Lent 2025 Day 28

The Ethiopian Eunuch, Devout and Distanced
Acts 8:26-40 | Revelation 19:9-10

The Ethiopian eunuch is one of the most compelling figures in the New Testament—a person of power and prestige, yet also someone historically excluded from full participation in the religious life of Israel due to gender and ethnic boundaries. As a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, he was both respected and marginalized, devout and distanced. But in Acts 8:26-40, his journey toward Jerusalem intersects with the Good News of Jesus in a transformative way.

In the ancient world, eunuchs—typically castrated men or gender-nonconforming individuals—often held positions of political and economic power, particularly in royal courts where they were trusted with sensitive responsibilities. Yet, despite their influence, eunuchs were frequently excluded from full inclusion in religious communities. According to Deuteronomy 23:1, those with damaged or removed genitals were barred from entering the assembly of the Lord. This exclusion made eunuchs symbolic of those who lived on the margins—accepted in society for their utility, but never fully welcomed into spiritual belonging.

However, later prophetic texts began to challenge this exclusion. In Isaiah 56:3-5, God declares, “Do not let the eunuch say, ‘I am just a dry tree.’” Instead, God promises a name and a legacy to the eunuchs who keep covenant, a sign that God’s embrace is wider than previously imagined. The Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 becomes a fulfillment of this prophetic promise: someone long marginalized who is now embraced without condition.

When Philip encounters the eunuch on the road, he is reading from the prophet Isaiah. This is someone searching for truth, someone longing to understand scripture more deeply. Philip, guided by the Spirit, joins him and shares the story of Jesus. Moved by this message of inclusive love and redemptive grace, the eunuch asks, “What is to prevent me from being baptized?” And the answer is clear: nothing. There are no more barriers. No more gatekeepers. Not race, not gender, not social status. In Christ, all are welcomed.
This moment on the desert road becomes a turning point—not just for the eunuch, but for the entire story of the early church. The first recorded Gentile convert is a Black, gender-nonconforming person who embodies the expansive reach of God’s kingdom. Their baptism is not just a personal transformation—it’s a public declaration that the boundaries the world draws are not the boundaries of the Gospel.

Revelation 19:9-10 envisions the wedding feast of the Lamb, where all who are invited find joy, healing, and communion. The imagery of the marriage supper is rich with theological significance: it is the culmination of God's redemptive plan, a celebration of union between Christ and the Church, and a vision of perfect hospitality. To be invited to this feast is to be named as beloved, as worthy, as part of God’s eternal family. It is a reversal of exclusion, a foretaste of resurrection joy, and a promise that no one is forgotten. The eunuch, whose very identity would have once rendered them “unfit” in the eyes of religious law, is now included in the vision of this great banquet. Their presence at the table is not an exception—it is the very fulfillment of Christ’s mission to tear down dividing walls and gather all people into communion.

In the angel’s words to John—“Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”—we are reminded that the story of Jesus continues to be written in the lives of those who have been found, welcomed, and loved. The eunuch’s joy on the road is a prophetic testimony: that God’s table is bigger than we imagined, and that divine joy is found in unexpected people and places.

Lent is a journey toward that joy. It is a path through the wilderness, a road like the one between Jerusalem and Gaza. Along the way, we encounter Christ in unexpected places, in surprising people. The eunuch’s story invites us to listen more closely to those the world overlooks, to recognize how the Spirit is always moving, always welcoming, always expanding the circle.

Reflection:

• What barriers—visible or invisible—still prevent people from being fully welcomed into the life of the Church? 
• How does the Ethiopian eunuch’s story reshape your understanding of who belongs in the body of Christ? 
• Where in your own life are you being called to say “yes” to joy, inclusion, and the wideness of God’s love? 

Breath Prayer: Inhale: Nothing prevents me… Exhale: …from being baptized in love.

May this Lenten season remind us that the road to resurrection is open to all, and that joy awaits those who say yes to God’s welcome.

Amen.