Acts 8:30

And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(30) Understandest thou what thou readest?—The Greek play upon the word for understand (Ginôskein) and read (Anaginôskein) cannot well be produced in English, but is worth noting as parallel to a like play in the well-known saying of the Emperor Julian (Anegnôn; egnôn; kategnôn)—“I read; I understood; I condemned.”

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

8:26-40 Philip was directed to go to a desert. Sometimes God opens a door of opportunity to his ministers in very unlikely places. We should study to do good to those we come into company with by travelling. We should not be so shy of all strangers as some affect to be. As to those of whom we know nothing else, we know this, that they have souls. It is wisdom for men of business to redeem time for holy duties; to fill up every minute with something which will turn to a good account. In reading the word of God, we should often pause, to inquire of whom and of what the sacred writers spake; but especially our thoughts should be employed about the Redeemer. The Ethiopian was convinced by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, of the exact fulfilment of the Scripture, was made to understand the nature of the Messiah's kingdom and salvation, and desired to be numbered among the disciples of Christ. Those who seek the truth, and employ their time in searching the Scriptures, will be sure to reap advantages. The avowal of the Ethiopian must be understood as expressing simple reliance on Christ for salvation, and unreserved devotion to Him. Let us not be satisfied till we get faith, as the Ethiopian did, by diligent study of the Holy Scriptures, and the teaching of the Spirit of God; let us not be satisfied till we get it fixed as a principle in our hearts. As soon as he was baptized, the Spirit of God took Philip from him, so that he saw him no more; but this tended to confirm his faith. When the inquirer after salvation becomes acquainted with Jesus and his gospel, he will go on his way rejoicing, and will fill up his station in society, and discharge his duties, from other motives, and in another manner than heretofore. Though baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, with water, it is not enough without the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Lord, grant this to every one of us; then shall we go on our way rejoicing.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And Philip ran ... - Indicating his haste and his desire to obey the suggestions of the Spirit. A thousand difficulties might have been started in the mind of Philip if he had reflected a little. The eunuch was a stranger; he had the appearance of a man of rank; he was engaged in reading; he might be indisposed to be interrupted or to converse, etc. But Philip obeyed without any hesitation the instructions of the Spirit, and "ran" to him. It is well to follow the first suggestions of the Spirit; to yield to the clear indications of duty, and to perform it at once. Especially in a deed of benevolence, and in conversing with others on the subject of religion, our first thoughts are commonly the safest and the best. If we do not follow them, the calculations of avarice, or fear, or of worldly prudence are very apt to come in. We become alarmed; we are afraid of the rich and the great; we suppose that our conversation and admonitions will be unacceptable. We may learn from this case:

(1) To do our duty at once, without hesitation or debate.

(2) we shall often be disappointed in regard to subjects of this kind. We shall find candid, humble, Christian conversation far more acceptable to strangers, to the rich, and to the great, than we commonly suppose. If, as in this case, they are "alone"; if we approach them kindly; if we do not rudely and harshly address them, we shall find most people willing to talk on the subject of religion. I have conversed with some hundreds of persons on the subject of religion, and do not now recollect but two instances in which I was rudely treated, and in which it was not easy to gain a respectful and kind attention to Christian conversation.

And heard him read - He was reading "loud" - sometimes the best way of impressing truth on the mind in our private reading the Scriptures.

And said ... - This question, there might have been reason to fear, would not be kindly received. But the eunuch's mind was in such a state that he took no offence from such an inquiry, though made by a footman and a stranger. He doubtless recognized him as a brother Jew. It is an important question to ask ourselves when we read the Sacred Scriptures.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

30. Understandest thou what thou readest?—To one so engaged this would be deemed no rude question, while the eager appearance of the speaker, and the question itself, would indicate a readiness to supply any want of insight that might be felt.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Philip ran thither to him; hastening to obey the Divine command, and coveting to gain a soul.

Heard him read the prophet Esaias, with a loud voice, it is like, to instruct some of his attendants.

Understandest thou what thou readest? Without understanding our reading is but as the tinkling of a cymbal.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Philip ran thither to him,.... Being very ready to obey the divine order, and hoping he might be an instrument of doing some good, which might issue in the glory of God, and the welfare of men:

and heard him read the prophet Esaias; that is, "the Book of Isaiah the Prophet"; as before; and so the Ethiopic and Arabic versions read here, as there: he read it out, with a clear and distinct voice, so that Philip could hear him; and this he did, partly through reverence to the word of God, and partly to fix his attention to it the more, that he might the better understand and remember it, and also for delight and pleasure: it is very likely, that it was the Book of Isaiah in the Hebrew tongue in which he was reading, and which language he might understand, though he might be at a loss about the sense of the prophet:

and said, understandest thou what thou readest? meaning not the language, but the sense; for overhearing him, he perceived it was a prophecy in Isaiah he was reading; which was not so easy to be understood as laws and precepts are, which command this, and forbid that; whereas prophecies were more abstruse, and regarded things to come.

Geneva Study Bible

And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Acts 8:30. προσδραμὼν δὲ: rightly taken to indicate the eagerness with which Philip obeyed.—Αρά γε—the γε strengthens the ἆρα, dost thou really understand? Numbers igitur? ἆρα without γε is only found elsewhere in Luke 18:8, and in Galatians 2:17 (W.H[218], and also Lightfoot, Galatians, l.c.), see Blass, in loco, and Grammatik, p. 254. In LXX very rare, see Hatch and Redpath, sub v., and Viteau, Le Grec du N. T., p. 22 (1893).—γιν. ἃ ἀναγ.: for paronomasia, see Blass, Gram., p. 292, where other instances in N.T. are given, and also Wetstein, in loco. Julian’s well-known saying with reference to the Christian writings, and the famous retort, are quoted by Alford, Plumptre, Page, Meyer-Wendt, in loco.

[218] Westcott and Hort’s The New Testament in Greek: Critical Text and Notes.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

30. And Philip ran thither to him] Better, ran up. There is only the verb in the Greek.

Understandest thou, &c.] Philip’s question refers to the application of the words. Of their reference to Jesus the eunuch could of course know nothing, but he might have heard some of the Jewish expositions of the passage. There is a play on the words in the original which it is impossible to reproduce in a translation.

Bengel's Gnomen

Acts 8:30. Ἤκουσεν, heard) The text was known well to Philip.—ἆρά γε, dost thou at all) A marvellous address to make to one unknown, and him too a great man. In holy conversation we ought, without circumlocution, to come at once to the truth itself. Philip did not make a beginning, as is usually done, with such topics as these—the weather, the news of the day, etc.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 30. - Ran for ran thither, A.V.; reading-Isaiah the prophet for read the prophet Esaias, A.V. and T.R. Heard him. He was reading aloud. In Hebrew, the word for "to read" (קָרָא) means "to call," "to proclaim aloud." Hence the keri, that which is read, as distinguished from the cethib, that which is written. Reading Isaiah the prophet. The same providence which sent Philip to meet him in the desert doubtless directed his reading to the fifty-third chapter of the great evangelical prophet. Acts 8:30

Vincent's Word Studies

Understandest thou what thou readest (ἆρά γε γινώσκεις ἃ ἀναγινώσκεις);

The play upon the words cannot be translated. The interrogative particles which begin the question indicate a doubt on Philip's part.