Act 8:27-28 | KingComments | STEP | In the section that follows now, chapter 8:26 till chapter 10:48, Luke describes the conversion histories of three people: 1. An Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8); 2. Saul (Acts 9); 3. Cornelius (Acts 10). They are the descendants of the three sons of Noah – Shem and Ham and Japheth ( ) – through whom the whole world was populated ( ): 1. The eunuch, the Ethiopian, is a descendant of Ham (Ethiopia or Cush (=black), ). 2. Saul, the Jew, is a descendant of Shem. 3. Cornelius, the Roman, is a descendant of Japheth. The Hamites populate Africa, the Shemites Asia and the Japhethites Europe. These three continents meet at Jerusalem. Jerusalem is therefore strategically the best place to send out from there the gospel into the world. The eunuch, Saul and Cornelius represent the entire human race. All three are morally sincere people, but they need conversion. They are also socially the most difficult people for the gospel to reach: 1. The eunuch is a politician. 2. Saul is a theologian. 3. Cornelius is a soldier. Yet in two of them there is already a longing for the gospel. Both the eunuch and Cornelius are seekers. There is already a work of God going on in them. With Saul it is completely different. This man is not looking for peace, but for victims to whom he begrudges this peace. The Lord has a special messenger for each one of them: 1. For the eunuch this is Philip. 2. For Saul it is Ananias. 3. For Cornelius it is Peter. Also the way the Lord addresses Himself to them is different: 1. The eunuch is reached with the Word. 2. To Saul the Lord Himself appears. 3. Cornelis sees an angel in a vision. Different are also the circumstances in which they find themselves when they come to repentance: 1. The eunuch is on his way home. 2. Saul comes from home. 3. Cornelius is at home. Philip has to leave a busy field of work to serve a single person. Herein he imitates the Lord Who had to go through Samaria to bring the gospel to a single woman at the well of Jacob ( ). Philip is used to make the gospel find its way to the nations. God uses an angel to show Philip the way, but Philip has to proclaim the gospel. He is given precise directions where to go, but he is not told what to do there. There are two roads that descend from Jerusalem to Gaza and he has to take the desert road. An evangelist would never have chosen the desert road, but Philip does not ask questions, he goes. To get Ananias to go to Saul (Acts 9) and Peter to go to Cornelius (Acts 10), the Lord must use more insistence. With Ananias fear is the objection and with Peter his Jewish prejudices prevent direct obedience. The Lord has removed both obstacles and then they have both gone. In Philip we have an example of immediate, unconditional obedience in simplicity of heart. He does not think of the difference between Samaria where he was surrounded with esteem and love and the road to Gaza which is desolate. He has confidence in his Master Who wants to use him for a eunuch who has been in Jerusalem to worship and is now on his way back to his country. The word for “eunuch” is literally “castrated”. Besides the fact that he is a stranger, the fact that he is emasculated is an additional reason that he could never join the people of God ( ). Nevertheless, he undertook a journey of about two thousand kilometers to Jerusalem. There is also salvation for the strangers and even for the eunuch, the emasculated ( ). His conversion and faith in the Lord Jesus are therefore a foretaste of what we read in Psalm 68 ( ). Since then, many Ethiopians have stretched out their hands to God. To bring the eunuch on the way of salvation God uses His Word and His servant Philip. What the eunuch sought in Jerusalem in duties and ceremonies of the law, he did not find there. He has been in Jerusalem to worship the true God, but he has only found a cold formalism there. In spite of his seeking heart, the Lord did not let any of the apostles cross his path. The eunuch has not found peace in Jerusalem, but he has taken something else from Jerusalem and that is a part of God’s Word. That is what he is reading in his chariot. With it he has a treasure with him that is larger than all the treasures he has to protect for his queen. Then the meeting between Philip and the eunuch is prepared by the Spirit. The Spirit tells Philip that he must go up to “this” chariot, the chariot of the eunuch, and join it. Since it is the preaching of the gospel, it is not an angel who comes to Philip ( ), but the Spirit Who leads Philip. The Spirit tells us exactly where to go and what to do. Thus, later, Ananias in connection with Saul, and Peter in connection with Cornelius, also receive precise directions to go to them and bring them God’s message ( ). In this way the Lord also wants to make clear to us where He wants us to go and what we should do and say.

‏ Acts 8:27-28

A New Order for Philip

In the section that follows now, chapter 8:26 till chapter 10:48, Luke describes the conversion histories of three people:

1. An Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8);

2. Saul (Acts 9);

3. Cornelius (Acts 10).

They are the descendants of the three sons of Noah – Shem and Ham and Japheth (Gen 9:18) – through whom the whole world was populated (Gen 9:19 ; Gen 10:1-32):

1. The eunuch, the Ethiopian, is a descendant of Ham (Ethiopia or Cush (=black), Gen 10:6).

2. Saul, the Jew, is a descendant of Shem.

3. Cornelius, the Roman, is a descendant of Japheth.

The Hamites populate Africa, the Shemites Asia and the Japhethites Europe. These three continents meet at Jerusalem. Jerusalem is therefore strategically the best place to send out from there the gospel into the world. The eunuch, Saul and Cornelius represent the entire human race.

All three are morally sincere people, but they need conversion. They are also socially the most difficult people for the gospel to reach:

1. The eunuch is a politician.

2. Saul is a theologian.

3. Cornelius is a soldier.

Yet in two of them there is already a longing for the gospel. Both the eunuch and Cornelius are seekers. There is already a work of God going on in them. With Saul it is completely different. This man is not looking for peace, but for victims to whom he begrudges this peace.

The Lord has a special messenger for each one of them:

1. For the eunuch this is Philip.

2. For Saul it is Ananias.

3. For Cornelius it is Peter.

Also the way the Lord addresses Himself to them is different:

1. The eunuch is reached with the Word.

2. To Saul the Lord Himself appears.

3. Cornelis sees an angel in a vision.

Different are also the circumstances in which they find themselves when they come to repentance:

1. The eunuch is on his way home.

2. Saul comes from home.

3. Cornelius is at home.

Philip has to leave a busy field of work to serve a single person. Herein he imitates the Lord Who had to go through Samaria to bring the gospel to a single woman at the well of Jacob (Jn 4:4 ; 7-8). Philip is used to make the gospel find its way to the nations. God uses an angel to show Philip the way, but Philip has to proclaim the gospel. He is given precise directions where to go, but he is not told what to do there.

There are two roads that descend from Jerusalem to Gaza and he has to take the desert road. An evangelist would never have chosen the desert road, but Philip does not ask questions, he goes. To get Ananias to go to Saul (Acts 9) and Peter to go to Cornelius (Acts 10), the Lord must use more insistence. With Ananias fear is the objection and with Peter his Jewish prejudices prevent direct obedience. The Lord has removed both obstacles and then they have both gone.

In Philip we have an example of immediate, unconditional obedience in simplicity of heart. He does not think of the difference between Samaria where he was surrounded with esteem and love and the road to Gaza which is desolate. He has confidence in his Master Who wants to use him for a eunuch who has been in Jerusalem to worship and is now on his way back to his country.

The word for “eunuch” is literally “castrated”. Besides the fact that he is a stranger, the fact that he is emasculated is an additional reason that he could never join the people of God (Deu 23:1). Nevertheless, he undertook a journey of about two thousand kilometers to Jerusalem. There is also salvation for the strangers and even for the eunuch, the emasculated (Isa 56:3). His conversion and faith in the Lord Jesus are therefore a foretaste of what we read in Psalm 68 (Psa 68:31b). Since then, many Ethiopians have stretched out their hands to God.

To bring the eunuch on the way of salvation God uses His Word and His servant Philip. What the eunuch sought in Jerusalem in duties and ceremonies of the law, he did not find there. He has been in Jerusalem to worship the true God, but he has only found a cold formalism there. In spite of his seeking heart, the Lord did not let any of the apostles cross his path.

The eunuch has not found peace in Jerusalem, but he has taken something else from Jerusalem and that is a part of God’s Word. That is what he is reading in his chariot. With it he has a treasure with him that is larger than all the treasures he has to protect for his queen.

Then the meeting between Philip and the eunuch is prepared by the Spirit. The Spirit tells Philip that he must go up to “this” chariot, the chariot of the eunuch, and join it. Since it is the preaching of the gospel, it is not an angel who comes to Philip (Acts 8:29), but the Spirit Who leads Philip. The Spirit tells us exactly where to go and what to do.

Thus, later, Ananias in connection with Saul, and Peter in connection with Cornelius, also receive precise directions to go to them and bring them God’s message (Acts 9:11 ; Acts 10:19-20). In this way the Lord also wants to make clear to us where He wants us to go and what we should do and say.