John Calvin Commentary Acts 8:26

"But an angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza: the same is desert." — Acts 8:26 (ASV)

And the angel. Luke passes over to a new history, namely, how the gospel came even to the Ethiopians. For though he reports that only one man was converted to the faith of Christ, yet because his authority and power were great in all the realm, his faith might spread a sweet fragrance far and wide.

For we know that the gospel grew from small beginnings; and in this, the power of the Spirit appeared more clearly, in that one grain of seed filled a whole country in a short time. Philip is first commanded by the angel to go toward the south; the angel does not tell him for what purpose.

And this is how God often deals with His own, to test their obedience. He shows what He wants them to do; He commands them to do this or that, but He keeps the outcome hidden to Himself. Therefore, let us be content with the commandment of God alone, even if the reason for what He commands, or the fruit of obedience, does not appear immediately.

For although this is not plainly expressed, yet all the commandments of God contain a hidden promise, that whenever we obey Him, all that work which we undertake must necessarily turn out well.

Moreover, this ought to be sufficient for us: that God approves of our endeavors when we undertake nothing rashly or without His commandment.

If anyone objects that angels do not come down daily from heaven to reveal to us what we should do, the answer is ready: we are sufficiently taught in the Word of God what we should do, and those who ask it of Him and submit themselves to the governance of the Spirit are never without counsel.

Therefore, nothing hinders or keeps us back from being ready to follow God, except our own slothfulness and coldness in prayer.

To the way which goeth down to Gaza. All scholars agree that what is called Gaza here is what the Hebrews call Haza. Therefore, Pomponius Mela is mistaken, who says that Cambyses, king of Persia, called that city by this name because when he made war against the Egyptians, he had his riches stored there.

It is true, indeed, that the Persians call treasure or plenty, Gaza; and Luke uses this word shortly after in this sense, when he says that the eunuch was the chief steward of the treasure of Candace. But because that Hebrew word was used before Cambyses was born, I believe it was corrupted afterwards, the letter ה (heth) being changed into g, a change we see was made in almost all others.

The epithet "desert" is added because Alexander of Macedonia laid waste to that old Gaza. Luke also refutes those who claim Constantine was the builder of the second and new Gaza, as Luke testifies that it was desert one hundred and fifty years earlier. However, it may be that Constantine beautified and enlarged the city after it was built.

And all agree that this new Gaza was situated on the seacoast, twenty furlongs distant from the old city.