Ethiopian Eunuch

Biblical Account

The account appears in Acts 8:26–40. Among the believers scattered by the persecution that followed the martyrdom of Stephen was Philip the evangelist, one of the seven deacons, who was preaching the gospel in Samaria. This Philip is not the same person as Philip, one of the twelve apostles. An angel of the Lord directed him to go to the desert road that runs from Jerusalem down to Gaza. On that road Philip met "a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure" (Acts 8:27). The eunuch had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home, sitting in his chariot and reading the book of Isaiah.

When Philip asked, "Understandest thou what thou readest?" the eunuch replied, "How can I, except some man should guide me?" (Acts 8:30–31). The passage he was reading was Isaiah 53:7–8, which speaks of one "led as a sheep to the slaughter." Beginning with this scripture, Philip preached Jesus to him (Acts 8:32–35). As they went on their way and came to some water, the eunuch asked to be baptized. The two went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch went on his way rejoicing. Philip was found at Azotus and preached the gospel as far as Caesarea.

Significance Within Scripture

The "Ethiopia" of the text is not necessarily identical with modern Ethiopia. The prevailing view is that it was the ancient name for the region of the upper Nile south of Egypt (Cush). Greeks and Romans of the time regarded this region as the southern edge of the world. The episode is therefore read within the movement of Acts in which the gospel spreads beyond Jerusalem and Samaria to "the uttermost part of the earth." It is also a leading New Testament example of interpreting the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 as referring to Jesus.

Interpretation and Points of Debate

• Status: The Greek word translated "eunuch" can denote a castrated man, but it was also used as a title for a high-ranking court official. Interpreters therefore differ on whether he was actually a eunuch in the physical sense. The text also does not state whether he was a Jew, a Gentile proselyte to Judaism, or a God-fearing Gentile. Consequently, opinions differ on whether he or Cornelius (Acts 10) should be regarded as the first Gentile convert.
• Acts 8:37: Some manuscripts contain a verse in which Philip says, "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest," and the eunuch confesses, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." Because this verse is absent from the major early manuscripts, modern translations generally omit it from the text and place it in a footnote or in brackets.
• Mode of baptism: Baptists cite the phrase "they went down both into the water" (Acts 8:38) as support for baptism by immersion. Presbyterians and others hold that the phrase may mean only that they went down to the water's edge, and they regard baptism by sprinkling as not contrary to Scripture. For further discussion, see Baptism and Immersion.
• Later life: Early church writers such as Irenaeus and Eusebius are reported to have recorded that he returned to his homeland and preached the gospel there. The text of Acts, however, says nothing of his later activities. Historically, the Kingdom of Aksum (in the region of present-day Ethiopia) is generally understood to have embraced Christianity in connection with the work of Frumentius in the fourth century.

In the Korean Church

In the Korean church, the story is commonly presented as the evangelistic account of "Deacon Philip." Sermons frequently cite it as an example of Philip's immediate obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit and as a model of personal evangelism that seeks out a single individual. The question "Understandest thou what thou readest?" is used to emphasize Bible study and the need for a guide who can explain the Word. The scene in which the eunuch is baptized immediately after his confession of faith is also raised in discussions of how Korean churches should view their catechumenate and baptismal instruction.