Fathers

Loading…

What the Fathers say

Acts 8:27

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

An eunuch, it says, a man of great authority, under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. For there women bore rule of old, and this was the law among them. Philip did not yet know for whose sake he had come into the desert.

Homily on Acts 19 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

"He rose and went." Notice the obedience. Philip did not ask or say, "Why?", but together with the command "he rose and went." "A eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship." Women held power in this Ethiopia; one of them by right of succession was Candace; the eunuch served as her treasurer. …

Commentary on Acts ↗

Oecumenius

The women of Ethiopia, who obeyed her, among whom one in succession was Candace: whose eunuch was over the chamber of the royal treasures. It should be known that the Ethiopians call every king's mother Candace: for the Ethiopians do not mention a king's father, but they hand them down as if true sons of the sun: and they call the mother of each one Candace.

Commentary on Acts ↗

Western Saints

Bede

And behold, a man from Ethiopia, a powerful eunuch. He is called a man for the virtue and integrity of his mind; and not undeservedly, as he had so much zeal for the Scriptures that he did not cease to read them even on the way; and he bore so much love in religion that, leaving the royal court, he came from the farthest parts of the world to the temple of the Lord. …

Commentary on Acts ↗