The Queen of Ethiopia
Candace is not a personal name, but a dynastic title, similar to “Pharaoh” or “Caesar,” held by the female monarchs who ruled the ancient African kingdom of MeroĆ« (Nubia or ancient Ethiopia). Her appearance in the Book of Acts places this powerful African queen at the intersection of Old Testament prophecy and the explosive global expansion of the early New Testament church.
The Queen and Her Treasurer
Candace is mentioned in the account of Philip the Evangelist, marking the conversion of an Ethiopian official who served directly under her:
“And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,” (Acts 8:26-27, KJV)
The key details regarding this event are:
- Ethiopian Kingdom: The kingdom of MeroĆ« was a significant and wealthy power located in what is modern-day Sudan, south of Egypt. The presence of the queen’s treasurer traveling to Jerusalem highlights the global reach of Judaism and, subsequently, the Gospel.
- Worship of the True God: The treasurer’s pilgrimage to Jerusalem shows he was a Gentile convert, or a proselyte, who had embraced the worship of the God of Israel. This fact underscores that the groundwork for the Gospel’s reception was often laid by the Old Testament witness.
- The Royal Authority: As treasurer, this man held the absolute financial authority of the Queenāthe second most powerful position in the entire realm. His conversion meant that the Christian faith immediately gained a potential entry point into the highest echelon of African royalty.
The Prophetic Scripture and Conversion
The Ethiopian eunuch was devoutly reading a scroll of the prophet Isaiah on his journey home. Philip was miraculously guided to him, where he found the eunuch perplexed by one of the greatest messianic passages:
“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:” (Acts 8:32, KJV, quoting Isaiah 53:7)
Philip then took this passage to “preach unto him Jesus” (Acts 8:35, KJV). Immediately upon understanding the truth, the treasurer requested baptism, signifying his acceptance of the New Covenant: “See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?” (Acts 8:36, KJV).
Candace’s Legacy and Prophetic Fulfillment
Although the Queen herself is not recorded as converting in this passage, her powerful treasurer did. Tradition holds that the eunuch returned to Meroƫ and became the primary evangelist to the region, eventually leading to the spread of Christianity throughout the Ethiopian kingdom.
The appearance of Candace’s court in Scripture demonstrates the following prophetic themes:
- Gospel for All Nations: This event fulfills Old Testament prophecies concerning the inclusion of all nations, including those from the far reaches of Africa: “Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.” (Psalm 68:31, KJV).
- The Immediate Call to Faith: The eunuchās immediate conversion and baptismābased on the clear understanding of Christ from the Old Testamentāis a powerful counter to the spirit of delay and doubt.
- The Church’s Global Destiny: The conversion under Candace’s authority marked the spiritual beginning of the Ethiopian Church, an institution that became a significant bastion of faith in Africa, preserving a centuries-long witness to Christ and validating the worldwide scope of the Great Commission.
Candace, though unseen in the narrative, represents the secular power whose ultimate treasury, the souls of her people, was touched by the living Gospel of Jesus Christ.