Acts 8 26

Acts 8 verse 26

(Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch)

And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip saying, Arise, and go toward the south into the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.   (KJV)

But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Rise up and go along south on the highway going down from Jerusalem to Gaza; this is desert.     (IB)

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Retranslation:  The Supreme Controller brought this meaning to Philip, describing it this way: Remove your ‘self’ in humility! Let your self die in the manner of the cross of Calvary! Become a Christian! Wake up! And go there! This is THE WAY, sent down from Heaven. It leads to spiritual strength. The way is solitary, ALONE, all One, with ME.

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angel 32 angelos from angello [probably derived from 71; compare 34] (to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an “angel”; by implication a pastor:-----angel, messenger.

71 ago, a primary verb; properly to lead; by implication to bring, drive (reflexive) go, (specifically) pass (time), (figuratively) induce:-----be, bring (forth), carry, (let) go, keep, lead away, be open.

34 age, from 71 [compare 32]; a drove:-----herd.

tidings (1828 Dict. def.) [Sw. tidning; Dan. tidende, news. It is the participle of Sax. tidan, to happen, or some other verb connected with tide, and denotes coming, or that which arrives.]

1. News; advice; information; intelligence; account of what has taken place, and was not before known.  “I shall make my master glad with these tidings.”  Shak.  “Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Luke ii.

Lord 2962 kyrios, from kyros (supremacy); supreme in authority, i.e. (as noun) controller; by implication Mister (as a respectful title):-----God, Lord, master, Sir.

spoke 2980 laleo, a prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. utter words:-----preach, say, speak (after), talk, tell, utter. Compare 3004.

to 4314

Philip 5376 Phillops, from 5384 and 2462; fond of horses; Philippus, the name of four Israelites:-----Philip.

5384 philos; properly dear, i.e. a friend; active fond, i.e. friendly (still as a noun, an associate, neighbor, etc.):-------friend.

2462 hippos, of uncertain affinity; a horse:-----horse.

saying 3004 lego, a primary verb; properly to “lay” forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words [usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas 2036 and 5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while 4483 is properly to break silence merely; and 2980 means an extended or random harangue]); by implication to mean:----ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say (on), saying, shew, speak, tell, utter.

Rise up 450

go 4198 poreuomai, middle from a derivative of the same as 3984; to traverse, i.e. travel (literally or figuratively); especially to remove [figuratively die], live, etc.):----depart, go (away, forth, one’s way, up), (make a, take a) journey, walk.

along 2596 kata, a primary particle; (preposition) down (in place or time), in varied relations (according to the case [genitive, dative or accusative] with which it is joined). In compounds it retains many of these applications, and frequently denotes opposition, distribution or intensity:----about, according as (to), after, against, (when they were) alone, among, and, apart, (even, like) as (concerning, pertaining to, touching), aside, at, before, beyond, by, to the charge of, [charita-]bly, concerning, covered, [dai-]ly, down, every, ( + far more) exceeding, more excellent, for, from . . . to, godly, in (divers, every, respect of), inasmuch, into, . . . by, after the manner of, by any means, beyond (out of) measure, mightily, more, natural, of, on (part), upon, out (of every), over against, (+ your) own, particularly, so through, throughout (every), thus, to, unto, together, toward, uttermost, where, whereby, with.

south 3314 mesembria, from 3319 and 2250: midday; by implication the south:----noon, south.

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NOTE on “south”:  On page 575 (Science and Health), the “sacred city” is described. It is four sided and “comes down from God out of heaven” (Jerusalem = Heaven, ibid. p. 589:15). The four sides of the city (the Word, Christ, Christianity, and divine Science) are “situated” so that:

North side = the Word

East side = Star of Bethlehem

South side = “Cross of Calvary, which binds human society into solemn union”

West side = “grand realization  of the Golden Shore of Love and the Peaceful Sea of Harmony.”

Calvary 2898 kranion, diminutive of a derivative of the base of 2768; a skull (“cranium”).

2768 keras, from a primary kar (the hair of the head); a horn (literal or figurative):-----horn.

skull 1115 Golgotha, of Aramaic origin [compare H1538]; the skull; Golgotha, knoll near Jerusalem:-----Golgotha.

H1538 gulgolet, by reduplication from H1556; a skull (as round); by implication a head (in enumeration of persons):------head, every man, poll, skull.

H1556 galal, a primitive root; to roll (literally or figuratively):-----commit, remove, roll, roll away, roll down, roll together, run down, seek occasion, trust, wallow.

This idea of “rolling” is VERY IMPORTANT to understand. It is at the heart of the skull and thus the Cross of Calvary, or the "sacrifice of the skull."  If you have time, read the Hebrew words in the Hebrew dictionary in the back of your Concordance, starting with the word H1523 “gil”, to spin round (under the influence of any violent emotion), i.e. usually rejoice, or (as cringing) fear:------be glad, joy, be joyful, rejoice. I’m going to give you some highlights, but if you can, read these words yourself and see if you can make some new connections for us:

H1525 gil, a revolution (of time), also joy.

H1530 gal, something rolled, i.e. a heap . . . by analogy a spring of water (plural waves).

H1533 gilboa; fountain of ebullation.

H1534 galgal; a wheel; by analogy a whirlwind; also dust (as whirled):-----HEAVEN, ROLLING THING, WHEEL.

H1536 gilgal:---wheel

H1538 gulgolet; a skull (as round):--head, poll, skull, every man.

H1543 gulla; a fountain, bowl or globe (all as round):----bowl, spring.

H1544 gillul; a log (as round); by implication an idol:----idol.

H1550 galil; a valve of a folding door (as turning); also a ring (as round):---folding, ring.

H1551 galil; a circle (with the article); Galil (as a special circuit):-----GALLILEE.

H1552 gelila; a circuit or region:----border, country.

H1553 gelilot; circles; Geliloth, a place in Palestine.

H1554 gallim; plural of 1530; springs.

Here’s some possible considerations:

Rolling things over in the mind = reasoning.

Circle = encompassing; inclosing; embracing. 

Springs and fountains =  creation or source. 

Whirlwind and heaven vs. whirlwind and dust = Immortal Mind vs. mortal mind.

The circle could mean consciousness, embracing the “all” of experience; it rolls everything into oneness; embraces all meaning; folds together all “time. The root of all these words, (H1523, gil), means to spin round under the influence of emotion, and contrasts rejoicing with fear, two opposite experiences of consciousness.

This “south” idea of the Cross of Calvary, represents “Christianity, which is the Christ-idea in Christian history.”  (Science and Health, p. 577:15)

                   

I am going to assume that Philip is sent to teach the eunuch about self-sacrifice, which Eddy calls “the highway to heaven.” (No and Yes, 33:13.) In Science and Health, page 238:31, Eddy writes: “The cross is the central emblem of history. It is the lodestar in the demonstration of Christian healing,----the demonstration by which sin and disease are destroyed.” (Emphasis added.)

Mortal mind = sin = belief that life, substance, intelligence and sensation are in matter. See pages 591 and 592 of Science and Health, the definition of mortal mind.

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on 1909

highway 3598 hodos, apparently a primary word; a road; by implication a progress (the route, act, or distance); figuratively a mode or means:-----journey, way, highway.

going down 2597 katabaino, from 2596 and 939; to descend (lit. or fig.):-----come (get, go, step) down, fall (down).

from 575

Jerusalem 2419 founded peaceful  

to 1519

Gaza 1048 Gaza, of Hebrew origin [H5804]; Gazah (i.e. Azzah), a place in Palestine:-----Gaza.

H5804 azza, feminine of H5794; strong; Azzah, a place in Palestine:-----Azzah, Gaza.

H5794 az, from H5810; strong, vehement, harsh:-----fierce, greedy, mightly, power, roughly, strong.

H5810 azaz, a primitive root; to be stout (lit. or fig.):-----harden, impudent, prevail, strengthen, strengthen self, be strong.

this 3778

is 2076

desert 2048 eremos, of uncertain affinity; lonesome, i.e. (by implication) waste (usually as a noun, 5561 being implied):----desert, desolate, solitary, wilderness.

solitary (Origins Dict.) See SOLE. Sole derives from sol----from L. solus, alone, solitary. Perhaps, however, L. solus is ultimately akin to Greek holos, whole, entire: one basic idea regarded from a different angle.

NOTES on “loneliness” from Science and Health:

The lonely precincts of the tomb . . . (ibid., 44:5)(Emphasis added)

treading alone his loving pathway . . (ibid., 26:2)(Emphasis added)

            Luke may be implying that becoming a Christian is a thing you must do “alone” with God (the definition of solitary). Self-sacrifice must be done by the “self” through “learning” that there is only one Self, and, through communing with this divine Self, learning to trust it and know it as “your” Mind, your God. Only you can know when you are ready to give it up, and grow up, jettisoning the infantile. It might be appropriate here to quote a rather lengthy piece from Miscellaneous Writings by Mary Baker Eddy, page 85:

             “The first feeble flutterings of mortals Christward are infantile and more or less imperfect. The new-born Christian Scientist must mature, and work out his own salvation. Spirit and flesh antagonize. Temptation, that mist of mortal mind which seems to be matter and the environment of mortals, suggests pleasure and pain in matter; and, so long as this temptation lasts, the warfare is not ended and the mortal is not regenerated. The pleasures ---- more than the pains --- of sense, retard regeneration; for pain compels human consciousness to escape from sense into the immortality and harmony of Soul [the self-existent Mind]. Disease in error, more than ease in it, tends to destroy error: the sick are thereby led to Christ, Truth, and to learn their way out of both sickness and sin.”  (Emphasis added.)