RCL reading for Sunday, May 10, 2009:
Excerpt from the New Revised Standard Version
via Oremus (http://bible.oremus.org)
Acts 8:26-40
26 Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Get up and go towards the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ (This is a wilderness road.)
27 So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship
28 and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over to this chariot and join it.’
30 So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’
31 He replied, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him.
32 Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:
‘Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
and like a lamb silent before its shearer,
so he does not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.’
34 The eunuch asked Philip, ‘About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?’
35 Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus.
36 As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?’
38 He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
STUDY GUIDE
What does the passage tell us about God?
What does the passage tell us about human beings and the relationships between people?
What does the passage say about the relationship between God and human beings?
How does the passage call us to change?
Adapted from “Theological Bible Study,” from In Dialogue with Scripture: An Episcopal Guide to Studying the Bible, ed. Linda L. Grenz (Episcopal Church Center, 1993), p. 96.
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ReplyDeleteJamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Ac 8:26-40. The Ethiopian Eunuch.
"With this narrative of the progress of the Gospel among the Samaritans is connected another which points to the diffusion of the doctrine of the Cross among the remotest nations. The simplicity of the chamberlain of Meroe forms a remarkable contrast with the craft of the magician just described" [Olshausen].
26-28. the angel of the Lord-rather, "an angel."
go . south, the way that goeth down from Jerusalem to Gaza-There was such a road, across Mount Hebron, which Philip might take without going to Jerusalem (as Von Raumer's'S Palæstina shows).
which is desert-that is, the way; not Gaza itself, which was the southernmost city of Palestine, in the territory of the ancient Philistines. To go from a city, where his hands had been full of work, so far away on a desert road, could not but be staggering to the faith of Philip, especially as he was kept in ignorance of the object of the journey. But like Paul, he "was not disobedient to the heavenly vision"; and like Abram, "he went out not knowing whither he went" (Ac 26:19; Heb 11:8).
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
8:26-40 Philip was directed to go to a desert. Sometimes God opens a door of opportunity to his ministers in very unlikely places. We should study to do good to those we come into company with by traveling. We should not be so shy of all strangers as some affect to be. As to those of whom we know nothing else, we know this, that they have souls. It is wisdom for men of business to redeem time for holy duties; to fill up every minute with something which will turn to a good account. In reading the word of God, we should often pause, to inquire of whom and of what the sacred writers spake; but especially our thoughts should be employed about the Redeemer. The Ethiopian was convinced by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, of the exact fulfillment of the Scripture, was made to understand the nature of the Messiah's kingdom and salvation, and desired to be numbered among the disciples of Christ. Those who seek the truth, and employ their time in searching the Scriptures, will be sure to reap advantages. The avowal of the Ethiopian must be understood as expressing simple reliance on Christ for salvation, and unreserved devotion to Him. Let us not be satisfied till we get faith, as the Ethiopian did, by diligent study of the Holy Scriptures, and the teaching of the Spirit of God; let us not be satisfied till we get it fixed as a principle in our hearts. As soon as he was baptized, the Spirit of God took Philip from him, so that he saw him no more; but this tended to confirm his faith. When the inquirer after salvation becomes acquainted with Jesus and his gospel, he will go on his way rejoicing, and will fill up his station in society, and discharge his duties, from other motives, and in another manner than heretofore. Though baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, with water, it is not enough without the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Lord, grant this to every one of us; then shall we go on our way rejoicing.
Does anyone know what happened to verse 37?
ReplyDeleteJohannes Munck says verse 37 is omitted as it is not found in the best manuscripts. It is found in the Western text and says, "And Philip said to him,'If you believe with all your heart, thou may.' And he answered and said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.'" The question seems to be whose initiative precipitated the baptism and whose assistance effected it. These things must be decided by some committee somewhere with too much time on their hands.
ReplyDeleteThe eighth chapter of Acts is all about the Holy Spirit spreading out from Jerusalem. Stephen was a Samaritan who was stoned to death because he asserted that Jewish religion was erroneous and the Samaritan true. As a Samaritan he had to come to Jerusalem to become a Christian. Following his death Philip, goaded by the Holy Spirit goes to Samaria where Samaritans could be Christians safely. He meets with success although he apparently doesn't get the baptismal formula quite right and has to be corrected by Peter and John. Philip is then sent to opposite end of Judea where he meets this man from the far ends of the earth, Ethiopia. This is our story today, an extremely non-Jewish man who cannot enter the temple because of his castration is still able to be a christian. The Holy Spirit is pushing the apostles further and further away from Jerusalem and the Jews. Like Elijah, Philip is swept away to his next job.
ReplyDeleteKenneth Brown said ...
ReplyDeleteLuke describes a remarkable “divine appointment”. John Phillips says, “Behind this abrupt command was the foreknowledge of God, who knew all about the Ethiopian, knew the position he held in his native land, knew why he had come to9 Jerusalem, knew the deep unsatisfied hunger of his heart, knew he was on the way home, knew all about his chariot, knew exactly where he was on the road, knew what book he was reading, knew his perplexity and his dogged persistence”. (Exploring Acts, p. 158)
As a eunuch, the Ethiopian could not be a full proselyte (Deut. 23:1) but his search for God had driven him far. Not only could he read, he had learned to read Hebrew. His wealth and position made it possible for him to own a scroll of Isaiah. No prophet could be more helpful in meeting the Christ. Had he already read Is. 7:14, 9:6-7, 35:1-10 etc? The suffering-Servant-Savior was a perfect introduction to Jesus, the promised Immanuel. How enormously grateful we should be for those who have taught us about from the scriptures.
Immersion, the outward expression of an inward experience (cf. Rom. 6: 3-4) was the fitting conclusion of this brief encounter that established an eternal relationship. In spite of Philip’s sudden and mysterious departure, the Ethiopian was filled with joy inexpressible and full of glory.