Do you understand what you are reading?

"Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot. So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him." (Acts 8:26-31)

Above, The Monteleone Chariot is an Etruscan chariot dated to ca. 530 BC. It was originally uncovered at Monteleone di Spoleto and is currently part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Though about 300 ancient chariots are known to still exist, only six are reasonably complete, and the Monteleone chariot is the best-preserved. Wikimedia Commons

The above is a tremendous passage, full of meaning and worthy of lengthy study. I'll mention a few things that caught my eye, but the central lesson at this moment, is this:

The mind versus the heart. Then versus now.

Philip was going along and heard a word from the Spirit. Philip obeyed Him. We have the closed canon now but we obey the Spirit-inspired word.

Here was a eunuch reading the text of the word of God. (Isaiah 53). Philip saw him and was directed to the eunuch by the Spirit. Philip obeyed, more than that, Philip ran. Today we don't obey, or if we do, we don't hasten to do so.

When Philip arrived at the chariot, he heard the eunuch reading Isaiah. Philip recognized:
--it was the word of God the eunuch was reading, and
--where within the word of God the eunuch was reading from.

Today, biblical illiteracy abounds so that some people don't even recognize the word of God when it is spoken, or believe that non-words of God are from Him when they're not.

Philip asked the Eunuch if he understood what he was reading. This is the key thought in this essay today.

“Do you understand what you are reading?”

Manet, The Reader, 1851.

In today's world, people don't ask that. They ask, "How did you feel about what you read?" Or, "How did it make you feel?" It's considered rude and intolerant to ask a person if they understand. The word for understand in the context used is from Strong's word concordance, "I am taking in knowledge, come to know, learn; aor: I ascertained, realized."

People get huffy if they're asked if they understand. You can just see the reaction, either verbal or mental- "What do you mean, understand? I'm not an idiot. Maybe YOU don't understand!"

In addition, look at the Eunuch's reaction. Philip didn't know the Eunuch. He didn't work for several years to establish a relationship with the Eunuch before talking of Godly things. He didn't seek to meet the Eunuch's felt needs. He didn't make the Eunuch comfortable. He didn't give him a donut. He simply asked him if he understood it. The Eunuch's reaction wasn't huffy or prideful. The Eunuch responded humbly,

“How can I, unless someone guides me?”

Today's Christianity is all about experience and feelings. This is thanks to Rick Warren, Brian McLaren, and Joel Osteen, among others in the purpose-driven, seeker sensitive, word/faith movements. Osteen in particular is known for what Osteen calls a ministry of encouragement, but unlike Barnabas' ministry of encouragement in persevering the Lord through the scriptures, Osteen is simply in the pop psychology biz in making people feel good about themselves through the heart. Osteen doesn't make people even feel good about Jesus, he strives to make people feel good about themselves, turning their mind away from Him and focusing their feelings on themselves.

The Eunuch provides a good example of a man humbly submitting to the Spirit. He admitted his biblical inexperience and his need for a teacher. He acted on his need by inviting Philip up to the chariot.

Understanding the scriptures always leads to a positive action, either obedience, or salvation, or witnessing (Woman at the Well) or ministry. In this case, we see that the Eunuch was baptized immediately.

Lambert Sustris (1515–1591) The Baptism of the Ethiopian Eunuch
by the Deacon Philip

The bible is replete with verses that tell us to learn with our mind. Our minds are being renewed, (Romans 12:2.) Difficulties in understanding parables such as in Matthew 13:11-13, and symbols, such as in Revelation 17:9, call for a mind with wisdom, says the verse. We need to understand with our mind, before we decide how we feel about it with our heart. And even at that juncture, feelings are often murky and misleading. Yet so many of today's bible studies involve circumventing the mind and going straight to feelings, based on experience. And you see where that has gotten us.

The next time you're in a bible study group, ask the question that Philip did, “Do you understand what you are reading?” If you don't want to go that far, then ask "Do I understand what I am reading?" That's a good question to ask anyway. Don't let the discussion revolve around feelings launched by questions such as "How do you feel about that?" with responses given through personal experiences, therefore coming to a conclusion that is what the verse means.(I.E., 'I experienced it, therefore it is true.')

Luke 24:45 says that when Jesus appeared to His disciples post-crucifixion, "Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures". He called the men of Emmaus foolish and slow of heart for not understanding.

How you feel about what you read is of no real consequence. Feelings are temporal, ephemeral, and often faulty. Why, even God allows the wicked to rest in a feeling of security. (Job 24:23). The security they feel is unprofitable for them because it is a false feeling. Don't trust feelings about scripture, but seek to know, to understand, to comprehend. Feelings aren't bad, but we learn the word of God through our mind. It is study which renews your mind. After that, you gain more and more clarity.

We all have the same guide that the Eunuch had, and in fact that Philip had: the Holy Spirit. He guides us into all truth. (John 16:13). We must study personally and also study under a guide or a teacher or a pastor so the scriptures will become understandable to us. Do you understand what you are reading? Ask the Spirit to deliver wisdom to you, He will do so without reproach. (James 1:5).