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Acts 8

And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

And there was great joy in that city.

But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:

To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

The place of the scripture which he read was this, 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?

Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both 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 caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

What does Acts 8:34 mean?

Explanation

Acts 8:34 captures a moment of dialogue between Philip the Evangelist and an Ethiopian eunuch, an official in charge of the treasury of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians.

The eunuch is reading from the Book of Isaiah, specifically a passage that Christians interpret as a prophecy about Jesus Christ.

He asks for clarification from Philip, questioning whether Isaiah is speaking about himself or someone else.

The eunuch's question shows his desire to understand the Scriptures, and his openness to guidance illuminates the importance of teaching and interpretation in the early Christian community.

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Historical Context

The Book of Acts, authored by Luke, was written in the first century A.D. and chronicles the early spread of Christianity following the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch occurs as the gospel message is reaching beyond the Jewish community to Gentiles and others outside of mainstream Jewish culture.

The Ethiopian eunuch represents an early example of this expansion.

Ethnically different and a eunuch, he would have stood outside the traditional bounds of the Jewish faith, showing that Christianity transcended these boundaries.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse demonstrates God's sovereignty in guiding believers to understand Scripture.

It shows the value of prophecy in the Bible and the role of the Holy Spirit in interpretation.

The passage from Isaiah that the eunuch is reading is seen by Christians as a messianic prophecy pointing to Jesus, underscoring the theme of Christ as the suffering servant.

This interaction illustrates that proper understanding of biblical texts often requires guidance, foreshadowing the role of the Christian community and church tradition in biblical exegesis.

Practical Applications

The passage has a number of practical applications for modern believers:

Seek guidance when encountering difficult passages in Scripture. 2.

Be open to sharing insights into the faith with seekers and new believers. 3.

Understand that Scripture can have layers of meaning, some of which may not be immediately evident. 4.

Recognize the role of community in interpreting and understanding spiritual texts.

Cross-References

Isaiah 53:7-8 - The passage the eunuch was reading, interpreted by Christians as a prophecy about Jesus.
John 16:13 - The Holy Spirit as a guide to truth.
Matthew 28:19 - The command to make disciples of all nations, highlighting the global mission of Christianity.
Acts 10:34-35 - Peter's realization that God does not show favoritism, related to the inclusion of the Ethiopian eunuch.

Language Study

In the original Greek, the key phrase "of whom speaketh the prophet this?" uses the word "περὶ" (peri) which can mean "about" or "concerning".

The eunuch's question zeroes in on the subject of the prophecy ("τίνος" - "tinos" meaning "whom" or "whose").

His inquisitiveness indicates an understanding that prophecy identifies specific individuals or events and is not merely allegorical.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparing this account to other cultures and religions, one might look at how ancient societies interpreted their own oracles or prophecies.

For instance, in Greco-Roman tradition, individuals often sought the interpretation of the oracles, such as those at Delphi.

Similarly, ancient Jewish tradition placed strong emphasis on rabbinic interpretation of the Hebrew Scriptures.

Scientific Perspectives

While there are no direct scientific perspectives related to this verse, the themes of communication, comprehension, and learning are areas rich with psychological and neurological study.

Cognitive processing of religious texts and the experience of spiritual epiphanies can be evaluated from a scientific viewpoint, exploring how the brain understands and finds meaning in complex literature.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and theologians offer various insights into Acts 8:34.

Some focus on the historical significance, such as the spread of Christianity to Africa.

Others look at the theological implications, like Christ being foreshadowed in Old Testament prophecy.

Still, others might delve into the philological aspects of the text, examining Greek usage or the translation from the original Hebrew of Isaiah.

Commentators universally acknowledge the importance of this interaction as an example of personal evangelism and discipleship in the early church.

Acts 8

Acts 8

What does Acts 8:34 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 8:34 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?