What was the eunuch reading from when Philip ran to him? He was reading from Isaiah. Isaiah 53 to be exact. What does he say? Is Christ not portrayed here as bearing the sins of the world? Read it carefully. "All WE like sheep have gone astray...and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of US all."(v.6). Since the prophet says "all we", anyone who is a thoughtful student of Scripture will naturally ask, "all who?" And that student will find in verse 8 that Isaiah speakes as a Hebrew prophet concerning HIS OWN PEOPLE: "For the transgression of MY PEOPLE was He stricken."
So, first of all, the prophet is speaking here of Messiah's death only as it relates to the nation Israel.
It is true, OF COURSE, that WE Gentiles have ALSO gone astray and that the Lord HAS ALSO laid our iniquities upon Christ, but that is not the question here, in Isaiah, which the eunuch was reading.
The TONE of Isaiah 53 is another factor to be looked at. Isaiah does NOT proclaim the death of Christ as GOOD NEWS, or OFFER SALVATION THROUGH ITS MERITS, as WE DO TODAY. On the contrary, he begins with a tone of disappointment. (WHo will believe his report? A tender plant...a root out of dry ground..no form or comeliness..no beauty that we should despise Him...despised...rejected..a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.). Such a man as Isaiah describes, who would do homage to him?
BUT, continues the prophet, He is bearing OUR sins. WE are the guilty one, yet He goes as a lamb to the slaughter.
NOTE, in ALL of Isaiah's prediction there is NOTHING about TRUSTING IN THE MERITS of CHRIST (the Crucified) FOR SALVATION. There is SUBSTITUTION, but substitution in itself is not GOOD NEWS. Many innocent victims have unjustly born the penalties for the crimes of another. Is that something to be rejoiced in or boasted about?
Isaiah is pointing out, prophecying, that when Messiah comes He will be rejected and slain, taking the blame for Israel's sins, but this is still DIFFERENT from proclaiming the merit of Christ's death in an offer of salvation to be accepted by faith.
But WHAT does that have to do with the eunuch in Acts 8, you say?
Everything. Where was the eunuch when he was reading Isaiah? In Jerusalem. He had come to Jerusalem to worship. He was coming THROUGH Israel to find God. And what did he do upon hearing Philip? He was baptized FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS. He was under the Kingdom commission of Peter and the 11. The Kingdom gospel. Where believing that Christ is Messiah, baptism for the remission of sins, and going through Israel is required for salvation. We are under the gospel of the grace of God, which was not given until the salvation of Paul, Acts 9. Where we are told that Christ died FOR OUR SINS, was buried, and rose again the third day. FOR OUR SINS. Not made known until given to Paul by direct revelations of Jesus Christ.
Have a hard time believing that? Read Peter's great Pentecost message. And show me which verse says that Christ died FOR OUR SINS. His message is NOT one of the good news of the cross. He is BLAMING Israel for Christ's death.
the eunuch is in the Body of Christ, The Church. He was baptized into the Body, into Christ.
can you answer my question yes or no, was the eunuch saved? There is no record of his believing Jesus died for his sins, we only know he believed Jesus was the Son of God and he was baptized.