A.T. Robertson Commentary Acts 8:27

A.T. Robertson Commentary

Acts 8:27

1863–1934
Southern Baptist
A.T. Robertson
A.T. Robertson

A.T. Robertson Commentary

Acts 8:27

1863–1934
Southern Baptist
SCRIPTURE

"And he arose and went: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship;" — Acts 8:27 (ASV)

A eunuch of great authority (ευνουχος δυναστης). Eunuchs were often employed by oriental rulers in high posts. Dynasty comes from this old word δυναστης used of princes in Lu 1:52 and of God in 1 Timothy 6:15. Eunuchs were not allowed to be Jews in the full sense (Deuteronomy 23:1), but only proselytes of the gate. But Christianity is spreading to Samaritans and to eunuchs.

Candace (Κανδακης). Not a personal name, but like Pharaoh and Ptolemy, the title of the queens of Ethiopia. This eunuch apparently brought the gospel to Ethiopia.

Treasure (γαζης). Persian word, common in late Greek and Latin for the royal treasure, here only in the N.T.

For to worship (προσκυνησων). Future active participle expressing purpose, a common idiom in the ancient Greek, but rare in the N.T. (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1128).