What Old Testament connections can be drawn from the eunuch's reading in Acts 8? Setting the Scene Acts 8:30–33 records: “Then Philip ran up and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ Philip asked. ‘How can I,’ he said, ‘unless someone guides me?’ So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: ‘He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He did not open His mouth. In His humiliation He was deprived of justice. Who can recount His descendants? For His life was removed from the earth.’” Isaiah 53: The Core Passage •The eunuch’s scroll was open to Isaiah 53:7–8, a prophecy written seven centuries earlier. •Isaiah 53 presents the “Servant” who suffers vicariously, bears sin, and brings justification to “many” (Isaiah 53:11). Key Old Testament Links in the Eunuch’s Passage •Substitutionary Lamb imagery –Exodus 12:3–13 – the Passover lamb slain so Israel might go free. –Leviticus 1–7 – sin offerings where an innocent life covers guilt. –Isaiah 53:7 – “like a sheep…a lamb before its shearer,” echoing sacrificial vocabulary. •The Silent, Innocent Sufferer –Psalm 22:1–21 – David’s prophetic cry of forsakenness fulfilled in the Servant’s silence and mockery. •Removal of Justice and Offspring –Isaiah 53:8 – “He was deprived of justice…Who can recount His descendants?” correlates with Daniel 9:26 – Messiah “will be cut off and will have nothing.” •Atonement and Justification –Leviticus 16 – The Day of Atonement foreshadows the Servant “bearing iniquities” (Isaiah 53:11–12). •Promise of Blessing to Outsiders –Deuteronomy 23:1 – eunuchs once excluded from the assembly. –Isaiah 56:3–5 – God promises “a name better than sons and daughters” for eunuchs who hold fast His covenant. The eunuch’s conversion shows the promise in action. Broader Prophetic Echoes •Zechariah 12:10 – “They will look on Me, the One they have pierced”—connects to the Servant being “pierced for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5). •Genesis 22:13–14 – the ram substituted for Isaac pictures the Servant’s substitution. •Psalm 69:4, Isaiah 50:6 – further portraits of innocent suffering matching the Servant’s abuse. The Gospel Thread in Law, Prophets, and Writings •Genesis – promised Seed (Genesis 3:15) ultimately bruised yet victorious. •Exodus – Passover lamb blood applied; freedom follows. •Leviticus – atonement sacrifices teach guilt transfer. •Psalms & Prophets – righteous sufferer songs/prophecies culminate in Isaiah 53. •All converge in Acts 8 as Philip proclaims “the good news about Jesus” (Acts 8:35). Why These Connections Matter Today •The detailed harmony between Isaiah 53 and Christ’s crucifixion confirms Scripture’s unity and trustworthiness. •Exclusion under the Law (Deuteronomy 23:1) gives way to inclusion in the Gospel (Isaiah 56:3–5; Acts 8:36–38). •Every Old Testament shadow—lamb, sacrifice, promise—finds its fulfillment in the risen Servant whom Philip preached. |
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