John Calvin Commentary Acts 8:27

"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)

Behold, a man, an Ethiopian. He calls him a man, who he says shortly after was an eunuch; but because kings and queens in the East were accustomed to appoint eunuchs over their weighty affairs, consequently lords of great power were generally called eunuchs, even though they were men.

Furthermore, Philip finds indeed, now at last, that he did not obey God in vain. Therefore, whoever entrusts the success to God, and goes forward where He bids him, will eventually find that everything undertaken at His direction turns out well.

The name Candace was not the name of one queen only; but just as all the emperors of Rome were called Caesars, so the Ethiopians, as Pliny testifies, called their queens Candaces. It is also relevant that historians report that this was a noble and wealthy kingdom, because from its royalty and power it can be better understood how splendid the eunuch's position and dignity were. The capital and principal city was Meroe. Secular writers agree with Luke, reporting that women used to reign there.

Came [had come] to worship. From this we gather that the name of the true God was spread far and wide, since He had some worshippers in distant lands. Certainly, it must be that this man openly professed a different form of worship than his own nation; for so great a lord could not come into Judea secretly, and undoubtedly he brought with him a large entourage.

And it is no wonder if there were some everywhere in the East who worshipped the true God, because after the people were scattered, some trace of the knowledge of the true God also spread with them throughout foreign lands; indeed, the banishment of the people was a means of spreading true godliness.

Also, we see that though the Romans condemned the Jewish religion with many cruel edicts, yet they could not prevent many, even in [in] large numbers, from professing it. These were certain beginnings of the calling of the Gentiles, until Christ, having by the brightness of His coming put away the shadows of the law, might take away the difference that was between the Jews and the Gentiles; and having pulled down the wall of separation, He might gather together from all parts the children of God (Ephesians 2:14).

The fact that the eunuch came to Jerusalem to worship must not be considered any superstition. He might, indeed, have called upon God in his own country, but this man would not omit the exercises that were prescribed for the worshippers of God. Therefore, his purpose was not only to nourish faith privately in his heart, but also to make profession of it among men.

And yet, nevertheless, he could not be so separated from his nation that he would not know he would be hated by many. But he valued the external profession of religion, which he knew God required, more than the favor of men. And if such a small spark of the knowledge of the law shone so in him, what a shame it would be for us to choke the perfect light of the gospel with unfaithful silence?

If anyone objects that the sacrifices were already abrogated then, and that the time had come when God was to be called upon everywhere without distinction of place, we can easily answer that those to whom the truth of the gospel was not yet revealed were kept in the shadows of the law without any superstition.

For when it is said that the law was abolished by Christ, regarding the ceremonies, it is to be understood in this way: where Christ reveals Himself plainly, those rites that prefigured Him when He was absent vanish.

As for the Lord allowing the eunuch to come to Jerusalem before He sent him a teacher, it is to be thought that this was done for this reason: because it was beneficial for him to still be shaped by the basic principles of the law, so that he might afterward be made more ready to receive the doctrine of the gospel.

And as for God sending none of the apostles to him at Jerusalem, the reason lies hidden in His secret counsel. Perhaps, however, it was done so that he might value the gospel more, like some treasure found suddenly and offered to him contrary to expectation. Or perhaps it was because it was better for Christ to be set before him after, being separated and withdrawn from the external pomp of ceremonies and the sight of the temple, he quietly sought the way of salvation when he was at leisure.