[The posts which follow make extensive use of The Acts of the Apostles, by Madame Cecilia, (Religious of St Andrew's Convent, Streatham), with an Imprimi potest dated 16 October 1907 (Westminster); Burns, Oates & Washbourne Ltd. (London). With grateful prayers for the author and her team:
REQUIEM æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.ETERNAL rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.]
Acts VIII : 26-40
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| St Philip Baptizing the Eunuch of Candace Claude Vignon (1638) Bibliothèque nationale de France |
[27] And rising up, he went. And behold a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch, of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge over all her treasures, had come to Jerusalem to adore.
[28] And he was returning, sitting in his chariot, and reading Isaias the prophet.
[29] And the Spirit said to Philip: Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
[30] And Philip running thither, heard him reading the prophet Isaias. And he said: Thinkest thou that thou understandest what thou readest?
[31] Who said: And how can I, unless some man shew me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
[32] And the place of the scripture which he was reading was this: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb without voice before his shearer, so openeth he not his mouth.
[33] In humility his judgment was taken away. His generation who shall declare, for his life shall be taken from the earth?
[34] And the eunuch answering Philip, said: I beseech thee, of whom doth the prophet speak this? of himself, or of some other man?
[35] Then Philip, opening his mouth, and beginning at this scripture, preached unto him Jesus.
[36] And as they went on their way, they came to a certain water; and the eunuch said: See, here is water: what doth hinder me from being baptized?
[37] And Philip said: If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answering, said: I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
[38] And he commanded the chariot to stand still; and they went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch: and he baptized him.
[39] And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more. And he went on his way rejoicing.
[40] But Philip was found in Azotus; and passing through, he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
[26] Angelus autem Domini locutus est ad Philippum, dicens : Surge, et vade contra meridianum, ad viam quae descendit ab Jerusalem in Gazam : haec est deserta. [27] Et surgens abiit. Et ecce vir Aethiops, eunuchus, potens Candacis reginae Aethiopum, qui erat super omnes gazas ejus, venerat adorare in Jerusalem : [28] et revertebatur sedens super currum suum, legensque Isaiam prophetam. [29] Dixit autem Spiritus Philippo : Accede, et adjunge te ad currum istum. [30] Accurrens autem Philippus, audivit eum legentem Isaiam prophetam, et dixit : Putasne intelligis quae legis?
[31] Qui ait : Et quomodo possum, si non aliquis ostenderit mihi? Rogavitque Philippum ut ascenderet, et sederet secum. [32] Locus autem Scripturae, quem legebat, erat hic : Tamquam ovis ad occisionem ductus est : et sicus agnus coram tondente se, sine voce, sic non aperuit os suum. [33] In humilitate judicium ejus sublatum est. Generationem ejus quis enarrabit, quoniam tolletur de terra vita ejus? [34] Respondens autem eunuchus Philippo, dixit : Obsecro te, de quo propheta dicit hoc? de se, an de alio aliquo? [35] Aperiens autem Philippus os suum, et incipiens a Scriptura ista, evangelizavit illi Jesum.
[36] Et dum irent per viam, venerunt ad quamdam aquam : et ait eunuchus : Ecce aqua, quid prohibet me baptizari? [37] Dixit autem Philippus : Si credis ex toto corde, licet. Et respondens ait : Credo Filium Dei esse Jesum Christum. [38] Et jussit stare currum : et descenderunt uterque in aquam, Philippus et eunuchus, et baptizavit eum. [39] Cum autem ascendissent de aqua, Spiritus Domini rapuit Philippum, et amplius non vidit eum eunuchus. Ibat autem per viam suam gaudens. [40] Philippus autem inventus est in Azoto, et pertransiens evangelizabat civitatibus cunctis, donec veniret Caesaream.
Notes
26. towards the south. The district below Jerusalem was known as “the south country.” The context indicates that Philip obeyed the angel’s command at once.
to the way that goeth, etc. As there were several roads (which still exist) leading from Jerusalem to Gaza, the angel instructs Philip which one he must take in order to overtake the Ethiopian officer, and this road selected is the one which leads through the desert. The words this is desert evidently refer to the road, and not to Gaza. The Syriac version, which reads “this way is desert,” confirms this view. St John Chrysostom, commentating on this passage, gives as a reason why Philip should take the desert road, that by so doing he would be less likely to encounter the persecutors who were tracking the disciples of Christ.
Some commentators refer the words “ this is desert” to the city of Gaza, “but since Philip has not to reach the city itself, why should it be described ? The angel must tell Philip which route he is to follow in order to find the eunuch, but neither the angelic messenger nor St Luke is concerned with the city of Gaza itself” (Knabenbauer, Actus Apost. in h. L).
Gaza. This was one of the most ancient cities, having been built by the descendants of Noe (see Gen. x. 19). It stood on the edge of the desert, some three miles from the sea, and possessed several dependent towns and villages (see Jos. xv. 47). It served as an emporium where travellers, on their road to and from Egypt, could obtain provisions. It was one of the great five cities of the Philistines.
27. rising up he went St Philip obeyed promptly and without any misgiving.
Ethiopia. The upper valley of the Nile. The capital was Meroe or Saba. The ancient Ethiopia is now known as Nubia and Abyssinia. There was a large Jewish population in Egypt, and, consequently, the Ethiopian had had opportunities of learning the Jewish faith.
of great authority. His position may be compared with that of Joseph in Egypt, whom Pharao appointed over the whole land of Egypt (Gen. xli. 41). Such an officer would have the charge of the treasury and valuable objects which Oriental sovereigns delighted in collecting ; also all important State business passed through his hands. These treasures, as well as the State archives, were kept in the royal palace.
Candace. A dynastic name or title of the queens of Meroe, just as the early kings of Egypt were called “Pharao” and the later “Ptolemy,” while the Roman emperors all bore the name of “ Caesar.”
come to Jerusalem to adore. Hence it is inferred that he was a proselyte of the gate, i.e. one bound to observe the moral precepts, but not compelled to keep the ceremonial law. He had probably come up to Jerusalem to keep one of the great feasts. As the passage from Isaias which he was reading was appointed to be read at the feast of Tabernacles, it has been inferred that he had come to Jerusalem to keep it.
28. sitting in his chariot. “ Having reached this desert road, Philip saw a chariot approaching. By its peculiar shape and rich decoration he must have perceived that it belonged to some influential foreigner, probably an Egyptian. The great lords who lived on the shores of the Nile prided themselves on the beauty of their equipages, which were inlaid with ivory, gold, and silver. These chariots held two persons besides the driver. In the chariot which Philip saw, only one was sitting reading aloud. By the colour of his skin and his robes, Philip knew him to be an Ethiopian ” (Mgr. le Camus, L'œuvre des Apôtres p. 166).
reading. The Rabbis enjoined that when a man was travelling without a companion he should occupy himself by reading the Law (“ Qui in itinere constitutus eat, neque comitem habet, is studeat in lege,” Rabbi Jehoschua).
29. the Spirit said. The angel had given Philip instructions regarding the journey, but had not explained why he was to go thither ; now the second supernatural intervention is recorded, and this time it is the Holy Ghost who makes known to Philip the special work awaiting him in the desert. St Cyril remarks on this passage that it affords an incidental proof of the Personality of the Holy Gliost (Catech., xvi. 14).
join thyself. The Greek verb (κολληθητι) signifies ‘‘attach thyself to” or “accompany.”
30. heard him reading. Orientals habitually read aloud. The Hebrew word “ to read ” means literally “ to call ” or “ to proclaim.”
Thinkest thou, etc. The original (ἀρα γε γινωσκεις ) is very emphatic, “ Dost thou really understand ?” or “ Yea, but dost thou etc,, and the form of question expects an answer in the negative.
31. how can I, unless, etc. This furnishes an excellent refutation of the error of those who imagine that the Scriptures can be understood by all and need no explanation. The Scriptures are indeed the Word of God, but the voice of the living teacher, i.e. the Catholic Church, is required to explain them.
On this point St Peter speaks very clearly. Cf. Understanding this first, that no prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation (2 Pet. i. 20). In which are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction (ibid. iii. 16).
The Ethiopian’s humility, docility, and earnestness prepared him to receive the instructions of Philip.
32. the place. Better, “the passage.” The eunuch was reading all that Isaias had written concerning the sufferings of Christ, and not merely the words quoted.
He was led, etc. The passage is quoted from Is. liii. 7 8.
33. In humility his judgment was taken away. The Hebrew text throws a light on the meaning of this difficult passage : “Through oppression and through judgment (i.e. chastisement) he was taken away. Beelen explains it as follows : “ His life was taken away by violence, by an unjust judgment, but on account of His humility He was justified, i.e. He was shown to be innocent.”
His generation who shall declare ? etc. Various explanations of these words have been given, e.g . —
(a) “ Who can declare His eternal Sonship and His miraculous Incarnation ? ” (St Bede).
(b) “ Who, of His generation, would imagine that He was cut off for the sins of His people, and that He suffered in their stead 1 ” (Beelen).
(c) Who can count His posterity (i.e. the members of the Church) since His life was taken from the earth by His exaltation into heaven ?
his life shall he taken from the earth. In the Hebrew text we read here : He was cut off from the land of the living. Explanation (b) given above agrees best with this reading.
34. of himself. Perhaps the Ethiopian knew the Jewish tradition that Isaias was sawn asunder by his Avicked son-in-law Manasses.
35. opening his mouth. A Hebraism used as a preface to a formal or solemn discourse. Cf. And opening his mouth, he taught them (St Matt. V. 2). It is thus St Matthew introduces the Sermon on the Mount.
at this scripture. The word “ scripture ” in the singular is used of a single paragraph or section. Cf. Have you not read this scripture ? The stone which the builders rejected the same is made the head of the corner (St Mark xii. 10. See also St Luke iv. 21). St Philip based his explanation concerning Jesus and His doctrine on the prophecy of Isaias.
36. a certain water. Tributaries of the Escol rivulet and small pools are sufficiently numerous in this district. It is impossible to identify with certainty the spot where the eunuch was baptized. A tradition current in St Jerome’s time gave Bethsura as the spot. It is about twenty miles from Jerusalem, and a fountain rises close to the town which lies on the road that connects Jerusalem with Hebron,
Mgr. le Camus writes : “ We not only found little lakes in the midst of the marsh as we journeyed on this road, but we also found a large stream spanned by a bridge supported by three arches, and, just before we reached Jamnia, we passed another stream which supplied the little town with water.”
37. If thou believest etc. This verse is not found in the most ancient manuscripts, e.g. in the Sinaitic, the Vatican, and the Alexandrian codices, nor is it in the Coptic, Sahidic, or Ethiopian versions, and St John Chrysostom evidently commentated the Acts from a MS. in which it was wanting. On the other hand, this passage is found in two ancient versions, the Old Latin and the Vulgate, and in Codex Laudianus. It is quoted by two of the most ancient of the Fathers, St Irenæus and St Cyprian. Blass accepts it in his Western text and remarks that “ this passage would fittingly be inserted in a fuller narrative, while it might be omitted in an abridged account.” It is noteworthy that the authority of St Irenæus and St Cyprian is of greater antiquity than that of any codex, and that consequently this verse was known in the second and third centuries both in the Latin and Greek Churches. Judging even simply from analogy, the passage is most appropriate here, since faith in Jesus Christ was always exacted of the candidate for baptism, and in this verse we have the most ancient and the briefest profession of faith.
38. went down into the water, Philip baptized the eunuch by immersion, which was the method generally employed in apostolic times. But baptism by effusion was known and practised at the end of the first century or the early part of the second, since the Didache, which was written not later than the second century, distinctly states that baptism could be administered by pouring water thrice on the head of the neophyte.
39. the Spirit of the Lord took away Philip. This is the third supernatural intervention. What Abdias feared might happen to Elias actually befell Philip: And when I am gone from thee, the Spirit of the Lord will carry thee into a place that I know not (3 Kings xviii. 12).
Philip’s mission was ended, and his miraculous disappearance was a sign to the Ethiopian that God had sent this teacher to enlighten him, and this is one reason why he went on his way rejoicing.
40. was found, — i.e. he was next heard of at Azotus, a town on the seashore between Gaza and Joppe. It was the most celebrated of the five cities of the Philistines, being the chief seat of the worship of Dagon. It was about sixty miles from Jerusalem.
all the cities. Philip probably evangelized in Ekron, Rama, Joppe, Lydda, etc., besides the smaller hamlets and villages.
Cesarea. Also known as Cesarea Stratonis (or Sebaste). It lies on the Mediterranean shore, twenty miles south of Mount Carmel. The Roman proprætor generally resided there ; hence it was the seat of government and a military station. It was built by Herod the Great B.C. 13. Eusebius was bishop of this city a.d. 315-340, and Philip the Evangelist was dwelling here when St Paul with his companions visited Cesarea on his last journey to Jerusalem.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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