Pastor John Wright

Okay, so I forgot last week. This week we continue the movements of Philip, from his speaking the Gospel to "Israelites", but not Jews -- Samaritans, including Simon. The discussion involved niche congregations -- and I'm all for niche congregations, as long as they are defined by the only niche that matters -- the body of Christ as lived in the church around the Scriptures and the Eucharist, not by commerical demographic factors that reduce the church to a type of leisure activity that needs fit in among other leisure activities. I'm trying to image Stephen martyred for a group who gathers early in the morning to worship together so that they can then still hit the golf course afterwards.

In the rest of Acts 8, a remarkable event happens -- the gospel reaches out to a Gentile. More remarkable, we find here that the first Gentile convert to this Jewish messianic movement is a gentile, a eunuch from an Ethiopian court. The Spirit moves Philip to baptize this eunuch in a way that shows God spreading forth God's kingdom into a new people. The Samaritans represent a movement of God to begin to incorporate all people into this Jewish messianic movement around Jesus Christ by the power of the Spirit.

V. 26-27a: Philip is north and west in Samaria when we leave him. An "angel of the Lord" orders him to go instead to the desert -- the southern land in Palestine towards Egypt, Gaza. Yes, this is the Gaza strip site of horrible suffering and conflict today. The story here is much happier. Yet we have to see that Philip moves into a radically different geographic and social space from where he was in Samaria.

Vv. 27b-28. Before you read this section, perhaps it might be good to read Deut. 23:1-6. See if there are any eunuchs who have gathered with you, or if there are any volunteers. Maybe someone could speak about the biological results of castration. Even fully clothed, would that fact that one is a eunuch be evident to others?

This helps us understand the ambiguity of this Ethiopian. How much authority does he have? Why is he safe to guard the treasury of the Ethiopian queen? Given Deuteronomy 23 and the fact that he is a gentile, what would have experienced in Jerusalem as a castrated Gentile? Why might he be returning from going to the Temple in Jerusalem to worship (offer sacrifices)? Speculate on his experience.

On the other hand, he is reading from the Isaiah Scroll. While it is not spoken what passage he is reading, perhaps you could read Isaiah 56:1-8. What sort of questions would arise for the eunuch concerning his experience in Jerusalem and his reading of Isaiah?

Vv. 29-30: Does Philip know beforehand what the Eunuch is reading?

Vv. 31-35: Why does the eunuch need help to understand the Scriptures? What is necessary first to understand the Scriptures? Read Isaiah 53 -- from which the passage drawn by the eunuch comes. Look at v. 34 concerning the eunuch's question. Does it make a difference that Isa. 53 comes before Isaiah 56? Why would Philip take this as an invitation to speak Jesus to the eunuch?

Vv. 36-39: How had the eunuch's devotion to the God of Israel prepared him for this moment? What is Philip's requirement for baptism? Why? What is it to "believe with all your heart"? Why would this be required for baptism? If Isaiah 56 is in the eunuch's mind, what is going on in this baptism? How is this eunuch related now to Israel? When Philip disappears, why does he still rejoice?

V. 40: Philip now heads back north along the coast, in the direction from which he had come. What was the purpose of this digression?

What is the significance of this first Gentile convert? What is the significance of his being from Africa? What is going on now in the church concerning the kingdom of God?

Enjoy!