What does it mean when Acts says "the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more..."? Was Philip actually "sucked up" somehow and transported instantaneously elsewhere? I'm having a hard time reconciling this passage to my skeptical nature. Can you clarify this for me? -- Stephen (Marietta, Georgia)
Interesting--I was having this very discussion today with a brother here in Kiev! Was it "teleportation" (à la Elijah), or just the appearance of fast travel ("he appeared"). Either way, he was a man on the go, a man with a mission!
The various renderings of Acts 8:40 show the possibilities:
* Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and travelled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea. NIV
* But Philip found himself at Azotus; and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea. NAS
* But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea. NKJ
The Greek heurethe means "was found" or possibly "found himself," not "appeared." As is often the case, the NIV paraphrases.
Your skeptical nature (like mine) will do well to consider that there is insufficient evidence to make a decision one way or the other.
