Instruments of power. On our partnership with God.

The story of the Ethiopian official in Acts 8 focusses to a large extent on the interpretation of Scripture. There is in the passage a lot of discussion about Isaiah 53:7-8 (which is quoted in Acts 8:32-33). This focus should not let us underestimate the request of the Ethipian to be baptized (Ac.8:38-39). For Luke baptism was particularly important. In the Lukan context it represents an extraordinary event. At the beginning of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus was baptised, representing his inauguration as the royal Messiah (Lk.321-22). It represents the beginning of his ministry, God’s call to him to redeem and empower humanity. Acts 2 begins with the baptism of the believers with the Holy Spirit and the baptism of all believers (Ac.2:38). It is also the event which inaugurates the proclamation of the Gospel through the world. And, in Samaria the believers were baptized, whereafter they received the Holy Spirit (Ac.8:16). Baptism therefore signifies that amazing transformation of believers from bondage to children of God who live powerfully. The baptism in Acts 8 must be understood in this sense. It is in fact the result of the reading of Scripture: it illustrates how powerfully Scripture changes people and establishes a life-generating relationship with God in Christ.

The baptism of the Ethiopian follows after the brief remark of Philip that Scripture spoke of Jesus (Ac.8:35). He then expresses his desire to be baptized (cf. Ac.2:38). Baptism represents two matters: on the one hand one dies by being immersed in the water. One leaves the old, sinful existence behind. The coming up out of the water represents the new life into which one is born. Paul explained it as follows in Romans 6:4: “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” It is a paradox: baptism represents death and life. We die to ourselves. But it also represents newness, power and glory. We are miraculously given a new existence. This is what happened to the Ethiopian. In Christ he is no longer a seeker. He has been united with Christ and has, therefore, been given a new existence. It is a paradox – we need to die in order to live. We need to be liberated from the old order of existence to enter an existence in which we experience joy.


There is, however, another paradox which is closely connected with the Ethipian’s mystical union with Christ in his baptism. In the story of the Emmaus disciples we have a remarkable observation: The two disciples recognize Jesus when he breaks bread with Him. Their eyes were opened (Luke 24:31) after they were kept from recognizing Him (Luke 24:16). But then follows: “he disappeared from their sight.” In the story of the Ethiopian, he is baptized and “the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again” (Ac.8:39). Philip, who witnessed to the Ethiopian and baptized him, is no longer with him. He is now on his own. What Jesus did to his disciples, happens in the case of Philip, the guide to the new life, with his new disciple. In both stories the main character appears and disappears. The main character is recognized, but is then no longer seen. One can recognize Jesus and then no longer see Him – just as one can see Jesus without recognizing Him.

But note what power is let loose in the life of the Emmaus disciples. They, who were somber and desperate, now become, after Jesus disappearance, powerful witnesses of his resurrection. And the Ethiopian: he who had no one to show him the way (Ac.8:31) and pleaded with Philip to help him (Ac.8:34), went on his way rejoicing (Ac.8:39). He no longer had Philip with him to guide him. The absence of Philip was replaced by the joy of being united with Christ. His life was transformed. His heart was filled with flaming joy – just like the hearts of the two Emmaus disciples were burning and just like their inordinate haste to report their miraculous encounter after Jesus disappeared.

Why is this so remarkable? It is so remarkable because it speaks of the way in which God transforms us from weakness to become partners. Jesus has to go away so that we can live in power.

This empowerment takes place on three levels.

There is, first of all, God’s acts of liberation and empowerment in Jesus. We can live differently, powerfully because of what Jesus once did. God worked powerfully in Jesus to restore to humanity freedom and to give to humanity a life of fulfillment. Without this anchor, our ship will never be secure.

And then, secondly, God co-opts humanity in this process of empowerment. Jesus leaves, goes his way, so to speak. But he also transforms people, his weak, somber and hopeless followers, into witnesses who are instruments of the divine power. His witnesses spread the divine word. They do wonderful, powerful and mighty deeds (Philip; Ac.8:6). God co-opts and shares the task of witnessing.

But this is not the end of the story. The first witnesses do not keep the power to themselves. The witness about the divine Word is spread and the powerful transformation of humanity is, thirdly, continued far beyond the first witnesses. Power is shared, later generations are included and empowered. The Gospel reaches out through the centuries to many generations. What happened to the disciples of Jesus after the resurrection, as it is told in the story of the Emmaus disciples, now happens in the lives of his disciples. They become witnesses of God’s faithfulness and love in Christ. And then, the trust and love of God remains, though one generation of witnesses after the other may disappear from the scene. The witness of Jesus liberated and empowered the Emmaus disciples. The witness of Philip liberated and empowered the Ethiopian. Luke now tells the story of the Ethiopian to inform his readers that God’s mighty deeds are continued from generation to generation to generation. Luke witnesses to his readers about these events so that they can become involved and be empowered. And we read Luke’s story so that it can become our story and empower us. Jesus’ farewell, his disappearance, Luke wants to say, does not mean the end of empowerment. We can actually still experience the divine power. Here we need to remember: our power is not to be found in ourselves. It is to be found in th story which we tell – a story of liberation and empowerment. Because of what we speak and what we live, we become a powerful presence in this world. God is now speaking the divine word through our life and words. The words of God are spoken through us by the Holy Spirit. It is a powerful word. It is a word that brings great joy – we are in a relationship with God which heals God’s world, brings freedom to humanity and empowers humanity to great things.

It is a mystery: in the absence of Jesus lies our power! In telling the story of Jesus, we find power.

It is remarkable to consider how God makes us partners in witnessing liberation and power to our world. We can truly speak words of liberation, words of power. We can.