“And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,”
So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake, Queen of Ethiopia. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship - the 'Ethiopian eunuch' (eunouchos Aithiops) represents a double marginalization: Ethiopian (foreigner) and eunuch (sexually different, hence excluded from full temple participation by Deuteronomy 23:1). Despite these barriers, he has traveled to Jerusalem 'to worship' (proskynēō, to bow down, a religious pilgrimage). The Kandake is the queen title of Ethiopia; the eunuch's official position suggests power despite his physical condition.
Church Fathers on Acts 8:27
It seems to me, this (Philip) was one of the seven; for from Jerusalem he would not have gone southwards, but to the north; but from Samaria it was towards the south. The same is desert: so that there is no fear of an attack from the Jews. And he did not ask, Wherefore? But arose and went. And, behold, it says, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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