Bishop Steven led a series of Bible studies on three conversions in the book of Acts at the 2025 Clergy Conference. The first study looks at the Ethiopian Eunuch and Philip the Deacon in Acts 8.26-40.
The Ethiopian Eunuch and Philip the Deacon
I want to offer three Bible readings at the centre of our conference on the theme of what it means to be chosen, called and commissioned. The passages are three stories of conversion from the Book of Acts, in Acts 8, 9 and 10.
I’ve been a long time student of the Acts but have never previously noticed the similarities and differences between these three conversion narratives. In Acts 1-7, we have had summaries of thousands of conversions and miracles but no individual stories, apart from the lame man at the Beautiful Gate. But now Luke gives us three such accounts in great detail in consecutive chapters, weaving together lessons on mission and ministry.
The first is the story of the Ethiopian in his chariot but also of Philip the Evangelist and deacon. The second is the story of Saul on the Damascus Road and also of Ananias, who is only known from this story. The third is the story of Cornelius, the Roman centurion, and also of Peter the Apostle. Each narrative ends deliberately in baptism.
The Ethiopian eunuch is converted on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza, travelling south at the beginning of his return to Africa in Acts 8. Saul is converted on the road to Damascus, travelling north in Acts 9. Cornelius is converted at his home in Caesarea on the west coast in Acts 10. We cannot help but remember what is happening in these places today as we pray for lasting peace; as we call for a cease fire and humanitarian relief and hostages to be freed; as we pray for the tensions in our own community caused by conflicts in these same places.
Stories of God at work
The stories are told deliberately by Luke, in detail, one after another. The Ethiopian is African and a senior treasury official, and a eunuch, an outsider. Saul is a Jewish Rabbi, and, we know, single. Cornelius is a European, a senior officer in the occupying Roman army, and has a large household and family who feature in the story. All kinds of people.
The powerful message of Acts 8,9 and 10 is that the Christian gospel cannot be contained. Already, and despite the barriers, the suffering and the persecution the gospel is beginning to break out beyond Jerusalem and Judea in all directions. Already the gospel is crossing the barriers of race and culture and sexuality and gender to create a single new humanity.
The Holy Spirit is active in each story of conversion as we shall see. These are stories of God at work before they are accounts of human ministry. Each conversion turns on a different part of the Christian faith: the Ethiopian is reading about the death of Jesus. Saul encounters the resurrection of Jesus in glory. Cornelius meets a new Pentecost, the gift of the Spirit. But in each God is at work in the depths of the human heart to transform utterly each life. They will never be the same again.
And each story is a powerful reminder of the importance of conversion in the life of the Church. The Church grows and has always grown as women and men discover the living Christ in the power of the Spirit and our lives are turned around. The stories remind us that God is at work in the lives of all kinds of people: of different races, cultures, occupations and places in society – race, and gender, disability and sexuality, are not barriers to faith or sharing fully in the life of God’s church.
Our parts to play
The stories remind us of the part we have to play as ministers: to draw alongside those who are seeking faith as Philip does and explain the scriptures. To receive and welcome new Christians to baptism as Ananias does even though they may confound our expectations. To cross all kinds of boundaries to different communities as Peter does in going to the occupying enemy, Cornelius, to offer the message of the gospel.
I’ve had these passages in mind for this conference for about a year and have lived with them through that time. They may seem a strange choice. There are not many Ethiopian eunuchs passing through the Cotswolds on chariots. There are not many murderous Rabbis in Slough seeking to imprison Christians. There are very few Roman centurions in Milton Keynes.
But, but, but.
There are women and men coming to faith all across our diocese, as we know. We are seeing the beginnings of a movement of the Spirit in this moment in time, I think, perhaps a turning of the tide. After a long desert time, we are growing used again to the language of conversions to Christian faith.
We will need to become familiar with this work of the Spirit again, with its vocabulary and syntax and we will need to understand and play our part – which is where these stories from Acts can help us and teach us.
As most of you will know, I will reach the age of 68 in a few weeks’ time. This will be my final clergy conference in this role. In focussing on these conversion stories, I am intentionally wanting to prepare the diocese for a future in which conversion to Christian faith is normal and frequent. We need to relearn the ministerial skills to support young people and adults of all ages in rediscovering faith.
Get up and go
Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Get up and go towards the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’
Those words ‘get up and go’ occur in each of our three stories. We will return to them. Luke then has a little word of explanation to his readers: This is a wilderness road. It’s not the most promising place to be sent to do the work of a deacon and evangelist. There are no crowds here as there have been in Jerusalem and Samaria. This is an unlikely place for a divine appointment. There will not be hundreds of conversions to report.
The wilderness road
Let’s just pause there and reflect for a moment on how you are feeling about where God has called you. It may be that you feel you are in the back of beyond, the wilderness road, the place God has forgotten to visit recently. Perhaps you are not sure exactly why you are there. Perhaps the reason you were sent has not yet become clear. The story demonstrates that God is very much at home on desert roads, places that are no place, in liminal spaces.
Philip is called here for one meeting and one purpose. Amidst all the barrier breaking in this conversation Luke is stressing the vital importance of ministry with individuals rather than crowds here. The church is built, the kingdom is built, one person at a time. So Philip got up and went.
Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury.
The Ethiopian is a paradox. He is identified first by his race, then by his gender and cruel disfigurement, his disability, and then by his role and status. On the Gaza road he is the outsider. He is travelling in the wrong direction, just like the disciples on the Emmaus Road. He is our first reminder that the Spirit is at work beyond the boundaries of the church, beyond what we can see, in the lives of the most unlikely people.
He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home. There is a paradox in the long pilgrimage he has made. He would not have been allowed into the Temple at Jerusalem because of his race and his disfigurement despite his role and status. His very experience of exclusion is at the heart of his conversion.
Seated in his chariot he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
The norm in the ancient world is to read aloud not internally. Note the Ethiopian is literate and he knows Hebrew and most probably Aramaic. He is wealthy enough to have his own copy of the scroll. This is a deeply intelligent seeker of God.
Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go over to this chariot and join it.
Philip is told quite literally to catch up with what God is doing. Perhaps there is a word for you there today and for me.
So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah.
Note Philip is asked to run in the wrong direction at least for a time. He asked – no doubt somewhat out of breath – Do you understand what you are reading? He replied, How can I, unless someone guides me. Scripture needs interpretation. Those in whom the Spirit is working need ministers and guides. That is the heart of the role of the deacon then as now: to reach into the forgotten corners of the world so that the love of God may be made visible.
He invited Philip to sit beside him. Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:
Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.
Alienation from the people of God
The Ethiopian’s starting point is humiliation, suffering and alienation from the people of God. This is not surprising given his experience of journeying thousands of miles to the Temple yet finding he is still an outcast, still not good enough and never can be. The Ethiopian’s starting point is death – the slaughter of the silent and of the innocent. Perhaps whilst in Jerusalem he has heard rumours of Jesus and what has happened.
Will we tell it?
Then Philip began to speak and starting with this scripture he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus.
The phrase deliberately echoes Jesus on the Emmaus Road. Philip is giving the same sermon: we are called to proclaim as Christians not only Jesus the good, wise, compassionate teacher, or the glorious risen Lord, but Christ who was broken on the cross for the sins of the whole world; Christ who was cast out from his people, betrayed, arrested, tortured and killed.
Christ whose death is the reason for radical new inclusion; the reason an Ethiopian eunuch and all of us can be reconciled to God in Christ. Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. The message of the cross hard to hear and to deliver but is a message the whole world needs to hear afresh. Will we tell it?
The jigsaw pieces fall into place through Philip’s words.
As they were going along the road they came to some water and the eunuch said: Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptised?
This longing for reconciliation to God, for incorporation into God’s family cannot wait a moment longer.
I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God
You may see in your bibles the marginal note from the alternative reading of Acts known as the Western Text. It seems as though even very early commentators thought Philip was being too gracious, too hasty in baptism here and so they add an early question from a catechism:
And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart you may. And he replied, I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
The early Church is wrestling with when is the right time to be baptised just as we will.
He commanded the chariot to stop and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water and Philip baptised him.
The result is pure joy. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more and went on his way rejoicing. The single Ethiopian then provides the founding narrative for the Coptic Church of Ethiopia which exists to this day. The barren is made fruitful.
The Holy Spirit is at work even in the wilderness. Even on the Gaza road. Especially among those who feel shut out and excluded.
This is another part of Isaiah’s testimony just a few pages on from the passage read in the chariot:
“And do not let the eunuch say I am just a dry tree. For thus says the Lord to the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.” (Isaiah 56.3-5).
And what of our ministry? What can we learn from Philip? A deacon, one of the seven.
Philip goes where he is called by the Spirit, even into the wilderness. Philip listens before he speaks; he runs alongside before he invites. Philip offers guidance and interpretation to the perplexed. He is unafraid of suffering or the cross. When the Ethiopian asks for baptism Philip goes down with him into the water: he recognises the work of the Spirit.
This is our calling sisters and brothers as deacons and ministers. By the grace of God we are chosen, called and commissioned: to be alert to the signs of God’s grace in the world and to be alongside, sometimes to run and to respond to the miracle of God’s grace in human lives.
Amen.
