More interesting than that, he was a eunuch he'd been castrated. Acts 2:41 then reports: Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Critical scholars believe some features of the narrative are theological constructions. How might things have been different if the Ethiopian Eunuch had not been baptized? The Ethiopian eunuchs story starts out with an angel of the Lord telling Philip to travel along the desert road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza. Your question may be answered in a future "Ask the Editors" column. Ethiopia is located nearly South side to Jerusalem. And some believe that this is an example of teleportation (instant relocation), but this is a supposition. For example, Philip could have been shown that he had to leave the Ethiopian immediately and then travelled by the normal means of transport to Azotus. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. What happened to the Ethiopian eunuch in the Bible? God opposes a prideful, arrogant, haughty heart (James 4:6). Thanks for the revelation. And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. The presence of an Ethiopian eunuch in the court of Judah demonstrates at least some form of contact between the two countries. Yes, the Bible said that the eunuch did not see Philip any longer after Philip left. The Queen of Sheba appears as a prominent figure in the Kebra Nagast (Glory of King), the Ethiopian national epic and foundation story. Acts 8 is the eighth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. WebWe also read in Jeremiah 38:7-13 of Ebed-melech the Ethiopian eunuch, who was a part of the household of Zedekiah, who saved Jeremiah from the dungeon. Yes rejoice that the Eunuch was saved Hallelujah! He finds that on arrival in Jerusalem, he has several strikes against him. Instead of worrying, the eunuch left rejoicing, for he had found Jesus who is sufficient and that he now needs no man to teach. This seems minor, but if you did an initial, full reading of Acts 8:26-39, you know that the Ethiopian eunuch ended up being taught the true gospel message and he responded to that message by becoming a true Christian and getting baptized. We are told in the 27th verse that he had made the long journey for the purpose of coming to worship the God of Israel. And do not let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.. A round trip journey from Ethiopia to Jerusalem is far when you have to In Biblical times Ethiopia encompassed the territory of what we now see as Ethiopia, as well as Sudan and Somalia. WebThe New Testament gives us one example: the Ethiopian eunuch evangelized and baptized by Philip in Acts 8:26-39. Eunuchs would usually be servants or slaves who had been castrated to make them reliable servants of a royal court where physical access to the ruler could wield great influence. WebPhilip Tells an Ethiopian about Jesus. To go away suddenly doesnt imply that it was a miraculous event. Are you willing to sacrifice your time for him and love him wholeheartedly? 55 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[]/Index[39 27]/Info 38 0 R/Length 84/Prev 72557/Root 40 0 R/Size 66/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream The Ethiopian eunuch had not read much of the Bible, but when he had found one witness from the prophets he was guided by it to salvation. 33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. 26, 36), as well as, after his conversion, he advances his way ( , v. The geography and also ranges entailed naturally allow the Jesus Route to be strolled as a collection of day-hikes for a total of four days, with every days walking being in between 13 as well as 19 km (8 to 12 mi) in size. It also reminds us that even the longest and most difficult journey is worth taking if it means that we can worship the one true God. The Baptism of the Eunuch Dimensions 64 cm 47.5 cm (25 in 18.7 in) Location Museum Catharijneconvent, Utrecht. The name Ethiopia (Hebrew Kush) is stated in the Bible many times (thirty-seven times in the King James variation), as well as is in numerous means considered a sanctuary. Alexandria was one of the three most important "sees," or church centers, in the ancient world, along with Rome and Antioch. The Eunuch is reading aloud, as all the People of Jewish faith are instructed to do from Isaiah 53. What happened to Philip is described by the Greek word harpazo (Strongs #726), which is translated above as suddenly took. The Ethiopian eunuchs story truly is a great example of what it means to worship God with all of your heart. Alright, lets walk through this! The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. The tradition produced such spiritual giants as Origen, Antony, and Augustine. The Holy Spirit usually uses the normal means to move people around. Was Philip miraculously transported to Azotus, a town that may have been 30 km away? Why was Judah the most prominent tribe of Israel? Did Jesus use any of His divine power when He was on earth? It became important about 50 A.D. and reached its zenith between the 300s and 600s. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. And also both Philip and also the eunuch dropped into the water, and he baptized him. From remote classical times, eunuchs were employed between East and in China in two primary functions: as guards as well as servants in harems or various other ladiess quarters, and also as chamberlains to kings. 22:16). How many miles did Jesus walk during his ministry? After hearing a reading of the prophet Isaiah he felt compelled to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to worship the God of Israel.The eunuchs journey would have been a difficult and dangerous one. Sitting in his chariot, he was reading the Book of Isaiah, specifically Isaiah 53:7-8. The Ethiopian Eunuch. He was committed. WebThe geography and also ranges entailed naturally allow the Jesus Route to be strolled as a collection of day-hikes for a total of four days, with every days walking being in between 13 and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? As many as 600,000 men in North America are living as eunuchs for medical reasons. Your email address will not be published. There he instructed and baptized the Ethiopian eunuch; next he was caught away by the Spirit and found at Azotus (Ashdod); and then passing through he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea (Acts 8). The Ethiopian eunuch went on his way rejoicing. Stop deceiving readers with you unbelief! It seems trivial, but really ask yourselfhow wholehearted are you for God? He went to Jerusalem to worship (verse 27). 3. How Far Did The Ethiopian Eunuch Travel To Jerusalem by Arna Bee February 8, 2021 According to the Bible the Ethiopian eunuch travelled a great distance to What can we learn from the story of the Ethiopian Eunuch? In reality, there are more castrated men alive today that at any other point in history. But before that, we need a Philip in our lives to help teach and train us spiritually. But the original question is was Philip taken away by the Spirit? Think about it As was mentioned before, the Ethiopian eunuch had access to things that the average person back then didnt. Distance from Jerusalem to Gaza is 6,069 kilometers. This is a deserted road. 27 So he got up and went. You can discover a new path for living. What did Jesus mean when He said He would not eat the Passover again until it was fulfilled in the kingdom of God (Lk. Travel would likely be by boat and then overland using chariots. Distance between Ethiopia and Jerusalem is 2564 KM / 1593.3 miles. Egypt claims even earlier Christian visitors: Jesus and his parents, who fled to Egypt to escape the murderous King Herod (Matthew 2:13-18). Philip told the Ethiopian eunuch that he could understand what he was reading if he went with him. English Standard Version I at least better have a confirmation to personally meet him! It was the ancestor of Ethiopia. Having invested a small fortune in this book, he commenced to read it as he traveled homewards. What did Philip the Apostle do for a living? There he instructed and baptized the Ethiopian eunuch; next he was captured away by the Spirit and discovered at Azotus (Ashdod); and after that travelling through he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea (Acts 8). What did the Ethiopian eunuch do after he was baptized? How far did Philip Travel Acts 8? Category index The eunuchs journey make up his existence on the means (, vv. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. ACTS 8:26-28 26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down What was Philips job before he met Jesus? By becoming a eunuch, he removed any possibility of having his own children, and he was committing his life to serving the queen. Were eager to teach others and share what weve learned, and we can all get there at some point. After Philip baptized the Ethiopian treasurer, When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. According to this tradition, the Queen of Sheba (called Makeda) visited Solomons court after hearing about his wisdom. Having a wholehearted devotion to God means apply the word of God to your life immediately. Ancient African Christianity was basically confined to Northern AfricaEgypt, Nubia, and Ethiopia. Answer: He was happy to be making the journey and looked forward to worshiping in Jerusalem. By the 1st century A.D. there were around one and a quarter million Israelites living in Egypt, primarily in the northern cities such as Alexandria. During the early life of Moses there was an ongoing battle which was finally won by Moses as general of the Egyptian Army. The eunuch responded to the Gospel message immediately and took action. This actually gives us the biggest clue as to how devoted this guy was: Despite all of the hurdles, the eunuch made it a point to go to the temple to worship in person. As explained above, just because the Lord suddenly took Philip away doesnt necessarily mean that miraculous transport was involved. No Eunuch was permitted to enter the Temple. The Gospel According to John describes Philip as a fisherman from Bethsaida in Galilee, the same town as Andrew and Peter. In this case, the Ethiopian eunuch was a eunuch because he was working closely with the queen, and there was to be no funny business between the two. WebEthiopia is far south of Gaza, so the man was still in the early stages of his journey from Jerusalem. The Ethiopian eunuch was a court official of Queen Candace. Perhaps he went on reading and found Isaiah 56:3-5! The Bible says that, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away (Acts 8:39). This would have taken several weeks each way. Analysts explain that the word desert in Lukes account can refer either to Gaza or to the roadway. What was the Ethiopian eunuch doing in Jerusalem? In Matthew 19:12, Christ explains three types of individuals as unfit for marital relationship, particularly those that have actually been castrated (which all exegetes take as indicating eunuchs); those birthed unable (con- genital eunuchs) and those who, by their own complimentary choice and for the glory of Gods Kingdom, avoid marrying (voluntary . Ive often heard people say, I dont understand the Old Testament, or I mainly read the New Testament because it applies most to my life today. Whats interesting though, is that Philip took an Old Testament Scripture and related it to the New Testament gospel message. How long did it take Queen of Sheba to travel to Solomon? He was urgent in his response to the Gospel message. To ask CHB editors a church history-related question, send an e-mail to cheditor@christianitytoday.com. Was Philip transported miraculously after the Ethiopian was baptized? Welcome! Azotus is the old Philistine city of Ashdod, about 20 miles north of Gaza. It records the burial of Stephen, the beginnings of Christian persecution, and the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of Samaria and Ethiopia. The driving time is approx. Distance from Jerusalem to Gaza is 6,069 kilometers. We put on a facade because we live in a social media, everyone-is-perfect-and-a-guru-at-something, era. And his urgency paid off. Luke, the author of Acts, would have heard about this event directly from Philip as he stayed with him in Caesarea (Acts 21:8-9). He probably didnt know too much about who Philip was, but he trusted him enough to invite him into the chariot and learn from him. The New Testament gives us one example: the Ethiopian eunuch evangelized and baptized by Philip in Acts 8:26-39. Choose Print or Kindle at Amazon.com Published as 'God's Honorable Mentions'. Pingback: A Memory from the past Moments Of The Sacred, I believe that Phillip was directed away and Phillip began his journey to Azotus. Answer: He returned to Ethiopia and began preaching the gospel. It was an immediate departure. So lets go deeper into what the Scriptures say about the Ethiopian eunuch: A lot of people dont actually know what a eunuch is, but just so you dont have to Google ita eunuch is a man that has been castrated to serve a specific role. WebRead Acts 8:25-40. 51h 40min. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. There is an interesting quotation in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia that states, The Sabean inscriptions found in Abyssinia go back some 2,600 years and give a new value to the Bible references as well as to the constant claim of Josephus that the queen of Sheba (Saba), was a Queen of Ethiopia.. This is not surprising as the eunuch was traveling south towards Ethiopia, while Philip traveled north to the town of Azotus (Ashdod). Im sure there was probably some beautiful, clean bathing pool or fountain he could have gotten baptized in back at the queens palace. How long is the flight from Ethiopia to Israel? Well, Ethiopia is a predominantly Christian country, and Id like to think that the person who started it all was this Ethiopian eunuch. How far is Ethiopia from Jerusalem by chariot? WebActs 8:26-40 Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch. There are two versions of his death, the first being that he died a natural death but the second one says he angered a local king who ordered him nailed to a bed, covered his whole body with paper, brimstones, oil, asphalt and brushwood and set him on fire. Jesus Christ was married to Mary Magdalene and had two children, a new book claims. The Baptism of the Eunuch Dimensions 64 cm 47.5 cm (25 in 18.7 in) Location Museum Catharijneconvent, Utrecht. 29The Spirit toldPhilip, Go to that chariot and stay near it.. Where did they stop once the Ethiopian eunuch had been baptized? Take a moment to write that down before diving deeper. This remarkable journey is thought to have taken place in the late 4th century BC. He was a treasurer to the queen of the Ethiopians (verse 27). With Gossip of the Gospel, the Church Grows in Nepal. The quickest flight from Addis Ababa Airport to Tel Aviv Airport is the direct flight which takes 4h 5m. 65 0 obj <>stream [17] So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Here harpazo is translated take by force.