Biblical narrative The eunuch had been to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home. The Bible states that he strolled with God for 300 years! And all will be clear! Certainly there was a Semitic strain in the royal line. By the 1st century A.D. there were around one and a quarter million Israelites living in Egypt, primarily in the northern cities such as Alexandria. Acts 8:29 There is no clear evidence in the text that any other miracle was involved and such a miracle is not necessary to explain what happened. Acts 8:37 Context And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? Second, he was a Gentile, and at best could have only entered the Court of the Gentiles, but that too was now unattainable. Your email address will not be published. Ancient African Christianity was basically confined to Northern AfricaEgypt, Nubia, and Ethiopia. Philip travels in the area, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea (8:40). What happened to Philip after he baptized the Ethiopian eunuch? He is not told why, but he knew enough to obey when God so ordered. And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. Wholly Hearted is a Christian blog that wants you to be inspired by Gods word and love Him wholeheartedly through insightful Bible studies. But it doesnt say how he was taken away. At work, we all have mentors or peers that help us grow and flourish in our careers. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. Eunuch is a term utilized to explain a male whose testicles have actually not established, been damaged or eliminated. 65 0 obj <>stream Chronological index. Why does the Bible describe death as sleep? Sign up for our newsletter: It was a sudden and miraculous departure that only the Spirit of the Lord can do! But I dont ever plan on running across country to stand outside a Bubba Gump Shrimp restaurant that Tom Hanks is eating at. In Matthew 19:12, Christ explains three types of individuals as unfit for marital relationship, particularly those that have actually been castrated (which all exegetes take as indicating eunuchs); those birthed unable (con- genital eunuchs) and those who, by their own complimentary choice and for the glory of Gods Kingdom, avoid marrying (voluntary . 18:5). 18) because he is not considered as a man (Yeb. Well, Ethiopia is a predominantly Christian country, and Id like to think that the person who started it all was this Ethiopian eunuch. But before that, we need a Philip in our lives to help teach and train us spiritually. The Ethiopian eunuch is believed to have travelled over 3000 miles from Ethiopia to Jerusalem. 34The eunuch asked Philip, Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?35Then Philip beganwith that very passage of Scriptureand told him the good newsabout Jesus. Answer: His only companions were his charioteer and his Ethiopian Mussulman servants. We need the same type of mentorship in our spiritual lives. We have no clue). The eunuchs journey represent his existence on the way (, vv. Distance between Ethiopia and Jerusalem is 2564 KM / 1593.3 miles. It is clear in the context of the text that Philip had gone through a type of supernatural transportation. Are you able to explain all of the New Testament concepts using the Old Testament Scriptures?]. 15:51-53; 1 Th. The eunuch, we are informed, is an Ethiopian official who has journeyed to Jerusalem to prayer and is now going back to Ethiopia (vv. Must the needy be forgotten 4ever? Acts 8 is the eighth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. As mentioned above, some believe that Philips leaving was miraculous. He was happy! The Ethiopian eunuch was such a high caliber guy that it could have come off as embarrassing to admit that he didnt actually understand the content of that expensive scroll that he bought. Feel free to share your takeaways in the comments below! The text doesnt say that he appeared there instantly. It is believed that he travelled by donkey and camel and that he was accompanied by a group of servants.The eunuchs journey came to an end when he met the apostle Philip. There were many detailed rules that were required of a scribe, to ensure that the book was perfectly copied from a master copy. Yet, the Ethiopian eunuch didnt wait until he was back at home to get baptizedhe saw water in the desert and took the opportunity to get right with God immediately. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, who was a member of the court of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. WebWe also read in Jeremiah 38:7-13 of Ebed-melech the Ethiopian eunuch, who was a part of the household of Zedekiah, who saved Jeremiah from the dungeon. It was south of Egypt and was a mercantile kingdom that brought goods from the sea trade by caravan north through Israel, Damascus, and Syria. The Eunuch is reading aloud, as all the People of Jewish faith are instructed to do from Isaiah 53. From remote antiquity, eunuchs were employed in the Middle East and in China in two main functions: as guards and servants in harems or other womens quarters, and as chamberlains to kings. The owner of this website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon properties including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. Let us know about your decision. The Queen of Sheba appears as a prominent figure in the Kebra Nagast (Glory of King), the Ethiopian national epic and foundation story. What did the Ethiopian eunuch see as he went with Philip? 31How can I, he said, unless someone explains it to me? So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. By the time Philip had explained the good news to the Eunuch, the chariot had reached the watered plain near Gaza, and there was the water needed for the new believer to make his Mikvah, being baptized by immersion in water in the name of Jesus. What did the Ethiopian Eunuch do after being baptized? Is there anything in him that you want to imitate? Do you have someone in your life who can teach, rebuke, correct, and train you (2 Timothy 3:16) in your daily walk with God? But this is an inference, and not a certainty. Verse 35 said that Philip took the passage of Scripture that the eunuch was reading (which was Isaiah 53:7-8), and from there was able to tell him about Jesus. They then return to Jerusalem to Are you willing to sacrifice your time for him and love him wholeheartedly? How Far Did The Ethiopian Eunuch Travel To Jerusalem, Quick Answer: How Far Did Philip Travel In Acts 8, Question: Why Do Ethiopian Look Different, How Does The Travel Charger Work For Philip Sonic Care, Quick Answer: What Do Ethiopian People Look Like, Quick Answer: When Will Ethiopian Airlines Resume International Flights, How Long Does It Take To Renew Ethiopian Passport In Usa. In the Gospel according to Matthew (19:12), Jesus identified three types of eunuchs: those who are born eunuchs, those who are made eunuchs, and those who make themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. How long is the flight from Ethiopia to Israel? Quick Answer: How Far Did The Ethiopian Eunuch Travel To Jerusalem. Persecution in the Early Church: Did You Know? This actually gives us the biggest clue as to how devoted this guy was: Despite all of the hurdles, the eunuch made it a point to go to the temple to worship in person. In this brief account we are told that Philip left the Ethiopian suddenly after the baptism at the direction of the Holy Spirit. As we close out this passage of Scripture, we see in verse 36 that the eunuch and Philip came across some water in the hot desert (which you can only assume was put there by God), and the eunuch asked Philip if he could be baptized. The Ethiopian eunuch is an example of atrue believer who is willing to do whatever it takes to follow God. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?[37] 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. What did the Ethiopian eunuch ask Philip? His wholehearted devotion to God had paid off. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 39 0 obj <> endobj WebPhilip the Evangelist (Greek: , Philippos) appears several times in the Acts of the Apostles.He was one of the Seven chosen to care for the poor of the Christian community in Jerusalem ().He preached and reportedly performed miracles in Samaria, and met and baptised an Ethiopian man, a eunuch, on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza, traditionally WebEthiopia is far south of Gaza, so the man was still in the early stages of his journey from Jerusalem. The Ethiopian eunuch was a court official of Queen Candace. The Ethiopian eunuchs story starts out with an angel of the Lord telling Philip to travel along the desert road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza. 4. eunuch, castrated human male. Ethiopia (the upper Nile region) saw vibrant church growth in the early centuries after Christ, and legend links this growth to Philip's convert. I at least better have a confirmation to personally meet him! Where did Philip go after Baptizing the Eunuch? The Ethiopian eunuch asked Philip to baptize him. 26 8). Ethiopia was a long way from Jerusalem and the eunuch would have had to travel through hostile territory. Christian messages describe Jesus strolling 3,125 miles throughout his ministry. What is the time difference between Ethiopia and Israel?. Perhaps he used his influence to convert many high ranking officials to the true gospel message, and those influential people went on to convert others. Got your notes down? The Ethiopian eunuch could have brushed Philip off or even questioned why some random guy would have the audacity to ask him if he understood what he was readingbut that wasnt the eunuchs response. Other Ethiopians believed, and for 1,800 years the Christian church flourished in Ethiopia. If you would like someone to pray for you, click the button and well connect with you. After she died, it is believed that Moses remarried. He did not understand what the Prophet was saying. How long was the road from Jerusalem to Gaza? This shows his dedication to his faith and his willingness to go to great lengths to worship God. Do you understand what youre reading? eunuch, castrated human male. Weban arduous journey of more than fifty miles but the journey of the Ethiopian court official was even more difficult. I obviously knew how to read, and the words themselves made sense, but when I tried to put everything together, I still could not understand all of the metabolic pathways that go on in the human cell. In this case, the Ethiopian eunuch was a eunuch because he was working closely with the queen, and there was to be no funny business between the two. Eunuchs would usually be servants or slaves who had been castrated to make them reliable servants of a royal court where physical access to the ruler could wield great influence. Christian messages refer to Jesus walking 3,125 miles during his ministry. I agree with brother George Hawke. So he emerged as well as went. (Deut. He went to Jerusalem to worship (verse 27). As soon as the Ethiopian eunuch came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way 33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Whatever the material was, we can assume it probably cost a lot of money. Im sure there was probably some beautiful, clean bathing pool or fountain he could have gotten baptized in back at the queens palace. The tradition is difficult to corroborate further. Acts 5:19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying, Acts 8:5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. How long did it take Queen of Sheba to travel to Solomon? CTWeekly delivers the best content from ChristianityToday.com to your inbox each week. There he instructed and also baptized the Ethiopian eunuch; next he was captured away by the Spirit and also found at Azotus (Ashdod); and afterwards going through he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea (Acts 8). Take a moment to write that down before diving deeper. Where did Philip meet the Ethiopian eunuch? What did Jesus mean when He said He would not eat the Passover again until it was fulfilled in the kingdom of God (Lk. There are so many great practicals that we can take away from just 15 Bible verses. Thats a whole other lesson, but the question ishow well do you know the Old Testament? This remarkable journey is thought to have taken place in the late Adule was a world trading center. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. There were 260 Ethiopian men in the army of the eunuch. (The road from Jerusalem to Gaza is 50 miles long, and causes the main coastal profession path mosting likely to Egypt.) What did Philip the Apostle do for a living? Were here to help you find ways to make sense of tough life issues, discover insights from Gods Word, the Bible and connect with others who are experiencing lifes journey. Only two scriptural passages in the New Testament refer to eunuchs (eunouchos), namely Matthew 19:12 and Acts 8:27-39. What did Philip tell the Ethiopian eunuch? Id like to believe Philip was taken away by supernatural means. Zipporah is mentioned for the last time when she, her sons, and her father join Moses at Mount Horeb (Exod. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. In reality, there are more castrated men alive today that at any other point in history. Answer yes he was. And some believe that this is an example of teleportation (instant relocation), but this is a supposition.