Gospelimages is committed to share the Biblical message as widely as possible via paintings, but not for profit.
Via the webshop it is possible to purchase high quality reproductions printed on canvas (giclées) of the painting of your choice.
All royalty proceeds will be made available to GlobalRize, "reaching the world for Christ online".
www.globalrize.org You are now leaving this website.
Back to index
Download the image for free
The Eunuch from Ethiopia
Acts 8:39
and went on his way rejoicingFull bible text
Acts 8 verses 26 to 40.
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south, to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:
Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.
34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.’
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south, to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:
Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.
34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.’
About this painting
Philip, a deacon in the church of Christ, preaches the Gospel in Samaria and many come to faith in Jesus Christ. Acts 8 verse 1 to 8.
Now he is sent by an angel of the Lord to the road towards Gaza; a desert place. The city of Gaza was destroyed in 96 BC, possibly leaving this road abandoned.
He joins the chariot of a chamberlain from then Ethiopia or Cush, (present-day Nubia or Northern Sudan), an official comparable to a minister of finance. This chamberlain, a eunuch, was a proselyte, someone of non-Jewish origin who had joined Judaism. See Isaiah 60 verse 3. In Jerusalem he had bought a scroll containing the prophecy of Isaiah, and is now returning to Ethiopia. He reads Isaiah 53 verse 7 aloud. But he does not understand what he is reading. God's Word, the Bible, is the means of grace through which people are brought to faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 10:17). However, in reading it, illumination by the Holy Spirit is necessary to understand its meaning.
Philip, led by the Holy Spirit, explains that this text describes the vicarious suffering of the Messiah Jesus. He suffered and died as a guilt offering for the sins and transgressions of mankind.
Apparently Philip adds that the chamberlain can obtain reconciliation with God by believing in this promised Messiah and being baptized.
The chamberlain believes with all his heart, and as soon as he sees water along the road, he is eager to be baptized.
After being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the chamberlain goes on his way rejoicing!
This history shows that after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2), the Gospel is also taken beyond the borders of the land of Israel. Matthew 28 verse 19.
Psalm 68 verse 32: ‘Nobles shall come from Egypt;
Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.’
Psalm 87 verses 3 to 4: ’Glorious things of you are spoken,
O city of God. Selah
4 Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush—
“This one was born there,” they say.’
Zephaniah 3 verse 10:’
‘From beyond the rivers of Cush
my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones,
shall bring my offering.’
Romans 10 verses 9 to 11: ‘because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.’
Revelation 7 verse 9 ,10 : ’After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Now he is sent by an angel of the Lord to the road towards Gaza; a desert place. The city of Gaza was destroyed in 96 BC, possibly leaving this road abandoned.
He joins the chariot of a chamberlain from then Ethiopia or Cush, (present-day Nubia or Northern Sudan), an official comparable to a minister of finance. This chamberlain, a eunuch, was a proselyte, someone of non-Jewish origin who had joined Judaism. See Isaiah 60 verse 3. In Jerusalem he had bought a scroll containing the prophecy of Isaiah, and is now returning to Ethiopia. He reads Isaiah 53 verse 7 aloud. But he does not understand what he is reading. God's Word, the Bible, is the means of grace through which people are brought to faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 10:17). However, in reading it, illumination by the Holy Spirit is necessary to understand its meaning.
Philip, led by the Holy Spirit, explains that this text describes the vicarious suffering of the Messiah Jesus. He suffered and died as a guilt offering for the sins and transgressions of mankind.
Apparently Philip adds that the chamberlain can obtain reconciliation with God by believing in this promised Messiah and being baptized.
The chamberlain believes with all his heart, and as soon as he sees water along the road, he is eager to be baptized.
After being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the chamberlain goes on his way rejoicing!
This history shows that after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2), the Gospel is also taken beyond the borders of the land of Israel. Matthew 28 verse 19.
Psalm 68 verse 32: ‘Nobles shall come from Egypt;
Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.’
Psalm 87 verses 3 to 4: ’Glorious things of you are spoken,
O city of God. Selah
4 Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush—
“This one was born there,” they say.’
Zephaniah 3 verse 10:’
‘From beyond the rivers of Cush
my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones,
shall bring my offering.’
Romans 10 verses 9 to 11: ‘because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.’
Revelation 7 verse 9 ,10 : ’After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”