Philip preached Jesus to the Ethiopian eunuch, beginning at Isaiah 53 and declaring that this Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
The Acts 8 account says that Philip "began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus" (Acts 8:35). Les Feldick stresses that the content of that preaching was the identity of Jesus as the Christ and Son of God, not the crucified-and-risen message of the Gospel of Grace that would be revealed later through Paul.
Acts 8:35 — This is the key verse that directly states what Philip preached: he preached Jesus to the eunuch.
Acts 8:37 — The eunuch's confession, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,' reveals the content and outcome of Philip's preaching.
The book of Acts records that the Ethiopian eunuch was reading from the prophet Isaiah when Philip met him. The eunuch asked whether the prophet was speaking of himself or of some other man (Acts 8:34). Then Philip, beginning at the same scripture, "preached unto him Jesus" (Acts 8:35). As they traveled, the eunuch saw water and asked what hindered him from being baptized. Philip replied, "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest," and the eunuch confessed, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:37). The biblical record does not list any further content of Philip's message beyond this confession.
Les Feldick is a stickler for what the Book says and what it doesn't say. He points out that the record says Philip preached Jesus to the eunuch, but it does not say he preached Jesus crucified and resurrected from the dead. The content of the message was the identification of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God — the same confession Peter made at Caesarea Philippi. Les also situates this event in its prophetic context. About seven years after Pentecost, Philip was continuing the Gospel of the Kingdom, not the Gospel of Grace, which had not yet been revealed. Using Isaiah 53, the very passage the eunuch was reading, Philip showed that the One who had been led as a sheep to the slaughter was this Jesus, Israel's Messiah.
Les notes that after Stephen's martyrdom, Philip went up to Samaria and preached the Gospel. However, this was not the Gospel of Grace, because that had not yet been revealed. Philip was continuing the Gospel of the Kingdom, with the emphasis that the One Israel had crucified was indeed the Christ.
The eunuch was reading from Isaiah 53, and the passage quoted in Acts 8:32 says, "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter..." Philip began at that same scripture and preached Jesus. Les emphasizes that Philip showed the eunuch that Isaiah's suffering servant was this Jesus, who had proven who He was throughout Israel. The message was not yet a presentation of Jesus crucified and resurrected as the basis of salvation.
When Philip asked the eunuch about baptism, the eunuch replied, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:37). Les points out that this is the same confession Peter made at Caesarea Philippi — "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" — and the same message Saul of Tarsus would preach after his conversion: that Jesus is the Son of God.
Les distinguishes between the Gospel of the Kingdom and the Gospel of Grace. Philip's message to the eunuch belongs to the Kingdom message: there is no mention of salvation by the finished work of the cross, and no mention of His death, burial, and resurrection for salvation. That distinct gospel was not yet revealed.
Peter Knew Jesus as Christ, Son of God
Les uses Matthew 16 to show that even Peter's insight did not include dying for sins and rising again; Peter knew only that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God.
The Message Was Jesus, Not Crucifixion and Resurrection
Les stresses that Philip preached Jesus from the Old Testament, but the text does not say he preached Jesus crucified and risen; the point was that Isaiah 53 spoke of Jesus.
Philip 'Preached Unto Him Jesus'
Les quotes Acts 8:35 to show that Philip's message was simply Jesus, beginning from the scripture the eunuch was reading.
Isaiah 53 Identifies Jesus as the Christ
Philip showed the eunuch that Isaiah's suffering servant was Jesus, and brought him to the confession that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God.
The Eunuch's Question: Who Is Jesus?
The eunuch asked whether Isaiah spoke of himself or another, and Les connects that to the timeless question of who Jesus actually is.
The Same Confession as Peter, Martha, and Saul
Les lines up Peter, Martha, the Ethiopian eunuch, and Saul of Tarsus: all confess Jesus as the Son of God, with no mention of the cross work for salvation.
Possibly a Jewish Treasurer
Les notes the eunuch may have been a Jew, which would explain his role as treasurer of Ethiopia and his trip to Jerusalem to worship.
Not the Gospel of Grace Yet
Philip's Samaria and Acts 8 preaching was the Gospel of the Kingdom; there is no mention of death, burial, and resurrection for salvation because grace had not yet been revealed.
Acts 8:32: The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
This is the passage the eunuch was reading from Isaiah 53, which Philip used as his starting point.
Acts 8:35: Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
This is the direct answer to the question: the content of Philip's message was Jesus.
Acts 8:37: And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
This records the eunuch's confession in response to Philip's preaching.
Matthew 16:16: And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Les compares this confession to the eunuch's confession to show the consistent content of the Kingdom message.
According to Les Feldick, Philip did not preach Jesus crucified and resurrected from the dead. The text says Philip preached Jesus, and Les emphasizes that the confession was that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (Acts 8:35, 8:37).
The eunuch was reading from Isaiah 53, and Philip began at that same scripture and preached Jesus. Les points out that this was the passage where the eunuch read about one led as a sheep to the slaughter.
He said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:37). Les compares this to Peter's confession in Matthew 16:16.
Because at this point in Acts, the death, burial, and resurrection for salvation had not yet been revealed as the Gospel of Grace. Philip was continuing the Gospel of the Kingdom, which emphasized that the One crucified was the Christ.
Watch the Teaching: Introducing Paul: Why God Stopped the Prophetic Clock