And Philip said,
Philip, one of the seven deacons chosen in Acts 6, is led by the Holy Spirit to meet the Ethiopian eunuch. His role as an evangelist is highlighted here, showing the early church's commitment to spreading the Gospel beyond Jewish boundaries. Philip's obedience to the Spirit's guidance is a model for Christian witness.

If thou believest with all thine heart,
This phrase emphasizes the necessity of genuine faith for baptism. Belief is not merely intellectual assent but involves the whole heart, indicating a sincere and complete trust in Jesus Christ. This reflects the biblical principle that faith is a matter of the heart (Romans 10:9-10) and is essential for salvation.

thou mayest.
Baptism is presented as a response to faith, not a prerequisite for it. This aligns with the New Testament teaching that baptism is an outward sign of an inward change (Acts 2:38). The order of belief preceding baptism is consistent with the practice of the early church.

And he answered and said,
The eunuch's response is immediate, showing his readiness and eagerness to embrace the faith. This interaction underscores the personal nature of faith; it requires an individual response to the Gospel message.

I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
This confession is central to Christian faith, affirming both the messianic role and divine nature of Jesus. The title "Son of God" connects to Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah (Psalm 2:7) and is a declaration of Jesus' unique relationship with the Father. This confession is foundational for salvation (1 John 4:15) and reflects the early church's Christological beliefs.

1. Philip
One of the seven deacons chosen in Acts 6, Philip is an evangelist who plays a crucial role in spreading the Gospel beyond Jerusalem. In Acts 8, he is led by the Holy Spirit to meet the Ethiopian eunuch.

2. Ethiopian Eunuch
A high-ranking official in charge of the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He is a God-fearing Gentile who is returning from worshiping in Jerusalem and is reading the book of Isaiah when Philip encounters him.

3. The Road from Jerusalem to Gaza
This is the setting for the encounter between Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. It is a desert road, symbolizing the spread of the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

4. Isaiah the Prophet
The eunuch is reading from the book of Isaiah, specifically a passage that prophesies about Jesus Christ, which provides Philip the opportunity to explain the Gospel.

5. Baptism
The event culminates in the eunuch's baptism, symbolizing his acceptance of the Gospel and his new faith in Jesus Christ.The Importance of Confession
Acts 8:37 highlights the necessity of a personal confession of faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. This confession is a public declaration of one's belief and commitment to follow Christ.

Faith with the Heart
The phrase "with all your heart" underscores the need for genuine, heartfelt belief. It is not enough to merely acknowledge Jesus intellectually; true faith involves the whole being.

The Role of Scripture in Evangelism
Philip uses the Scriptures to explain the Gospel to the eunuch. This demonstrates the power and importance of God's Word in leading others to faith.

Baptism as an Act of Obedience
The eunuch's immediate desire to be baptized shows the importance of baptism as an outward expression of inward faith and obedience to Christ's command.

Divine Appointments
Philip's encounter with the eunuch illustrates how God orchestrates events and meetings for the purpose of spreading the Gospel. Believers should be attentive to the Holy Spirit's leading in their daily lives.(37) And Philip said. . . .--The verse is a striking illustration of the tendency which showed itself at a very early period to improve the text of Scripture with a view to greater edification. It existed in the time of Irenaeus, who quotes it (3:12), but is wanting in all the best MSS., including the Sinaitic, and many versions. The motive for the interpolation lies on the surface. The abruptness of the unanswered question, and the absence of the confession of faith which was required in the Church's practice on the baptism of every convert, seemed likely to be stumbling-blocks, and the narrative was completed according to the received type of the prevailing order for baptism. Even with the insertion, the shortness of the confession points to a very early stage of liturgical development, as also does the reference to it in Irenaeus.

Verse 37. - The whole of ver. 37 of the A.V. is omitted in the R.T., on the authority of the best existing manuscripts. But on the other hand, Irenaeus, in the third book against Heresies, Acts 12:8, distinctly quotes a portion of this verse. The eunuch, he says, when he asked to be baptized said, Πιστεύω τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἴναι τὸν Ιησοῦν Ξριστόν: and Cyprian, in his third book of Testimonies, 43, quotes the other part of the verse. In proof of the thesis that "whoever believes may be immediately baptized," he says, "In the Acts of the Apostles [when the eunuch said], Behold water, what doth hinder me to be baptized? Philip answered, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest." So that in the second and third centuries, long anterior to the oldest existing manuscripts, this entire verse must have been found in the codices both of the Greek and Latin Churches.

Parallel Commentaries ...


And
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A weak adversative particle, generally placed second in its clause; but, on the other hand, and.

Philip
Φίλιππος (Philippos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5376: Philip, (a) one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, (b) tetrarch of the Ituraean and Trachonitic region, half-brother of Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee, (c) one of the seven original deacons at Jerusalem and a missionary.

said,
εἰπε (eipe)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3004: Answer, bid, bring word, command.

If
Εἰ (Ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If.

you believe
πιστεύεις (pisteueis)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4100: To believe, have faith in, trust in; pass: to be entrusted with.

from
ἐξ (ex)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards.

all
ὅλης (holēs)
Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3650: All, the whole, entire, complete.

the
τὴς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article.

heart,
καρδίας (kardias)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 2588: Literal: the heart; mind, character, inner self, will, intention, center.

it is lawful.
ἔξεστιν (exestin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1832: It is permitted, lawful, possible.

He answered
ἀποκριθεὶς (apokritheis)
Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 611: To answer, reply, take up the conversation.

and
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A weak adversative particle, generally placed second in its clause; but, on the other hand, and.

he said,
εἷπε (heipe)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command.

I believe
Πιστεύω (Pisteuō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 4100: To believe, have faith in, trust in; pass: to be entrusted with.

the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article.

Son
ὑιὸν (huion)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5207: A son, descendent.

of God
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: (a) God, (b) a god, generally.

to be
ἐιναι (einai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 1510: Am, was, come, is, there is, to be, was.

Jesus
Ἰησοῦν (Iēsoun)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424: Jesus; the Greek form of Joshua; Jesus, son of Eliezer; Jesus, surnamed Justus.

Christ.
Χριστόν (Christon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547: Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ.


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