The Bible Teacher's Commentary

Paul J. Bucknell

Steps to Participation in an Expanded Mission

Acts 7:1-8:25

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D) The Gospel Goes to the Ends of the Earth (Acts 8:25-40)

The account of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch is the final step in this section of Acts, showing the Gospel's expansion. It fulfills the promise of Acts 1:8 that the witness would reach the "remotest part of the earth." Ethiopia, in the ancient mind, represented the very edge of the civilized world.

The Divine Appointment

God's sovereignty is on full display here. An angel of the Lord directs Philip to a "desert road," and the Spirit tells him to join the chariot of a high official of the Ethiopian court. The official happened to be reading Isaiah 53, the very passage that explains the suffering and triumph of the Messiah.

Observation: Philip didn't start with his own agenda; he started where the man was. "Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him" (Acts 8:35).

A Personal Response

The eunuch's response was immediate and personal. Upon seeing water, he asked, "What prevents me from being baptized?" His profession of faith—"I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God"—led to his immediate baptism, after which Philip was snatched away by the Spirit, and the eunuch "went on his way rejoicing."

Summary

This chapter began with the death of Stephen and the scattering of the church, which seemed like a tragedy. However, through Philip’s obedience, we see that what the enemy intended for evil, God used to plant the Gospel in Africa. The mission is no longer restricted by geography, race, or social standing.