The local society around Peter and John could not figure out the source of their confidence. The Greek words give special meaning to what the locals really thought of these two bold men. First, they were said to be uneducated. The Greek word is “agrammatos,” which is literally “without grammar.” Peter and John were uneducated fishermen who would, using our terminology, “slaughter the King’s English.” Second, these men were untrained. This is a word that looks better in English than Greek, for the Greek word is“idiotes.” I think you can figure out what English word grew out of the original Greek! In essence, the community considered Peter and John to be illiterate idiots!
But there was one other thing the community saw in Peter and John—they had been with Jesus! This was a testimony to the belief in the risen Lord. Everyone knew they had been with Jesus before the crucifixion, but the change in demeanor was proof to the community that they had been with Jesus after the crucifixion, giving tangible proof of His resurrection. Better to have the presence of the risen Lord in your life than the best education this world can offer!
From “No Replacement” by Dr. Randy White, one of the daily devotional columns you can find at “Word for the World with Dr. Randy White” on Crosswalk.com.
By the way, the above illustration is from the painting “Peter and John Running to the Tomb” by Eugène Burnand (1850 – 1921).
