The Ethiopian responds to this passage in Isaiah 53 and poses a second question: about whom is the prophet writing here? Philip gets a second opening! In Acts 8:35 Philip opens his mouth (“anoigeo”) as a formal beginning of his proclamation and in the style of Isaiah, who was just saying that the lamb does not open his mouth
(see Acts 8:32). He also opens Scripture (“anaginosko”). This word to open one’s mouth
can also be found in Acts 10:34; Acts 18:14. Philip tells the good news about Jesus with this portion of Scripture as starting point. “Euaggelisomai” (ESV: good news) means to bring the good news that Jesus is the Messiah (as e.g., in Acts 5:42; Acts 11:20; Acts 15:35 and in this chapter Acts 8:4, Acts 8:25 and Acts 8:40). Philip is an evangelist and tells the Ethiopian how Isaiah points to Jesus in this part of Scripture. How special is this teaching for the foreigner who has never heard of Jesus yet?!
34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”