A Sermon

The Conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch.—Acts viii. 26-40.

IN the opening verse of this chapter we are told that at the time of the death of the martyr Stephen, “there was a great persecution against the Church which was at Jerusalem,” and that the disciples were “all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” The storm of persecution, however, was overruled, in the providence of God to the spiritual advantage of many, for “they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.” Philip, the deacon, was one of these preachers, and it is stated that he “went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them.” His preaching was attended with great success in Samaria for “the people with one accord gave heed unto these things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.” “And there was great joy in that city.” Philip had one conspicuous convert in the person of Simon, the sorcerer, but this man eventually showed himself, in the presence of the apostles Peter and John, to be only a believer in name, and not in reality—still “in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” But if Philip lost Simon, it was ordered in God’s grace, that he should find another soul who would more than make up for the loss, in the person of the Ethiopian eunuch. The apostles were now come to Samaria, but the Lord had work for Philip still, and He directs him away to a very unlikely place where he should have anything to do in advancing the kingdom of Christ. The probability is, however, that the conversion of the one man of Ethiopia was a host in itself—a link in the chain of the conversion of hundreds in the dark country to which he belonged. Tradition has handed down that he was the first preacher of the gospel in Ethiopia.

We shall now proceed, in dependence on the Spirit of God, to consider this very interesting narrative. Let us then observe:—

I.—Philip’s call to “go toward the south unto the way” between Jerusalem and Gaza;

II.—The account given of the Ethiopian eunuch;

III.—Philip’s introductory meeting and conversation with him;

IV.—Philip’s sermon; and

V.—The fruits of the sermon in the conversion and baptism of the eunuch.

I.—Let us notice briefly Philip’s call to go to the highway between Jerusalem and Gaza.

1. Our first remark on this point is that the call was a very clear one. It was given by an angel of the Lord. An angelic messenger from heaven commanded him to “arise and go,” and gave him explicit instructions as to the direction in which he should

travel. This was a great privilege—he might have every confidence that in obedience to this call he was walking in the right path, the path the Lord approved of. And although the days of such supernatural communications have now ceased, it is always important that the servant of Christ, whatever position in life he may occupy, whether that of a preacher or anything else, should seek to be assured in regard to any step he may take that he has the authority and direction of the Lord for it. The word written has been given as a light to the feet and a lamp to the path, and it is possible to be assured from that word as to what the Lord would have us do. It is very sinful and dangerous, in any case, to act contrary to it. “Order my steps in thy word,” says the Psalmist.

1. The second thing we observe, is that the call was to a very unlikely place for any good to be done. It may be remarked that it is not Gaza that was “desert”—Gaza was a town of the Philistines—but the highway leading to it which passed through a desolate wilderness. The Lord directed Philip to leave behind him the populous villages of the Samaritans, where there seemed every prospect of spiritual success in preaching the gospel, and to pursue his journey towards a part of the country where there was no inhabitant. This, no doubt, appeared strange and mysterious to the eye of reason and sense. But the Lord’s ways are right and dictated by infinite wisdom, even when they are foolishness in the eyes of men. The Lord called Philip to the desert place—not a very pleasant or comfortable locality—but He had wonderful work for him to do there—perhaps greater and more enduring in some respects than anything he did in Samaria. The great thing to know is, what is the will of God; all other considerations must be made subordinate to that; and the results also must be left with Him—“He that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

2. The third thing that may be noted is that the Lord did not tell Philip beforehand what would take place in the desert way. This part of the future was hid from him. The mission might mean death as well as service for Philip. He did not know what dangers he might be exposed to on his solitary journey, neither had he the encouragement of knowing the precious fruit that was to be the issue of it. The Lord calls for faith on His people’s part. He requires that they should put unreserved confidence in Him, when He directs them to the performance of any work whatsoever, and especially when He leads them in some path hitherto untrod. They must not expect to know all the future contingencies that lie before them. It should be enough to know that He knows the end from the beginning, that He doeth all things well, and that He is able to supply all their need out of His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

3. The last thing we here remark is that Philip was very obedient to the heavenly vision; “he arose and went.” There is no record of any hesitation or unwillingness. He “did not stay

nor linger long as those that slothful are,” but made haste to obey the voice of the Lord. He obeyed as well as believed the message. His faith showed itself to be a vital and lively one by the alacrity with which he obeyed the divine command, though he went out, in a measure, like Abraham, “not knowing whither he went.” And the spirit which Philip showed is in more or less degree the characteristic of all the Lord’s faithful followers. They show their faith by their obedience. “Faith without works is dead.” Faith without obedience is dead. Men may know and believe with the head all the things that are necessary for salvation or service and may even preach about them very fluently, but if they do not “do” them, their knowledge and faith are dead. May the Lord give us an obedient spirit ready to do His will, in dependence upon His grace, whatever may be the consequences. “He arose and went,” and if Philip had any fears or misgivings when he set out, he had abundant occasion for praise in the end.

II.—We now go on to consider the account that is given of the eunuch of Ethiopia whom Philip met on the desert highway. It was for the express purpose of meeting this remarkable man that the Lord had sent Philip on this journey, and as we shall see more particularly further on, he was directed explicitly by the Spirit to go near and join himself to the eunuch’s chariot. It would appear as if the eunuch sitting in his chariot was the first sight that met his gaze on the road. There are many things wonderful about the conversion of this man. Every particular concerning him provides us with an illustration of the truth that “the Lord of hosts is excellent in counsel and wonderful in working.”

1. Notice the eunuch’s nativity. He was “a man of Ethiopia.” Ethiopia, a northern section of Africa, was a dark place of the earth. The people were dark in skin and dark in heart—Gentiles, afar off from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise. Such was the case of this Ethiopian also by nature, and such also is our case spiritually, though we may have a fairer outward complexion than had he. “Man looketh at the outward appearance; God looketh upon the heart.” But God, who is rich in mercy, had a purpose of grace towards the dark Gentiles as well as the more enlightened Jews, and this purpose of grace was fully manifested in due time when the Son of God came in the flesh, and obeyed and suffered and died that Gentiles as well as Jews might be reconciled to God, and made heirs of eternal life. The conversion of this Ethiopian was thus a fruit of God’s eternal purpose of love towards the Gentiles, and a fruit of the travail of Christ’s soul upon the Cross. It was also an earnest of the fulfilment of the inspired prophecy of the Psalmist—“Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.” (Ps. lxviii. 31).

2. Observe his social position. It was high. He was no ordinary man in any respect—“a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her

treasure”—something like the Lord Chamberlain of the Queen’s household, or the Chancellor of the National Exchequer. He was evidently a man of great weight and influence. Here we see a trophy of divine power. “Not many mighty, not many noble, are called;” but some are, and this man of great authority was one of them. The Lord is able to bring down the pride of the most lofty of mankind, and make them humble suppliants and believers at the feet of Jesus. Here we also see the divine wisdom displayed. The Lord has the design of making one creature instrumental for good to another. He intends to use great men as well as small to advance His cause. Princes as well as peasants will be employed as vessels of mercy to convey the blessings of the gospel to their fellow-men. It is a blessed thing when men high in state are found humble followers of the Lamb, as it is, indeed, one of the greatest curses that can befall a nation when her rulers and great men are servants of “the god of this world.” May the Lord deliver us as a nation from this plague which has befallen us, and may He raise up now, as He did in the past, men in the higher ranks of society who will be living epistles of Christ, and zealous promoters of His truth and glory in our own country and throughout the wide world!

1. Consider his religious character. The eunuch was not without a religion when Philip met him. In fact, it would appear that he had renounced the heathenism of his birth, and had become a proselyte to the Jewish faith. On this very occasion he “had come to Jerusalem to worship,” and was now returning home again. We are not told to what extent he was enlightened in the knowledge of the Lord Jehovah, nor can we definitely gather in what spirit he held the faith of Israel. As far as the narrative goes, we do not see anything of the Pharisaeic spirit appearing; in fact, quite the opposite—a humble spirit. But, at any rate, he had not come to the right foundation until he heard the gospel from the mouth of Philip; he did not know “the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world.” Divine grace and power appear in this, that he was not left satisfied with the defective religion he already possessed; he was brought to long after and find Jesus Christ, the one Saviour of the lost. Humanly speaking, it is generally more difficult to convert to the true faith of Christ people with some religion of a kind than those with none. But the things that are impossible with men are possible with God.

2. Lastly, let us notice his exercise when Philip met him. He was reading, and reading “Esaias the prophet.” He was reading aloud, probably for the benefit of his charioteer. This was an excellent exercise, and he set a good example to others. Jesus commands us to search the Scriptures; and while reading or even searching God’s word, with the natural intellect merely, will not give us the saving knowledge of the truth, yet we know not when the Lord may appear to our souls, and He makes use of the

reading as well as the preaching of the word, as one of the doors by which He enters in. It was when the eunuch was reading and searching the Scriptures that the Lord sent Philip as a messenger of salvation to his soul. Let unconverted sinners read, and persevere in reading the word of God; at an unexpected moment the Spirit may apply it with saving power, and it will then become to them the Word of eternal life. Our times are in the Lord’s hand, and we know not the day or the hour when the Son of man cometh, in grace as well as in providence.

III.—The next step we have to notice is Philip’s introductory meeting and conversation with the eunuch.

1. As to the meeting, we are not to think that it was an easy matter for Philip to approach this man, or that he would have likely done so without explicit divine direction. The eunuch was a man of high worldly position, and the circumstances of his chariot and of his personal garb and bearing would, no doubt, denote, not only his foreign birth, but his exalted rank, so that he was to the outward eye, not one that a humble preacher of the despised Nazarene would naturally approach with ease, or would suppose was a promising hearer of the gospel of Christ. It was necessary, therefore, both for Philip’s direction and encouragement that the Lord should give him an express word of command to approach the chariot. And this is what he did get. “Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.” And such was the power with which the word came that Philip not only went near, but actually “ran thither.” The Spirit’s command conveyed strength as well as light, and Philip ran with a holy energy and alacrity to the work that was before him. He was lifted above all fear of man, and was ready to speak the word of the Lord to princes with gracious boldness.

2. The conversation that took place. Philip, when he drew near, heard the eunuch reading Esaias the prophet, and as an ambassador of that glorious King of kings whose word was in the Ethiopian’s hand, he did not hesitate to introduce himself to his notice, and to do it with a very important question, “Understandest thou what thou readest?” The eunuch at once answered, “How can I, except some man should guide me?” There is something very striking in the humility manifested in this answer. The eunuch might have resented such a question from an entire stranger as an impertinence. But he did not. It is evident that his mind had been brought to a humble and teachable frame by God, and also that there was a point and impressiveness that attended Philip’s question, that made him entirely willing to hear what the stranger had to say. The Lord was with Philip, and his words were with power; and He was also working in the heart of the Ethiopian. All worldly distinctions vanished, and to shew his true and sincere desire to be taught, “he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.” This Philip did, and it was found that “the place of the Scripture which he read was this,” in

the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: in his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.” “And the eunuch answered Philip and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?”

Could any portion of God’s Word be more appropriate than this for Philip to take up—a passage directly referring to the Messiah in His sufferings and death? We may wonder why the eunuch should put such a question as even suggested that the prophet might be speaking about himself and not another. But probably the solution is as follows:—He had been at Jerusalem, and had heard, no doubt, much discussion as to the claims of Jesus of Nazareth to be the true Messiah. Before Christ came, the Jewish Rabbis, with one accord, regarded the liii. chapter of Isaiah as referring to the Messiah, but now that Jesus had appeared, such was their opposition to Him, that they would fain make the passage apply to the prophet himself—in any case, some other than the Messiah. The eunuch had probably heard these discussions, and was anxious to have the question solved, a thing that his friends at Jerusalem had evidently not been able to do for him. Whether this is the exact explanation or not of the origin of his enquiry, he could not have failed, in these stirring times at Jerusalem, to have heard of Jesus and His followers, and he was clearly anxious to know further about Him. Was He the person of whom Isaiah spoke, or was He not? seems the underlying concern. And from the spirit in which he answered Philip, and the ultimate issue of the conversation, we are safe in concluding that there was more here than intellectual enquiry—there was a desire on the eunuch’s part to know the Redeemer of Israel and the Saviour of sinners, whoever He was, for himself. And this was the blessed knowledge he attained to before Philip and he parted from one another.

Let us notice, at this point, that the first question Philip put to the eunuch is of importance for all of us still. “Understandest thou what thou readest?” It is not enough that we read the Bible, though that is good in itself; do we understand what we read? Do we understand it in a spiritual and saving way? The question is not, “Comprehendest thou?” but “Understandest thou?” We cannot comprehend many things that we can understand or apprehend. There is nothing whatsoever in the kingdom of nature or the kingdom of grace that we can comprehend in all its fulness. The infinite and unfathomable marks all the works of God. But we can apprehend or know much that is beneficial for us. And this is what is needed in relation to divine truth as bearing upon the salvation of our souls. We must understand, by divine illumination, the things concerning sin and salvation, otherwise we shall perish for ever. It should be the desire, therefore,

of every man who has the least concern about his eternal state, that his understanding and conscience would be enlightened as to his condition as a sinner before God, and as to the way of salvation by Jesus Christ, and that the Lord would so effectually instruct him that he would, with his whole heart, receive God in Christ as his Saviour from sin and all its consequences. “And this is life eternal that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John xvii. 3.)

It is admirable also to notice in this connection the eunuch’s answer to Philip’s question, “Understandest thou what thou readest?” Though a man of great authority, and, no doubt, of superior intellectual powers, he readily acknowledges his ignorance, and declares his entire willingness to be taught by any other man who can guide him into the truth. And so it is in regard to all enlightened of God in divine things. They are made willing to acknowledge their ignorance, and to receive instruction from any instrument the Lord may be pleased to use to communicate it. Men, however, are always to be viewed only as instruments, and their words are to be brought to the test of “the law and the testimony.” The soul must look beyond them to the great High Priest, “who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way,” and who has not only “the truth” to give, but can make the sinner both willing and able to receive it. “Good and upright is the Lord; he will teach sinners in the way.”

IV.—We now pass on to observe the sermon that Philip preached from the text that the eunuch gave him. It was Isaiah liii. 7, 8, and the inspired writer says, that “Philip opened his mouth and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.” Luke is very brief on the matter, and sums up the sermon in one word, but a great one, “Jesus.” Who can tell what a wealth of grace and glory is wrapped up in this name, for there is none other name given under heaven among men, whereby we must be saved?”

I. We remark first, that Philip, a man full of the Holy Ghost, preached Jesus, and not another, from the 53rd chapter of Isaiah. This chapter has indeed convinced infidels in the past of the truth of Christianity; only the blind unbelieving Jews could not see Jesus in it. It has been reserved, however, for the blasphemous higher critics of our degenerate age professing Christianity—to say that Isaiah does not speak of Christ. We heard one of them with our own ears—the late Professor Davidson, New College, Edinburgh—say that he thought it was not the Messiah but “the invisible Church” that was spoken of. And this is stated in the face of the express testimony of the Holy Ghost by Philip and others in the New Testament. Truly such unbelief is appalling and bespeaks judicial blindness. Moreover, it is the men who thus defy the authority of God’s word, that in our miserable day are praised to the skies for their gifts and virtues, and are exalted to the most responsible offices in the professing Church. People talk about “Back to Christ,” and “Loyalty to Christ,” and condone

and justify the most blatant unbelief. Truly God is sending “strong delusion” that men may “believe a lie,” that they all may be damned who believe not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness.—(2 Thess. ii. 11, 12.) If you have any common pity for your fellow-creatures, pray that they may be delivered from the influences of the teachers of infidelity that are in the chairs of learning, belonging not to secular societies, but to what claim to be the most enlightened Christian Churches of the day. “If the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness.”

1. We have no doubt that Philip pointed out the remarkable correspondence between the description of the Messiah by Isaiah and what was true of Jesus of Nazareth in His character, sufferings and death. No beauty in His outward appearance to attract the carnal eye of man; holy and spotless in His words and deeds—”he had done no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth;” merciful and compassionate to the sorrows and sins of men—”he hath borne our grief and carried our sorrows,” and made intercession for the transgressors; meek and silent under all the unjust accusations of His enemies; the sin-bearer, bearing the iniquity of His people, and brought as a lamb to the slaughter for their transgressions, and yet, though dying, living again, seeing His seed, prolonging His days, and the pleasure of the Lord prospering in His hand. Philip preached Jesus Christ, and Him crucified and Him risen, to the listening eunuch, as the one Substitute and Saviour of sinners, and he evidently also declared Him to be, as we learn from the sequel, not a mere man, but the Son of God, of whom Isaiah speaks in another place in these soul-quickenings words—”For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah ix. 6.) Philip also spoke of baptism as an ordinance of Christ, and a sign and seal of the remission of sins.

This, then, is the true Christ of God whom Philip preached, and the Christ that must be preached and believed in to-day as then, if men are to be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation. No other Saviour will meet our case but God incarnate, obeying, suffering, dying, rising again, and ascending into heaven, as the representative of His sinful people. All other Christs are false, and will land men in perdition at last.

V.—We come now, in the fifth and last place, to the fruits of Philip’s sermon in the conversion and baptism of the eunuch.

1. It is remarkable to observe the silence of the Scripture as to the inward emotions of the eunuch under Philip’s preaching. What wonderful changes of thought and feeling must have passed over his soul during this time, until at last he is enabled, with all his heart, to believe in Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God and the Saviour of the lost, and to declare, with holy and humble confidence, his faith in this glorious Redeemer! The Holy Spirit

who guided Philip to this place, manifestly accompanied His words with power. “The gospel came, not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance,” and the eunuch is prepared to confess Christ without further delay. The Lord is able, when He pleases, to do a great work in a short time, and this was frequently illustrated in the apostolic age, and has been also since.

1. The eunuch desires to be baptised. It appears that they came to a certain water, and that, when the eunuch saw it, he said, “See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptised?” Now, this desire was not a little thing, and very especially as coming from such a man, and in such circumstances. The confession of Christ meant much in those primitive times. To go back to Ethiopia a believer in the despised Nazarene, and to endeavour to follow in His steps, might involve the loss of everything the world counts dear, even the loss of life itself. The eunuch, by his acceptance of Christ and his willingness to be baptised, practically declared his readiness to suffer the loss of all things for the name of Jesus. He presents his request, also, in an honest and humble way, which confirms his sincerity. “What doth hinder me to be baptised?” he asks—as much as to say, “Have you, Philip, any objections? Are there any obstacles in the way?” He shows that he recognises that there may be hindrances to his acknowledgment as a believer, and is willing to accept Philip’s judgment in the matter.

2. The eunuch’s confession of faith—”I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” This confession was drawn from him by Philip, who answers in regard to the question of baptism, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.”

Philip here points out (1) that there may be a faith that is not with all the heart. There is a merely intellectual or moral faith that is only in the understanding or conscience, and that does not carry the will or the affections—the whole soul with it. Many believed in this way in the time of Christ, but in the stress of trial or persecution, they went back and walked no more with Him. This faith is not saving in its nature. Sin and self still reign in the heart. Philip impresses the truth (2) that saving faith is a faith with all the heart. It is a faith with the consent of all the faculties of the soul. The whole soul is freed from the bondage of sin and is gained to Christ. It flows from and gives evidence of a new birth—a new creation. No other faith is saving but this. No other man believes in Christ to the saving of the soul, or is vitally united to Him by the Holy Ghost, but the man who is the subject of this great change. Such an one is wholly for Christ, and not for another.

To Philip’s searching word, “the eunuch answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” He here expressed in a few impressive words his faith in the Messiahship and Divinity of Jesus, and that as one who was receiving Him as his own personal

Saviour. It may be easy for us to-day to make such a confession of Christ, after the evidences of nineteen centuries, though many are not doing even this who are under the power of infidelity unknown to themselves. But it was not so easy for the Ethiopian eunuch who had heard little or nothing of Christ before Philip met him. It bespoke a wonderful change, that he can give such a decided and cordial confession of the Divine Sonship of Jesus of Nazareth, after such a brief acquaintance with the truth concerning Him. He confesses Him as Christ, that is, the Messiah, and he confesses Him as the Son of God. Not a son merely on equality with other sons in the divine family, but the Son on an equality with God the Father
—of the same substance with the Father and the Holy Ghost in the undivided Godhead.

It is no doubt possible for a man, by a process of argument, to come to an intellectual faith in Christ as the eternal Son of God; but it is more than this the eunuch confesses. It is such a faith as Peter had on a memorable occasion, when Jesus put the question—”Whom say ye that I am?” and Simon Peter answered, and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered, and said unto him, “Blessed are thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. xvi. 16, 17.) This faith, which stands not in the wisdom of men, but the power of God, makes a man willing to bear testimony, at all costs, for the sake of Christ, and fills him with a joy unspeakable and full of glory. And these were its attendant accompaniments in the case of the eunuch. Happy are those souls who can say, with all the heart, as the result of the Father’s teaching, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” They have everlasting life.

1. The last particulars to be observed are that Philip baptised the eunuch, “the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip,” and the eunuch “went on his way rejoicing.”

(1) In regard to the baptism, we only pause on this occasion to remark that nothing can be definitely concluded from this passage as to the mode of baptism. It does not prove immersion. If the words “went down into the water” are brought forward to prove that it was, then it is stated that both went down. The baptism could have been done by sprinkling or pouring; and the word in the li. chapter of Isaiah, in the context of Philip’s text might have been fulfilled—”He shall sprinkle many nations.” But, as we have said, nothing can be definitely gathered from this passage as to the mode in which baptism is to be administered. Our Confession of Faith does not restrict baptism to any one of the three modes. All or any may be employed, in our opinion, and that quite scripturally.

(2) “The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more.” Philip appeared in a very remarkable way to the eunuch at first; and now he disappears from his view in a still more remarkable way. The Lord

sent him, by a direct command, through an angelic messenger, and now the Lord snatches him away in a supernatural manner, for the words clearly mean that he was caught away bodily by the Spirit. And, however strange it may appear at first sight, we think that this was designed as a confirmation of the eunuch’s faith. The Lord made it manifest before his very eyes that Philip was His devoted servant, completely under His guidance and control both as to body and soul. The same divine power that attended the words of Philip with such sweet, irresistible force and unction to the heart of the eunuch, now is exerted upon Philip himself, and transports him out of view in a visible yet miraculous manner. The eunuch was thus fully assured that Philip was God’s ambassador to his soul, and that his faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God was by the revelation of the Father who is in heaven.

(3) “And he went on his way rejoicing.” The eunuch had lost Philip, but he had found Christ. For the time, he had lost the servant, but he had found the Lord. His sorrow at the loss of Philip was entirely swallowed up in the joy of finding “the pearl of great price,” the heavenly Saviour, “whom having not seen,” he now loved, and in whom believing he now rejoiced “with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” He, no doubt, loved Philip much, but he loved Christ more. Philip was his minister, but Christ was his Redeemer. This joy of his, after Philip’s departure, is another evidence of the reality of his faith in Christ. It did not depend upon Philip’s presence; its spring was in heaven. And this is a mark of the faith of the Lord’s true and faithful people in all ages. However much they may esteem any man as the messenger to Christ to their souls, they do not put that man in the place of Christ. Their faith and walk are not dependent on the creature but on the Creator. It is certainly a bad sign of any when they do not value the true ministers of the gospel, or sorrow at their removal, but it is equally bad when people who profess Christ speak and act as if their spiritual sustenance or salvation depended on ministers, and as if they would need to follow ministers no matter where they would go. Such show that their faith is either a mere formality or in a decayed condition, needing quickening from above. In the present case, Philip was clearly carried away to the situation the Lord had marked out for him; and the eunuch went on his way rejoicing. He did not stay to look after Philip, but went on in his own divinely appointed path, rejoicing in the presence of the Lord and glad in His salvation.

There are many things in this interesting narrative full of instruction for us. We must believe in the same Jesus as the eunuch believed in, if we are to be saved for eternity. Time is short; we know not what a day or an hour may bring forth; and Jesus says, “If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” Nothing but death eternal awaits every soul that continues in unbelief and impenitence. It is either repentance towards God,

and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ, or eternal damnation. May the Lord, in infinite mercy, incline and enable sinners to flee for refuge to the hope set before them in the gospel! Jesus is willing to receive sinners—even the chief—and He is “able to save them to the uttermost, who come unto God by him.” And may those who were enabled, in a day of grace, to believe in Christ unto salvation, endeavour to live more and more by the faith of Christ, and to delight themselves in Him and His abundant grace, who is fairer than the sons of men, the chiefest among ten thousand, the altogether lovely one, who died that His people might live, and who lives at the right hand of the Father, that they may reign with Him for ever and ever. May the Lord bless to us His Word!