The Road from Jerusalem to Gaza (2024)

"The Baptism of the Eunuch" by Rembrandt

An angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to theroad that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza” (Acts 8:26-40).

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Jerusalem and Gaza. They’ve been in the news quite often lately. Theyare the center of a conflict that could potentially change the direction of globaland U.S. politics or ignite World War 3. The encounter between Philip and theEthiopian is not nearly as potentially dangerous for the primary characters.Still, it certainly was no less world-changing or life-changing for the one whobecame a beloved baptized child of God that day on the road from Jerusalem toGaza.

Philip was one of thedeacons chosen to assist the apostles in Acts 6. When the believers werescattered after Stephen’s martyrdom, he preached the Gospel in Samaria, and itwas received with “much joy.” The angel of the Lord gave Philip specialinstructions: “Go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” It isalso possible to interpret the Greek word translated as “south” as “midday” or“noon” since the south is the direction you find the sun at midday. If it means“noon,” this unlikely time to depart could have been part of God’s plan toarrive at just the right moment to intercept the Ethiopian.

Philip,who had just done miraculous signs and preached the Gospel to hundreds inSamaria, was sent a long way to open the Scriptures to one soul. Obediently,Philip headed down the desert road. By God’s providence, he met an Ethiopianofficial who believed in the true God. Having made the 200-mile journey toJerusalem to worship, it’s apparent that he was committed to his faith anddesired to learn more about God’s will. But he must’ve wondered about hisreligious status. As a foreign eunuch, God’s law in Deuteronomy 23:1 excludedhim from full membership and barred him from entering the temple.

Butthe fifty-sixth chapter of Isaiah promises something better when the day of theMessiah comes: “Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,‘The Lord will surely separate me from His people’; and let not the eunuch say,‘Behold, I am a dry tree.’ For thus says the Lord: ‘To the eunuchs who keep MySabbaths, who choose the things that please Me and hold fast My covenant, Iwill give in My house and within My walls a monument and a name better thansons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cutoff’” (Isaiah 56:3-5).

Whilewe can’t be sure, perhaps this is why the man was reading the book of theprophet Isaiah. He wanted to know if he had a place in God’s kingdom and whatthat place might be. Whatever his reasons, this meeting on the road fromJerusalem to Gaza was surely arranged by the Lord. God had prepared this pupilfor his new teacher.

AsPhilip stayed near, he found the perfect opportunity to tell the good newsabout Jesus. “Do you understand what you are reading?” he asked. The questionwas not meant to insult but to draw out the man’s religious position andconviction. It’s a question that all Bible readers ought to keep in mind. It’sfar too easy to just read the words without understanding their meaning andconnection with other Bible passages.

TheEthiopian answered, “How can I unless someone guides me?” This doesn’t mean theBible can’t be understood without an expert’s interpretation. It simply showsthat beginners can use some help to learn how to read and understand the Bible.

Themost important help for proper understanding of Scripture is the Holy Spirit.No human being can claim to know Scripture’s meaning through his or her ownabilities. St. Peter tells us the prophets did not understand everything theywrote by God’s inspiration. They sought knowledge of the coming Messiah. Whatthey longed to know has been revealed to us in Jesus Christ. The disciplesthemselves didn’t understand Scriptures until Jesus “interpreted to them in allthe Scriptures the things concerning Himself (Luke 24:27) and opened theirminds to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). The natural mind cannotunderstand the things of God unaided (1Corinthians 2:14). The Holy Spirit mustenlighten us through the Gospel and God uses our fellow human beings for thisprocess, to guide us in the way of truth.

The Ethiopian wanted to understand better, so he invited Philip tosit beside him in the chariot. He read Isaiah 53:7-8: “Like a sheep he was ledto the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens nothis mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe hisgeneration? For his life is taken away from the earth.”

Thiswas the Gospel of the Old Testament—a beautiful and clear account of theMessiah’s willing sacrifice. But the Ethiopian did not know its meaning becausehe did not know how it had been fulfilled. So he asked, “About whom, I ask you,does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”

AndPhilip, full of the joy of the missionary who finds an eager inquirer of thetruth, began to explain. The Ethiopian couldn’t have found a more suitabletext, for its subject was the Messiah. Before Christians began to preach Jesusas the fulfillment of all Scripture, the Jews understood this passage to referto the Messiah who was to come. Later, those who rejected Jesus incorrectlyinterpreted it as referring to the people of Israel.

Philiphad a fine opportunity to tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love: HowJesus was led to His death at the hands of the religious leaders and Roman authorities.He told them that Jesus was the Suffering Servant, the innocent Lamb of God,who was silent before His enemies and judges. He told the Ethiopian how Jesuswas falsely accused, wrongly convicted, and sentenced to die unjustly.

Jesusis the Servant who fulfills all the Scripture passages about the Messiah in Hispassion, death, and resurrection. Jesus is the Servant who has brought the daywhen foreigners and eunuchs are not barred from the assembly but arewholeheartedly welcomed into His body and are given His everlasting name.

Andwhile Philip was still picturing the glories of Christ in glowing colors, theycame to some water. And the Ethiopian, half in eagerness and half in fear,pointed to the water and said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I bebaptized?” While he was hesitant to dare believe he could have the full benefitof God’s blessings, the eunuch wanted very much to be baptized.

Philip’sinstruction must have included a reference to Baptism. Perhaps the eunuchrecalled the passage just before the portion he had been reading when Philipcame: “So shall He sprinkle many nations” (Isaiah 52:15). In any case, he inwhom the good news about Jesus had awakened faith asked to be baptized.

TheEthiopian’s request demonstrates the centrality of Baptism in Christianteaching. Jesus’ Great Commission directs the church to “make disciples” bybaptizing and teaching the Good News to all nations. And that is whatPhilip did. He first taught the Ethiopian and then baptized him, making him adisciple of Jesus Christ. And suddenly, Philip was taken away by the Spirit ofthe Lord.

TheEthiopian went his way, rejoicing. He was no longer dependent upon his teacher.He had heard the essential facts that enabled him to understand the Scriptures.In Baptism, he had received Christ’s everlasting name, and was made a fullmember of His church. According to historical tradition, he went home to sharethe good news, establishing the church in Ethiopia.

Philipwas sent to a new “mission field.” He appeared in Azotus and preached theGospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea, on the Mediterranean coast aboutfifty-five miles northwest of Jerusalem, about midway between modern Tel Avivand Haifa. It was the residence of the Roman governor. Philip seemed to have settledthere, for the next time we hear of him (Acts 21:8), twenty years after thisencounter with the Ethiopian, he was still living in Caesarea, preaching andteaching. Mission and ministry are never finished on earth. One conversion doesnot mean the end of work in the harvest fields. It continues day and night inmany different people and locations.

Thestory of Philip and the Ethiopian offers valuable insights for our ownChristian life. First, the Ethiopian understood the harsh truth of separationand spiritual ignorance. He had been excluded from full membership in thereligious community because, as a eunuch, he was considered unclean. UntilPhilip pointed him to Jesus, he lacked complete knowledge of God and His planof salvation.

Butall people are ultimately separated from God because of sin. All of us are bynature sinful and unclean. And because of that nature, no one has a savingknowledge of God and His will. No one can understand His saving Word.

Allthat changes when we are brought to faith in Jesus Christ. He is thefulfillment of God’s purpose and Word. By faith in Him—in His death andresurrection as God’s solution to our need—we know God’s plan of salvation. Jesuswillingly offered Himself, the perfect sacrifice, for the world's sins. We areHis chosen people, saved by His mercy and grace.

Second,the Ethiopian recognized his own need. As Philip proclaimed the truth of God’sjudgment upon sin and His call to repent, the eunuch, like the first convertsat Pentecost, was “cut to the heart.” He believed God’s Word. He felt His guilt.The Spirit was at work in his life. He repented and asked to be baptized.

Allpeople are separated from God because of sin. By nature, no one has a savingknowledge of God and His will. Yet Christ is the fulfillment of God’s purposeand plan. He lived the perfect life we cannot. He died to pay the penalty forour sin. And through repentance and Baptism, He makes these ours.

Baptismbrings us into a new relationship with the living God. It is God’s appointedmeans to forgive sin and strengthen His people for service in the Kingdom. Inour baptism into Christ, we are connected with His crucifixion andresurrection. We share in His death so that we may also share in His life—nowand forever. Knowing God’s plan of salvation, we are motivated by His love toseek opportunities in which we can tell others of His love for them.

The Holy Spirit continues to sendmissionaries, evangelists, and pastors to bring light to darkened hearts. Goddoes not desire the death of the wicked. He saw to it that you heard andbelieved in His Son so that your sins might be forgiven.

Because God loves you, He sent theSpirit of His Son into your heart and is determined to keep you firm in theonly faith that saves. Because God has made you His child, His Spirit alsoequips you to fulfill your calling as a Christian witness.

Where will you go? Who will you goto? Only the Lord knows! What is more important is who will be leading and guidingyou to opportunities to witness about Jesus. The Holy Spirit! Philip was ledaway from the safety of people he knew to witness to a single foreigner (Acts8:27). Demographics do not always provide reliable guidance for witnessingopportunities. Philip was taken to a deserted area, not to a teeming metropolis(Acts 8:26). God must send some to seek after the one lost sheep, not only themultitudes. God sends some to fast-growing areas and others to small towns andcongregations that also need to hear His Word.

The Spirit may direct you awayfrom those with whom you feel most comfortable to others who need to hear theGood News of Jesus from you. The Spirit may direct you to people who seem to beoutside the grace of God, as the eunuch seemed to be disqualified. But no oneis outside of God’s grace in Jesus Christ. Everyone is a sinner for whom Christhas died and for whom the Lord has prepared the way to hear His message ofsalvation.

At first, the Ethiopian may have thought itwas pure coincidence that Philip was traveling that same road. But God wantedhim to know the truth about Jesus and brought the two together to achieve Hisglorious purpose. That same Spirit works through life’s events to guide you inthe truth and give you the opportunity to be used as a chosen instrument. As Hehas guided you so far, let Him continue to guide you into the truth and giveyou opportunities to witness about Jesus.