Scripture Reading : Acts 8:26-40
Theme : Do You Understand What You Are Reading?
This passage records the episode of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, who was a high ranking official (v27). The conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch marked the beginning of the spread of the Gospel to Africa. We can learn the following lessons from this passage.
- What is the theme or topic of this passage? Philip asked the eunuch if he understood what he was reading. The eunuch’s reply shows that every passage of the Bible has its intended meaning (intended by the Holy Spirit, who is the author). Without proper guidance, many wrong interpretations will arise, which is the error of post-modernists.
- What is the context of this passage? The eunuch also understood that in order to understand the passage, he needed to know the context – who was Isaiah writing about?
- What is the support of the theme of this passage? Philip used the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading and showed from the context that the theme is the Gospel of Jesus giving His life as the substitutionary atonement.
- What lesson can we learn from this passage? The eunuch also demonstrated that he did not just acquire additional knowledge that did not affect his life. He immediately responded to the Gospel message with obedience, and requested to be baptized.
Praying the Scripture
- Pray that we will be humble and teachable like the Ethiopian eunuch, who acknowledged his ignorance and submitted to Philip’s teaching.
- There is only one intended meaning of the words in the Bible. Pray that we will truly embrace this truth, and strive, as followers of Christ, to understand His Word, so that we will not be led astray by postmodernist’s error that there are many different interpretations that are all correct.
- After he understood the passage, the Ethiopian eunuch responded in immediate obedience. Pray that we will not harden our hearts to the Word of God, but we will submit to its authority, and show it through our actions.
经文：使徒行传8:26-40
主题：你是否明白自己所读的经文？
这段经文叙述腓利与担任宫廷要职的埃塞俄比亚太监（8:27）讲解福音的经过。这位太监的悔改极可能是福音扩展到非洲的开端。我们从这段经文学习到下列几点：
- 经文的主题是什么？腓利问太监是否明白自己在读些什么。太监的回答显明整本圣经只有一种真实解释（作者是圣灵，祂给予经文的原意）。缺乏正确的教导会导致对圣经真理理解上的错误，也就是后现代主义所带出错谬教导的源头。
- 经文的上下文是什么？太监晓得要明白经文，他必须清楚上下经文——以赛亚在经上写的是谁？
- 从哪里看出经文支持主题？腓利与太监所读的经文的上下文指出经文的主题是福音：耶稣基督舍了生命，成代罪救赎的工作。
- 我们从这经文学到什么功课？太监的回应也显示，知识的习得必须与生活的应用有关。他顺服福音的教训，要求受洗。
用经文祷告
- 祈求我们能像那位埃塞俄比亚太监一样能虚心受教；他承认自己的无知，并顺服了腓利的教导。
- 圣经中的话只有一个解释。身为基督徒的我们当祈求我们能真心领受这个真理，并竭力追求明白圣经，叫我们不会被后现代主义者的错谬思想误导，以为圣经能有不同但又是正确的理解。
- 当那位埃塞俄比亚太监明白经文后，他立即服从教训。祈求我们的心不会对神的道刚硬，而是顺服圣经的权柄，并付诸行动表示这一点。
