Originally posted by boonon
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. (Acts of the Apostles 8:39 NLT)
After Phillip baptized the eunuch from Ethiopia we are told he is immediately snatched up by the Spirit of The Lord and taken away.
Do any fellow believers have any thoughts on:
...[text shortened]...
These two questions stuck with me last night after I had finished reading chapter 8.
Thanks
"In this brief account we are told that Philip left the Ethiopian suddenly after the baptism at the direction of the Holy Spirit. There is no clear evidence in the text that any other miracle was involved and such a miracle is not necessary to explain what happened. For example, Philip could have been shown that he had to leave the Ethiopian immediately and then travelled by the normal means of transport to Azotus. After all, that’s what happened when Paul was directed by the Holy Spirit to travel to Macedonia instead of to Asia and Bithynia (Acts 16:6-10). In Paul’s case, they “got ready at once to leave for Macedonia”. Philip’s sudden departure meant that the Ethiopian was unable to thank or reward Philip for his help.
Instead of being occupied with the person God used to assist in his conversion, he was occupied with Christ as “he went on his way rejoicing”, which is much more important than Philip’s mode of travel." Written, June 2012.
http://georgesjournal.net/2012/06/29/was-philip-transported-miraculously-after-the-ethiopian-was-baptised/
"1: why was Phillip taken immediately away and brought north to the town of Azotus ( I believe it was roughly 30 miles from where he and the eunuch were)
[boonon, it would appear there was an immediate and urgent need in Azotus which the Holy Spirit made known to Phillip.]
2: why was it important for this to be in scripture for us to see?" -boonon
[Great question. To remind us that God's Omniscience was aware of the logistical details of Phillip' witnessing opportunities as well as ours; also to memorialize the Ethiopian's joy of salvation and preoccupation with the work and person of Christ.]
Edit: Barnes' Notes on Acts 8:39: "When Philip had baptized the eunuch, the Spirit of God showed him that it was not the will of God that he should accompany the eunuch to Meroe, but, on the contrary, that he should hasten away to Ashdod; as God had in that, and the neighboring places, work sufficient to employ him in." http://www.godvine.com/bible/acts/8-39