Author Dr. James. A McBean. D.Th., MCC

Copyright © 2008 Library of Congress Washington.D.C.20559

Publisher: Revival Tract Ministries, Inc

I Cannot believe that the religious leaders of our time did not see that the people that hated the gospel are the ones that say, the apostles were unlearned and ignorant men. The same group of people that asks. How Christ knows letters, having never learned. It was said to defame the apostles. These preachers of our time run with it, before the stop and examining the text and see who said that.

All Jewish boys were given an education in the Torah, and a secular skill before they reach manhood. They might not choose to follow the ways of the Pharisees or the Sadducee. However, that does not mean that they were unlearned and ignorant men. Nothing in the scriptures indicates that the High priest and his household were referring to religious education or secular education.

“Most information on ancient Jewish goals and methods of education comes from the Bible and the Talmud, a book of religious and civil law. Jewish religious leaders, known as rabbis, advised parents to teach their children religious beliefs, law, ethical practices, and vocational skills. Both boys and girls were introduced to religion by studying the Torah, the most sacred document of Judaism. The rabbis taught in schools within synagogues, places of worship and religious study.” © 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

YES! IT IS IN THE BIBLE, BUT LOOK WHO SAYS IT

Let us remember, that what we do in life goes into eternity. What we teach people, we are responsible for it. We should get our dogmas right before we convey it to others. What has become of their life, due to our dogmas, we are responsible before God. When you read something in the Bible, always look to see who is speaking, what is he or she is saying, and who are they saying it to. Not because something is written in the Bible, does not mean it is correct, and that God agrees with it. It is true that it was said, and it is written, but that does not mean it is true. The saying that the apostles are unlearned and ignorant men are not true. You might say. "It is written in the scriptures." Yes! But, look who said it. This statement was said by the high priest who was an enemy of the gospel. It is surprising to me that men of the Bible in our age and time cannot see that it was not God that said that, but an enemy of the gospel has said that, with the intention to undermine the gospel, and the qualification of the apostles. What can anybody learn from an ignorant and unlearned person? Look at the connotations of the words. We only said this of the person whom we scorned, or disdained. We do not say this of our friends and lovers.

In this article I will show you who made that statement. And, will also prove that the apostles were not unlearned and ignorant. We want to bury this concept once and for all. Satan has used this statement for ages to keep Christians out of Bible schools, and from an education.

Acts 4:4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. The apostles had just converted five thousand men to Christianity. Women and children weren't mentioned. This made the rulers of the people really mad.

Acts 4:1-3 (KJV) And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, [2] Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. [3] And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.

A JUSTIFICATION FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE

Acts 4:13 (KJV) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

What I intended to do is to prove from this very scripture that the apostles Peter and his comrades were not uneducated and ignorant men. But they were learned men. Very few preachers in our time have an education. However, it is getting better now, those that had no education, welcome Acts 4:13 and is used to justify their lack of education. We must not underestimate the power of ignorance. Ignorance breeds more ignorance.

WHO ARE THEY? THAT SAYS THE APOSTLES WERE UNLEARNED

Who are they that say the apostles were unlearned and ignorant men? This is the first thing we want to settle. The people in

Acts 4: 5-6 Acts 4:13-19 (NKJV) Now when ((they)) saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, "What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name." 18 And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19

THE HIGH PRIEST AND HIS FAMILY

Acts 4:5-7 (NKJV) And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, 6 as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as ((many as were of the family of the high priest,)) were gathered together at Jerusalem. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, "By what power or by what name have you done this?" It was the high priest and his family who say that the apostles were ignorant and unlearned men. This was said to put them down, or defame them. I will prove later that religious elite also said the same thing about Jesus.

"The Priests." "It is probable that these priests were a part of the Sanhedrin, or great council of the nation. It is evident that they claimed some authority for preventing the preaching of the apostles. And the whole transaction seems to show that they did not come upon them in a tumultuous manner, but as keepers of the peace." "Barnes" Notes on the New Testament.

WHO WAS SIMON PETER?

Luke 5:2 (KJV) And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. Luke 5:3 (KJV) And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

This verse proves that Simon Peter had a ship and was a commercial fisherman. Two fishing ships at the anchor's that is, two particular ships belonging to Peter and his partners, not the only two ships nearby, for it is stated by some authorities that there were as many as 4,000 ships on Galilee at this time.

SIMON PETER'S EDUCATION

What can Simon Peter's trade told us about him? Everything. He was not following Jesus for "fish and bread," because he was not a man of no means. It was easy for a farmer to be uneducated and get by, but not a commercial fisherman. Remember, he owns the business. He was not a fisherman that ride a bicycle, or one that go sit-down by the sea side with a hook and line, he has two ships.

To be a commercial fisherman in those days. You have to understand the principle of celestial navigation, astronomy, mathematics and oceanography. This is the exploration and scientific study of the ocean. Also, you have to understand wind dynamic. This is the science; relating to forces producing motion. Also, you have to be able to convert nautical miles to land mile. All these principles have to come into play, and one has to have the concepts of these things to be a commercial fisherman, especially in those days. Therefore, we can conclude that Peter was not stupid. The fishermen in our time with all their sophisticated equipment might not need all that knowledge, but the ancient who have no satellite positioning system on board, had to have this knowledge, or they can forget about returning home.

Peter, one of the 12 apostles (1 Peter 1:1; Matthew 10:2); called Simon and Cephas (John 1:42); a native fisherman of Bethsaida (Matthew 4:18; John 1:44); history of (Matthew 4:18; Matthew 8:14; Matthew 10:2; Matthew 14:28; Matthew 15:15; Matthew 16:16-23; Matthew 17:1,24; Matthew 18:21; Matthew 19:27; Matthew 26:33-75; John 13:6-37; John 18:10-27; John 20:2-6; John 21:2-21; Acts 1:13-15; Acts 2:14-38; Acts 3:1-12; Acts 4:8-19; Acts 5:3-29; Acts 8:14-20; Acts 9:32-40; Acts 10:5-46; Acts 11:2-13; Acts 12:3-18; Acts 15:7; Galatians 1:18-2:14). Peter was a married man (Matthew 8:14; 1 Cor. 9:5). He ministered primarily to Jews (Galatians 2:7) (Acts 15; 2 Cor. 11:28; Galatians 2:6-21). Peter was an elder among many others (1 Peter 5). Peter wrote an epistle from Babylon. He wrote 2 books, 1 Peter and 2 Peter.

THEY CLASSIFIED JESUS AMONG THE UNLEARNED ALSO

John 7:14-15 (KJV) Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. [15] And the Jews marveled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

WHO IS ANNAS, AND WHY DOES HE HATE JESUS ?

[Annas the high priest] An associate high priest with Caiphas (Luke 3:2; John 18:13,19,24). He had been high priest for 11 years, bore the title all his life, and had the honor of seeing 5 sons fill the office after him. Matthew 26:3 (KJV) Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, Caiphas was the high priest, and Annas was associate with Caiphas the high priest selected by the Roman government. He was not of the priestly order of either Aaron or Levi. John Baptist supposes to be the divinely ordained priest, since his father Zachariah was the priest before the Roman government take over Judea. That is why Jesus went to John baptizes. Before Jesus took his ministry, he has to be ushered in by the ruling high priest before him. As far as the high priest's office is concerned, John Baptist was the true priest of that year. Annas and his crew suspected that Jesus might be the Messiah, because all the work that Jesus was doing, was the work that only the Messiah can do when he come. If Jesus is the Messiah, then Anna’s office is null.

WHEN DID THE APOSTLES FIRST MEET JESUS!

Our Lord spent some thirty years in that region. Who in Judea do not know the carpenter from Nazareth of Galilee? St Matthew 21:11 (KJV) And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. St John Baptist was a cousin of Jesus, they know each other, but John did not know that Jesus is the chosen Messiah until he saw the dove descended upon him at the baptism. Jesus did not just jump up and start to teach three years before his death. He was doing it all along. I cannot see anyone like Jesus just sitting down, making furniture and building houses for people for thirty years. I see Jesus traveling all over teaching and helping people. The last three years of his ministry is when God revealed him to the world. What the gospel gave us is the end of his ministry.

At twelve years old, he puzzled the doctors and lawyers in the temple. The miraculous part of his ministry was revealed when he took on his public ministry, the final three years before his death.

At John's Baptism. John Baptist points out Jesus as the Messiah, and that was when some of the disciples acknowledge him as the Messiah. [John] Some suppose this to be Johanan Ben Laccai, a famous rabbi of that time. [Alexander] Probably Alexander Lysimachus, one of the richest Jews of his time. He made Great presents to the temple and was highly esteemed by King Agrippa. [kindred of the high priest] The family from which high priests were taken.

Acts 4:6 (KJV) And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. Luke 6:16). A publication and one of the 12 apostles (Matthew 9:9; Matthew 10:3; Mark 2:14-15; Mark 3:18; Luke 5:27-29; Luke 6:12-16; Acts 1:13). He is thought to have preached in Judea for 15 years, going to Ethiopia and other lands afterward (Acts 2:43). He did not suffer martyrdom.

TO HELP THE GOSPEL YOU MUST ADD TO YOUR FAITH

1 Peter 2:2 (KJV) As newborn babies, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 2 Peter 1:5-10 (NKJV) But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble.

TO CONTINUE GROWING IN GOD

1 Peter 2:2 (KJV) As newborn babies, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 2 Peter 1:5-10 (NKJV) But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble.

FINDING OUT YOUR CALLING