stroebel's The case for Christ for a much better treatment of this argument than I am able to make here.
The angel directs Phillip to a new mission having accomplished his purpose there in that Samaritan City. He is not told specifically what he will do but only a place, or even less, a direction to go. God purposed this mission marking its necessity by sending an angel to ensure the accurate understanding of God's will and purpose for Phillip.
27 So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship,
Phillip's response is obedient and he meets on his way this Ethiopian eunuch. Now a eunuch if you are unaware is a man whose testicles have been removed so that He might be trusted to serve in close proximity to royal women. While a slave he was not the kind of slave we might picture, but a man who probably enjoyed certain advantages of wealth and privilege with the significant exception of his condition as a eunuch. He thus was free to come to Jerusalem to worship. By his coming we will note that he is obviously devoted to the God of Israel since he comes to worship even though his condition of being a eunuch would have excluded him from the Temple. See Deuteronomy 23:1
"He whose testicles are crushed or whose male member is cut off shall not enter the assembly of the LORD.” RSV
This is listed among the various persons who are to be excluded from the worship of ancient Israel, yet even as he was partially excluded the Eunuch comes to worship as he is able. What a contrast to those who insist that worship and the church's faith and teaching be modified to accommodate their preferences and comfort. The Eunuch's devotion to God is a demonstration of God at work in him in such a way that he is provided the way, who once was excluded, to inclusion in the body of Christ.
28 and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.
We see his devotion as well in his reading of the prophet. This man, while excluded from the temple applied his privilege in such a way, not to spend it on his own pleasures but to gain what would aid him in drawing nearer to his God. Remember scrolls of scripture were not easily or cheaply acquired. Do we use our wealth to gain pleasure or to serve God?
29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot."
The Spirit now communicating with Phillip, the Spirit and not an Angel this time, sends Phillip to the chariot of the Ethiopian. This was a unlikely a person for Phillip to seek out for conversation as they differed in so many ways, yet the Spirit drives Phillip to seek him out. Note too that God communicates in whatever manner he wills, at times using angels, at times the Spirit, and at times men. Just as God chooses What he will do, (save us), and whom he will do it for (the elect), God also sovereignly chooses the means, that is how, to accomplish His will. So foolish is the argument to say that we need not do our part in preaching the Gospel because God can save the elect without us. The fact is God chooses us to preach the Gospel and that preaching is the means of our coming to faith. Romans 10:14-15 says
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? NIV
So the notion that we may avoid the preaching of the Gospel on the grounds of how some characterize predestination or election is both unbiblical and foolish.
30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
The man read aloud, and Phillip hearing him asks if he indeed understands the passage he is reading.
31 And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
Again the Ethiopian's faith disperses all of our best excuses. We often dismiss the Scriptures as too difficult, yet he reads, in a language foreign to him no less, and out loud, words he does not know how to interpret. Yet he reads them nonetheless. They are important to him. He also seeks interpretation from one who seems like he might know something, inviting Phillip to join him in the chariot. How many pastors would love to be asked to interpret scripture rather than make some change in the service to appease a member's tastes. How many people choose their church based on comfort rather than the teaching given from the pulpit. Choosing the sound of the music rather than the soundness of doctrine. The best churches do not make you make a choice but offer both excellence in worship and solid, Biblical teaching and preaching.
32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:
"HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER;
AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT,
SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH.
33 "IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY;
WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION?
FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH."
The passage is one of the passages in Isaiah pointing to the Messiah as the “Suffering Servant”. It is no coincidence that the Ethiopian is reading this passage and his curiosity leads to his question. The Spirit drives all right questions concerning God and directs us to their answer.
34 The eunuch answered Philip and said, "Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?"
Reading this passage naturally and not knowing of Jesus one might well ask the same question. Yet there is always a correct interpretation of Scripture even if it eludes us. This is no literature for us to discuss what the author “might have meant” or seek various symbolic or levels of meaning. If the meaning eludes us we can be sure there is a meaning. We must pray for its interpretation as well a seek as good of counsel as we may find. Where we may not find the answer still, it is wise to look for a simple meaning that is faithful to the rest of Scripture and set aside the question until the Lord provides a clearer revelation of His Word to you. But always seek God's Word as He would give it, not as you would have Him speak.
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.
Given this opportunity Phillip now opens the Scriptures to the Ethiopian that he may believe in Christ. Do not forget that the object of God's Word is to bring us to faith in the one John calls the Word (Read John 1), namely Jesus.
36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?"
We see the effectiveness of God's Word and Spirit here in that it produces the fruit of obedience in that the man seeks to be baptized at the first opportunity. He does not delay for a convenient time, but having heard of and believed in Jesus, wishes to be identified with Jesus in baptism. So we are taught not to simply believe in Jesus but keep His church (into which we are baptized) at arms length.
37[ And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."]
This passage does not appear in the earliest manuscripts and is considered by some an addition. Without getting into textual criticism and attempting to determine what is and is not the Word of God, I will instead attempt to gain what fruit is available from the passage itself. It does little to advance the account since without it Phillip is next seen baptizing him and therefore confirming a true confession of Christ and desire for identification with Him. Nonetheless, you may see from this passage that Phillip seeks certainty in the man's confession and is given it. As the man was capable of understanding the Gospel he is to be fully certain of what he is seeking in baptism. A child lacks this capacity and is baptized in faith that they, being identified with Christ in their youth, will come to own their faith and baptism. The Eunuch, however is to enter the covenant marked by baptism with full knowledge of what he is doing and no immediate misunderstanding of the purpose of his baptism. The Ethiopian confesses that he in fact believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.
As his confession was true he is Baptized by Phillip identifying himself both with Jesus Christ and with Phillip who is now a brother in Christ.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.
God's purpose having been fulfilled, Phillip is taken away. The bizarre way this is stated leans us toward a supernatural explanation which is acceptable but not entirely necessary. In other words, If you believe it was supernatural that is fine. If not, I am of the opinion that your faith in not deficient. The supernatural element of Phillip's departure only serves to emphasize God's action in this event which has been established already. Take away from this the result that the eunuch likewise goes on his way rejoicing, demonstrating that quality and indeed fruit of the Spirit which is Joy.
40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.
The chapter concludes with Phillip continuing his mission, beginning at this new city, Azotus and preaching the Gospel all the way as he went to a new destination. Our commission is to preach the Gospel everywhere we go and to make the most of every opportunity.
Colossians 4:5-6 instructs us in this way:
5 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. NASU
Likewise Ephesians 5:15-21 teaches
15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. NASU
May we do so.
In Christ and On The Shepherd's Path,
Mark
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment