Why do you think it's so difficult?

Lookie, I'm responding

I think webdog has a point by saying that a person with PHD can learn something from a 10 year old boy if they are both believers and allow the Spirit to the teacher. In reality, however, we sometimes tend to dismiss what the PhD says simply because he has a PhD. It's called education envy, and like other forms of envy, it's just as damaging to the Christian brethren as any other part of the sinful nature.

Yes, we should allow ourselves from learning from the 10yo boy. We should also allow oursleves to learn from the PhD.

 

The scriptures were written to only the educated. At the time only about 1-2% could even read.

 

I agree with Helen's post and with JohnV.

I think a child can understand the basics of scripture but there is nothing wrong in studying theology or getting a degree -- it does not have to be one or the other. Both a child and an adult can glean from scripture; both an uneducated person and a highly educated person can glean from scripture.

Someone said to me once that the things of God are simple but deep, while the things of Satan are complex but shallow. I think that hits it right on the mark.

BTW, I always think of DonnA as Donn A., not Donna.

DonnA, is your first name Donn or Don and the A. is a middle or last name? I've always wondered. Or is it Donna?

 

Just because there were few formally educated people during that time doesn't negate the affect of the Holy Spirit as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:14, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

The Scripture says if you're saved, the Holy Spirit will help you understand the Scriptures. A lack of education has little bearing on understanding the Scriptures.

What I have found is that many people want to know what their Sunday School teacher or pastor knows but they don't want to spend the time studying and learning the Bible. We spend more time reading books about the Bible and having "Bible" studies on books written on the Bible instead of studying the Bible Itself.

It's another example of a society that desires instant gratification.

 

Im educated, too. I went to Bible college, so I have nothing against an education.

However, when a person is getting the feeling that they are considered to be "dumb" or that they obviously cannot understand scripture because they don't have ENOUGH education, that would seem to me to be a wake-up call to those around her.

Plus, Donna, in your OP I definitely heard a sentiment that the Catholic bishops and priests try to drill into their laypeople. They are taught that they canNOT understand the Bible and they HAVE to have the clergy interpret it for them. Basically, they are taught that they shouldn't even try to understand their Bible on their own. Its even in the introduction to their Catholic Bible.

It definitely worries me when we start giving that same impression, whether around here on this forum board, or in our churches.

 

second post on this thread.

 

4th post on this thread

 

5th post on this thread

 

I jus ain't got the edukashun or long windedness to warrent a respinse.

 

Well, I have a fair amount of education, and I don't think people are dumb. Not always, but sometimes the more eduction you have, the more false teaching you have.

But to the original question, Christianity is for people to think. The bible says to meditate on things, which means to think about things. I think it's beautiful that truths can be so simple, yet so profound. For example, when Jesus said in John: "I in you and you in Me" this is a very simple, yet very profound saying. People of all eductional levels can appreciate it.

 

Marcia, her name isn't even Donna -- she just uses that here...but she is a she and a lovely person.

gb, you are wrong about the level of education with the Israelites. They were probably the most highly educated general population in the world with close to 100% of the adult male population being literate. They had to be literate to be bar mitzvah'd.

 

And in some cases, such as Luke and Acts, they were written as private letters from one educated person to one other educated person, never intending to be read by the public.

But God clearly had other plans. The writings may indeed have been written only to the educated, but the message was ultimately intended for all people.

 

webdog and Paul .

Just call me the rodney dangerfield of BB.

 

This has become one of my favorite passages of scripture.

Mar 10:13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and [his] disciples rebuked those that brought [them].
Mar 10:14 But when Jesus saw [it], he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Mar 10:15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

**********************************************

It appears to be simplistic but in reality it is profound. A deep knowledge of the Bible isn't necessary to be a good Christian. In fact, it can get in the way. Little children are not masters of Greek or eschatology but they do have a child-like faith and love.

 

Our churches and society are riddled with laziness. Most will spend more time on the internet than on reading their Bible.

Recently I heard Tom Friedman speak and mentioned about a teacher who had some parent-teacher conferences with a number of parents. The first couple was from India and expressed to the teacher of their disgust that their son wwas not getting very much homework. The second couple was from eastern Europe and they expressed the same thing The next couple was from America and expressed their disgust over their child getting too much homework.

 

Without humility you will never have a deep understanding of scripture.

 

Try reading "Education in Ancient Israel : Across the Deadening Silence"
by James Crenshaw

and "Memory and Manuscript: Oral Tradition and Written Transmission in Rabbinic Judaism and Early Christianity : With Tradition and Transmission in Early Christianity by Birger Gerhardsson

10% at best and typically 1-2%.

 

I do not want to agree with gb, but I am willing to bet that he might be close.

I personally would guess at about 10% to 30% of the men being literate in ancient Israel.

BUT, the COST of education then is what would have prevented widespread literacy.

Everything cost more man hours to purchase. And the cost factor was a primary reason for the scribes of the different cultures becoming wealthy. Or, if the scribe was a slave becoming valuable.

 

You may know of the great puritans John Owen and John Bunyan. Here is a excerpt from a short biography on Owen:

I remember in the past when I studied the Bible so I could know as much or, preferably, more than my inner circle. After God gave me a new heart, my only purpose of reading and studying was to know Him who gave me life.

In Christ,

dale