Acts 8:28 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

NIV: and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet.

NASB: and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading Isaiah the prophet.

CSB: and was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud.

NLT: and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

KJV: Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

NKJV: was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.

A eunuch, a court official of the Ethiopian queen, is on the first leg home after worshiping in Jerusalem. Ethiopians have been familiar with the Jewish God since at least the time of Solomon, when the Queen of Sheba came to visit the man she had heard was so wise (1 Kings 10:1–13).

It makes sense that the official would be reading the book of Isaiah. God gives eunuchs—particularly foreign eunuchs—a great blessing in Isaiah 56:3–5, promising that if they join with Him, He will bless them with "an everlasting name that shall not be cut off." But the official is reading Isaiah 53:7–8, the prophecy that compares Jesus with a silent lamb being led to slaughter (Acts 8:32–33). This prophecy confuses some people, as Jesus did interact with His accusers (John 18:19–23, 33–38). But He did not open His mouth when He was called to defend Himself (Mark 14:60–61; 15:4–5).

The official is in a chariot, inferring the road is a good one—probably built by the Romans. This is an example of God's perfect timing. He sent Jesus when the Roman empire held a large territory in relative peace. The Pax Romana meant that the empire had the money and political stability to build public works, such as good roads. Those roads and the stable cities and towns meant the Christian evangelists could travel easily. They still dealt with jealous Jews and pagan idol-makers (Acts 14:2–7; 19:23–41) and indifferent city officials (Acts 18:12–17)—and later with violent emperors—but considering the chaos of other eras, the church started at the perfect time to spread the gospel.

Acts 8:26–40 completes the story of Philip's early ministry. Driven out of Jerusalem by persecution, he first travels north into Samaria and spreads the gospel to a people Jews had believed accursed (Acts 8:5–13). Now, an angel tells him to go south where he meets an official of the Ethiopian court who is reading from the book of Isaiah. Philip's ministry shows that God doesn't care if someone is born into His chosen people, or are ethnically and theologically confused, or are even a foreign eunuch. He loves equally and desires that everyone will repent and come to Him.

Jesus told the apostles they would spread the gospel (Acts 1:8) and persecution makes that happen. Upon the death of the first Christian martyr (Acts 7:54–60), a young Pharisee named Saul builds on the momentum to arrest and, if possible, execute Jesus followers (Acts 8:1–3; 26:10). The apostles mostly stay in Jerusalem, but the church members flee, spreading the gospel to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. Important encounters in this passage include a magician named Simon and the conversion of an Ethiopian court official.

Acts 1:8 gives the outline of the book of Acts; Acts 1—7 describes the spread of the gospel through Jerusalem; Acts 8:1—11:18 shows the gospel spreading in Judea and Samaria; Acts 11:19—28:31 sees the gospel spread to the ''end of the earth,'' finalizing in Rome. Ironically, although Paul is the central figure in spreading Jesus' good news to the ends of the earth, his early persecution of the church in Jerusalem is instrumental in spreading the gospel through Judea and Samaria.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.