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:
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
As a sheep, or a lamb The eunuch, by divine Providence, was now reading the 53d chap. of Isaias, which is of Christ, and his sufferings.
In humility his judgment was taken away. The sense seems to be, that Christ having humbled himself, so as to undergo an unjust judgment, or condemnation to die on the cross, hath been again raised from the dead, and delivered from that judgment by his glorious resurrection, and ascension. (Witham)
But again: Whom did Philip preach to the eunuch of the queen of the Ethiopians, returning from Jerusalem, and reading Esaias the prophet, when he and this man were alone together? Was it not He of whom the prophet spoke: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb dumb before the shearer, so He opened not the month? ""But who shall declare His nativity? for His life shall be taken away from the earth."
And this circumstance, also, is a token of his elevated mind, (φιλοσοφίας) that he had in hand this prophet, who is more sublime than all others. Philip does not relate matters to him just as it might happen, but quietly: nay, does not say anything until he is questioned. Both in the former instance he prayed him, and so he does now, saying, I pray you of whom speaks the prophet this? That he should at all know either that the Prophets speak in different ways about different persons, or that they speak of themselves in another person— the question betokens a very thoughtful mind. Let us be put to shame, both poor and rich, by this eunuch. Then, it says, they came to a certain water, and he said, Lo, here is water.
