The life and work of St. Paul

THE SAMARITANS THE EUNUCH THE CENTURION. 147
countered the retinue of a wealthy Ethiopian eunuch, who held the high
position of treasurer to the Kandake of Meroe.1 There seems to be some
reason for believing that this region had been to a certain extent converted to
Judaism by Jews who penetrated into it from Egypt in the days of
Psammetiehus, whose descendants still exist under the name of Fal&syan. 8
The eunuch, in pious fulfilment of the duties of a Proselyte of the Gate and
his very condition rendered more than this impossible had gone up to
Jerusalem to worship, and not improbably to be present at one of the great
yearly festivals. As he rode in his chariot at the head of his retinue he
occupied his time, in accordance with the rules of the Rabbis, in studying the
Scriptures, and he happened at the moment to be reading aloud in the LXX.
version 3 the prophecy of Isaiah, " Ho was led as a sheep to slaughter, and as
a lamb before his shearer is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. In his
humiliation his judgment was taken away, and his generation who shall
declare? for his life is being taken from the earth."* Philip asked him
whether he understood what he was reading P The eunuch confessed that it
was all dark to him, and after having courteously invited Philip to take a seat
in his chariot, asked who it was to whom the prophet was referring. Philip
was thus enabled to unfold the Christian interpretation of the great scheme
of prophecy, and so completely did he command the assent of his listener,
that on their reaching a spring of water possibly that at Bethsoron, not far
from Hebron 6
the eunuch asked to be baptised. The request was addressed
to a large-hearted Hellenist, and was instantly granted, though there were
reasons which might have made a James or a Simon hesitate. But in spite
6
of the prohibition of Deuteronomy, Philip saw that the Christian Church was
to be an infinitely wider and more spiritual communion than that which had
been formed by the Mosaic ritual. Recalling, perhaps, the magnificent
prediction of Isaiah, 7 which seemed to rise above the Levitical prohibition
recalling, perhaps, also some of the tender words and promises of his Master,
Christ he instantly stepped down with the eunuch into the water. Without
any recorded confession of creed or faith for that which is introduced into
Acts viii. 37 is
8 one of the early instances of interpolation he administered
1 The title of the Queen of Meroe (Pliny, H.N. vi. 35 ; Dion Cass. liv. 5). (For the
" "
treasure of Ethiopia see Isa. xlv. 14). Ethiopian tradition gives the eunuch the name
of Indich. On the relation of the Jews with Ethiopia see Zeph. iii. 10 ; Ps. Ixviii. 81 ; and
for another faithful Ethiopian eunuch, also a "king's servant" (Ebed-melech), Jer.
xxxviii. 7 ; xxxix. 16.
2
Kenan, Les Apdtret, p. 158.
3 Isa. liii. 7, 8. The quotation in Acts viii. 33 is from the LXX. We might have
supposed that the eunuch was reading the ancient Ethiopio version founded on the LXX.;
but in that case Philip would not have understood him.
4 This passage differs in several respects from our Hebrew text.
8 Josh. xv. 58 ; Neh. iii. 16 ; Jer. Ep. ciii. The spring is called Ain edh-Dhirweh.
But Dr. Robinson fixes the site near Tell el-Hasy (Bibl. Res. ii. 641). The tradition which
fixes it at Ain Haniyeh, near Jerusalem, is much later.
6 Deut. xxiii. 1. As for the nationality of the Ethiopian it must be borne in mind
that even Moses himself had onoe married an Ethiopian wife (Numb. xii. 1).
7 Isa. Ivi. 3. 8.
* It is not found In M, A, B, 0, G, H, and the phrase rbv 'ITJO-OUF Xprr&> k unknown to