Philip did not preach Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection because, at that point in Acts, the Gospel of grace had not yet been revealed.
Les Feldick teaches that Philip was still proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, not the Gospel of grace. The biblical record says Philip preached Jesus as the Christ and Son of God, while Paul later summarized his own message as 'Christ crucified.' This contrast shows that the finished work of the cross had not yet been revealed as the gospel.
Acts 8:35 — This is the exact verse Les examines: it says Philip preached Jesus, not Christ crucified.
1 Corinthians 1:23 — Paul's parallel statement gives the direct contrast to Philip's message.
The biblical record of Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch is found in Acts 8. In verse 35, the text says: 'Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.' The same passage records that the eunuch asked to be baptized and confessed, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God' (Acts 8:37). The apostle Paul later describes his own message with different words: 'But we preach Christ crucified' (1 Corinthians 1:23).
Les Feldick explains that Philip's omission of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection is not an oversight — it is evidence that the Gospel of grace 'hasn't been revealed' yet. In Acts 8, Philip was continuing the Gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus and the twelve had proclaimed. Les says the reason he stands on that premise is that 'we can find no mention of salvation by the finished work of the cross... no mention of His death, burial and resurrection for salvation. But they are still emphasizing that the One they crucified was indeed the Christ' (Clip 1). Les stresses that the New Testament wasn't written yet, so Philip preached from the Old Testament and proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah, the One who could still be Israel's King. The eunuch's confession was to believe who Jesus was — not yet to believe in the as-yet-unrevealed doctrines of the cross and resurrection. 'God has not revealed the tremendous plan of salvation based upon grace that Christ died for the sins of the world, that He was buried, and that He rose from the dead. Up till now they were to believe who He was' (Clip 7). Against this, Les contrasts Paul: 'But we preach Christ crucified' (1 Corinthians 1:23). Paul's only message is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and His shed blood. Philip's baptism of the eunuch, like John's baptizing of his converts, belongs to the Kingdom message of repentance rather than to the later grace gospel.
The answer is no. Acts 8:35 says, 'Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.' Les Feldick points out that a careful reading shows Philip 'does not preach unto him Jesus crucified and resurrected from the dead. It doesn't say that' (Clip 3). This is the heart of the omission: the text intentionally records that Philip preached Jesus, the Christ, not the crucified Christ that Paul later proclaimed.
Les teaches that the eunuch's confession was the appropriate response for that time. When Philip said, 'If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest,' the eunuch replied, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God' (Acts 8:37). God had not yet revealed the grace-based message that Christ died for the sins of the world, was buried, and rose from the dead. Up until Acts 8, people were to believe who Jesus was — the Christ, the Son of the living God — and to repent of the sin of crucifying Him.
After the eunuch heard Philip, he asked, 'See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?' (Acts 8:36). Les notes that Philip baptized him 'just as well as John the Baptist baptized his converts' (Clip 7). In Les's teaching, this places the baptism in the Jewish Kingdom message that began with John — not in the gospel of grace that had not yet been revealed.
Les observes that Paul never mentions Bethlehem, Christ's earthly ministry, or His miracles. Paul's one message is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and His shed blood. Paul's statement, 'But we preach Christ crucified' (1 Corinthians 1:23), is the contrast that shows why Philip's omission is significant — the full gospel of grace was Paul's message, not Philip's.
Is Baptism Required for Salvation? What Acts 8 Really Says
Hello and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick.
Two Distinct Good News
Les explains that when Philip preached in Samaria, it was still the Gospel of the Kingdom, not the Gospel of grace — and there is no mention of salvation by the finished work of the cross.
Philip Preaches Jesus, Not Christ Crucified
Les shows from Acts 8:35 that Philip did not preach Christ crucified as Paul later did; the verse only says he preached Jesus to the eunuch.
The Old Testament Content of Philip's Message
Because the New Testament wasn't written yet, Philip used Isaiah and presented Jesus as the Messiah who could still be King — not as crucified and resurrected for salvation.
Paul's Contrast With Philip
Les contrasts Philip's message with 1 Corinthians 1:23 — Paul preaches Christ crucified, while Philip preaches that Jesus is the Christ.
Jesus as Creator God
Les stresses that the point of the early message was that Jesus wasn't merely a prophet or martyr but the Creator God who alone could purchase salvation.
Paul's Singular Message
Les shows Paul's core message is only the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and His shed blood — the truths missing from Philip's Acts 8 preaching.
Grace Not Yet Revealed
Les says up through Acts 8 God had not revealed the grace gospel that Christ died for the world's sins, was buried, and rose; people were to believe who Jesus was.
Acts 8:35: Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
This is the verse at the center of the question — it records only that Philip preached Jesus, not Christ crucified.
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 immediate response shows that baptism was part of this early Kingdom message.
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.
The confession required of the eunuch was belief that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God — not yet the full gospel of grace.
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.
This records the actual baptism, which Les compares to John the Baptist's baptizing of converts.
1 Corinthians 1:23: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
Paul's statement provides the contrast that shows what was missing from Philip's earlier message.
No. Les Feldick emphasizes that Acts 8:35 says Philip 'preached unto him Jesus,' not 'Christ crucified.' At that point the Gospel of grace had not yet been revealed; Philip was proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God.
Les places the eunuch's baptism with the Jewish Kingdom message that began with John the Baptist. He says Philip baptized the man just as well as John baptized his converts; the grace gospel based on Christ's finished work had not yet been revealed.
Paul's one message was the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and His shed blood. Les contrasts this with Philip, who preached that the One Israel had crucified was the Christ — the full meaning of the cross was not yet revealed.
According to Acts 8:37, the eunuch said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.' Les says that confession — belief in who Jesus was — was the message up to Acts 8.
Watch the Teaching: Is Baptism Required for Salvation? What Acts 8 Really Says