Scripture Text to read: Acts 8:26 An angel of Adonai said to Philip, “Get up, and go southward on the road that goes down from Yerushalayim to ‘Azah, the desert road.” 27 So he got up and went. On his way, he caught sight of an Ethiopian, a eunuch who was minister in charge of all the treasure of the Kandake, or queen, of Ethiopia. He had been to Yerushalayim to worship; 28 and now, as he was returning home, he was sitting in his chariot, reading the prophet Yesha‘yahu. 29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to this chariot, and stay close to it.” 30 As Philip ran up, he heard the Ethiopian reading from Yesha‘yahu the prophet. “Do you understand what you’re reading?” he asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” And he invited Philip to climb up and sit with him.
32 Now the portion of the Tanakh that he was reading was this:
“He was like a sheep led to be slaughtered;
like a lamb silent before the shearer, he does not open his mouth.
33 He was humiliated and denied justice.
Who will tell about his descendants,
since his life has been taken from the earth?”[Acts 8:33 Isaiah 53:7–8]
34 The eunuch said to Philip, “Here’s my question to you — is the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip started to speak — beginning with that passage, he went on to tell him the Good News about Yeshua.
36 As they were going down the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Here’s some water! Is there any reason why I shouldn’t be immersed?” 37 [Acts 8:37 Some manuscripts include verse 37: And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” He answered, “I believe that Yeshua the Messiah is the Son of God.”] 38 He ordered the chariot to stop; then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip immersed him.
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for Text to read: Text to read: Acts 8:26-38
Verse 26
[26] 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.
The way which is desert — There were two ways from Jerusalem to Gaza, one desert, the other through a more populous country.
Verse 27
[27] 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,
An eunuch — Chief officers were anciently called eunuchs, though not always literally such; because such used to be chief ministers in the eastern courts.
Candace, queen of the Ethiopians — So all the queens of Ethiopia were called.
Verse 28
[28] Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
Sitting in his chariot, he read the Prophet Isaiah — God meeteth those that remember him in his ways. It is good to read, hear, seek information even in a journey. Why should we not redeem all our time?
Verse 30
[30] And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
And Philip running to him, said, Understandest thou what thou readest? — He did not begin about the weather, news, or the like. In speaking for God, we may frequently come to the point at once, without circumlocution.
Verse 31
[31] And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
He desired Philip to come up and sit with him — Such was his modesty, and thirst after instruction.
Verse 32
[32] 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:
The portion of Scripture — By reading that very chapter, the fifty-third of Isaiah, many Jews, yea, and atheists, have been converted. Some of them history records. God knoweth them all. Isaiah 53:7
Verse 33
[33] In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
In his humiliation his judgment was taken away — That is, when he was a man, he had no justice shown him. To take away a person's judgment, is a proverbial phrase for oppressing him.
And who shall declare, or count his generation — That is, who can number his seed, Isaiah 53:10; which he hath purchased by laying down his life?
Verse 36
[36] And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
And as they went on the way they came to a certain water — Thus, even the circumstances of the journey were under the direction of God. The kingdom of God suits itself to external circumstances, without any violence, as air yields to all bodies, and yet pervades all.
What hindereth me to be baptized? — Probably he had been circumcised: otherwise Cornelius would not have been the first fruits of the Gentiles.
Verse 38
[38] And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
And they both went down — Out of the chariot. It does not follow that he was baptized by immersion. The text neither affirms nor intimates any thing concerning it.
Daily Devotional:Monday, March 28, 2016
Text to read: Acts 8:26-38
- Read the the story from Acts?
- What do you see for the first time?
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Text to read: Acts 8:26-38
- How does God “interrupt” the lives of Philip and the Ethiopian?
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Text to read: Acts 8:26-38
- What kind of mindset did the Ethiopian have?
- Why is that important?
Friday, April 1, 2016
Text to read: Acts 8:26-38
- How can we each make more “space” for God to interrupt?
Saturday, April 2, 2016
Text to read: Acts 8:26-38
- When did you last interrupt someone else for a positive purpose?
Sunday, April 3, 2016
Text to read: Acts 8:26-38
- Pray for those who are too busy to be interrupted.
First United Methodist Church
2111 Camino del Rio South
San Diego, California 92108, United States
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