Acts 8:39

“And when they were come up out of the water, etc.] Which is another circumstance, showing that baptism was then performed by immersion; with this compare (<400316>Matthew 3:16) and so it is said of the high priest, when he washed himself on the day of atonement, hl[ lbjw dry, “he went down and dipped, and came up” f444; and so any other person that was obliged to dipping on any account, hl[w lbjw dry, “went down and dipped, and came up” f445. And again it is said f446, it happened to a servant maid of Rabbi, htl[w hlbjç, “that she dipped herself and came up”. The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; as soon as the ordinance was over; so that the eunuch had no opportunity of rewarding him…”

“the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip--To deny [as MEYER, OLSHAUSEN, BLOOMFIELD] the miraculous nature of Philip's disappearance, is vain. It stands out on the face of the words, as just a repetition of what we read of the ancient prophets, in Kg1 18:12; Kg2 2:16. And the same word (as BENGEL remarks) is employed to express a similar idea in Co2 12:2, Co2 12:4; Th1 4:17. the eunuch saw him no more--nor, perhaps, for very joy, cared to see him [BENGEL]. and he went on his way rejoicing--He had found Christ, and the key to the Scriptures; his soul was set free, and his discipleship sealed; he had lost his teacher, but gained what was infinitely better: He felt himself a new man, and "his…”

“Out of the water - ἐκ ek. This preposition stands opposed to εἰς eis, “into”; and as that may mean to, so this may mean From; if that means into, this means here out of. The Spirit of the Lord - See Acts 8:29. The Spirit had suggested to Philip to go to meet the eunuch, and the same Spirit, now that he had fulfilled the design of his going there, directed his departure. Caught away - This phrase has been usually understood of a forcible or miraculous removal of Philip to some other place. Some have even supposed that he was borne through the air by an angel (see even Doddridge). To such foolish interpretations have many expositors been led. The meaning is, clearly, that the Spirit, who had…”

“The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip - Carried him away with a miraculous swiftness, without any action or labour of his own. This had befallen several of the prophets. Acts 8:40”

“8:39-40 After the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, Philip continued northward from Azotus (=Ashdod, 1 Sam 5:1-7; Neh 13:23-24; Isa 20:1) up the coast, preaching in every town along the way until he came to Caesarea, where he settled (Acts 21:8). • Caesarea Maritima, a major seaport on the Mediterranean, was the seat of Roman government in Judea. It was built by Herod the Great about 22–9 BC and was named to honor Caesar Augustus.”

“were: Mat 3:16; Mar 1:10 \*Gr. the Spirit: Kg1 18:12; Kg2 2:16; Eze 3:12-14, Eze 8:3, Eze 11:24; Co2 12:2-4 and he: Act 8:8, Act 13:52, Act 16:34; Psa 119:14, Psa 119:111; Isa 35:1, Isa 35:2, Isa 55:12, Isa 55:13, Isa 61:10, Isa 66:13, Isa 66:14; Mat 13:44; Rom 5:2, Rom 15:10-13; Phi 3:3, Phi 4:4; Jam 1:9, Jam 1:10, Jam 4:16 Acts 8:40”