The Ethiopian eunuch believed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
When Philip asked if he believed with all his heart, the eunuch answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" — nothing more. Les Feldick stresses the confession stops there: "Period. Period." It does not include the death, burial, or resurrection of Christ, though many readers assume it does.
Acts 8:37 — This verse records the eunuch's exact confession of faith — 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God' — in direct answer to the question.
The account in Acts 8:26-40 records that Philip met the Ethiopian eunuch as he was reading the prophet Isaiah. "Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus" (Acts 8:35). When they came to water, the eunuch asked, "See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?" Philip answered, "If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest." The eunuch's response was: "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:37). After that, "he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him" (Acts 8:38). The plain text of the confession is limited to that declaration. This confession echoes other New Testament statements identifying Jesus as the Christ: Peter's "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16), and Martha's "Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God" (John 11:27). John states his Gospel was written "that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God" (John 20:31). In none of these texts does the statement include the cross, the blood, or the resurrection.
Les Feldick is emphatic that readers assume more than the text says. He reads the eunuch's confession carefully and declares, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Period. Period." He points out that the confession does not contain "who died for me, was buried, and rose from the dead" — even though "everybody likes to think it does." He is a stickler for what the book says and what it doesn't say, and he applies the same test to the preaching of Philip: Philip did not preach "Christ crucified"; the text simply says he "preached unto him Jesus" (Acts 8:35), showing him from Isaiah 53 that this was the One of whom the prophet spoke. Les connects this with other confessions of the same era — Peter's, Martha's, and later Saul's. All confessed Jesus as the Son of God. Les says this was the statement of faith that Jesus was the Christ, the King of Israel, and that this was all still under the law. The explicit message of Christ's death for sins, burial, and resurrection became the gospel revealed through the Apostle Paul.
When Philip said, "If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest" be baptized, the eunuch answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:37). Les emphasizes the declaration ends there: "Period. Period." The confession is complete in itself and says nothing about the cross.
According to Les, no. He is "a stickler for what the book says and what it doesn't say," and the text does not say Philip preached "Jesus crucified and resurrected from the dead." Philip began at the same scripture the eunuch was reading — Isaiah 53 — and preached unto him Jesus. Les contrasts this with Paul, who later wrote, "But we preach Christ crucified." At Acts 8, that message had not yet been revealed as gospel.
Les lines up the confessions: Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16); Martha said, "I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God" (John 11:27); and the eunuch said, "I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God." Les notes that in these confessions there is "never any mention of death, burial and resurrection."
Because readers commonly add to the text. Les points out that people like to think the eunuch said "who died for me, was buried, and rose from the dead," but the Bible records only "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." He explains that this confession belonged to the prophetic and kingdom program still under the law — identifying Jesus as the Christ and King of Israel — not yet the Pauline gospel of grace centered on the cross, burial, and resurrection.
John 20:31 and the Pattern of Confession
Les shows that people add words to Scripture — John 20:31 says 'Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,' yet many add 'who died for the sins of the world and rose from the dead.' He has pointed out four other places where the profession was 'thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.'
The Eunuch's Actual Confession
Les reads the eunuch's confession exactly as recorded: 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God' — and emphasizes it stops there. No death, burial, or resurrection is mentioned, though everyone likes to think it is.
Background: The Eunuch as a Proselyte
Les provides context that the eunuch was returning from worship in Jerusalem, and that Philip began at Isaiah 53 and preached unto him Jesus.
Comparison with Martha's Confession
Les compares the eunuch's confession to Martha's — 'I believe that Jesus the Christ was the Son of the Living God. Period.' Neither includes dying for sins or rising from the dead; the statement was that Jesus was the Christ, the King of Israel.
Philip Did Not Preach Christ Crucified
Les notes that the text does not say Philip preached 'Christ crucified' — that message came later through Paul. Philip simply preached unto him Jesus.
Confession Under the Law
Les says 'I believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God' was their profession of faith, and this was all still under the law.
What the Book Says and Doesn't Say
Les stresses that Philip, using only the Old Testament, preached Jesus — not 'Jesus crucified and resurrected from the dead.' The book does not say that. The eunuch's repentance was tied to Israel's responsibility to repent of the sin of crucifixion.
Pattern Across Peter, Martha, Eunuch, and Saul
Les lines up the confessions: Peter, Martha, the Ethiopian eunuch, and even Saul at his conversion — all said Jesus is the Son of God, with never any mention of death, burial, and resurrection.
Acts 8:35: Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Shows how Philip engaged the eunuch — beginning from the Isaiah passage he was reading and preaching Jesus.
Acts 8:36: And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
The eunuch's request for baptism immediately after hearing Philip preach Jesus.
Acts 8:37: And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
The exact confession of faith that answers the question — the eunuch believed Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Acts 8:38: And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
Shows that the eunuch was baptized immediately following his confession.
Matthew 16:16: And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Peter's similar confession identifies Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God — the same pattern Les highlights.
John 11:27: She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
Martha's confession parallels the eunuch's — simply identifying Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God.
John 20:31: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
John states the purpose of his Gospel: belief that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
Isaiah 53:7: He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Part of the passage the eunuch was reading when Philip met him — the scripture Philip used to preach Jesus.
No. The recorded confession is only "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." Les points out that it does not include "who died for me, was buried, and rose from the dead," even though people commonly assume it does.
According to Les Feldick, no. The text says Philip "preached unto him Jesus," beginning from Isaiah 53. Les notes that "Christ crucified" was not preached here; that message came later through the Apostle Paul.
He responded to Philip's preaching of Jesus. When he saw water, he asked, "What doth hinder me to be baptized?" Philip told him that if he believed with all his heart, he could be baptized. The eunuch then declared his faith — "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" — and was baptized.
Les separates the two. At Acts 8, the confession that Jesus is the Christ was still under the law and the prophetic program. Paul later preached Christ crucified as the revealed gospel of grace. The eunuch's confession did not include the death, burial, and resurrection that became central to Paul's message.
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