Acts 8:32-40 - Let's get baptised!

8:32,33

The passage quoted is from the Septuagint (Greek version) of Isaiah 53:7,8,  though it would be reasonable to assume that the passage as a whole in Isaiah 53 was being referred to. Remember chapter and verse numbers were not part of the original text. The passage refers to the cross. Jesus was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and He was remarkably silent during most of the “trial”. He was certainly deprived of justice, and He was killed.

8:34,35

The New Testament sometimes speaks about a mystery. When we hear the word mystery we tend to think of something that is hidden. In the New Testament it is more a case of something that was hidden, but is now revealed. The meaning of Isaiah 53 was hidden from the eunuch, but Philip explained the truth of the passage to him, telling him the good news about Jesus.

8:36,37

The eunuch clearly knew that baptism was part of the “conversion process”. How did he know this? It may be because Philip told him, or it may be because converts to Judaism went through a form of baptism, or he may have just been aware of baptism. However, seeing the water he thought why mess about, let’s get it done. KJV/NKJV have verse 37 which you will probably see as a footnote in NIV/ESV which has a quick “doctrinal test” with the eunuch declaring “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God”. This may have been added by some scribes at a later date. In the New Testament baptism often seems to have been “rough and ready”, later it became much more formalised, with “baptismal classes”. Now baptismal classes, ie preparing the candidate for baptism and giving proper instruction is a good thing, but we do need to realise that it is not a Scriptural requirement for baptism. Teaching people, making disciples, is, but it does not necessarily need to precede baptism, and it certainly should not stop there!

8:38-40

Philip was certainly convinced that the man knew what he was doing, so he willingly baptised the eunuch. The Spirit then took Philip away. It seems that this was some sort of supernatural event, and the eunuch did not see Philip again. However, the euncuh did go on his way rejoicing. Philip appeared at Azotus. Azotus was the Greek name for Ashdod, which was a Philistine city. Philip continued preaching the gospel.