Those who distrust education love to point out that in the past, God has used people with little or no education.
Without a doubt, God can use anyone, and He delights in surprising the world with unlikely candidates. Please note that even the wicked accomplish God’s purposes, but this does not expunge their accountability to answer for their wickedness. If a man withholds himself from the preparations to qualify him for ministerial service, God CAN use him—but it may not be in the way that the man hoped or that was ideal.
Some of the mightiest figures in the Inspired Record were highly educated men: Moses, raised in the courts of Egypt (and yet God preserved him so that he was not drawn away by temptation), Daniel, who arrived in the Babylonian palaces with advanced knowledge, and received the finest training Babylon could provide, and of course Paul, who studied at the feet of Gamaliel. We must not rush to the conclusion that God cannot or will not use men and women of letters.
Consider the Parable of the Talents: this literally speaks for itself. It is God who gives gifts of the mind, and if we fail to invest and use them for God’s glory, we will face our Lord’s displeasure for wasting precious resources.
Another fallacious argument is that the disciples were uneducated men.
Consider that those who were fishermen spoke, minimally, two languages in order to conduct business. They not only performed manual labor, but they were involved in trade, commerce and negotiation. They knew a thing or two about human nature; they would not have been easily taken in by some passing charlatan.
We may surmise that Matthew, the tax collector, had advanced accounting skills, sufficient for “cooking the books” (Matthew 9:9-12). Luke, of course, we know as “the beloved physician” (Colossians 4:14). These men were hardly unintelligent or ignorant, even though they may have lacked the formal training of the day.
Finally, the disciples spent three years undergoing a “seminary” education by the master Teacher himself, who undertook to prepare His men for their task.
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We could also conclude that, due to the Jewish education system, the disciples had at least some training in the Old Testament in its original language.
Granted - as evidenced by the fact that they had reached adulthood and did not have religious careers, we may conclude that the disciples were not deemed the proverbial "cream of the crop" when it came to their religious training.
However, is it not ironic that these men, whom we typically think of as "uneducated", likely had more formal training in the Old Testament than some who speak from behind the pulpit today?
I don't think the disciples' occupations reflected on their intelligence; I think it more likely that their parents simply couldn't afford "higher learning" for their children.
I think it's also very likely that their knowledge of Old Testament theology was vastly greater than we realize. Even the "wise men" who came to visit Jesus were well-versed. I believe that one's knowledge of New Testament theology can be only skin deep without a proper knowledge of the Old Testament. How can one possibly appreciate Who Christ is until you realize that His life fulfilled over 800prophecies given at varied times and places?
"Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." (John 1:45)
"At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day." (Matthew 12:1-2)
"Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread." (Matthew 15:2; c.f. Mark 7:5)
"And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elijah must first come?" (Mark 9:11; c.f. Matthew 17:10)
"And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elijah did?" (Luke 9:54)
"Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." (John 6:68)
"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." (Acts 4:13)
Sandpatcher,
I question the relevance of the first six quotes. I fail to see how they relate to the discussion, but you obviously posed the last one as a challenge. Did you notice the last line? "They had been with Jesus." Impossible that they should be with Jesus three years and remain ignorant of the Scripture. Ignorant in the sense that they were not university professors, but ignorant of the Scriptures, no.
To back up, there was some discussion on the disciples, so I thought it would be helpful to post Scripture passages relevant to the topic. Considering that the verses were posted without commentary, I am surprised how any "obvious" motive could be assigned.
While the Scripture does not provide us with a complete biographical summary on each of the disciples, we nevertheless are given some glimpses into their background.
* John 1:45 - This verse not only implies an awareness of the Old Testament Scriptures (based on Moses and the prophets, they knew whom to seek) but also that the Scripture was "real" to them--these disciples believed that the writings of Moses and the prophets would be fulfilled. And they found it fulfilled in none other than Jesus Christ.
Some verses preceding John 1:45 are worth noting, too. Two of the disciples of Jesus had previously been disciples of John the Baptist (John 1:35-37)--they had been seeking the truth even before Jesus began his public ministry.
* Matthew 12:1-2; Matthew 15:2; Mark 7:5 - These passages could possibly indicate that either they did not have advanced formal religious training (i.e. something along the lines of what Paul received) or they possibly knew enough to see through the "leaven of the Pharisees."
* Matthew 17:10; Mark 9:11 - However (continuing from the discussion of the previous verses), they weren't completely ignorant of the teachings of the scribes.
* Luke 9:54 - This again demonstrates a familiarity with the Old Testament Scriptures--specifically, II Kings 1. (How many people today would know the details of this less-familiar story?)
* John 6:68 - They knew Old Testament Scriptures, and they knew teachings of the scribes, yet they found their fulfillment in Jesus Christ (c.f. John 1:45).
Another passage worth considering is Mark 1:19-20. By this account, Zebedee had a plurality of hired servants, apparently indicating that was a man of at least some means. His sons might not have had an "M.Div," but perhaps they had an "M.B.A." ;-)
* Acts 4:13 - First, that they were unlearned and ignorant was merely a perception, much like some today still have that perception (and attempt to use it as a "fallacious argument"). Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown describe "unlearned and ignorant men" as "uninstructed in the learning of the Jewish schools, and of the common sort; men in private life, untrained to teaching." Jesus gave instruction to learn of Him (Matthew 11:29), and indeed, as disciples, what an opportunity for them to learn. Would that other could say of us that we have been with Jesus!
Intelliengence is not the issue. In a sense, neither is education in the way we understand education.
Consider first of all that these people had no game-boys and video games etc., with which to occupy their time. When their work was done the faithful Israelite spent his time discussing Scripture. It was a form of "entertainment" to have discussions about the Word of God. The faithful Israelite, (Note I do not use the word Jew as St. John used that of those opposed to Jesus.) found it a joy to talk about the Messiah etc., the implications of the Law for their lives and so on. To discuss things with the Pharisess was a fun thing to do. When you consider all of the various ramifications of the 613 Pharisaical laws, they had endless topics with which to occupy free time. They did these kinds of things sitting at the city gate when not working.
The faithful Israelite went to the Synogogue on a regular basis and spent time with other faithful men dicussing the Word on the Sabbath. This was their form of worship. The faithful were well versed in the Old Testament Word! These believers were not like so many of today who know little to nothing and expect their opinions actually to be worth something within the various discussions of the Christian church. ... What happens is we in the 21st C. impose our understandings and experiences upon the early church and make comments accordingly. Most Christians fail to come up with good answers and observations on things because there is no research into the lives and society of the times and thus there is little to no understanding of what is actually being said in Scripture. People constantly come up with the wrong analysis of things because they impose 21st C observations and understandings on Holy Writ rather than first seeking to know and undestand the cultural setting of the 1st C A.D. before opening their mouths and spewing forth an opinion. (Opinion, by the way, is the lowest form of knowledge there is!)
So know we finally get to the article by church mouse. Men who offer themselves up for the Office of the Holy Ministry without preparing themselves for the office do God and the church a great disservice. Why? Because they do everything based upon their human opinions (Note above) and not on good solid understanding of the Word of God in its orignal cultural and historical context. You can make God's Word say anything with an opinion.
When God chose certain men to proclaim and record His Word He chose a time in histroy and a culture in history which had specific ideas and understandings and meanings to words. If a person wants to understand the Word of God he/she had better have at least a basic understanding of the culture and history and grammer of the era in which something was communicated to us by God through the lives and words of certain authors. If you don't have that understanding you will never understand the Word.
When Peter et al. did their work and communicated as they needed to they did so within a culture which understood words in a specific fashion. If you want to know what Peter and Paul and James and John and Luke meant when they used a certain word, you had better know what that word meant in the context of their society. (For example, In the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament the article on "righteousness" is fifty, yes, 50, pages long. Don't even try to explain righteousness until you have read that article!)
To honor God Who has given us His marvelous gift of Scripture we must, it is a necessity, to be educated before we open our mouths. To give an opinion without the education to back up that opinion dishonors God the Holy Spirit Who inspired men to write in a certain time and place with certain vocabulary to communicate the truths He wanted communicated. To go at Scripture and expect to be able to teach without being prepared to learn before you teach is quite literally tempting God, it is daring Him to give you gifts which He has not promised to give. You are daring Him to bless you in a attempt at keeping His Word straight, pure, non-confusing.
Where do you think Jehovah's Witnesses came from? Where did Mormonism come from? How did the Moonies develop? From opinion based in ignorance of the Scriptures and the culture, history, grammer, etc. through which the Holy Spirit chose to communicate. When you are ignorant of the context you have no chance of understanding the words and what God is communicating to you!
A good education for those who will serve in the Office of the Public Ministry is absolutely essential to the well-being of the entire church and the to individual faiths which will be guided by a pastor. To downgrade, disparage education in the context of the Christian church is about the dumbest thing anyone can do! The bottom line to such attitudes is the desire to make "my opinion" more valuable that the Word of God. So, who made you God?
Church mouse is right, the education of those who will serve the Lord by serving His church is a recognition that God's Word and His truth are valuable and need to be protected and communicated in such a way that the people of God are edified, faith is built and sustained, and the Holy Spirit is honored by the individual's desire to proclaim all of God's truth to the best of his ability.
D.o.C. (Disciple of Christ)
I did not mention intelligence - I was simply drawing contrasts between:
1) The disciples had not been chosen by a rabbi to be their student (until Jesus).
2) The disciples are typically thought of as uneducated (in 21st century opinion) but this is far from the truth.
3) Many in the pulpit today are given the title of "pastor" for functional reasons. However, because they are called "pastor", the laity may make assumptions as to their educational background, since the definition of "pastor" can vary widely from denomination to denomination. And therefore someone with the designation of "pastor" today may not have the Old Testament training that the disciples did.
Q.E.D.!
Son of Thunder as "Anonymous"
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