THE KING’S BUSINESS
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generation (His generation who shall declare) ? For His life is taken from the- earth.” It was indeed Providential that the eunuch was reading the passage that so clearly expounds the atoning work o f Jesus, it made Philip’s work very simple and easy. There, is perhaps no place in the whole Old Testament, the Scripture that the eunuch possessed, that points more clearly and more unmistakably to Jesus, than this, and starting from this Scripture it was very easy indeed for Philip to pre sent Jesus to him. v. 34. "And thè eunuch answered Philip, , and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself or o f some other man (omit, ynan) ?” The eunuch’s question was an important one, it is always well to know o f whom any Scripture speaks, but there is no passage where this question is more vital than in Isaiah 53. I f it refers to the" Messiah, then beyond a doubt Jesus o f Nazareth was the. pre dicted Messiah, and it does refer to. the Messiah and to Jesús. Infidels, and ration alists and destructive critics o f all types have labored hard to show that it does not refer to the Messiah and to Jesus> they have tried persistently to invent some other interpretation, but their la b ors' have all been in vain, their attempt to invent some other interpretation has ended, in utter and dismal failure. The most plausible theory advanced by those who deny that it refers . to the Messiah and to Jesus, is that it refers to “suffering Israel.” But this theory goes all to pieces on thè rock that the sufferer is represented as suffering fonJhe sins of others than himself (Isa. 53:4, 5, 8 , 9, 11, 12 ), and the others for , whose sins he is suffering are spoken o f as “my people,” i. e., Israel (Isa. 53:8). As the sufferer is suf fering for the sins o f others than himself, and the others than himself for whom he is suffering is Israel, it is evident the suf ferer cannot be Israel. There is no one in all the history o f the world to whom Isaiah could have referred but Jesus, and the prophecy fits Him and His history exactly, and the prophecy and the fulfill ment taken together prove two things to
what would we have to answer to that question? Do we really understand what we read? Do we make an earnest effort to understand? Our Bible reading will never help us any unless we understand what we read. v. 31. "And he said, how can I, except some man (one) should guide me? And he desired ( besought) Philip, that he would come up (to come up), and sit with him.” The eunuch’s question o f Philip was a suggestive one. How could he under stand the Scriptures unless he had a guide? Well, he could not unless he had a guide, but the guide did not need to be a human guide, though he supposed that a human guide was necessary. There is One, a Divine Guide, always ready and always at hand to guide any believer when he studies the W ord o f God (John 14:26; 16:13; 1 John 2:27). It is very important that we should understand what we read in the Word o f God (Matt. 13:19, 23; 15:T0; 24:15), and it is the privilege o f each one o f us to understand, if we seek the guidance o f the Holy Spirit and put our selves in such an attitude toward God and His truth that the Holy Spirit can guide us. This eunuch was thoroughly in earnest in his search for the truth. Philip was an absolute stranger to him, nevertheless, he thought that probably he could explain the Word o f God and he besought the unknown worker to come up into his chariot and sit with him that-he might point out the mean ing o f God’s word. I f he had been like some o f us he would have resented the thought o f being taught by anybody else, especially by one whom he had never seen before and of whom he knew nothing, but his eager desire for the truth overcame all his pride, know the truth he would at any price. Such men always learn the truth. vs. 32, 33. ( Non/) The place o f the Scripture which he read (was reading) was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb dumb before the shearer (and as a lamb before his shearer is dumb), so He opened (openeth) not His mouth: In His humiliation His judgment was taken away: and who shall declare His
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