Acts 8:
26 An angel of Adonai said to Philip, “Get up, and go southward on the road that goes down from Yerushalayim to ‘Azah, the desert road.” 27 So he got up and went. On his way, he caught sight of an Ethiopian, a eunuch who was minister in charge of all the treasure of the Kandake, or queen, of Ethiopia. He had been to Yerushalayim to worship; 28 and now, as he was returning home, he was sitting in his chariot, reading the prophet Yesha‘yahu. 29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to this chariot, and stay close to it.” 30 As Philip ran up, he heard the Ethiopian reading from Yesha‘yahu the prophet. “Do you understand what you’re reading?” he asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” And he invited Philip to climb up and sit with him.
32 Now the portion of the Tanakh that he was reading was this:
“He was like a sheep led to be slaughtered;
like a lamb silent before the shearer, he does not open his mouth.
33 He was humiliated and denied justice.
Who will tell about his descendants,
since his life has been taken from the earth?”[Acts 8:33 Isaiah 53:7–8]
34 The eunuch said to Philip, “Here’s my question to you — is the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip started to speak — beginning with that passage, he went on to tell him the Good News about Yeshua.
36 As they were going down the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Here’s some water! Is there any reason why I shouldn’t be immersed?” 37 [Acts 8:37 Some manuscripts include verse 37: And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” He answered, “I believe that Yeshua the Messiah is the Son of God.”] 38 He ordered the chariot to stop; then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip immersed him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch saw no more of him, because he continued on his way — full of joy. 40 But Philip showed up at Ashdod and continued proclaiming the Good News as he went through all the towns until he came to Caesarea.(Complete Jewish Bible).
***
The connection violated all kinds of normative boundaries and barriers--culture, class and sexuality to name a few. Yet, the connection was obviously Spirit-led. As Phillip approached, he heard the Ethiopian eunuch reading from Isaiah. The text spoke about innocence slaughtered, human injustice and the vulnerable silenced by empires. And now God had sent Phillip to love and listen to a person who had not only read about these things, but had endured them.
Perhaps God is inviting us, too, to sit alongside today's eunuchs with the same patient listening and gentle guidance as Phillip, trusting that the human experience of our neighbors and strangers are prophecy in the flesh. And when they wonder aloud what is preventing them from love and belonging, we are the ones there to answer:
Nothing prevents you from this new life. Nothing stands between you and
Meta Herrick Carlson, '08
Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities/Minnetonka Campus Pastor, Minneapolis, Minn.
Acts 8:26 Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a wilderness road.) Acts 8:26 Or go at noon
27 So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship
28 and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over to this chariot and join it."
30 So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
31 He replied, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him.
32 Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth."
34 The eunuch asked Philip, "About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?"
35 Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus.
36 As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?"
37 Other ancient authorities add all or most of verse 37, And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
38 He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. Acts 8:38 Gk he
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea. (New Revised Standard Version)
The connection violated all kinds of normative boundaries and barriers--culture, class and sexuality to name a few. Yet, the connection was obviously Spirit-led. As Phillip approached, he heard the Ethiopian eunuch reading from Isaiah. The text spoke about innocence slaughtered, human injustice and the vulnerable silenced by empires. And now God had sent Phillip to love and listen to a person who had not only read about these things, but had endured them.
Perhaps God is inviting us, too, to sit alongside today's eunuchs with the same patient listening and gentle guidance as Phillip, trusting that the human experience of our neighbors and strangers are prophecy in the flesh. And when they wonder aloud what is preventing them from love and belonging, we are the ones there to answer:
Nothing prevents you from this new life. Nothing stands between you and
- the God who died with your pain,
- the God who fulfills heaven's justice,
- the God who cannot be silenced by empires.
Meta Herrick Carlson, '08
Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities/Minnetonka Campus Pastor, Minneapolis, Minn.
Acts 8:26 Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a wilderness road.) Acts 8:26 Or go at noon
27 So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship
28 and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over to this chariot and join it."
30 So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
31 He replied, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him.
32 Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth."
34 The eunuch asked Philip, "About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?"
35 Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus.
36 As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?"
37 Other ancient authorities add all or most of verse 37, And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
38 He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. Acts 8:38 Gk he
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea. (New Revised Standard Version)
The Luther Seminary
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