Later in that 8th chapter it tells of another evangelistic encounter in the ministry of Philip. He was called to leave a successful revival and do some personal evangelism. Someone has called this "from Samaria to the Sahara."
-He was divinely directed to go toward the south (v. 26)
-Philip obeyed (v. 27)
-He encountered an Ethiopian eunuch on his way home from Jerusalem (v. 27)
-This could be a fulfillment of
Isaiah 56:3-6
-The Ethiopian was reading what we would call Isaiah chapter 53 (v. 28, 32-33)
-The Spirit directed Philip to "go near and join (stick like glue) thyself to his chariot" (v. 29)
-Philip asked him if he understood what he was reading, the man replied in the negative, and invited Philip to come up and sit with him (v. 30-31)
-Philip started at
Isaiah 53 and "preached unto him Jesus" (v. 35)
-Water baptism must have been part of the message because when they came to some water (possibly wadi el-hesi which is north of Gaza) the Eunuch requested baptism (v. 36)
-Philip said he could be baptized but only if he believed with all his heart (v. 37)
-The Eunuch said, "I believe that Jesus the Christ/Messiah is the Son of God (v. 37)
-Verse 37 is not in some (per)versions of the Bible.
-Based on the Eunuch's confession of faith, Philip agreed to baptize him. They both went down into the water (did not sprinkle or pour from a water jug) and Philip baptized him. Based on how Philip baptized previously he must have used the name of Jesus (v. 38 with v. 16)
-According to some of the manuscripts and according to quotes by some early church leaders verses 38-39 read as follows:
"And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord fell upon the eunuch, and the angel of the Lord snatched (Greek word harpazo) Philip away, that the eunuch saw him no more and he went on his way rejoicing."
to a one-stepper:
Philip led him to the Lord,
the eunuch made a confession of faith,
Philip baptized him in Jesus' name,
the eunuch received the HGB in the water,
the Lord snatched Philip away,
the Ethiopian wen on his way rejoicing.
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