Acts 8:29

Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. THEN THE SPIRIT SAID UNTO PHILIP - by an unmistakable voice within, as in ; Acts 16:6, GO NEAR, AND JOIN THYSELF TO THIS CHARIOT. This would reveal to Philip the hitherto unknown object of his journey, and encourage him to expect some fruit of his interview with this stranger....

26-40 Philip was directed to go to a desert. Sometimes God opens a door of opportunity to his ministers in very unlikely places. We should study to do good to those we come into company with by travelling. We should not be so shy of all strangers as some affect to be. As to those of whom we know nothing else, we know this, that they have souls. It is wisdom for men of business to redeem time for holy duties; to fill up every minute with something which will turn to a good account. In reading the word of God, we should often pause, to inquire of whom and of what the sacred writers spake; but especially our thoughts should be employed about the Redeemer. The Ethiopian was convinced by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, of the exact fulfilment of the Scripture, was made to understand the nature of the Messiah's kingdom and salvation, and desired to be numbered among the disciples of Christ....

Verse 29. _THEN THE SPIRIT SAID UNTO PHILIP_] This holy man having obeyed the first direction he received from God, and gone southward without knowing the reason why, it was requisite that he should now be informed of the object of his mission: the _Spirit_ _said unto_ him, _go near, and join thyself_, c. The angel who had given him the first direction had departed and the influence of the Holy Spirit now completed the information. It is likely that what the Spirit did in this case was by a strong impression on his mind, which left him no doubt of its being from God....

THE SPIRIT - See the notes on Acts 8:26. The Holy Spirit is evidently intended here. The thought in Philip’s mind is here traced to his suggestion. All good thoughts and designs have the same origin. JOIN THYSELF - Join him in his chariot. Go and sit with him....

EXPOSITION ACTS 8:1 _There arose on that day _for _at that time there was, _A.V._; in _for _at, _A.V. SAUL WAS CONSENTING TO HIS DEATH. St. Paul's repeated reference to this sad episode in his life is very touching (see Acts 22:2,; 1 Corinthians 15:9; 1 Timothy 1:13). (For the word συνευδοκεῖν_, _to consent, see Acts 22:20; Luke 11:48; Rom 1:32;...

THEN THE SPIRIT SAID UNTO PHILIP,.... Not the angel, a ministering Spirit, as in Acts 8:26 but the Holy Spirit, as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions read, the same with the Spirit of the Lord, Acts 8:39 who spoke unto him, either by an articulative voice, such as was the Bath Kol among the Jews; or inwardly, by a secret impulse upon him, he directed him, saying: GO NEAR, AND JOIN THYSELF TO THIS CHARIOT; he bid him make up to the chariot, he saw driving on the road at such a distance, and follow it, and attend it closely; and not leave it, till an opportunity of conversing with the person in it offered....

Stephen had been stoned to death; but with his latest breath he prayed for his murderers. Then this chapter begins: Acts 8:1. _And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles._ Saul, having tasted blood in the murder of Stephen, became more and more furious in his persecution of the Church of Christ at Jerusalem, and the brethren had to escape for their lives. They all did so, except the apostles, who were specially cared for by divine providence. Acts 8:2. _And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentations over him._ As well they might, for his death was a serious loss

PART II The Witness to Samaria. Saul's Conversion and Peter's Witness in Caesarea. Chapter s 8-12 CHAPTER 8 _ 1. The first great persecution (Acts 8:1)._ 2. The preaching of the scattered believers. Philip in Samaria (Acts 8:4). 3. Events in Samaria (Acts 8:9). 4. The Gospel in many villages of Samaria (Acts 8:25). 5. Philip and the Eunuch (Acts 8:26). The final testimony to the rulers of the people had been given. It was rejected, and the Spirit filled messenger killed. The last offer had therefore been completely rejected

PHILIP AND THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH. Philip appears again; we are not told where, but the instruction given him by the angel shows that he was not at Jerusalem; he is to go southward (_mg._ at noon; not suitable for a long journey) to the Jerusalem-Gaza road. That the road was forsaken _was in its favour in this_ instance. Arrived at the junction of the two roads, from Tyre and from Jerusalem, Philip sees a chariot; it contains an Ethiopian eunuch, the treasurer at an African court under Candace (a dynastic title rather than a name). He is returning home from Jerusalem, where he had gone to worship; whether he was a Jew or a proselyte we are not told. An angel suggested Philip's journey; the Spirit now bids him approach the chariot. He hears the eunuch reading aloud from Isaiah words which have recently received a _new_ interpretation among followers of Jesus. The eunuch is a modest man; he...

THE FIRST OF THE MARTYRS (Acts 7:54-60 ; Acts 8:1) 8:1 As they listened to this their very hearts were torn with vexation and they gnashed their teeth at him. But he was full of the Holy Spirit and he gazed steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at God's right hand. So he said, "Look now, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at God's right hand." They shouted with a great shout and held their ears and launched themselves at him in a body. They flung him outside the city and began to stone him. And the witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man called Saul. So they stoned Stephen as he called upon God and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Kneeling down he cried with a loud voice, "Lord, set not this sin to their charge." And when he h