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52    THE CONVENTION TEACHER

INTRODUCTION

Beyond doubt it is more difficult to live the Christian life under some circumstances than under others.  One emphasis of the New Testament, however, is that the true follower of Christ will be a Christian under any circumstance whatsoever.  In the study of our lesson for this day we find passages dealing with personal witnessing for Christ.  Our failures many often bring us grief. but there is the ideal and we must strive ever to reach it.  Paul was a Christian, not only when he was preaching to the multitudes or being acclaimed by the populace at Lystra as a messenger of the gods, but also when eh was in jail at Philippi and in prison in Rome.  So we must be living witnesses in all the activities of our living whether amid difficulties or pleasantries:  "Remember," Robert louis Stevenson once told the natives of Samoa, "there are no circumstances of life in which it is permitted to you not to be a hero."  So also, there are no circumstances of life in which the disciple of Christ is permitted not to be a Christian.  The more difficult the circumstances, the greater the witness of our faithfulness to Him.  

EXPOSITION

I. PHILIP THE MESSENGER.  (VV. 26-30.)  (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.  Notice this event of personal witnessing of a Christian.  Philip seems to have continued some time among the Samaritans, after the return of the apostle; at length an angel was sent to order him immediately to go to a part of the woods between Jerusalem and Gaza which lay through a desert and he obeyed without demurring; though it must have appeared strange to be sent a journey of many miles into an uninhabited place without being told what he was to do when he came hither. God uses means to communicate His orders whether through natural or supernatural channel. He is to perform some great duty; but what he is not informed. The road which he is to take is marked out: but what he is to do in that road, or how far he is to proceed, he is not told. It is God who employs him and requires of him implicit obedience. If you do His will according to the present direction he shall know by the issue that God had sent him an errand worthy of His wisdom and goodness. Philip the deacon used by God he His witness – A similar instance is seen in the life of Paul. Gaza was a town about two miles and a half from the sea-side, it was the last town which a traveler passed through when he went from Phoenicia to Egypt, and was at the entrance into a wilderness.

(27) And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all the treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, With the grace of promptness he arose and went. His faith was severely tested. He was preaching in a city already deeply aroused. He had prepared himself for such emergencies, both by experience and study. He seized the bent of it and opened its meaning to the bearer. Why obey? Because the marching orders of God say, "Go." A man of Ethiopia – Just as he arrived at the spot, a chariot passing on the road began to show to what end he had been sent, in this sent an Ethiopian eunuch or chief officer, who was the high treasurer of Candace, the Queen of Ethiopia and Africa, and possessed great authority in the management of all public concerns. That country seems to have been generally governed by Queens, and Candace was a name commonly given to them. And had come to Jerusalem for to worship, which is a proof the he was a worshiper of the God of Israel; but now came he be acquainted with the Jewish religion. As Cornelius, the Centurion is supposed to be the first Gentile convert, it must be concluded that this man was a proselyte to the whole Jewish religion, and not merely the fawner of some of its grand doctrines and precepts. He had, however, taken a very long journey, in order to worship at Jerusalem where it cannot the supposed that he had heard anything favorable concerning Jesus from the priests, scribes, and rulers, yet his heart was prepared to receive the truth.

(28) Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. He had gone to Jerusalem and worshipped. He had profited by his religious exercises, and even in traveling, he is improving his time by reading the Scripture, and that aloud, as it is evident from the narration, probably that his servants might

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THE CONVENTION TEACHER     53

hear. He was reading from the prophet Esaias.

(29) Then the Spirit said unto Philip, go near, and join thyself to this chariot. By an immediate suggestion as this holy man had obeyed the first direction he received from God and went southward without knowing the reason why, it was required that he should now be informed of the subject of his mission. The angel who had given him the first direction had departed; and the influence of the Holy Spirit now completed the information. Philip was order to approach the chariot.

(30) And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? Conscious now of the divine mission, he Philip, without hesitation inquired of the Eunuch, whether he understood the things which he read. The Eunuch was reading in Greek, for that was the common language in Egypt; and, indeed, almost in every place it was understood. Sensible of his disadvantages, the Eunuch, with an humble desire of instruction, was not offended with the question though proposed by a stranger of inferior rank. On the contrary he answered that he could not discover the prophet's meaning without an instructor.

II. PHILIP THE INTERPRETER. (VV. 31-35.) (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. The eunuch wishing to learn more of this beautiful passage of the Scriptures and observing Philip's attire, address, or appearance, that he could give him the information on the subject, he took him up into the chariot. The passage of Scripture was a difficult prophecy and the question in the preceding verse implies surprise that he should understand or select it. The chief difficulty with the Eunuch was in how the prophecy related to the person of whom the sacred writer spoke. Was Isaiah thus inhumanly put to death by the Jews? or did he foretell the suffering of some future or greater person? The Eunuch was desirous to receive instruction relative to these things which concern the welfare of his soul.

(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: It may be seen that Philip took occasion to open up this extraordinary prophecy to instruct the Ethiopian on the great matters of the Gospel to the greatest advantage. He showed him the circumstantial and exact accomplishments of the prediction and the person, doctrine, conduct, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord Jesus; concerning whom, it is most likely that he had heard many disadvantageous reports whilst at Jerusalem, also the necessity, the benefit and efficacy of faith in Him, as the Saviour of the lost. He was patient, gentle, and innocent like the man to be slaughtered for food, or sacrificed for the offenses of others, and like a sheep when deprived of its fleece that others may be clothed with it. This was exacted and He  assumed our debt, was exacted of our Surety, and became responsible for it, and therefore He opened not His mouth to plead for Himself; but stood speechless before man's tribunal, that we might have a prevailing plea before that of God.

(33) In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. He who was the fountain of judgment and justice had no justice shown Him (mercy He needed not) In His humiliation – The time in which He emptied Himself and appeared in the form of a servant. And who shall declare his generation: It was the custom among Jews, when they were taking away any criminal from judgment to execute, to call out and inquire whether there was any from intimate acquaintance with his manner of life would say anything in his favor. In our Lord's case, this benevolent inquiry does not appear to have been made; and perhaps to this breach of justice, as well as of custom the prophet refers. This shows how minutely the conduct of these bad men was known seven hundred years before it took place. God and foreknow what He pleases; and all the operations of His infinite mind or just and right.

(34) And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? This was a very natural question, for in the verse itself and in its circumstances there was nothing that could determine the meaning, so as to ascertain whether the prophet meant himself or some other person; and the very inquiry shows that that the eunuch had thought deeply on the subject.