After Philip’s exploit in Samaria, he with Peter and John who were sent by other apostles to assist him in laying hands on the people who believed and were baptised had returned to Jerusalem. They were still in active service – preaching the gospel to the people when God sent His Angel to Philip to:
Arise, and go toward the South unto the way that
goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. (Acts 8:26)
The angel did
not tell Philip what he was to do when he got to the place. Philip did not bother to ask why he was
instructed to go to the place. This is
God’s instruction and it must be obeyed.
Perhaps we may be right if we say that the military borrow the command
“obey before complain” from God.
The place Philip
is to go to was well described. You are
to go toward the South. Philip was
directed to go toward the South and not toward the North or East or West. Angel continued with the directive that
Philip should go by the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza where there
is desert. Oh what a mighty God; knowing how to describe things.
Philip went
without delay. On that road there was a
man of Ethiopia who came to Jerusalem to worship God. This Ethiopian was not a common man. He was
an officer “of great authority under the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had
the charge of all her treasures”. (Acts 8:27)
It is as simple
as to say, this Ethiopian was the minister of finance in the government of
Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. Notwithstanding his political position and
power, he was a devout man. He served
God with all his strength and loved God with all his heart. He had formed the habit of going to
Jerusalem, the holy city to pray and offered his own spiritual obligation.
This Eunuch knew
so much about the Law of Moses. He also acquainted
himself with prophecies as written in the Old Testament. But he was not aware that the Son of God,
Jesus Christ spoken of by those prophets as contained in the Old Testament had
come and the redemption has been perfected through His death and resurrection. The Ethiopian Eunuch had a complete copy of
the Old Testament which at that was ready and was used during worship; and he was
reading from the book of prophet Isaiah.
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 judgement was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? For his
life is taken from the earth. (Isaiah 53)
Then the Spirit
of God (not angel this time) implored Philip to “Go near, and join thyself to
this chariot” (Acts 8:29). Philip joining the Ethiopian Eunuch did not start
preaching the gospel to him since the man is not a pagan. Note that he was reading the word of God. So Philip only asked him whether he
understood what he was reading or studying.
The Eunuch without pretence or any iota of pride despite his sound
education replies:
And he said, How can I except some man guide me? And
he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. (Acts 8:31)
Notice the word
‘guide’ as used in verse 31. We are
supposed to preach and to guide, and not to give order or command or be
authoritative while sharing the word of God to people. We are servants who shall also be judged.
Philip then
tenderly and soberly guided the officer from Ethiopia. He took time to explain to the Ethiopian
Eunuch. Perhaps Philip while preaching
to Eunuch told him that the person spoken about is Jesus Christ the Son of God. And indeed Jesus had come and was crucified
to death; oh the death of cross. But
worry not gentleman, for the same Jesus Christ has risen from the death and has
since been with His Father, the God. His
death and resurrection is an assurance of life after death. That Jesus Christ has brought salvation to
everyone that believes in Him. But the
salvation is for only those who believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and
are baptised.
I could imagine the
Eunuch screamed and said, you mean no cash payment, just a belief and a
declaration that Jesus Christ is the Son of God is all I need and you will
baptise me into repentance! Afterward I
shall be part of the body of Christ who will receive a crown of glory someday! If this is the only requirement, then:
See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be
baptised? Verse 36d.
Then to ensure
that the Eunuch has sincerely believed, Philip re-emphasized thus:
And Philip said, if thou believest with all thine
heart, thou mayest. And he (Eunuch) said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the
Son of God. Acts 8:37
With the
reassurance from Eunuch of his belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,
Philip without wasting time baptised him.
Questions: Why was Jesus Baptised with water who knew
not sin? Is baptismal class in Churches where people are subjected to teachings
and written test necessary? The command of Jesus is that ‘He who believes’
should be baptised immediately.
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