“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, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet” (Acts 8:27-28).

The world today has much more access to the word of God than the eunuch did on that day recorded in Acts 8.  However, the eunuch had an attitude about studying the Bible that all in the world today need.  Look at three lessons from this account to help all see how important serious Bible study is.

1. Personal Reading. It is worthy of note that the eunuch had a copy of the book of Isaiah in which he was reading.  How much of the rest of the Bible he had is not stated.  However, he saw that material as being very important to his life.  Today, copies of the Bible are accessible to anyone today with the presence of printed books, and even the Internet.  Owning one’s own personal copy of the Bible in one’s language is so commonplace in America that it is often taken for granted.  The eunuch had already been exposed to a reading of the Bible back in Jerusalem where he had gone to worship but that time was not enough for him.  He wanted to personally look into the word and seek the truths that were there.  How wonderful a practice it is to seek diligently for more knowledge from the word of God.  Ignorance of God’s word is to put oneself into a very dangerous state (cf. Hosea 4:6).  The eunuch’s personal reading demonstrated that his priorities were right.
2. Pertinent Questioning. After Philip asked the eunuch if he understood what he was reading, the eunuch said, “How can I, except some man should guide me?” (Acts 8:31).  Later, the eunuch will ask Philip concerning the reading, “I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?” (Acts 8:34).  After learning that the reading was about Jesus (cf. Acts 8:35), he asked the most pertinent question of all, by saying, “See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?” (Acts 8:36).  While there are some questions that are “foolish and unlearned questions” (2 Tim. 2:23), the eunuch’s questions did not fall into that category.  He knew he was ignorant.  He sincerely wanted to know the truth about the meaning of the text.  He wanted to know what might hinder him from applying what he learned.  All of these show his seriousness about Bible study.
3. Practical Application. Luke records of the eunuch’s response to the Bible study when Philip told him what he needed to do, “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 when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:38-39).  The eunuch knew that knowing the truth demanded applying it.  James wrote of hearing, “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:21-22).  Serious Bible students know that the Bible must be more than just knowledge in the head.  It must be applied to life (cf. 1 John 2:3-5).  The eunuch could look back on his conversion and know that serious Bible study has profit.

Jimmy Clark