An Ethiopian Eunuch Joins the Vine
29 April 2018 – Fifth Sunday of Easter
Stuck in the middle of this pericope [from John 15] is the fascinating assertion that “You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you.” . . . Here is forgiveness not dependent on repentance or remorse or any sort of human prerequisite. –– H. Gregory Waldrop
John 15:1-8
A part of the last discourse of Jesus at the Last Supper, the image of the vine and the branches offers an organic understanding of the relationship between Jesus and the community of faith. In this gardening image, the Father is the vine grower and Jesus is the vine who gives life to all who hear the word and bear fruit. Branches which do not bear fruit or which wither on the vine will be pruned and thrown away.
John's vineyard image recalls the parable of Isaiah 5 in which God is the vineyard owner and Israel is the vine. In chapter 24 of Sirach, Wisdom is portrayed as a vine. John likes to use wisdom imagery to talk about Jesus; so it is not surprising that he picks it up here. The vine and the branches present a somewhat different understanding of church than Paul's “Body of Christ” (1 Cor. 12:12ff.). The two stand in tension with one another and form and shape each other. –– Mary Katharine Deeley
Acts 8:26-40
After Stephen's martyrdom, the apostles were scattered throughout the area. Chapter 8 and after records their exploits in various parts of the country, eventually leading to the gentile territories. Among those who traveled in Samaria and beyond, Philip proves a powerful preacher and God guides the encounter between Philip and an Ethiopian eunuch. The story prepares us for the mission to the gentiles by including the details of God's intervention in this particular scene.
Clearly, in Luke's mind, God intends to spread the good news beyond the confines of Judah and Jerusalem. That the Ethiopian is a eunuch echoes Isaiah's prophecy that eunuchs who are faithful will have a place in the Lord's house (Isaiah 56:4–5). Eunuchs were originally excluded from participation in the community. The passage the eunuch is reading is the famous “Suffering Servant” passage from Isaiah which, from early in the church's history, Christians thought applied to Jesus. It gives Philip the perfect opportunity to proclaim the good news. Finally Philip is whisked away by the Spirit, but the lasting effects of his proclamation and his action were evident in the eunuch's joy at being baptized. –– Mary Katharine Deeley
1 John 4:7-21
The first letter of John is similar in style and vocabulary to the gospel of John, suggesting they are both out of the same school of Johannine thought. Peculiar to this writing, though, is that it does not have either the salutation or the conclusion that most letters bear and seems to be more of a theological reflection on the nature of God and the relationship between God and human beings. Chapter 4 reflects on God's love for us, evident in the coming of Jesus. John uses the love of God as the principle motivation for us to love one another. As long as we love, “God lives in us.” Just as importantly, anyone who does not love cannot know God. –– Mary Katharine Deeley
Mary Katharine Deeley is the director of Christ the Teacher Institute of the Sheil Catholic Center, the Roman Catholic campus ministry at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. She is the author of many books, a frequent speaker on diverse topics, and a pastoral advisor.
H. Gregory Waldrop was baptized in Mayfield, Kentucky, in 1954 and ordained in Atwood, Tennessee in 1981. He is a United Methodist pastor serving Fountain Avenue United Methodist Church in Paducah, Kentucky.
Homily Service 39, no. 6 (2006): 12-21.