Learning From the Ethiopian Eunuch

We can learn a great deal from Acts 8 and the situation with the Ethiopian Eunuch. This short Bible study explores this rich passage. Enjoy!

As an introduction to this study, please read the 1-minute devotion 7 Things We Learn from Acts 8:26-29.

1. The gospel is for all nations and races (Revelation 5:9-10).
2. The gospel is for all classes of people (1 Timothy 6:17-19).
3. Without God's Spirit, Scripture is hard to understand (1 Corinthians 2:14John 14:26).
4. Old and New Testaments are about Jesus (Luke 24:27).
5. Sincere seekers find Jesus (Jeremiah 29:13).  
6. Genuine conversion is more than words (1 Thessalonians 1:4-10).
7. Knowing Jesus brings joy (John 15:10-11).  
 
1. Let's start by reading the entire text:
As you read it, note the 7 things mentioned above. Note the supernatural elements involved. Note the things which prepared the Ethiopian to receive Christ.

We can learn a great deal from Acts 8 and the situation with the Ethiopian Eunuch. This short Bible study explores this rich passage. Enjoy!
Acts 8:26-39:  "Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, 'Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.' 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means 'queen of the Ethiopians'). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, 'Go to that chariot and stay near it.' 30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. 'Do you understand what you are reading?' Philip asked. 31 'How can I,' he said, 'unless someone explains it to me?' So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: 'He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.' 34 The eunuch asked Philip, 'Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?' 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, 'Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?' [37] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both 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 suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing." 

[37] Some manuscripts include this verse 37: "Then 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.'"  (NKJV)  

Why is Acts 8:37 footnoted and not considered part of the text in most translations?

Newer translations of the Bible are translated from the oldest manuscripts, some of which were found after the older Bible translations (like the KJV) were written. (See Dead Sea Scrolls.) Bible authorities believe that verses like Acts 8:37 were not part of the original text but added later. Nothing in these added verses changes the doctrine of Scripture. But for the sake of accuracy, they are omitted and footnoted in newer translations. Read more HERE

What did it mean to be a "eunuch" in Old Testament times? 
From Got Questions:
"The eunuchs of the Bible were usually castrated males or those incapable of reproduction due to a birth defect. A eunuch could also be someone who performed work typical of eunuchs, although he remained perfectly capable of having sex—i.e., 'eunuch' in some cases was simply a title. The purpose of intentional castration was to induce impotence and remove sexuality. It was a common practice in ancient times for rulers to castrate some of their servants and/or advisers in order to subdue and pacify them. It was especially common to castrate men who tended the royal harem. Queen Esther’s eunuchs are mentioned in Esther 4:4."
 
2. Ethiopia in Old Testament passages:
The conversion of this foreigner was not "routine" in any way. God supernaturally arranged for it to make an important point: His salvation is available to every genuine seeker. Christ-followers come from every nation and race.

Ethiopia was called "Cush" in the Old Testament and these psalms predict that believers will come from Ethiopia:

Psalm 68:31: "Let Egypt come with gifts of precious metals; let Ethiopia bring tribute to God."   

Psalm 87:4: "I will count Egypt and Babylon among those who know me— also Philistia and Tyre, and even distant Ethiopia. They have all become citizens of Jerusalem!"


copyright, 2015, Gail Burton Purath, BibleLoveNotes.com, edited and updated in 2020.

Image from LaVista Church

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13 comments:

  1. HI Gail. I like your analysis. I've been thinking about this encounter in Acts and believe there is another point to consider. Eunuchs were forbidden to participate in Israel's worshipping community, yet the Holy Spirit led Philip to this Ehtiopian eunuch, and he became a convert. What does this say about those the church shuns due to their "sin"? I think it says much.

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    1. Hi Unknown,
      In the Old Testament, many things prevented people from entering God's presence. Eunuchs were men who were born deformed or emasculated by others. So they were prevented from being priests, but they weren't singled out. Any deformity prevented a person from being a priest, even blindness.

      The purposes of these limitations were to show us that we were all unclean and unable to stand before a holy God. And when Jesus came, he fulfilled these external laws and gave us His Spirit so we could obey moral commands and avoid sins that make us morally "unclean."

      Sadly, some people are now claiming that "eunuchs" represent homosexuals and they claim that baptizing the eunuch means God approves of homosexual behavior. But that is a great distortion of both Scripture and facts. Both Old and New Testament commands forbid homosexual behavior.

      deformities were never considered "sins" in the Old Testament, nor are they in the New Testament. There is a huge difference between externals that prevented a man from being a priest in the Old Testament and sins that separate us from God in both Old and New Testaments.

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  2. Thanks for this Gail, it's really edifying. Just reading the verses made feel wow. In your analysis you mentioned that sincere seekers find Jesus. I tend to agree and disagree at the same time. I agree because we have to seek him. At the same time, no one really seeks God. He is the one who is seeking us and that creates the desire in our heart. We are not God seekers by nature, rather we want to live away from him. It's his grace that makes any of us seek him in the first place

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    1. Yes, Hadi, we do have to be true seekers as you explain, and He places that desire to seek in our hearts.

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  3. Thanks very much Gail, this was inspiring, I am praying for more blessings in this ministry of yours. God bless you!

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    1. Thanks so much for your encouragement. I appreciate your prayers so much!!

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  4. Your analysis is helpful in understanding the passage especially how God does not discriminate against the eunich.God loved him dispite his deformity

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  5. "How can I ? Unless someone explains it to me ?"A really polite speech🙏✝️
    Although the way u tried to interpret "Eunuch" was also good,the Ethiopian Eunuch was the finance minister of Queen Kendall💚💛❤️

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    1. I agree that it was a perfect response to Phillip's question.

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  6. Thank you so much Gail.Your bible love notes are helping me to grow in faith.May our Almighty God bless you abundantly.

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  7. This eunuch was coming from a place worship yet he was not saved. Worshipping God is different from salvation. Many are in the church, they always worship with us but are not yet saved.

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    1. I agree that there are people in churches who are not genuinely saved, but I'm not sure I understand your comment.

      The eunuch was not saved at the beginning of the story, but he was saved after Philip explained the Gospel to him. He asked to be baptized into Christ and he was.

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