There are several scriptures in the Bible that really capture our imaginations. The account of Jonah and the great fish is one, Elijah being taken up in a whirlwind is another. One more of these is the account of the disciple Philip when he was instructed by God to find an Ethiopian man on a deserted road and witness the gospel to him. After this amazing and well-known encounter, the Scriptures say Philip was snatched away by God’s spirit. What does that mean? Many believe it was a miracle, and that Philip was supernaturally transported away from that place in an instant. Others believe he was simply and powerfully compelled to leave. Which perspective is true? Let’s unfold the events that lead to this detail and see what we can learn from the Scriptures!
There was no shortage of miracles in the New Testament.
When we look at this particular experience with Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, it is easy - almost natural - to assume it was just another miraculous event. Now, while the possibility exists that this was in fact a miraculous transportation, we want to be careful to think first. There are many questions that simply need to be asked. Was a miracle necessary? Did this commonly happen with disciples of Jesus? Was there something special about Philip that would have made this a logical sequence?
Philip was one of the seven deacons chosen in Acts chapter 6 to help the apostles with the care of many Christians who were in need. These brothers were chosen for their spiritualty, integrity and wisdom. He is the second named choice, behind Stephen who would soon become the first Christian martyr. After Stephen was brutally stoned to death at the bidding of Saul of Tarsus, Philip went to Samaria to preach. After his overwhelming preaching success, an angel told him to go down a desert road. It was there that he met the Ethiopian eunuch.
The story is really quite simple.
Philip was guided by God’s spirit to witness the gospel to this individual who, though a foreigner, was reading from the book of Isaiah. Philip uses the very scriptures this man was reading to show him the height, depth and breadth of the life of Jesus and God’s plan. The response of this man was to seek immediate baptism and Philip complied. It is at this point that questions begin to swirl, because the Scriptures say God’s spirit “snatched” Philip away from the eunuch.
Check out our January 13, 2025 podcast, “Was Philip Miraculously Transported by the Spirit?” for more. We walk through the details of all that the Bible tells us about Philip and this event. What we find is a treasure trove of insight and understanding into who Philip was. This leads us to better grasp what actually happened when God’s spirit “snatched” him away. Join us for this fascinating exploration of how God’s spirit worked in Philip’s life. Inspiration awaits!!!