We all need a little help sometimes

In the book of Acts, chapter eight, verses 26-39 we read the story of the Apostle Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch.  The Ethiopian was an official in charge of the treasury of the queen of Ethiopia. He was returning to Ethiopia after having gone to Jerusalem to worship.

I think we admit that there could be a lot to unpack here.  A eunuch would not have been allowed beyond a certain point in the Temple precincts.  Eunuchs were prohibited from entering the Temple proper.  The account says that the eunuch had been in Jerusalem “to worship” (v. 27).  Worship is a word that entails animal sacrifice in situations such as this.  And again, there are several religious firewalls in place regarding this description.  No doubt that this traveler had come to Jerusalem for devotional purposes, but the way in which this account is before us is a bit odd.

In any event, the narrative unfolds with an angel of the Lord directing Philip first to this particular road, and then to approach the chariot of the eunuch.  The official was reading (and the practice of the day was always to read aloud; reading silently was almost unheard of) from Isaiah.  Particularly his passage is from chapter 53 of that book.

When at the command of the angel Philip comes near the Ethiopian’s chariot, the apostle hears the reading and he asks a question.  He asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’  (The eunuch) replied, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ (vss. 28-29)

In this little passage, we get a profound instruction.  The eunuch was reading, but he did not comprehend all that was before him.  He has the wisdom to confess to Philip that comprehending this text was beyond him without the instruction of someone more knowledgeable.  

By inference we hear the eunuch saying that he could read such a passage over and over innumerable times, but he would never be any closer to discerning its significance.  He could commit it to memory, recite it forward and backward, but in the end have no clear understanding of these verses.

When Josh Pastner was Head Coach for The University of Memphis’ men’s basketball team, he would day “Practice doesn’t make perfect.  Perfect practice makes perfect.”  He was saying that a player could stand at the free-throw line and shoot a thousand shots a day, but with flawed technique the player would never get any better.  True improvement only comes with good coaching.

I offer this as a comment on the spiritual discipline of Bible study.  Reading the Bible repeatedly is spiritually productive only to a point.  (And I might especially add that reading flawed versions of the Bible can do extraordinary violence to one’s engaging of scripture.)  True depth of understanding – and therefore spiritual maturity – comes from consulting those who know far more about the Bible than most of us.  Books (or people) that are conversant in the original biblical languages, that comprehend the context of the composition of scripture and who can offer us insights into interpretation give us an opportunity to reach far beyond our own grasp. 

That is not to say that we should let writers of commentaries do our thinking for us.  But, if we employ such tools to assist us in forming our own conclusions, we are much better off than if we are merely throwing darts at the board of biblical understanding. 

How can I (understand), unless someone guides me?