He’d made a journey of over one thousand miles in a chariot. One thousand hot, dusty miles. He was an Ethiopian who had converted to Judaism and made the trip from his homeland to Jerusalem to worship. He had traveled all the way to Jerusalem to visit the temple. And he when he got there, he couldn’t get in.
You see, this man was a eunuch. He had been castrated. According to the Law given to Moses, no man in that condition could enter the temple. One thousand miles, to be told “No” at the door. Maybe he knew that. Maybe he had accepted his fate before going, being willing to just gaze on God’s temple from the outside. We don’t know. Still, it had to be more than a bit frustrating.
Now he’s reading in the book of Isaiah as he travels back home. That in itself is amazing, giving the scarcity of books in ancient times. He must have paid a good bit of money to have his own personal copy of a portion of Scripture. Maybe someone had recommended Isaiah to him; Isaiah 56 had to be a favorite among eunuchs, where we read these verses: “For this is what the LORD says: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant— to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.” (Isaiah 56:4-5) Someday, they would have a place within the temple.
But this eunuch wasn’t reading that chapter. He was reading chapter 53—“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken.” (Isaiah 53:7-8) Such words would have spoken to him, especially after his trip to Jerusalem: oppressed, afflicted, without descendants. The words intrigued him. When Philip appeared alongside and asked him if he understood what he was reading, the eunuch readily admitted that he didn’t.
Philip explained the passage to him, explained the good news of Jesus. Somewhere in that good news, Philip mentioned baptism. Baptism. New birth. A new start. A new life. But the eunuch knew what was coming, so he asked the question: “Here’s water. What hinders me from being baptized?” Go ahead, Philip. Tell me the bad news. I’ve already faced it at the temple. I’ve faced it for years. Tell me what it is this time. I already know. This good news isn’t for eunuchs. What hinders me? My mutilated body. Or my nationality. Or… what is it this time?
Maybe the answer went unspoken. Maybe Philip shouted with joy, “Nothing! Nothing at all.” Maybe the eunuch could see it in Philip’s grin or the look in his eyes. Maybe the tradition that the King James quotes is actually true. Whatever it was, the eunuch learned that there was no hindrance this time, no barrier, no “No Eunuchs Allowed” sign. His path was clear, clear to the water, clear to new birth and new life, to the cleansing Jesus offers. “What hinders me?” Absolutely nothing.
I can’t help but think of the words from the beautiful old hymn: “My path to life is free.” Amen! What hinders me? Nothing. Nothing at all.
Tim,
Thanks for a different and interesting angle on that bit of scipture. I hadn’t thought about from the Ehiopian’s point of view. A question: Who are today’s Ethiopians? That is, are there any who are being barred from the temple by the religious bosses? And who are the bosses?
Tim, this story is a sad reference on the history of religion, where this man confronted this make believe sigh, “No Eunuchs Allowed” but not nearly as sad as much more recent times when we could drive through the south, and a whole human race was turned away from a place of worship, by a physical sigh which read “N***ers are not welcome” And yes when I was a kid I saw just such signs posted in front of the “White church of Christ” The question we need to confront today is “Do people who have a darker skin feel welcome ” I don’t believe they do. as long as racism exists in the church, unity is a laugh. I know the word I used has no place in the English language, but that is the word used on the sign.
[Laymond, I hope you don’t mind if I starred that out. Your point is a good one, and I don’t want anyone to miss your point because of one word… Tim]
The good news, in response to both of these posts, is that Jesus creates no hindrances, no barriers.
The bad news is his followers don’t always follow his lead.
Grace and peace,
Tim
I bet the eunuch wanted to be baptized because Jesus was baptized. He wanted to be immersed into the kingdom of Jesus.
Luke says nothing about the “why” of the eunuch’s baptism. You may be right about the motivation.
“He was an Ethiopian who had converted to Judaism and made the trip from his homeland to Jerusalem to worship.”
Did you know? according to Jewish history, the Ethiopian had to have already been baptized.( if he were truly converted) because you were baptized into Judaism. (he may not have been a true conversion) I don’t recall the exact time of this story, but if it happened before Jesus death, he could not have been baptized into Christ.
(Nick your guess or bet, is as good as mine as to why he had to be baptized.)
I was speaking to an early Jewish tradition scholar, and asked the question “why were so many people being baptized by John” simply put he said because of what John was preaching, Jesus had only come to save, repentant Jews. Some were being baptized into Judaism, and all were being baptized into repentance.
Oh by the way, baptism has been used to show conviction, long before Jesus.
I had totally “forgotten” about that passage in Isaiah 56.
Thanks.
I do read everyday… just don’t comment much any more.
Except to bother Lisa. Gave some great makeup tips just this week. :)
Thanks Don. Hope you’re well.
It is very unlikely that anyone would have baptized a eunuch into Judaism, laymond.
Eunuchs are cut off from the community – period. You can’t get in; you can’t get out.
Like Samaritans, eunuchs had lost the image of God. They were not human. That’s part of why Philip is the evangelist God chooses to share the gospel with the eunuch — he’s already shared it with one group of people the Jews considered subhuman.