Lesson Sixteen: Philip and the Ethiopian

Acts 8:26-40

Key Verse

"Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus."

— Acts 8:35 Review: Acts 8:1-25

Lesson Questions

Read Acts 8:26-40 carefully before answering these questions.

1. Who spoke to Philip? What did he say? 8:26. (Enter Samaria and Gaza on map)

2. What did Philip find? 8:27-28

3. Who spoke to Philip? What did he say? 8:29

4. What did Philip hear? What did Philip say? 8:30

5. How did the eunuch respond? 8:31

6. What had the eunuch been reading? 8:32-33

7. What question did the eunuch ask? What did Philip do? 8:34-35

8. What happened as they went on their way? 8:36-37

9. What did Philip and the eunuch do? 8:38

10. When they came up out of the water, what happened? 8:39-40

Thought Questions

A. Why did Philip leave a "successful" work in Samaria to go to the desert?

B. Who was the "angel of the Lord"? What is an angel?

C. Who was the Ethiopian eunuch?

D. What scripture was the Ethiopian reading? To whom does the passage refer?

E. When Philip "preached unto him Jesus," what subjects must have been covered?

Supplementary Materials

Divine Direction in This Account Notice the repeated guidance from heaven throughout this account:

Verse	Divine Action	Philip's Response
8:26	Angel speaks: "Arise, and go"	"He arose and went" (8:27)
8:29	Spirit speaks: "Go near... join thyself"	"Philip ran thither" (8:30)
8:39	Spirit catches Philip away	Found at Azotus (8:40)

Key Point: Philip was obedient at every step. He left a thriving work in Samaria to go to a desert road — and found one soul seeking truth. God sees the individual!

Who Was the Ethiopian Eunuch?

Detail	Significance
"Of Ethiopia" (8:27)	Ancient Nubia (modern Sudan), south of Egypt. Considered the "ends of the earth" in the ancient world.
"A eunuch" (8:27)	Court official; often (but not always) castrated. Eunuchs were excluded from the assembly (Deut. 23:1), but Isaiah prophesied their future inclusion (Isa. 56:3-5).
"Of great authority" (8:27)	High-ranking government official — a man of power and influence.
"Under Candace" (8:27)	Candace was a title (like Pharaoh or Caesar), not a personal name. The queen or queen mother of Ethiopia.
"Charge of all her treasure"	Royal treasurer — equivalent to a modern Secretary of
(8:27)	Treasury or Finance Minister.
"Had come to Jerusalem for	Either a Jewish proselyte or a "God-fearer" — a Gentile who
to worship" (8:27)	worshiped the God of Israel.
"Was reading Esaias" (8:28)	He had a scroll of Isaiah — expensive and rare. A serious student of Scripture.

This man was wealthy, powerful, religious, and seeking — but he needed someone to guide him to the truth (8:31).

The Scripture He Was Reading (8:32-33) The eunuch was reading Isaiah 53:7-8, part of the "Suffering Servant" prophecy: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth." — Acts 8:32-33 (quoting Isaiah 53:7-8)

Key Phrases Explained: Phrase Fulfillment in Christ "Led as a sheep to the slaughter" Jesus went willingly to the cross (John 10:17-18)

Phrase Fulfillment in Christ "Opened he not his mouth" Jesus' silence before His accusers (Matt. 26:63; 27:12-14) "In his humiliation his judgment was Jesus was denied justice in His trials (Luke 23:13-25) taken away" "Who shall declare his generation?" His descendants = spiritual offspring (Isa. 53:10); the church "His life is taken from the earth" Christ's death on the cross

The Eunuch's Question: "Of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?" (8:34). This was the perfect setup for Philip to preach Jesus!

"Preached Unto Him Jesus" (8:35) Philip "began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus." What subjects must Philip have covered? We can infer from the eunuch's response: Evidence Philip Must Have Preached The eunuch asked about baptism (8:36) The necessity of baptism The eunuch wanted to be baptized The urgency of obedience immediately They stopped where there was water Baptism requires water They "went down... into the water" (8:38) Baptism is immersion The eunuch "went on his way rejoicing" Salvation brings joy (8:39)

Key Point: "Preaching Jesus" includes preaching what Jesus commands — including baptism. You cannot truly preach Jesus while ignoring His instructions for salvation.

The Baptism: What This Account Teaches

Baptism is part of preaching Jesus — Philip preached Jesus (8:35), and the eunuch's response was to ask about baptism (8:36)
Baptism requires water — "See, here is water" (8:36). Enough water to go "down into" and "come up out of" (8:38-39)
Baptism is immersion — "They went down both into the water... and he baptized him" (8:38). The Greek word baptizo means to dip, plunge, immerse.
Baptism follows faith — The eunuch believed, then was baptized (8:37-38). Infants cannot believe.
Baptism should not be delayed — As soon as there was water, the eunuch wanted to be baptized. No waiting period.
Baptism brings rejoicing — After baptism, the eunuch "went on his way rejoicing" (8:39). Sins forgiven!

A Note on Acts 8:37 Some Bible versions include verse 37; others omit it or place it in a footnote: "And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." — Acts 8:37 (KJV)

Textual Note: This verse is not found in the oldest Greek manuscripts but appears in later manuscripts and was known to early church writers. Whether original or a later addition reflecting early church practice, the principle is sound: faith must precede baptism, and confession of Christ is essential (Rom. 10:9-10).

Conversion Pattern: Comparing Acts 2 and Acts 8 Step Pentecost (Acts 2) Ethiopian (Acts 8) Heard the gospel 2:14-36 8:35 Believed 2:37 (implied) 8:37 Repented 2:38 (implied) Confessed (implied) 8:37 Baptized 2:38, 41 8:38 Result "Gladly received" (2:41) "Rejoicing" (8:39)

The pattern is consistent: hearing leads to faith, which produces repentance and confession, culminating in baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

Geographic Notes

Gaza — An ancient Philistine city on the Mediterranean coast, about 50 miles southwest of Jerusalem. The road to Gaza led through desert terrain.
Azotus — Old Testament Ashdod, another Philistine city about 20 miles north of Gaza on the coast.
Caesarea — A Roman port city about 60 miles north of Azotus. Philip eventually settled here (Acts 21:8).

Philip traveled north along the coast, preaching "in all the cities" (8:40) — spreading the gospel throughout the coastal region.

Key Cross-References

Reference	Acts Verse	Connection
Isaiah 53:7-8	Acts 8:32-33	The Suffering Servant passage quoted
Isaiah 56:3-5	Acts 8:27	Eunuchs promised a place in God's house
Deut. 23:1	Acts 8:27	OT exclusion of eunuchs — now overcome in Christ
Rom. 10:9-10	Acts 8:37	Confession with the mouth
Rom. 6:3-4	Acts 8:38-39	Baptism as burial and resurrection
Acts 21:8-9	Acts 8:40	Philip later at Caesarea with four daughters

Key Lessons from Acts 8:26-40 1. God orchestrates opportunities for the gospel — be ready to respond. 2. One soul is worth the effort — Philip left crowds for one seeker. 3. The Old Testament points to Christ — Isaiah 53 leads directly to Jesus. 4. Preaching Jesus includes preaching baptism — the eunuch's response proves it. 5. Obedience brings joy — the eunuch went on his way rejoicing.