Why did Luke choose to include the Ethiopian’s story in Acts? Like any historian, Luke had to be selective about his material. Acts reported on the church’s beginning and early progress. The church’s growth was so widespread that writing about all the countless workers, events and places was impossible. So, Acts reported mainly on the impact of just two apostles, Peter and Paul. Geographically, Luke focused on beginnings in Judea, Samaria and Syria, then on Paul’s travels that eventually reached Rome. But Acts 8 briefly switches the spotlight to Philip’s work, including his encounter with an Ethiopian. Why? No direct answer is stated. But Acts, as the wider context, offers pointers for our consideration, beginning with Jesus’ words to His apostles: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). How did the Gospel reach regions far beyond the Middle East? Luke answered mainly by opening a window onto Paul’s missionary adventures in Asia and Europe. But what of places elsewhere? Again, space did not allow for many details, but Luke informed us that people from many different nations heard the apostles at the beginning (Acts 2:9-11). He also told Philip’s story, showing how the Ethiopian obeyed the Gospel, then continued his journey to Africa. Without having to waste words by saying the obvious, Luke touched on the theme set by Acts 1:8. Converts like the Ethiopian carried the Gospel back with them, helping to fulfill the goal: “to the end of the earth.” Thus, to appreciate a Scripture passage more fully, we should ask how it serves that book’s overall message and purpose. We call this “the book context” and it is another example of letting the Bible interpret itself.
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