And as they went on their way Discoursing together of the person and sufferings of Christ, and of the method of salvation by him; they came to a certain water For even the circumstances of the journey were under the direction of God; and the eunuch, having learned what was the rite of initiation which the great Prophet and Sovereign of the church had appointed, and being willing to embrace the first opportunity that Providence offered of making a surrender of himself to Christ, and of being received into the number of his people; said, Here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? Why should I not, from this hour, become one of the Christian community? Probably he had been circumcised; otherwise Cornelius would not have been the first-fruits of the Gentiles. Observe, reader, in the solemn dedicating of ourselves to God, it is good to make haste, and not delay, for the present time is the best time. Thus the psalmist, I made haste and delayed not to keep thy commandments, Psalms 119:60; and thus the eunuch here: he feared lest the good affections now working in him should abate; and therefore was desirous immediately to bind his soul with the baptismal bonds unto the Lord, that he might bring the matter to a good issue. And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest That is, if thou believest this doctrine which I have preached to thee concerning Jesus; if thou receivest the record God has given concerning him, and set to thy seal that it is true; if thou not only assentest to the gospel truths in thy understanding, but embracest gospel blessings in thy affections, and consentest in thy will to obey the gospel precepts; if thou indeed believest with thy heart unto righteousness, thou art by that faith united to Christ, and mayest, by baptism, be joined to his church. And he answered, I believe that Jesus Christ Whom thou hast now been preaching to me; is the Son of God And the promised Messiah, who was to be sent into the world for the salvation of lost sinners. He was before a worshipper of the true God, so that all he had now to do, in order to be a true Christian, was thus to receive Christ Jesus the Lord. In many ancient copies and versions this verse is omitted; (see Dr. Mill on the place.) “Nevertheless,” says Beza,
“God forbid I should think it ought to be expunged, since it contains such a confession of faith as in the apostolic times was required of the adult, in order to their being admitted to baptism.” Allowing it to be genuine, it fully proves that Philip had opened to the eunuch the doctrine of Christ's divinity; and indeed, if he had not done it, he must have given him a very imperfect account of the gospel.