The book of Acts teaches us what the apostles, and others, taught when they went “into all the world to preach the gospel to every creature.” Philip obeyed and preached the gospel. Acts 8 tells of a day when Philip met an Ethiopian dignitary who was reading Scripture while returning from worship in Jerusalem. As they met, Philip asked him a vital spiritual question—“Do you understand what you are reading?” (v30). Think about this question and what the Ethiopian did not say--

1. Why should I worry about understanding it, it's just a bunch of stories. The Bible sustains the claim to be a book of facts, not myths. It is written by eyewitnesses and those who spoke to eyewitnesses (2 Peter 1:15-16; Luke 1:2, 4).
2. My interpretation is as good as yours. Some say this to avoid discussing the meaning of Scripture. Forget about my/your interpretation and study to understand what is written (2 Timothy 2:15). God expects us to “speak the same things” (1 Corinthians 1:10).
3. No one can understand this book. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Can you understand that or do you need a Catholic priest to tell you what the church says that means?

What He Did Say to Philip

Having studied what the Ethiopian did not say, let’s study what the Ethiopian did say to Philip--

1. “I cannot understand any of it” Acts 8:34 These words are inferred because he did understand that Isaiah was a prophet of God who spoke of real events [not national myths] in figurative language.
2. “How can I, unless someone guides me” (v31). He did not know to whom the verse applied.
3. “of whom does the prophet say this...” v34. Why didn’t the Ethiopian know the answer?
   1. He did not have the New Testament; he only knew “in part” (1 Corinthians 13:9-10). Today the perfect, complete truth has been delivered (1 Corinthians 13:10; Jude 3).
   2. He overlooked other relevant passages. By reading the writings of Daniel, David, and Micah, the Ethiopian may have eventually answered part of his own question.
   3. He was misled by false teachers. Those who murdered Jesus were the Ethiopian’s “spiritual leaders.” Would they tell him that Isaiah spoke of Jesus?!! Those whom the Ethiopian trusted, hid the truth from him. Could that happen today? Beware (1 John 4:1).

Could The Eunuch Understand?

Having studied the Ethiopian’s response to Philip, let’s ask-- Could the eunuch (and can we) understand God's word?

1. He understood Philip by listening v35. Faith is available to us in the same way—reading and hearing (Ephesians 3:3-4; Romans 10:17)
2. Having heard Philip preach Jesus, the Ethiopian understood the necessity of baptism v36. We must also understand this (Mark 16:16; Romans 6:3-4). Churches teaching “salvation by faith only” are perverting the gospel of Christ.
3. He understood the conditions upon which he could be baptized, thus he confessed Christ with his mouth v37 (Romans 10:10). Since confessing Christ precedes baptism, no infant should ever be baptized.
4. He rejoiced when he obeyed God v39
   1. He believed when he heard v36
   2. He confessed v37
   3. He was baptized and then rejoiced v39. This shows that he did understand what he read and heard! Do you?