In Honor of Philip (BCP)

There are few stories in the Bible that I find cooler than Philip and the Eunuch. And how appropriate on this feast day of Philip and James the less!

Being in OT this year has opened my eyes to a lot of things that I had never before thought of or heard. Philip didn't have the great benefit of Stephen Cook as his OT professor. No. Instead, Philip drew on his experience with the risen Jesus of Nazareth to unpack the ancient Hebrew Scripture.

"Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,

and like a lamb silent before its shearer,

so he does not open his mouth.

In his humiliation justice was denied him.

Who can describe his generation?

For his life is taken away from the earth."

The suffering servant passages in II-Isaiah are amazing in the light of 750 years of history between when they were uttered and when they came to fulfillment in Christ Jesus. I know I'm all over the place tonight, but all that aside what is really fascinating to me is the way in which Philip trusts the Spirit. An angel appears to him first and says "go" and he goes. Then the Spirit commands him to go over to an Ethiopian chariot, and he goes. Then, one can only assume that the Spirit opens the Scriputres to Philip and allows him to speak, and he speaks. Then Philip is called upon to baptize (without formal training "gasp") and he baptizes the man. Still again, the Spirit snatches up ol' Philip and upon his arrival at the new place, Philip goes on proclaiming the Good News.

Wow, what faith!