After the highlight of the baptism, Philip abruptly disappears. The Spirit of the Lord (as this portion also began in Acts 8:26) suddenly carries Philip away (“harpazo”). That word means to rob, to snatch away in various ways/contexts (e.g., John 10:28; Acts 23:10; the special experience of Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:2–3 a man who was caught up to the third heaven
). Think of the sudden departure of the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 2:11–12). In a special way, Philip as prophet is being carried away by the Spirit. The accent is on the parting of the ways after this highlight (compare the sudden vanishing of Jesus in Emmaus, so that the men see him no more, Luke 24:31). The Lord has control over what happens from beginning to end. The Ethiopian does not see Philip anymore, as he went on his way. He did not go back to look for Philip (as the people did to look for Elijah who had vanished, 2 Kings 2:16–18) to stay with him, but he went on his way.
Without Philip as guide, but indeed with a new travel companion: his Lord Jesus Christ! In him, he finds all joy. “Chaireo” means joy for the salvation and for faith and baptism (see more often in Acts: as in Jerusalem, Acts 2:46; in Samaria, Acts 8:8; and as characteristic of the kingdom, Romans 14:17). Luke does not explicitly say that the Spirit descended on the baptized person (though that is mentioned in several manuscripts), but the Spirit obviously worked the faith in him and gave him the joy. Just as in Samaria (see notes on Acts 8:15–17), this joy is the new song of recognition of the new life with the Lord Jesus!
39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.