§  3    The  conversion  of  the  eunuch  and  arrival  aJt

Co/esarea

Having  completed  their  mission  and  themselves  also  testified^ ^  the
apostles  return  to  Jerusalem ;  and  on  their  way  home  follow  up  the
work  by  preaching  also  in  many  Samaritan  villager,  Philip  by  direct
inspiration  is  guided  to  another  step  forward,  the  baptism  of  the  eunuch,
ana  this  concludes  his  special  contribution  to  the  advance  of  Chris-
tianity. From  the  Didachfi  we  learn  that  wandering  prophets  might
settle  down*;  and  so  S.  Philip  seems  to  have  settled  down  to  a
stationary  ministry  at  Caesarea,  where  he  prepares  the  ground  for
the  further  and  decisive  advance  in  the  baptism  of  Cornelius.  In
the  Ethiopian  eunuch  are  fulfilled  the  divine  promises  to  the  faithful
eunuchs  of  Isai  Ivi  3-5  and  to  Ebed-melech,  tne  Ethiopian  eunuch  of
Zedekiah  (Jerxxxviii  7-13,  xxxix  16-18).  There  is  a  contrast  between
Simon  Magus  and  this  Ethiopian  treasurer  which  recalls  the  contrast
between  Gehazi  and  the  stranger  Naaman  who  was  baptized  in  the
Jordan.
26  They  therefore,  when  they  had  testified  and  spoken  the
word  of  the  Lord,  returned  to  Jerusalem,  and  'preached  the
gospel  to  many  villages  of  the  Samaritans.
26  But  *an  angel  of  the  Lord  spake  unto  Philip,  saying.
