Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJames Hastings Dictionary of the NT: Ethiopian Eunuch
Subjects in this Topic:
Philip the Deacon’s convert (Act_8:27 ff.) is described as Áἰèßïø åὐíïῦ÷ïò äõíÜóôçò ÊáíäÜêçò âáóéëßóóçò Áἰèéüðùí , ὅò ἧí ἐðὶ ðÜóçò ôῆò ãÜæçò áὐôῆò . Áἰèßïø has been briefly discussed above, åὐíïῦ÷ïò implies that he was one of the Court officials and perhaps subject to the physical disability which the name ordinarily implies, but not ‘chamberlain’ in the strict sense of the term, as he ‘was in charge of all her treasure’ (see Candace), Becker (Charicles, Eng. translation , 1895, p. 365) notes that eunuchs were prized for their reputed fidelity ( ðáñὰ ôïῖóé âáñâÜñïéóé [Herod. viii. 105]), and hence were employed as treasurers ( ἐðéåéêῶò ãὰñ åἰþèåóáí åὐíïý÷ïõò ἔ÷åéí ãáæïöýëáêáò [Plutarch, Demetr. 25]). äõíÜóôçò suggests that he possessed unusual power and influence at Court; the word is not found in a similar connexion elsewhere in the NT (it is used of God in 1Ti_6:15 and of kings in Luk_1:52), but we have two good instances in Xenophon (Anab. i. ii. § 20: ôῶí ὑðÜñ÷ùí ôéíá äõíÜóôçí , and Cyrop. iv. v. § 40; ôïῦ âáóéëÝùò êáὶ ἅëëùí äõíáóôῶí ; cf. Herod. ii. 32 and Plato, Rep. 473). There are no means hitherto available for identifying this personage who so early in the history of the Church was admitted to her fold by holy baptism* [Note: The formula of faith contained in v. 37 is not found in the oldest MSS, but cannot be later than the 2nd cent., as it is quoted by Irenaeus (Hœr. iii. xii. 8).] from the Gentile world; but the fact that he was returning front worship at Jerusalem, and was reading Isa_53:7-8 in the Septuagint version, which here differs somewhat from the Hebrew text, shows that he was acquainted with the Greek language and had been drawn to the religion of the Jews, although he was not very deeply versed in the Scriptures (v. 34). He was not actually a proselyte, and in any case his physical condition probably disqualified him.
C. L. Feltoe.