A_Son_of_God
Nemesis of the Trolls - Especially dumb ones
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2024
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There are some very strange accusations against those of God, and they are often attacks by people who don't actually know anything, but continue to spruik lies because it favours their lifestyle which is going to be the death of them. So because they are too weak to change, they become bitter and resentful, and hate the rest of the world.
In fact, it was this resentment and deep-seated hatred of Jesus that led to the Jewish nation handing him over to the Romans, and using legal technicalities to bring about an illegal trial to remove an innocent man. Jesus spoke truth, and they hated it!
So let's address this issue of the apostles.
The Mosaic Law
First of all, the apostles were all Israelites. All of them. But, by being Israelites, they knew very much the command written in the book of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 6:4-9), which says
So, from this scripture there was an onus for them to "tie" these words on their hands as a reminder and as a headband for their foreheads. But also, they were to write them on the doorposts of their houses.
So based purely on the law of Moses, we can see that any FAITHFUL Jew would have known how to not only read, but how to write.
The claims that they were illiterate is not based on facts. Let's consider some other evidence.
Jesus condemned the Scribes and the Pharisees. Who were these Scribes? What is a Scribe? Well, simply put, it is someone considered to be an expert in their language, in regards to reading and writing. They were assigned to ensure what was written was written accurately. So, because there were those who were CHOSEN as Scribes, it goes in hand to state that there would have been many who could read and write but didn't make it as scribes. A bit like chat people. There are not that many chatters that would be able to write a thesis. Not only because of their lack of knowledge, but due to their lack of being able to follow a specific structure. Yet, they're still on here with all their "there/their", "than/then", "your/you're" all mixed up. But nobody can say they're all illiterate. They just don't care to be correct in such things.
Secondary Evidence
Then we have information from Jewish writings, such as the Mishnah. According to an article on this, it shows that the Jews were being told NOT to teach Greek to their children. HANG ON!! WAIT UP!! Why Greek, when it was a Roman invasion?
Here's the article for you to consider. Again, I do not follow all the beliefs of this organisation, but their points on this are accurate and worthy of posting to demonstrate it.
So, it is obvious that the parents were teaching their children to read and write. At the very least in their native tongue - Hebrew. But along with this, they'd been teaching their children Greek too. I won't go into the debate here about whether they spoke Aramaic, or how much of it they spoke, but I will post a link here for you to consider.
Internal Evidence
The Bible itself shows that Jesus asked the Pharisees if they had "not read" parts of the Scriptures. (Matthew 12:3,5) Then it shows he asked the same of the Sadducees (Mark 12:26). Again, it shows a man versed in the Law being asked by Jesus, "How do you read?" (Luke 10:26)
Other internal evidence is that Matthew was a tax collector, Luke was a physician and historian, and Paul was a former Pharisee. These three roles meant that those in them HAD to be able to read. So when the Bible says they were "ordinary and unlettered", it does not mean they were walking around like Goofy, going "Derrrrrr" everywhere they went. It means that they didn't have titles added to their names like the majority of folk today. They did not have a PhD in Theology as such...although it is likely Paul did (in the sense of being highly educated in it), being taught by one of the most reputable sources in his day.
Did ALL the apostles read and write at the time? We simply don't know. But we know that some did, and also, it is likely they would have learned from their brothers, just how people today are taught to read and write often while learning the Scriptures. Otherwise it would have been most difficult to teach FROM the scriptures, or REASON from them. There are other instances of people reading from the Scriptures. Philip for instance, when catching up with the chariot with the Ethiopian Eunuch on it, who was reading from Isaiah. Peter quoting from Joel to the people, when explaining the events that were happening. Apollos preaching what he knew from the Scriptures, before becoming acquainted with Jesus.
Conclusion
Based on this, it is evident that the apostles - faithful Israelites chosen by Jesus - would have had among them those who read, and there is no credibility to the idea that they couldn't write. This is evident by the fact that it was a command for Israelites to "Write" in the first instance, and that there is much external evidence showing them being instructed not to teach GREEK, meaning they were already teaching their children how to read and write, and then there is the internal demonstration of Jesus asking those around him how the people he spoke to read.
Reading was important for a faithful Israelite, and it is important for us today, so we can compare with what is written against what people claim by their words.
In fact, it was this resentment and deep-seated hatred of Jesus that led to the Jewish nation handing him over to the Romans, and using legal technicalities to bring about an illegal trial to remove an innocent man. Jesus spoke truth, and they hated it!
So let's address this issue of the apostles.
The Mosaic Law
First of all, the apostles were all Israelites. All of them. But, by being Israelites, they knew very much the command written in the book of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 6:4-9), which says
So, from this scripture there was an onus for them to "tie" these words on their hands as a reminder and as a headband for their foreheads. But also, they were to write them on the doorposts of their houses.
So based purely on the law of Moses, we can see that any FAITHFUL Jew would have known how to not only read, but how to write.
The claims that they were illiterate is not based on facts. Let's consider some other evidence.
Jesus condemned the Scribes and the Pharisees. Who were these Scribes? What is a Scribe? Well, simply put, it is someone considered to be an expert in their language, in regards to reading and writing. They were assigned to ensure what was written was written accurately. So, because there were those who were CHOSEN as Scribes, it goes in hand to state that there would have been many who could read and write but didn't make it as scribes. A bit like chat people. There are not that many chatters that would be able to write a thesis. Not only because of their lack of knowledge, but due to their lack of being able to follow a specific structure. Yet, they're still on here with all their "there/their", "than/then", "your/you're" all mixed up. But nobody can say they're all illiterate. They just don't care to be correct in such things.
Secondary Evidence
Then we have information from Jewish writings, such as the Mishnah. According to an article on this, it shows that the Jews were being told NOT to teach Greek to their children. HANG ON!! WAIT UP!! Why Greek, when it was a Roman invasion?
Here's the article for you to consider. Again, I do not follow all the beliefs of this organisation, but their points on this are accurate and worthy of posting to demonstrate it.
So, it is obvious that the parents were teaching their children to read and write. At the very least in their native tongue - Hebrew. But along with this, they'd been teaching their children Greek too. I won't go into the debate here about whether they spoke Aramaic, or how much of it they spoke, but I will post a link here for you to consider.
Internal Evidence
The Bible itself shows that Jesus asked the Pharisees if they had "not read" parts of the Scriptures. (Matthew 12:3,5) Then it shows he asked the same of the Sadducees (Mark 12:26). Again, it shows a man versed in the Law being asked by Jesus, "How do you read?" (Luke 10:26)
Other internal evidence is that Matthew was a tax collector, Luke was a physician and historian, and Paul was a former Pharisee. These three roles meant that those in them HAD to be able to read. So when the Bible says they were "ordinary and unlettered", it does not mean they were walking around like Goofy, going "Derrrrrr" everywhere they went. It means that they didn't have titles added to their names like the majority of folk today. They did not have a PhD in Theology as such...although it is likely Paul did (in the sense of being highly educated in it), being taught by one of the most reputable sources in his day.
Did ALL the apostles read and write at the time? We simply don't know. But we know that some did, and also, it is likely they would have learned from their brothers, just how people today are taught to read and write often while learning the Scriptures. Otherwise it would have been most difficult to teach FROM the scriptures, or REASON from them. There are other instances of people reading from the Scriptures. Philip for instance, when catching up with the chariot with the Ethiopian Eunuch on it, who was reading from Isaiah. Peter quoting from Joel to the people, when explaining the events that were happening. Apollos preaching what he knew from the Scriptures, before becoming acquainted with Jesus.
Conclusion
Based on this, it is evident that the apostles - faithful Israelites chosen by Jesus - would have had among them those who read, and there is no credibility to the idea that they couldn't write. This is evident by the fact that it was a command for Israelites to "Write" in the first instance, and that there is much external evidence showing them being instructed not to teach GREEK, meaning they were already teaching their children how to read and write, and then there is the internal demonstration of Jesus asking those around him how the people he spoke to read.
Reading was important for a faithful Israelite, and it is important for us today, so we can compare with what is written against what people claim by their words.