Ethiopian eunuch
Encyclopedia
The Ethiopian eunuch is a figure in the New Testament
of the Bible. The story of his conversion to Christianity is recounted in Acts
8.
was told by an angel
to go to the road from Jerusalem to Gaza
, and there he met the Ethiopian eunuch. He had been to Jerusalem to worship (Acts 8:27), and was returning home. The eunuch was sitting in his chariot
reading the Book of Isaiah
, and had come to Isaiah 53
:7-8. Philip asked the Ethiopian, "Do you understand what you are reading?" He said he did not, and asked Philip to explain the text to him. Philip told him the good news about Jesus
, and the Ethiopian asked to be baptized
. They went down into some water and Philip baptized him.
In the King James Version, the Ethiopian says, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (verse 37), but this is omitted in most modern versions. Hubbard suggests that confession is "not supported in the better manuscripts," although the Ethiopian is still "one of the outstanding converts in Acts
."
After this, Philip is suddenly taken away by the Spirit of the Lord
, and the eunuch "went on his way rejoicing" (verse 39). Robert O'Toole argues that the way Philip is taken away parallels the way Jesus disappears after he has been talking to the disciples on the road to Emmaus
in Luke
24.
n is described as a eunuch
and a treasury official at the court of Queen Candace
(Acts 8:27). D. A. Hubbard suggests that he may have been a proselyte
, though Paul Mumo Kisau argues that he was a Godfearer instead. Scott Shauf suggests that the "primary point of the story is about carrying the gospel to the end of the earth, not about establishing a mission to Gentiles," and thus Luke
"does not bring the Gentile status of the Ethiopian into the foreground." However, "the suggestion that the eunuch is or at least might be a Gentile in the story, by both his ethnic and possibly physical description, serves to tantalize the reader with the mystery of the situation." The eunuch may have been from Nubia
or the Sudan
: David Tuesday Adamo suggests that the word used here (Αίθίοψ, aithiops) is best translated simply as "African."
Commentators generally suggest that the combination of "eunuch" together with the title "court official" indicates a literal eunuch, who would have been excluded from the Temple by the restriction in Deuteronomy 23:1. Some scholars interpret the term "eunuch" more liberally. For instance, John J. McNeill
suggests that this eunuch was "the first baptized gay Christian" on the grounds that the word "eunuch" in the New Testament is not always used in a literal sense (as in Matthew 19:12, which he believes contains "the closest description we have in the Bible of what we understand today as a homosexual"). Jack Rogers
says that the Ethiopian "belonged to a sexual minority
who was not fully welcome in the worship community of Israel," and concludes that "the fact that the first Gentile
convert
to Christianity is from a sexual minority and a different race, ethnicity and nationality together form a clarion call for inclusiveness, radical grace, and Christian welcome to all who show faith."
Other scholars have addressed the issue of the eunuch's race. Some, such as Frank M. Snowden, Jr.
, interpret the story as emphasizing that early Christian communities
accepted members regardless of race: "Ethiopians were the yardstick by which antiquity
measured colored peoples." Others, such as Clarice Martin, write that it is a commentary on the religion rather than on its adherents, showing Christianity's geographical extent; Gay L. Byron goes further, saying, "The Ethiopian eunuch was used by Luke to indicate that salvation could extend even to Ethiopians and Blacks."
C.K. Barrett contrasts the Ethiopian eunuch's story with that of Cornelius the Centurion, another convert
. He notes that while the Ethiopian continues on his journey home and passes out of the narrative, Cornelius and his followers form another church in Judea
, and speculates that this reflects a desire to focus on Peter
rather than Philip.
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
of the Bible. The story of his conversion to Christianity is recounted in Acts
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of the Apostles , usually referred to simply as Acts, is the fifth book of the New Testament; Acts outlines the history of the Apostolic Age...
8.
Biblical narrative
Philip the EvangelistPhilip the Evangelist
Saint Philip the Evangelist appears several times in the Acts of the Apostles. He was one of the Seven Deacons chosen to care for the poor of the Christian community in Jerusalem . He preached and performed miracles in Samaria, converted Simon Magus, and met and baptised an Ethiopian man, an...
was told by an angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
to go to the road from Jerusalem to Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
, and there he met the Ethiopian eunuch. He had been to Jerusalem to worship (Acts 8:27), and was returning home. The eunuch was sitting in his chariot
Chariot
The chariot is a type of horse carriage used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples. Ox carts, proto-chariots, were built by the Proto-Indo-Europeans and also built in Mesopotamia as early as 3000 BC. The original horse chariot was a fast, light, open, two wheeled...
reading the Book of Isaiah
Book of Isaiah
The Book of Isaiah is the first of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, preceding the books of Ezekiel, Jeremiah and the Book of the Twelve...
, and had come to Isaiah 53
Isaiah 53
Isaiah 53, taken from the Book of Isaiah, is the last of the four Songs of the Suffering Servant, and tells the story of the Man of Sorrows or "The Suffering Servant", which became a common theme in medieval and later Christian art. The passage is known for its interpretation by many Christians to...
:7-8. Philip asked the Ethiopian, "Do you understand what you are reading?" He said he did not, and asked Philip to explain the text to him. Philip told him the good news about Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, and the Ethiopian asked to be baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
. They went down into some water and Philip baptized him.
In the King James Version, the Ethiopian says, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (verse 37), but this is omitted in most modern versions. Hubbard suggests that confession is "not supported in the better manuscripts," although the Ethiopian is still "one of the outstanding converts in Acts
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of the Apostles , usually referred to simply as Acts, is the fifth book of the New Testament; Acts outlines the history of the Apostolic Age...
."
After this, Philip is suddenly taken away by the Spirit of the Lord
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
, and the eunuch "went on his way rejoicing" (verse 39). Robert O'Toole argues that the way Philip is taken away parallels the way Jesus disappears after he has been talking to the disciples on the road to Emmaus
Road to Emmaus appearance
The Road to Emmaus appearance refers to one of the early resurrection appearances of Jesus after his crucifixion and the discovery of the empty tomb...
in Luke
Gospel of Luke
The Gospel According to Luke , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Luke or simply Luke, is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. It details his story from the events of his birth to his Ascension.The...
24.
Assessment and interpretation
The EthiopiaEthiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n is described as a eunuch
Eunuch
A eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...
and a treasury official at the court of Queen Candace
Kandake
Kandake or Kentake, also Candace, was the title for queens and queen mothers of the ancient African Kingdom of Kush, also known as Nubia and Ethiopia....
(Acts 8:27). D. A. Hubbard suggests that he may have been a proselyte
Proselyte
The biblical term "Proselyte", derives from the Koine Greek προσήλυτος/proselytos, as used in the Septuagint for "stranger", i.e. a "newcomer to Israel"; a "sojourner in the land", and in the New Testament for a convert to Judaism from Paganism...
, though Paul Mumo Kisau argues that he was a Godfearer instead. Scott Shauf suggests that the "primary point of the story is about carrying the gospel to the end of the earth, not about establishing a mission to Gentiles," and thus Luke
Luke the Evangelist
Luke the Evangelist was an Early Christian writer whom Church Fathers such as Jerome and Eusebius said was the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles...
"does not bring the Gentile status of the Ethiopian into the foreground." However, "the suggestion that the eunuch is or at least might be a Gentile in the story, by both his ethnic and possibly physical description, serves to tantalize the reader with the mystery of the situation." The eunuch may have been from Nubia
Nubia
Nubia is a region along the Nile river, which is located in northern Sudan and southern Egypt.There were a number of small Nubian kingdoms throughout the Middle Ages, the last of which collapsed in 1504, when Nubia became divided between Egypt and the Sennar sultanate resulting in the Arabization...
or the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
: David Tuesday Adamo suggests that the word used here (Αίθίοψ, aithiops) is best translated simply as "African."
Commentators generally suggest that the combination of "eunuch" together with the title "court official" indicates a literal eunuch, who would have been excluded from the Temple by the restriction in Deuteronomy 23:1. Some scholars interpret the term "eunuch" more liberally. For instance, John J. McNeill
John J. McNeill
John J. McNeill was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1959 and now is a psychotherapist and an academic theologian, with a particular reputation within the field of Queer Theology.-Academic career:...
suggests that this eunuch was "the first baptized gay Christian" on the grounds that the word "eunuch" in the New Testament is not always used in a literal sense (as in Matthew 19:12, which he believes contains "the closest description we have in the Bible of what we understand today as a homosexual"). Jack Rogers
Jack Rogers (clergy)
Jack Bartlett Rogers is a Presbyterian minister, seminary professor emeritus, and author. He taught at Westminster College,Pennsylvania, at Fuller Theological Seminary, and at San Francisco Theological Seminary. He also served as moderator of the 213th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church...
says that the Ethiopian "belonged to a sexual minority
Sexual minority
A sexual minority is a group whose sexual identity, orientation or practices differ from the majority of the surrounding society. The term was coined most likely in the late 1960s under the influence of Lars Ullerstam's ground breaking book "The Erotic Minorities: A Swedish View" which came...
who was not fully welcome in the worship community of Israel," and concludes that "the fact that the first Gentile
Gentile
The term Gentile refers to non-Israelite peoples or nations in English translations of the Bible....
convert
Religious conversion
Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,...
to Christianity is from a sexual minority and a different race, ethnicity and nationality together form a clarion call for inclusiveness, radical grace, and Christian welcome to all who show faith."
Other scholars have addressed the issue of the eunuch's race. Some, such as Frank M. Snowden, Jr.
Frank M. Snowden, Jr.
Frank M. Snowden, Jr. , was an American Professor Emeritus of Classics at Howard University, and one of the foremost authorities on blacks in classical antiquity....
, interpret the story as emphasizing that early Christian communities
Early centers of Christianity
Early Christianity spread from Western Asia, throughout the Roman Empire, and beyond into East Africa and South Asia, reaching as far as India. At first, this development was closely connected to centers of Hebrew faith, in the Holy Land and the Jewish diaspora...
accepted members regardless of race: "Ethiopians were the yardstick by which antiquity
Classical antiquity
Classical antiquity is a broad term for a long period of cultural history centered on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ancient Greece and ancient Rome, collectively known as the Greco-Roman world...
measured colored peoples." Others, such as Clarice Martin, write that it is a commentary on the religion rather than on its adherents, showing Christianity's geographical extent; Gay L. Byron goes further, saying, "The Ethiopian eunuch was used by Luke to indicate that salvation could extend even to Ethiopians and Blacks."
C.K. Barrett contrasts the Ethiopian eunuch's story with that of Cornelius the Centurion, another convert
Convert
The convert or try, in American football known as "point after", and Canadian football "Point after touchdown", is a one-scrimmage down played immediately after a touchdown during which the scoring team is allowed to attempt to score an extra one point by kicking the ball through the uprights , or...
. He notes that while the Ethiopian continues on his journey home and passes out of the narrative, Cornelius and his followers form another church in Judea
Judea
Judea or Judæa was the name of the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel from the 8th century BCE to the 2nd century CE, when Roman Judea was renamed Syria Palaestina following the Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt.-Etymology:The...
, and speculates that this reflects a desire to focus on Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
rather than Philip.