Acts 8:32

The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:

{G1161} The place {G4042} of the scripture {G1124} which {G3739} he read {G314} was {G2258} this {G3778}, He was led {G71} as {G5613} a sheep {G4263} to {G1909} the slaughter {G4967}; and {G2532} like {G5613} a lamb {G286} dumb {G880} before {G1726} his {G846} shearer {G2751}, so {G3779} opened he {G455} not {G3756} his {G846} mouth {G4750}:

Now the portion of the Tanakh that he was reading was this:

“He was like a sheep led to be slaughtered;
like a lamb silent before the shearer, he does not open his mouth.

The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so He did not open His mouth.

Now the passage of the scripture which he was reading was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth:

Acts 8:32 quotes a pivotal passage from the Old Testament, specifically from the prophet Isaiah, which the Ethiopian eunuch was reading when Philip encountered him. This verse highlights the profound prophetic description of Jesus Christ, emphasizing His voluntary suffering and silent submission during His crucifixion.

Context

This verse is part of the compelling narrative found in Acts 8:26-40, where the evangelist Philip is supernaturally directed by the Holy Spirit to a desert road. There, he encounters an influential Ethiopian official, a eunuch, who was returning from worshiping in Jerusalem. The eunuch was seated in his chariot, deeply engrossed in reading from the book of Isaiah. When Philip asks if he understands what he is reading, the eunuch confesses his need for guidance, leading Philip to explain how this very scripture points to Jesus.

Key Themes

  • Prophecy and Fulfillment: The passage the eunuch reads is directly from Isaiah 53:7, a profound Messianic prophecy written centuries before Christ. It vividly foretells the suffering, silence, and sacrifice of the "Servant of the Lord," which Christians understand to be Jesus. This encounter underscores the Old Testament's consistent testimony to Christ.
  • Humility and Submission: The imagery of a "sheep to the slaughter" and a "lamb dumb before his shearer" powerfully conveys Jesus's incredible humility and willing submission to God's redemptive plan, even unto a cruel death. He did not retaliate or defend Himself, thereby fulfilling these prophetic words. This is clearly echoed in accounts of His trial, where He remained largely silent (Matthew 27:12-14, Mark 14:61).
  • Divine Guidance and Evangelism: The story as a whole illustrates God's active role in bringing people to faith. Philip's divine appointment to meet the Ethiopian eunuch, and the eunuch's readiness to learn, demonstrates the Holy Spirit's powerful work in opening hearts to the Gospel message.

Linguistic Insights

The King James Version uses the word "dumb," which in this context means silent or mute, not lacking intelligence. It emphasizes the complete lack of resistance or protest from the lamb (and by extension, from Jesus). The comparison to a "sheep" and "lamb" also powerfully evokes the imagery of sacrificial animals, pointing to Jesus as the ultimate Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Practical Application

  • The Need for Interpretation: Just as the eunuch needed Philip, believers often benefit from guidance in understanding complex scriptures. The Bible is not always self-explanatory, and the Holy Spirit often uses teachers and fellow believers to illuminate its profound truths.
  • Jesus as Our Example: Christ's silent suffering and humble submission offer a powerful example of humility, patience, and trust in God's sovereign plan, even amidst injustice and hardship. This challenges believers to respond to adversity with grace and faith.
  • The Clarity of Prophecy: This passage brilliantly demonstrates how God's Word, written centuries in advance, clearly pointed to Jesus. It strengthens faith in the reliability and divine inspiration of the Scriptures, showing God's meticulous plan for salvation.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Isaiah 53:7

    He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

  • Isaiah 53:8

    He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

  • 1 Peter 2:21

    For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

  • 1 Peter 2:24

    Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

  • Jeremiah 51:40

    I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats.

  • Romans 8:36

    As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

  • Jeremiah 11:19

    But I [was] like a lamb [or] an ox [that] is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, [saying], Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.

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