Acts 8:39-40

The Holy Spirit directed Philip to the eunuch (Acts 8:29), and He led him away from him (Acts 8:39). Luke stressed the Spirit’s leadership in this evangelism of the first Gentile convert in Acts (Matthew 12:18). God had prepared both Philip (Acts 8:29) and the eunuch (Acts 8:30) for their especially important conversation.

Luke described the Lord leading Philip away from the eunuch very dramatically. Perhaps the Spirit jerked Philip out of the wagon physically (cf. 1 Kings 18:12; 2 Kings 2:16). [Note: Kent, p. 82.] More likely, I think, this description reflects the Lord’s immediate direction to another place where He wanted Phillip to serve next.

"Philip’s behavior in this incident is reminiscent of that of Elijah, following impulses which he recognizes as divine prompting, appearing in unexpected places, and disappearing equally unexpectedly. It has also often been noted that there are curious correspondences between Zephaniah 2-3 and this passage-among other similarities Gaza, Ethiopia and Azotus are mentioned in both." [Note: Neil, p. 123.]

"There is a contrast between Simon Magus and this Ethiopian treasurer which recalls the contrast between Gehazi and the stranger Naaman who was baptized in the Jordan." [Note: Rackham, p. 120.]

The eunuch rejoiced in his new faith (cf. Acts 2:46-47; Acts 8:8; Acts 16:34). Presumably he returned home and became one of the earliest Gentile witnesses and missionaries in Africa. This is what happened according to early Christian tradition. [Note: See Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 3:12:8-10.]

Philip proceeded up the coast north, probably along the international highway, to Azotus (Ashdod) and farther on to Caesarea. He preached the gospel in all the intermediate cities. About 20 years later we find him living in Caesarea (Acts 21:8). In the Roman world the average distance that people would travel in one day on land was about 20 miles. [Note: Robert Jewett, A Chronology of Paul’s Life, p. 138.]

Philip was the first Jewish Christian in Acts to evangelize a Gentile who lived at what the first readers of this book regarded as the uttermost part of the earth (cf. Acts 1:8).

"The conviction that the Ethiopians lived at the ends of the earth is well documented in ancient literature." [Note: Tannehill, 2:109. See Homer, The Odyssey 1.23; Herodotus 3.25, 3.114; Strabo, Geography 1.1.6, 1.2.24.]

The very first Christians were Jews (Acts 2:1 to Acts 8:4). Then Samaritans became Christians (Acts 8:5-25). Now a Gentile who was a Jewish proselyte or near-proselyte entered the church. Probably all these converts thought of themselves now as simply religious Jews who believed that Jesus was the Messiah. Only later did they learn that what God was doing was not just creating a group of believers in Jesus within Judaism, a faithful remnant, but a whole new entity, namely, the Christian church (cf. Ephesians 2-3).