The Ethiopian Eunuch And Cornelius

by R.C. Jones, Aberkenfig, South Wales | Category: Lives As Lessons | Jul 1996

For the two characters in our study this month we need to look at the scriptures: Acts 8:26-39; Acts 10:1-48 and Acts 11:1-18. The two men are introduced to us in chapters in the Acts which are quite near to each other, but there are many differences between them and the treatment which each one received as guided by the Holy Spirit.

Both men had worthy predecessors in the Scriptures. The Ethiopian Eunuch was like his fellow-countryman, Ebedmelech, who trusted the Lord and was given assurance of the Lord's salvation (Jer. 39:18). Two other Roman centurions of the same profession as Cornelius are mentioned in the Gospels. Jesus said about one of them that He had not found such 'great faith, no, not in Israel' (Luke 7:9), and the other, witnessing the crucifixion testified: 'Truly this was the Son of God' (Mat. 27:54).

THE EUNUCH:

In Acts 8 we find that Philip (called the evangelist to distinguish him from Philip the apostle) had been very active in the work among the Samaritans, of whom many had been converted. Then suddenly the Holy Spirit, in His wisdom, took Philip away from a centre of great activity to speak to a single individual. There on the road leading away from Jerusalem to Gaza (often a place of bitter strife these days) was a man with spiritual desires unfulfilled. He had been to the city where God's house stood, but forsaken now because the people had rejected His chosen One. It would seem that the Ethiopian was a man who knew the God of Israel. He might have been a proselyte. He had procured, maybe at great expense, a scroll of the Old Testament containing the prophet Isaiah, and he must have been searching earnestly for the ways of the Lord as he rode back south to his homeland. He had possibly read the greater part of the book of Isaiah when Philip arrived to find him reading (most probably aloud) the passage which we refer to as Isaiah 53. Starting with this scripture, Philip was able to speak to him about Jesus. As a matter of fact the very way in which the inquiry from the eunuch came -'Of whom speaketh the prophet this?' - suggests that he was well versed in the Jewish religion, and that he had some experience of the prophetic writings.

The eunuch's conversion seemed to take place quietly while the evangelist proceeded with 'preaching Jesus', as the Revised Version puts it. The effect of this preaching and the work of God's Spirit combined to bring home to this man his need of the Saviour, and he accepted Him. Philip must have covered in his preaching the facts about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus as part of the explanation of the Old Testament prophecies. He must also have stressed the Lordship of Christ which involved submission to His command to be baptized. That was obviously the next step for the eunuch. The story makes absolutely clear that the method of baptism was immersion, for they both went down into the water. After this Philip was caught away, but the eunuch now had the Spirit of God within him, and so he could go on his way rejoicing.

CORNELIUS:

The record in Acts 10 of Peter's experience is a great step forward in the history of the gospel. Such was its importance that God came in with a confirming vision to Peter to ensure that he realized that the Lord was calling them to go forward with the gospel to the Gentiles. For Jewish believers it was going to be hard, because they, like Jews in general, had always regarded the Gentiles as unclean. From Peter's reaction to the sheet let down with all kinds of unclean animals and insects on it, we realize that he was as much entrenched in his attitude to eating forbidden meats as the rest of the Jews, even though Mark's Gospel makes it clear that the Lord Jesus had revoked the commandments about unclean meats (Mark 7:19). Peter's answer to the Voice saying: 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat', was: 'Not so, Lord'. His words were self-contradictory. One who is Lord should have complete control, so it is not appropriate to contradict His word. On two former occasions, Peter had been shown to be 'wrong when he refused the Lord. The first is in Matthew 16:22, where he said, 'Be it far from Thee Lord', after the Master had spoken of His death. The second was when the Lord was about to wash his feet: 'Thou shalt never wash my feet' (John 13:8). We might say, 'Will he never learn?' But we should be careful because we ourselves are prone to question rather than obey.

Peter was staying in Joppa. It is interesting to notice that Joppa featured in the story of Jonah when he ran away from the Lord, but ultimately returned to serve Him and to bring about the repentance of the great city of Nineveh with its huge Gentile population. Salvation had come to Gentiles even in Old Testament times. It was God's will that all nations should fear Him and put their trust in Him to be saved. Peter had been entrusted with the responsibility of preaching the gospel on the very first occasion. That was to the Jews in Acts

2. Now in Acts 10 he is the one charged with preaching the gospel for the first time to the Gentiles.

Cornelius was a Roman centurion with a very difficult job to perform. The armies of Rome were ruthless in their treatment of those whom they conquered, and Cornelius might often have had to carry out some cruel duties on behalf of Caesar. For all that, he was a devout man and one who feared God, gave alms to the poor and was constantly in prayer. The men who went to call Peter testified of him that he was a righteous man who feared God and was well reported of by the Jews. Like the centurion of Luke chapter 7 he was a worthy man, but he could not get to heaven by his own works, he needed the salvation which is in Christ Jesus.

In contrast with the method which Philip used to preach the gospel to the eunuch where he could refer to Old Testament Scriptures, Peter must handle this case differently. Cornelius probably had limited understanding of the Scriptures, and so Peter emphasized rather the history of Jesus. Verse 37 shows that this was familiar to his hearers. Luke summarizes Peter's message in a few sentences, with brief reference to the crucifixion, but greater emphasis on the resurrection and the Lord's appearings. Then follows the challenging declaration that the Lord Jesus is ordained of God to be the Judge of the living and the dead.

So ready were Cornelius and the assembled company to hear the Lord's words that they believed as Peter was speaking to them. It happened so rapidly that the believers who had accompanied Peter were amazed. This was different from the way that things had happened with the Jews in Acts 2 and with the Samaritans in Acts 8. Whilst the Romans had been involved with the crucifixion of the Lord they

were not counted as guilty of His blood. The Jews to whom He had been promised and who saw so many mighty works being performed were the guilty ones. There was therefore no necessity for Peter to expect repentance for the rejection of the Lord by Cornelius and his friends and so the Holy Spirit was given immediately on believing. Judging from the teaching of 1 Corinthians 12:13, Ephesians 1:13 and Galatians 3:2 it is clear that this is the rule rather than the exception; and when a person believes upon the Lord Jesus today he receives the Holy Spirit immediately.

When the brethren in Jerusalem heard about Peter's visit to Cornelius, their reaction was similar to that of Peter. They could not accept his mingling socially with the Gentiles, particularly the hated Romans. However, the Lord had made things so very clear to Peter that they could not but be convinced by his explanation, particularly the question: 'Who was I, that I could withstand God?' (Acts 11:17). The door of the gospel was now wide open to the whole world and they were right to glorify God. The Lord's words 'Ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth' were now possible of fulfilment. The last hurdle - the opposition of the Jewish believers - had been cleared; although there were some vestiges of it to remain for many years to come.

R.C. Jones, Aberkenfig, South Wales | Jul 1996
Lives As Lessons