The Book of Acts, Chapter 8 Part Two: Philip and the Eunuch, vs. 26-40
An interesting account of the spread of the gospel. Baptism explained
Acts 8 Part Two
Philip and the Eunuch, vs. 26-40
Interestingly, God interrupted Philip’s great work in Samaria to send him down to the desert in Gaza (v. 26) to preach to one man. God’s ways, of course, are not our ways, and we don’t know the long-term, residual effects of Philip’s meeting with this Ethiopian eunuch, a man of “great authority under Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians” (v. 27). The man had been to Jerusalem “to worship” (v. 27), so obviously he was of Jewish lineage. The gospel still had not been preached to Gentiles. The eunuch, we are told, was “sitting in his chariot...reading Isaiah the prophet” (v. 28).
Philip, at first, apparently didn’t know exactly what his mission was, he just obeyed God, as any faithful disciple would do. He was told by the Holy Spirit to go join the eunuch’s chariot (v. 29). Philip eagerly acquiesced, and heard the eunuch (who obviously was reading out loud, not uncommon in those days) reading from Isaiah 53, a famous Old Testament passage about the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Being asked by Philip if he understood what he was reading (v. 30), the eunuch said no, and invited the evangelist to join him and explain (v. 34).
Philip “beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus unto him” (v. 35). That is exactly what he should have done. Many gospel sermons have begun in Isaiah 53.
The very next verse said that, as they travelled along, they came to “some water”—possibly a lake or small pond, and the eunuch wanted to be baptized (v. 36). The implications of this are undeniable. Preaching Jesus (v. 35) means preaching baptism (v. 36). This is as it should be because baptism is an act of faith (trusting in God), and is the point at which we receive “remission of sins” (Acts 2:38), and “wash away [our] sins” (Acts 22:16). “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16). “Unless one is bort of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). These verses seem simple enough to understand. Baptism is not a “work” we do to earn salvation, any more than faith is (John 6:28-29). But God did relate baptism to salvation, and if we believe Him, we will accept what He says. Back to Philip and eunuch. Philip preached Jesus to the Ethiopian and the very next statement says the man wants to be baptized. Given the Scriptures noted above, it is plain to see why—he wanted his sins washed away.
There is nothing magical in the waters of baptism, of course; the real effective agency in soul-cleansing is the blood of Christ, shed at His death. Romans 6:3 tells us we are “baptized into His death.” That is where—in the mind of God—we contact that soul-saving blood. The act of forgiveness takes place in the mind of the offended—in this case, God—and it is He Who sets the conditions for receiving His pardon. We must believe Him (Hebrews 11:6). “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” Do you believe that? “He who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). Quibbles about baptism only demonstrate lack of faith in what God said.
Philip told the eunuch that baptism for the remission of sins was conditioned upon whole-hearted faith in God (v. 37). The eunuch confessed his faith, and stopped the chariot. “Both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him” (v. 38). They both had to go into the water because baptism is a burial, a total immersion, not sprinkling or pouring, which would not have necessitated both, or even either, going into the water. Romans 6:1-4 is clear. We die to sin, we “bury” the old man of sin in the waters of baptism, and are then raised to “walk in newness of life.” That is what happened to the Ethiopian eunuch. And to every true Christian since.
After this “the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away” (v. 39). Apparently, this mission was finished and God wanted him in another location, which is noted in verse 40. The eunuch “went on his way rejoicing” (v. 39). We have no more information as to what happened to this man in the future; we can only hope to see him in heaven.
We will run across Philip again, briefly, later in the book of Acts, but for the moment, his part is finished in Luke’s history. The conversion of Saul of Tarsus is next in this exciting tale.