Was the Ethiopian eunuch actually an Ethiopian?
He was probably not an actual Ethiopian by birth. Nations often used gifted men from Israel for trusted roles like treasurer. He was likely a Jew, or if not, a proselyte, who had come to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple.
Les explains that when Scripture calls him "a man of Ethiopia," we should not automatically assume he was an ethnic Ethiopian. He points out that nations would use gifted or talented men, especially from Israel, for important positions. A Jew would be well qualified to keep a nation's treasury because of a natural knack for business and handling money. So Les suggests the eunuch was probably a Jew, or if not, a proselyte. He had great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians and was in charge of all her treasure, meaning he was treasurer of the Ethiopian economy. He had come to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple, which was still standing around 36 A.D., and was returning to Ethiopia. Les notes Daniel as an example of a Jew serving in a foreign court.
And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
More Questions
Why should we not assume the Ethiopian eunuch was an Ethiopian by birth?
The man in Acts 8:27 called 'a man of Ethiopia' should not automatically be thought to be an Ethiopian, because nations commonly used gifted men, especially from Israel.
Why was the Ethiopian eunuch probably a proselyte?
Les teaches that the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 was likely a proselyte because he had returned from Jerusalem, where he had been worshiping.