Name: Erik Hanson

Date: May 3, 2021

Section: BIBL 104-D73 LUO

New Testament Bible Study Assignment

Passage: Acts 8:26-39

Instructions:
For this assignment, you will be studying a story from the book of Acts. More specifically, you
will be studying the narrative of Philip and the Ethiopian from Acts 8:26-39. You will use the
template below to complete a study of this passage. In your study, you will use the skills of
Observation, Interpretation, Correlation, and Application that you have become familiar with
through your reading in Everyday Bible Study.

I. Observation

A. I have read Acts 8:26-39 in both a formal translation (KJV, NKJV, NASB, ESV, or CSB)
and a functional translation (NIV, NLT, or NCV). Highlight the correct answer. You will
find a copy of the NASB, ESV, CSB, and NLT in your myWSB Library.

o Yes
o No

B. Having read the passage in both formal and functional translation, list at least 2 similarities
and 3 differences between the way both translations cover this story. You may list as many
similarities and differences that you find as long as you meet the minimum amount.

Similarities
Verse 26:
The description of the desert road going south
from Jerusalem to Gaza are similar in both
NKJV and NIV.
Verse 33:
In both versions, the lamb was deprived of
justice…for His life is taken from the earth.
Differences
Verse 27:
The queen of Ethiopia has two different
spellings of her name, Candace in NKJV, and
Kandake in NIV.
Verse 29:
In NKJV, the Spirit told Philip to “overtake”
the chariot, while NIV says that the Spirit told
Philip to “go” to the chariot and “stay” near it.
Verse 35:
NIV mentioned that Philip told the eunuch
about the “good news” about Jesus, while in
NJKV, neither “good news” or “Gospel” are
mentioned, just that Philip preached Jesus to
him.
Verse 37:
In the NKJV, the man asks why he shouldn’t
 be baptized immediately and Philip replies,
“If you believe with all your heart, you may.”
The man responds the he believes in Jesus as
the Son of God. This passage is missing in the
NIV, although there is a footnote mentioning
the above statements.

C. Identify the basic elements of the story you are studying

1. Main characters: (List them)

The angel of the Lord, Philip, Ethiopian eunuch (man), Holy Spirit

2. Plot: (50-100 words)

On a prompt from an angel of the Lord, Philip meets a man in the service of the queen of
Ethiopia on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza where the man had been worshipping. The
man pulls to the side of the road and reads Scripture out of Isaiah, but he does not
understand what he is reading. The Holy Spirit prompts Philip to preach the good news of
Jesus, whom the passage in Isaiah was about. After they travel a bit, they come across
water in which Philip immediately baptizes the man, then disappears with the Holy Spirit.

3. Story structure: (50-100 words)

Introduction: An angel leads Philip to meet an Ethiopian eunuch along a desert road.

Inciting Incident: Philip asks if the man understands the Isaiah Scripture he is reading.

Rising action: The man states that unless someone explains the Scripture to him, he will
not understand.

Climax: After the man asks if the prophet Isaiah was talking about himself or another,
Philip preaches to Gospel message.

Falling Action: The man asks what stands in the way of him becoming baptized with
water.

Resolution: The man becomes baptized, then the Holy Spirit takes Philip away from that
place, and the man rejoices.
C. List basic observations about this passage using the “Key Question” for observation.

1. Who:

 Angel of the Lord (no other description given)

 Philip, a disciple of Jesus Christ
 Ethiopian eunuch
 Candace, queen of Ethiopia (not of importance to the story)
 Spirit of the Lord, the Holy Spirit
 The prophet Isaiah (only of which the Scripture is read)
 The lamb before the slaughter (Jesus Christ)

2. What:

Philip the Deacon is visited by the angel of the Lord, who tells him to: “Go south to
the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (Acts 8:26,
NIV, 2011). There he meets an Ethiopian man on his way from worshipping in
Jerusalem.

The man then pauses on the road in his chariot for enough time to read passages out
of the Book of Isaiah. The Spirit of the Lord instructs Philip to go the chariot and stay
near it. He hears the man reading the Isaiah Scripture and asks him if he understands
what he is reading.

The man humbly responds, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” (Acts 8:31a,
NKJV, 1982), and invites Philip to join him.

The passage of Scripture is explained, talking about “He” being led to the slaughter
like a lamb, silent before His accusers, deprived of justice, unable to declare His
generations because His life was taken from the earth (Acts 8:32-33, NIV, 2011).

The man asks Philip who the passage is referring to, whereas Philip shares the good
news of Jesus.

They came to some water and the man asks if there is any reason he shouldn’t be
baptized. Philip replies by saying, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” (Acts
8:37, NKJV, 1982).

The man stops the chariots, goes to the water with Philip, where he baptizes him. As
soon as the baptism is complete, Philip is suddenly taken away by the Holy Spirit.
The man rejoices greatly.

3. Where:

 The desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza (the man had just come from
worshipping in Jerusalem (Acts 8:27)).
  The Ethiopian man’s chariot (the place of Bible Study).
 A swatch of water along the road.

4. When:

 During the time that the early church was being persecuted and scattered (Acts
8:1), particularly by Saul/Paul.
 After Philip had visited Samaria and performed many signs and miracles.
 In the context of the Bible, this story takes place right before the conversion of
Saul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-9).

5. Why:

 Why did the angel of the Lord choose Philip to minister to the Ethiopian man?
o In Acts 8:8-13, Philip convinced Simon the Sorcerer and much of the city of
Samaria through his preaching of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus
Christ. He apparently was very good at evangelism.

 Why did the man choose to read passages from Isaiah and not, say, Exodus?

o Since none of the Gospels had been written yet, the only Scripture was that of
the Old Testament. God created this divine appointment by having the man
read the prophecies of Isaiah concerning Jesus Christ.

 Why did the Ethiopian man want so desperately to become baptized?

o There are several reasons for baptism, one is the outward expression of a
person’s belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus. The other is the
welcoming into the body of Christ as a new family member. The man was an
outsider who clearly wanted to be included as a son of God.

6. How:

 How did God use Philip to bring salvation to the Ethiopian man?
o Philip was a first-hand eyewitness to the life and death of Jesus and could
speak well of the good news into the lives of others.

 How did Philip accept his new assignment?

o Philip showed great enthusiasm by running to the man’s chariot and
hearing the man speak the words of a prophecy pertaining to Jesus in
Isaiah.

 How did the Ethiopian man respond to his new understanding of the good news of
Jesus?
o The man was simply being obedient to Philip’s message of Jesus’ salvation
of all people by asking to become baptized in water.
 o The man rejoices as he continues his travel toward home.
II. Interpretation

A. Determine the author’s main point. In 1-2 paragraphs (100-400 words) explain what you
think the author is trying to communicate in this passage.

This passage shows not only the zeal for Jesus Christ, but for the revealing of the good
news of Christ into the lives of others. In Acts 1:8, Jesus said to his disciples, “but you
will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Philip had just
come from Samaria where he led almost the entire city to follow Jesus Christ. In verse
30, Luke says that Philip ran to the man’s chariot and heard him reading the passage out
of Isaiah. Running was considered undignified for the Jewish man at the time, so for
Philip to run, it showed great enthusiasm! The man in this story is from Ethiopia, a place
where, more than likely, the Gospel had not yet reached. As alluded to in the observation
“why?” section, the Ethiopian is representative of a larger group of people who are
considered outsiders. “According to the geographical perspective of ancient writers,
Ethiopia was quite frequently identified as a place “down south” or one of “the ends of
the earth” that marked the boundaries of the inhabited world or the threshold to an
undiscovered world.” (Yoon, 2016). Do you think that after he heard Philip’s sermon and
was then baptized, he went back to home to share of his testimony to others in his town?
This is how the good news of Jesus is spread to the “ends of the earth”.

Another aspect of this passage is the baptism itself. The passage doesn’t mention this, but
somewhere in Philip’s preaching of the Gospel to the man, he must have spoken of
baptism through the words of Jesus in Matthew 3:11 (NIV, 2011), “I baptize you with
water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose
sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” The
Ethiopian responded fervently to this calling by, upon seeing the first water off the side of
the road, becoming baptized by Philip, demonstrating urgency and immediacy.

B. Based on your answer above, write out one principle from this passage. You should be able
to express this principle in 1-3 sentences.

The message of the Gospel can only be propagated to the ends of the earth by means of
dedicated followers of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit prompts believers to administer to
those ready to be harvested (see Matthew 9:37), as the Ethiopian clearly was. Baptism by
water is the outward expression of a new believer’s faith, and is important for believers to
be acknowledged as a member of the body of Christ.

III. Correlation

A. How does this passage from Acts fit within the metanarrative of the Bible? State that type of
story you believe this to be (creation, fall, redemption, or new creation) and explain why
you believe this to be so? Your explanation should be 1 paragraph (100-200 words) in
length.
 This story clearly fits into the Bible metanarrative as a demonstration of the power of
God in a man’s life. The story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch shows the work of the
Holy Spirit by moving through a believer and follower of Jesus Christ to preach the good
news that he has received himself to all people. From the beginnings in Genesis through
the teachings, miracles, and redemption of Jesus, the Bible points to this very verse, in
that what people receive in their hearts through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, they are
to freely share with others. Philip undoubtedly had been given an assignment to travel a
distance to share the Gospel with a foreigner, and did so with great eagerness. He yearned
to talk about the message of Jesus’ life, death, burial and resurrection to others. In the
great commission of Matthew 28:19, Jesus charges his followers to “… go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit.” (NIV, 2011). Through Philip’s evangelism, the Ethiopian man received
new life in Jesus, which shows that this story is one of new creation.

B. How does your principle from Acts 8:26-39 fit with the rest of the Scripture? This principle
is the one you have written out in 1-3 sentences in the Interpretation section. If your
principle is a true Biblical principle it will be reflected throughout the Scriptures. Where
is the principle discovered in this New Testament narrative found elsewhere in the
Scriptures? Your explanation should be 1 paragraph (100-200 words) in length.

Philip had been in Samaria “converting” ostracized Jewish communities. This passage
shows his willingness to go beyond the Jewish people to fulfill the Great Commission,
and as in Romans 1:16 which says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the
power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the
Gentile.” (NIV, 2011, emphasis me). Philip, with the prompting of the angel and Spirit of
God, is fearless in proclaiming the Gospel to this “foreigner”. Because Jesus had already
lived, died, and rose again when this passage occurred, there are really no Old Testament
Scripture talking about leading people to Jesus Christ. This story is a perfect example of a
man being ready to accept Jesus into his heart, and as mentioned before, Jesus Himself
talks about this in Matthew 3:11, “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful
but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into
his harvest field’.” (NIV, 2011). Baptism was not performed in the Old Testament as it is
in the New Testament, but many Christians believe that baptism replaced circumcision,
since circumcision was for Jews alone, not gentiles.

C. How does this passage from Acts 8:26-39 reflect the person and work of Jesus Christ?
State and explain at least one way that the principle of this passage identifies something
of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Your explanation should be 1 paragraph (100-200
words) in length.

Jesus would have been proud of Philip’s bold faith by saying yes to the angel of the Lord
and proselytizing to the Ethiopian man. He demonstrated by action the words of the Great
Commission that Jesus spoke during His forty days on earth between His death on the
cross and ascending to heaven. Jesus was adamant that His disciples spread the Gospel
throughout the world because of the transformation that having a personal relationship
 with Him would bring about. The person of Jesus is and was all about loving God and
loving our neighbors, that is what his work on earth is all about. Jesus came to earth to
show the character of God as loving and by the ultimate act of love of Jesus’ sacrifice to
reconcile sinners to Himself.

IV. Application

What points of application can be made using the Four Questions for Application? State and
explain 1 point of application for each of these four questions. Your explanation for each of
these points should be 1 paragraph (100-200 words) in length.

A. The question of duty

The implications of this passage are clear. As the authors of Everyday Bible Study
mention: “The clear dos and don’ts of the Bible not only provide a general framework
for duty, but they also address how I ought to act toward God and toward other people.”
(Cartwright & Hulshof, 2019, p. 177). This passage has inspired Christians around the
world to spread the Gospel to places and people outside of our comfortable circle of
influence. Taking a risk and stepping out in faith is what Philip did when he approached
the Ethiopian man, but it was absolutely evident that the Holy Spirit led him to success
in transforming the life of this man by coming to a knowledge of Jesus Christ. We as
Christ-followers need to embrace this tension and move away from our comfy existence
and make a difference in someone else’s life.

B. The question of character

We do not know the character of the Ethiopian man outside of this story. What we know
is that he was a eunuch, meaning his testicles were missing, he was a foreigner, and he
was a trusted servant in the queen’s service; he was like the ultimate outsider of the time.
Philip did not question any of this but looked upon the man as someone who was
desperate to know the truth about Jesus, in other words, no judgement, just obedient to
the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Philip, like Jesus, looked upon the poor in spirit with
kindness and assurance in his role as servant. Galatians 5:24-25 says, “Those who
belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we
live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” As the Spirit led Philip to the
Ethiopian, Philip “kept in step”, and by that simple act of obedience he showed his
character to be Christ-like. Following in Philip’s steps, Christians learn that by living a
life of love for others, Philippians 1:21 comes into clear view, “For to me, to live is
Christ, and to die is gain.” (NKJV, 1982).

C. The question of goals

There are differences in the ways that the modern-day American Christians are able to
help lead others to Christ than there were in the days after Jesus was resurrected. We
have the internet to disperse all our wisdom and knowledge, and social media connects
us to friends, family, and even interested strangers, whereas, in Jesus’ time, spreading
 the good news had to be done on foot or by boat. Yet, the Gospel spread like wildfire in
those days. With all the connections we have to people around the world, we, as a
whole, have not been able to reach those most in need and within easiest access as they
were able in Biblical days. This really can be accounted for by the fact that our relational
compasses need to be re-calibrated to face-to-face encounters. We are losing the
personal connectiveness that was so prevalent before the days of technology. “The
practice of doing good and working for the good of the household of faith is the kind of
goal that ought to inspire every Christian” (Cartwright & Hulshof, 2019, p. 179) is a
goal we should all practice to attain.

D. The question of discernment

Discernment is one of the many spiritual gifts that God so richly gives His children. The
apostle John wrote of this insight when he said, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit,
but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out
into the world.” (1 Jn 4:1, NKJV, 1982). The question of discernment almost always lies
with the simplest of truths, “Am I going to help others, or am I going to do what I
want?” We generally know what is the right thing to do in just about any situation, the
rub is that there are almost always complications that bring those right things into
question. For example, Christians are called to carry the Gospel message to the ends of
the earth, and for missionaries who travel to foreign lands in obedience to God’s calling,
they are often placed in dangerous situations, such as in an all Muslim community that
prohibits proselytizing to anyone. Philip did not have to wrestle with his decision to talk
with the Ethiopian, the Holy Spirit practically pushed him. For us, the choice to
approach someone with the Gospel may not be as easy.
 References

Cartwright, J., Hulshof, C. (2016), Everyday Bible Study, B&H Academic, Nashville, TN.

New International Version Bible. (2011). NIV Online. https://www.biblegateway.com/

New King James Version Bible. (1982). NKJV Online. https://www.biblegateway.com/

Yoon, J. (2016, April). A Representative Outsider and the Inclusion of the Outsider in Acts

8:26–40 (Doctoral Dissertation, Duke University).

https://dukespace.lib.duke.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/10161/12924/Yoon_divinity.duke

_0066A_10055.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y