Acts 8:36, commentary and pictures

As they went on their way and came to a certain water, the Ethiopian eunuch recognized the opportunity and at once asked what prevented him from being baptized, showing a heart ready to obey the gospel and act promptly on belief. The only hindrance is unbelief, removed by believing with all the heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, for repentance and faith in Christ are the conditions for baptism. They commanded the chariot to stand still and both went down into the water and came up out of it as Philip baptized him, after which the Spirit caught Philip away and the eunuch went on his way rejoicing. Asking for baptism, confessing Christ, and being baptized are the steps requisite in conversion, and nothing hinders the baptism of a believing soul who asks for it, so baptism follows immediately without delay. The decisive moment when a newly awakened mind asks for baptism must be met at once and the opportunity seized, because delay leaves the mind open to confusion while evil agencies press in to divert it, and heaven guides willing human workers to those who are searching the Scriptures yet cannot understand without someone to explain them.

The Eunuch's Request for Baptism

The man is an Ethiopian eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of all her treasure, who had been to Jerusalem to worship and was returning in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet without understanding. He is an earnest seeker drawn to the Saviour, who had longed and prayed for light from heaven and was dissatisfied with formal religion. He does not make his high worldly position an excuse for rejecting the crucified One, and he is ready to receive the gospel.

Angels took notice of him as he rode reading the Scriptures, and the Spirit of God led his mind to study them and was opening his spiritual eyesight, but he could not interpret their meaning. A heavenly messenger directed Philip to go south to the desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza, and the Spirit told him to go near and join the chariot. There Philip asked if he understood what he read, and the eunuch asked for someone to guide him and invited Philip to sit with him.

Beginning at the scripture he was reading about Christ led as a sheep to the slaughter and as a lamb dumb before his shearer, in humiliation with judgment taken away and life taken from the earth, Philip opened the Scriptures, explained the truth about Christ, and preached Jesus to him. The eunuch's understanding was opened, his heart was enlightened and alive with interest, and he believed with heart and mind that Christ the Saviour of the world pardons transgression to all who believe on Him. So he became convinced, converted, and ready to accept the light.

As they went on their way and came to a certain water, a stream, the eunuch recognized the opportunity and at once asked what prevented or hindered him from being baptized. His question showed a heart ready to obey the gospel, readiness to receive the truth and act on belief, and prompt acceptance and confession of Christ.

The hindrance is removed only by believing with all the heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, which the eunuch promptly confessed. Repentance and faith in Christ are conditions for baptism, which represents his death, and Scripture gives no evidence for infant baptism.

Baptism was done by commanding the chariot to stand still and by both Philip and the eunuch going down into the water and coming up out of the water, with Philip baptizing him and showing courage to baptize beyond the Jewish community. When they came up the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away so the eunuch saw him no more, Philip was found at Azotus and preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea, and the eunuch went on his way rejoicing as a believer. In going on his way he helped carry the gospel to Ethiopia where many turned from heathenism to Christianity, demonstrating that Gentiles could receive the gospel and enter the Christian community.

Lessons for Witness and Baptism

Asking for baptism, confessing Christ, and being baptized are the steps requisite in conversion, and after belief with all the heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God the new convert goes on the way rejoicing rather than dwelling on trials. Baptism follows repentance and faith in Christ, represents His death, and follows immediately without delay or waiting to see how the new believer will hold to the faith. Nothing hinders the baptism of a believing soul who asks for it, even when the teacher has never received the ceremony of ordination. Workers who go out with the burden to bring souls into the truth should baptize those they win without delay or questioning when no ordained minister is available, though if an ordained minister is within reach he should be sought to do the baptizing. Repentance and faith are conditions for baptism, and Scripture gives no evidence for infant baptism.

The prompt request when water is reached shows readiness to obey and confess faith and to act at once on belief. That promptness teaches prompt acceptance and confession of Christ, obedience, and response to duty and to the call of duty. Afterward the baptized believer continues on the way rejoicing. Through such conversion the gospel was carried to Ethiopia, where many accepted Christ and turned from heathenism to Christianity.

The Ethiopian represents a large class who read the Scriptures and cannot understand their import and need those with a knowledge of God to explain His Word to them. People from Cooranbong to Queensland are in the same condition, searching the Scriptures yet ignorant of them and starving for the Word of the Lord, needing someone to come and explain the truth to them. Neglect of this work brings God's judgment on His people. His baptism helped demonstrate that Gentiles too could receive the gospel and enter the Christian community.

The encounter shows the close connection between heaven and earth through divine guidance, with angels who minister to heirs of salvation taking notice of the traveler reading in his chariot and the Spirit of God leading his mind to study while opening his spiritual eyesight. Heavenly messengers do not preach the gospel themselves but bring light to appointed human agencies, for God sends light through angels to His people and through His people to the world. The Holy Spirit guides those willing to be guided into places where they can give the light received, and an angel directed Philip to meet the seeker. God and ministering angels do a special work on earth upon human hearts, laying on workers the burden of opening the Scriptures to the people, and no one should step in between the angels and one whom God is seeking to instruct. Workers must stand in such relation to God that they can understand His voice when He speaks, allowing the Holy Spirit to sanctify their speech and refine their hearts, and God directs people as His representatives to places where their help is needed.

The experience is an experience in evangelistic work and true home missionary personal labor for souls that gives precious instruction needed in work today, forms part of the highest education for students, and presents the missionary work God calls His people to do. It teaches workers to be on watch and ready to help every case brought to notice. The Lord directs His servants into association with susceptible souls longing for help and encouragement, even one soul in neglected and out-of-the-way places, because one soul to be saved is more precious than all the combined wealth of the world and much effort is put forth for even one man. This gives the pattern for sending workers to needy fields where there are only a few, and shows how God brings receptive people into contact with workers who can share the truth so that the convinced and converted are baptized. Through such converts the light of truth shines to the higher classes and doors open to enter new fields and work with people who have an advanced acquaintance with temperance principles, showing that wise, well-directed effort for a higher class reaches converts who will then work to give the truth to others of their own class.

The decisive moment when a newly awakened inquiring mind asks for baptism, with acceptance hanging in the balance, must be met at once and the opportunity seized. Delay leaves the mind open to confusion, while evil agencies and evil angels wait for their opportunity to confuse and divert the mind, press in falsehoods, and interpose obstacles so that the person might never accept Christ. While heavenly angels cooperate to win souls, God's workers must therefore be wholly consecrated to His service, quick to understand their work, and as wise stewards take advantage of every circumstance to teach the grace of God and draw men to Christ. Believers who stand in right relation to God so they can understand His voice will be ready for such moments and for wise effort that opens new fields.