Abraham van Linge

St Philip preaching to the Eunoch, c.1637, Stained glass, Balliol College Chapel, Oxford University, Oxford; n.6, Photo © Painton Cowen

Water on a Desert Road

Commentary by Michael Banner

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The book of Acts does not have a central place in many lectionaries. And the story of the Ethiopian eunuch’s baptism—despite its dramatic quality—has not always had the same prominence in preaching and visual representation as it has in Acts’ chronicle of the spread of the gospel.

The scene did, however, gain some popularity in the Protestant Netherlands in the mid-sixteenth to early seventeenth centuries, as part of a turn away from saints and their legends in favour of biblical characters and incidents. In addition, the logic of the eunuch’s conversion suited Protestant expectations and polemic. His faith begins with his intense study of Scripture, is nurtured by Philip’s exposition and preaching of ‘the good news of Jesus’, and—with the addition of verse 37—is finally expressed in an explicit confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, leading directly to baptism.

These painted windows skilfully present the whole narrative. In the two right-hand lancets (not reproduced in this exhibition), Philip, in a rich blue robe, animatedly addresses the lavishly dressed Ethiopian, who is seated in a grandly appointed chariot and attended by a considerable retinue. In the two lancets shown here, we see (in the right background) Philip seated in the chariot as he expounds the text from Isaiah which the eunuch had been reading without understanding. Then, in the left foreground, at the end of a long and twisting path, Philip baptizes the eunuch in a pool formed by a lively stream which flows dramatically from high up on the left.

In seventeenth-century English (as also in its Greek and Latin equivalents), ‘desert’ referred not only to dry and barren regions, but to any wild or uninhabited place. Abraham van Linge’s landscape, though green and well-watered, is, with its rocky outcrops and steep and winding road, such a place.

In such a place, even a meeting between apostle and eunuch seems something of a miracle, let alone that it would result in one of the first signs of the fulfilment of the promise of the risen Lord given at his ascension—‘you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’ (Acts 1:8).

So—though it is not demanded by the text—the eunuch’s confession and baptism are worthy of the crowd the artist has assembled, with us, to witness the scene.

See full exhibition for Acts of the Apostles 8:26–40

Acts of the Apostles 8:26–40

Revised Standard Version

26 But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert road. 27And he rose and went. And behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a minister of the Candaʹce, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to worship 28and was returning; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” 30So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31And he said, “How can I, unless some one guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32Now the passage of the scripture which he was reading was this:

“As a sheep led to the slaughter

or a lamb before its shearer is dumb,

so he opens not his mouth.

33In his humiliation justice was denied him.

Who can describe his generation?

For his life is taken up from the earth.”

34And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, pray, does the prophet say this, about himself or about some one else?” 35Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture he told him the good news of Jesus. 36And as they went along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What is to prevent my being baptized?” 38And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught up Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip was found at Azoʹtus, and passing on he preached the gospel to all the towns till he came to Caesareʹa.

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