John 7:15 (KJV) Challenging Assumptions

John 7:15 (KJV)

And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

 

“Having never learned.”

 

It is an assumption among many, especially atheists, agnostics, unbelievers, and skeptics, that people of ancient times were mostly illiterate. Once this assumption is made then all sorts of other assumptions become easily made

 

·  The people of that day would not have been interested in the written word because they couldn’t read.

·  The people of that time could not have written the gospel records because they couldn’t write.

·  The people of that day would have primarily known Aramaic because it was the language of the Middle East.

 

The scholars of the day marveled that Jesus knew letters. Note that they didn’t marvel that He could read but that He knew and understood deeper doctrinal subjects.

 

The apostles were known to be ignorant and unlearned,[1] but this did not necessarily mean they were illiterate. It meant they had not been privileged with the education of the elite.

 

The elite class has always assumed that education belongs to them alone. They have striven to keep deeper subjects from public access. But they’ve also been unsuccessful in this attempt- especially in matters belonging to Christ.

 

The unbelieving class today, regardless of their having or not having letters behind their name, consider themselves the elite. They in turn consider those of faith to be ignorant and unlearned.

 

This assumption is incorrect.

 

#AncientLiteracy #EducationalAssumptions #KnowledgeMisconceptions #EliteEducation #FaithOverIgnorance

Challenging Assumptions: Notions of Ancient Literacy

 

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John 7:15 (KJV) Challenging Assumptions

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[1] Acts 4:13 (KJV)

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.