The statement of faith for early believers, including the Ethiopian eunuch, was a confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God — not a confession of His death, burial, and resurrection.
When Philip asked the eunuch, 'If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest,' the eunuch answered, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.' Les Feldick stresses that this was the whole confession — he did not mention that Jesus died for him, was buried, and rose from the dead. The same confession was made by Peter in Matthew 16 and by Martha in John 11.
Acts 8:37 — This verse records the eunuch's exact statement of faith — 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.'
Matthew 16:16 — Peter's confession gives the same formula of faith that early believers were expected to affirm.
John 11:27 — Martha's confession confirms that the early statement of faith was about who Jesus is.
In Acts chapter 8, Philip meets the Ethiopian eunuch on the road and, beginning at the same Scripture (Isaiah 53), preaches unto him Jesus. As they travel, the eunuch sees water and asks, 'See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?' Philip answers, 'If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest.' The eunuch replies, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.' The same confession appears elsewhere in the New Testament. In Matthew 16, when Jesus asked His disciples who they said He was, Simon Peter answered, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.' In John 11, when Jesus asked Martha, 'Believest thou this?' she answered, 'Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.' In none of these confessions is there any mention of Jesus' death, burial, or resurrection.
Les Feldick teaches that the statement of faith for early believers — including the Ethiopian eunuch — was an affirmation of who Jesus was: the Christ, the Son of the living God. Reading Acts 8, he points out that when Philip asked the eunuch, 'If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest,' the eunuch did not answer 'who died for me, was buried, and rose from the dead.' His confession was simply, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.' Les connects this confession to Peter's in Matthew 16 and Martha's in John 11. In every case, he notes, there is never any mention of death, burial, and resurrection. He also emphasizes that Philip did not preach Christ crucified to the eunuch — that message had not yet been revealed as the gospel. Philip simply 'preached unto him Jesus.' Les adds that this profession of faith was made while everything was still under the law, and that even Saul of Tarsus, after his conversion, first preached that Jesus is the Son of God — not Christ crucified.
No. Les Feldick emphasizes that the eunuch's confession was only 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.' He did not say that Jesus died for him, was buried, and rose from the dead — even though, as Les notes, many people assume he did.
The same confession appears when Peter answered Jesus, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,' and when Martha answered, 'Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God.' Les points out that neither confession mentioned His death or resurrection — her profession of faith was simply who Jesus was.
No — he 'preached unto him Jesus.' Les Feldick contrasts this with Paul's later message, 'But we preach Christ crucified.' At that time the cross had not yet been revealed as the gospel, so Philip brought the eunuch to the same confession of faith that Peter and Martha had made.
Philip began at the same Scripture — Isaiah 53 — and preached Jesus to the eunuch, explaining that the prophet was speaking of Jesus of Nazareth, who had gone up and down the highways and byways of Israel proving who He was. Les uses this to show that Philip brought the eunuch to the same confession: 'I believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God.' That was their profession of faith.
Believing Only What Is Revealed
Les explains that early believers could not be expected to confess the death and resurrection before God had revealed it — faith comes by hearing the word of God, and the secret things belong to God until He speaks.
The Eunuch's Confession
Les reads the eunuch's answer in Acts 8 and shows that he did not confess death, burial, and resurrection — his statement of faith was 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.'
Philip Preaches Jesus
Les describes the eunuch as a proselyte returning from Jerusalem and notes that Philip 'preached unto him Jesus,' beginning at the same Scripture.
The Same Confession in Matthew and John
Les pairs the eunuch's confession with Peter's in Matthew 16 and Martha's in John 11, showing all three affirmed Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Never Any Mention of Death and Burial
Les traces the identical confession from Peter to Martha to the eunuch and stresses that there was never any mention of death, burial, and resurrection — even Saul of Tarsus first preached only that Jesus is the Son of God.
Their Profession of Faith
Les states that the eunuch's confession that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, was their profession of faith — made while everything was still under the law.
Not Christ Crucified
Les contrasts Philip's message to the eunuch with Paul's later message: Philip did not preach Christ crucified because it had not yet been revealed as the gospel; he preached Jesus.
Martha's Comparable Confession
Les compares Martha's answer to the eunuch's — she affirmed Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, and mentioned nothing about His death or resurrection.
Acts 8:35: Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
This is the verse Les uses to show that Philip preached Jesus — not Christ crucified — to the eunuch.
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 follows immediately after Philip's preaching of 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.
This is the central answer — the eunuch's exact statement of faith.
Matthew 16:16: And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Peter's confession is the same statement of faith that defined belief before Paul's gospel.
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 shows the same content — Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
Romans 10:17: So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Les uses this verse to show that faith was based on what God had actually revealed.
Deuteronomy 29:29: The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Les uses this verse to show the death and resurrection were still hidden truths until God revealed them.
He answered, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.' Les Feldick stresses that he did not say 'who died for me, was buried, and rose from the dead' — his confession was simply that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
No. Les Feldick points out that Philip 'preached unto him Jesus,' not Christ crucified, because the cross had not yet been revealed as the gospel at that time. That message came later through Paul's writings, which say, 'But we preach Christ crucified.'
Yes. Peter confessed, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,' and Martha answered, 'I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God.' The eunuch's confession was the same — that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
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