Acts 8:40 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

But Philip Quickly after he was separated from the eunuch; was found at Azotus Or Ashdod, a city that was more than thirty miles from Gaza. Probably none saw him from the time of his leaving the eunuch till he was there. And passing through That part of the country; he preached in all the cities Namely, Joppa, Lydda, Saron, and all the other cities along the coast of the Mediterranean sea; till he came to Cesarea Namely, Cesarea in Palestine, a city far distant from Cesarea Philippi, (mentioned Matthew 16:13, where see the notes,) which was situate to the north of the tribe of Naphtali, and near the sources of Jordan. Wherever the word Cesarea occurs without Philippi, the former place is intended. It was anciently called Stratonice, or Straton's Tower, and was rebuilt by Herod the Great in honour of Augustus Cesar, and greatly enlarged and beautified with many fine edifices of polished marble; but the greatest and most beneficial of all his works here was the harbour, which he made equal in largeness to the Piræus at Athens. The beauty of this Cesarea, and the conveniences of its situation, were so great, that when the Romans reduced Judea into the form of a province, they made it the seat of their government, in preference even to Jerusalem itself. It appears that Philip settled here for some time, probably for life, for we find him long after this residing here with his four unmarried daughters, who were prophetesses, and entertaining Paul and his company many days at his house, when on their way to Jerusalem. See Acts 21:8-9. It is likely, therefore, that his itinerant mission ended here. It is reasonable to suppose, however, that he still continued to preach the gospel to those Jews who were disposed to attend his ministry, and that he made, at least, some converts among them. He doubtless also performed the work of an evangelist in some other places in those parts.