Act 8:32 | KingComments | STEP | After the directions as to where Philip should go, we do not hear that the Spirit gives directions as to when Philip should make himself known to the eunuch, or as to what he should say to the eunuch. This is not difficult for an evangelist like Philip. He knows himself guided by the Spirit and quickly notices a reason for a conversation. His whole performance contains a lot of teaching for everyone who wants to bring the gospel to people. After the directions of the Spirit we see that Philip runs up to the chariot. Later, Ananias is reluctant to go to Saul ( ) and Peter even at first pertinently refuses to go to a gentile ( ). But Philip longs to bring the gospel to this man. The love of Christ urges him ( ). He does, however, proceed with deliberation. He notices what the person is doing because he hears him read the prophet Isaiah. The eunuch read aloud, which was common in those days. Philip knows his Bible, for he recognizes what the eunuch is reading as words from the prophet Isaiah. He opens the conversation with the friendly question: “Do you understand what you are reading?” Through his question he shows his interest in the questions that will have arisen in the eunuch. Do we know the questions people have? Can we empathize with them? The eunuch’s answer shows a longing, humble heart for someone who can and does help him. He invites Philip to sit with him. Here we also have an important clue for passing on the Word. There is no question of racial difference, but of taking a place on the level of the other. Just as Philip sits with the eunuch, so we must sit with people. The preaching of the gospel cannot be done from on high. If we are aware that we are by nature like those to whom we preach the gospel, we will sit beside them. The place of Scripture that the eunuch reads is quoted by Luke. It is quite striking that just when the eunuch is at this Scripture, the Spirit tells Philip that he should join the chariot. At the right time, the eunuch meets Philip. This timing is from the Lord, because this is the Scripture that speaks especially about the Lord Jesus. The Scripture is this one: “HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER; AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT, SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH. “IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY; WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION? FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH” ( , quoted by Philip from the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament). These verses describe the suffering, death and burial of the Lord Jesus and the consequences thereof. He was as a lamb led to the slaughter, but He did not open His mouth, He bowed under the mistreatment, He suffered willingly. The prophet Jeremiah also compares himself with a lamb, but he does not keep his mouth shut and calls for vengeance ( ). For the Lord Jesus the path to slaughter was much worse. He knew perfectly where He was going, but did not open His mouth. It underlines the voluntary surrender of Christ. Shearing means taking away everything that is worthy of a man, but He did not protest against the unworthy treatment that was done to Him. Everything expresses His voluntary surrender in a way that shows how unique He is. No one can be compared with Him. He was treated in a humiliating way and His judgment was taken away, indicating that He did not even receive a just judgment, because His judgment was predetermined: He had to die. And who thinks of “His generation”, to tell something about it? He is considered so worthless that one cannot imagine anything at all about Him. However, for those who have an eye for it or receive it through teaching, like the eunuch, discover who His generation is. “His generation” can be applied to the consequences of His death, which has produced many spiritual offspring. ”His generation” can also be applied to His origin, in which we may think of His existence as the eternal Son and His humble origin as Man from the carpenter’s family of Joseph. No one of His contemporaries is concerned with that. To them He has been taken from the earth, His life is over and He no longer exists. The explanation of these verses is not simple, yet the eunuch has thought about what he has read. He understands that it is about Someone, a Person. His question is a wonderful reason for Philip to preach “Jesus” to him. In Samaria he preached “Christ” ( ). The Samaritans had to know that the “Christ” had come. The eunuch must know that “Jesus” is the Messiah.

‏ Acts 8:32

Philip Preaches Jesus to Him

After the directions as to where Philip should go, we do not hear that the Spirit gives directions as to when Philip should make himself known to the eunuch, or as to what he should say to the eunuch. This is not difficult for an evangelist like Philip. He knows himself guided by the Spirit and quickly notices a reason for a conversation. His whole performance contains a lot of teaching for everyone who wants to bring the gospel to people.

After the directions of the Spirit we see that Philip runs up to the chariot. Later, Ananias is reluctant to go to Saul (Acts 9:10-17) and Peter even at first pertinently refuses to go to a gentile (Acts 10:14). But Philip longs to bring the gospel to this man. The love of Christ urges him (2Cor 5:14). He does, however, proceed with deliberation. He notices what the person is doing because he hears him read the prophet Isaiah. The eunuch read aloud, which was common in those days.

Philip knows his Bible, for he recognizes what the eunuch is reading as words from the prophet Isaiah. He opens the conversation with the friendly question: “Do you understand what you are reading?” Through his question he shows his interest in the questions that will have arisen in the eunuch. Do we know the questions people have? Can we empathize with them? The eunuch’s answer shows a longing, humble heart for someone who can and does help him.

He invites Philip to sit with him. Here we also have an important clue for passing on the Word. There is no question of racial difference, but of taking a place on the level of the other. Just as Philip sits with the eunuch, so we must sit with people. The preaching of the gospel cannot be done from on high. If we are aware that we are by nature like those to whom we preach the gospel, we will sit beside them.

The place of Scripture that the eunuch reads is quoted by Luke. It is quite striking that just when the eunuch is at this Scripture, the Spirit tells Philip that he should join the chariot. At the right time, the eunuch meets Philip. This timing is from the Lord, because this is the Scripture that speaks especially about the Lord Jesus.

The Scripture is this one: “HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER; AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT, SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH. “IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY; WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION? FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH” (Isa 53:7-8, quoted by Philip from the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament). These verses describe the suffering, death and burial of the Lord Jesus and the consequences thereof.

He was as a lamb led to the slaughter, but He did not open His mouth, He bowed under the mistreatment, He suffered willingly. The prophet Jeremiah also compares himself with a lamb, but he does not keep his mouth shut and calls for vengeance (Jer 11:19 ; 20 ; Jer 12:1-4). For the Lord Jesus the path to slaughter was much worse. He knew perfectly where He was going, but did not open His mouth. It underlines the voluntary surrender of Christ. Shearing means taking away everything that is worthy of a man, but He did not protest against the unworthy treatment that was done to Him.

Everything expresses His voluntary surrender in a way that shows how unique He is. No one can be compared with Him. He was treated in a humiliating way and His judgment was taken away, indicating that He did not even receive a just judgment, because His judgment was predetermined: He had to die.

And who thinks of “His generation”, to tell something about it? He is considered so worthless that one cannot imagine anything at all about Him. However, for those who have an eye for it or receive it through teaching, like the eunuch, discover who His generation is. “His generation” can be applied to the consequences of His death, which has produced many spiritual offspring. ”His generation” can also be applied to His origin, in which we may think of His existence as the eternal Son and His humble origin as Man from the carpenter’s family of Joseph. No one of His contemporaries is concerned with that. To them He has been taken from the earth, His life is over and He no longer exists.

The explanation of these verses is not simple, yet the eunuch has thought about what he has read. He understands that it is about Someone, a Person. His question is a wonderful reason for Philip to preach “Jesus” to him. In Samaria he preached “Christ” (Acts 8:5). The Samaritans had to know that the “Christ” had come. The eunuch must know that “Jesus” is the Messiah.