From Samaria Philip was directed by the Spirit to go down to Gaza where he ministered to a Gentile. There again we observe something somewhat similar to that which took place earlier at Samaria. From the scripture which the eunuch was reading Philip 'preached unto him Jesus', with the result that the eunuch believed and sought water baptism at a convenient wayside pool. Naming but one condition as his ground for the administration of baptism to the eunuch, Philip immersed him in water, and having done so, was caught away of the Spirit to continue his itinerant ministry of the word elsewhere.
There is no mention of the Holy Spirit in connection with the eunuch at all, although like those who earlier believed on Jesus in Samaria under Philip's preaching, he was filled with joy. There was nothing wrong with Philip; he was obeying God and fulfilling his ministry as directed of the Spirit, but something was missing, for lack of which those to whom he ministered came short of the fullest blessing of God. Philip was not to be blamed for that; God had not given him the keys to the Kingdom. He did his work thoroughly; there was no character deficiency in him; he ministered to the full extent of his gifts and calling within the will of God. But the eunuch was a Gentile, and God's will for the Gentiles as a whole is revealed in chapters 9 & 10. Philip's ministry was insufficient for this, even though his heart was willing to serve God to the utmost of his ability.
Peter was the man chosen and equipped to initially minister the person of the Holy Ghost as a gift to the Gentile world and open the Kingdom to them. The Kingdom is the Lord's and He had ordained it thus, and He abode by His ordination. What the limits of Philip's ministry were, or the extent of the eunuch's experience of grace under it cannot be precisely stated, but in His all-wise, all-loving, all-righteous, all-gracious will the Lord both kept His promise to Peter and fulfilled His purposes for men also.
Be the first to react on this!
G.W. North (1913 - 2003)
G. W. North was born in London England in 1913. As a young man he became aware that the Lord was calling him into the work of the ministry. At timely stages the Lord placed folk in his path who were able to direct him into the truth of heart purity and a more expansive understanding of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He held pastorates in Kent and Bradford. By the late 1960s, following a significant period of ministry in Liverpool, he began a more itinerant ministry. This led him to many parts of the world, and occupied him until well into his eighties. His powerful preaching and the unique sense of the Lord's presence, which seemed to brood over his meetings, were always intensely challenging.The true secret of his remarkable ministry stemmed from his personal communion with the Lord Jesus. To him, 'entering the holiest' was not merely a theological concept; it was a distinct spiritual reality - and the central feature of his spiritual life. It was here, in the place of worship, that his revelatory ministry found its source. He preached from understanding and conviction. He was never the echo of another, nor did he take on board the ebb and flow of various contemporary emphases. He was not a man of 'books'; he soaked himself in Scripture and allowed it to saturate his heart and mind. Truly, this is a man who has lifted up a standard for the people. Mr North went to be with the Lord on 29th April 2003, shortly after his ninetieth birthday.