Acts 8:35
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Then Philip opened his mouth,.... With freedom and boldness, and spoke clearly and distinctly, and expounded the passage to him. This is a phrase frequently used in Jewish writings, especially in the book of Zohar {e}, when they give an account of this or the other Rabbi interpreting any place of Scripture; as for instance, R. Eleazar xtp, "opened", and said, "my sabbaths you shall keep", &c. Again, R. Aba xtp, "opened", and said, "and Manoah said unto his wife", &c. Once more, "R. Simeon opened", and said, "the heavens declare the glory of God", &c. and
began at the same scripture: "the fifty third of Isaiah": and preached unto him Jesus of Nazareth; how that he was the true Messiah, and the person there designed, and that very rightly; for the Jews themselves, the ancient ones, have interpreted several passages in that chapter of the Messiah, as has been before observed; he showed him how that he was born of a virgin, made under the law, and yielded perfect obedience to it in his life; and that he suffered and died for the sins of his people, and made satisfaction for them, and brought in an everlasting righteousness to justify them before God, and had obtained eternal redemption for them; that he was risen from the dead, was ascended into heaven, and now sat at the right hand of God, and ever lived to make intercession for transgressors; and would come a second time to judge both quick and dead; and in the mean while had left rules for the gathering, and forming, and governing his churches; and had appointed persons to preach his Gospel, and to administer the ordinances of baptism, and the supper of the Lord, which were to continue till his second coming.
{e} In Gen. fol. 5. 3. 4. & 6. 1. 3. & 7. 1. 2. 3. & 8. 1. 2. 3. & passim.