Acts 8:27

He arose and went. His instant obedience reveals absence of any doubt of the authenticity of the message he had received.

Ethiopia. Ethiopia, like Cush in the Old Testament, is a general name given to the country south of the first cataract of the Nile, and extending into modern Ethiopia. Its northern portion was the great kingdom of Meroe in the upper valley of the Nile, which was ruled over by queens for a long period, and it is most probably from this kingdom that the eunuch had come. Its connection with the Jewish people presents many points of interest. According to the Letter of Aristeas 13, during the reign of one of the Pharaohs named Psamtik (perhaps Psamtik II, 594-588 B.C.) a body of Jews were sent to Egypt to aid in a campaign against Ethiopia. Jewish influences had certainly been at work in that region for centuries. This may be reflected in the courageous work of an early Ethiopian eunuch Ebed-melech, in the time of Jeremiah (chs. 38:7-13; 39:15-18). Even earlier the Hebrews had expected and seen the admission of Ethiopians into their commonwealth (Ps. 68:31; 87:4).

Eunuch. See on Esther 1:10; 2:3; Matt. 19:12.

Great authority. Greek dunastes, “a prince,” “a potentate,” “a high officer.” The letter of the Deuteronomic law (see on Deut. 23:1) was explicit concerning the exclusion of eunuchs from the sanctuary of God, but this was doubtless modified in practice. The admission of Sabbathkeeping eunuchs into the ranks of God’s people is promised by Isaiah (ch. 56:4). Rank, race, and physical condition are not factors in admission to the family of our heavenly Father (Gal. 3:28, 29; Col. 3:10, 11).

Candace. This appears to have been a dynastic name or title, like Pharaoh or Ptolemy in Egypt, and Caesar among the Romans, rather than the personal name of an individual queen. The name occurs in Strabo Geography xvii. 1. 54; and Dio Cassius History liv. 5. 4-6. According to Eusebius (c. A.D. 325) Ethiopia was still under the rule of a queen in his time (Ecclesiastical History ii. 1. 13).

Treasure. Greek gaza, “royal treasury,” “treasure,” a word of Persian origin that was coming into use about this time among Greek and Latin writers (Cicero De Officiis ii. 22 [76]). The LXX translators employed it in Ezra 5:17; 6:1; 7:21; Isa. 39:2. It is not found elsewhere in the New Testament, but a compound form is used for the treasury of the Temple (Luke 21:1). Philip meets a man who has charge of gaza, the treasure. The evangelist helps him to find a treasure, even as the man in the parable of Matt. 13:44 found a treasure by diligently seeking for it.

To worship. It appears that this eunuch was a circumcised proselyte of righteousness who was visiting Jerusalem to worship at the Temple. Proselytes, as well as Jews, came to Jerusalem for this purpose, as may be observed from the enumeration of those present at Pentecost (Acts 2:10). According to John 12:20, Greeks also came up to the feasts at Jerusalem. The eunuch had come to Jerusalem in search of a blessing, but before he reaches home he is to receive one that surpasses all his expectations.