Jesus had an incredibly important message during his life, but left it to the deciples to make a written record of it. I would imagine that 2000 years ago most of the people of the time, just as today most of the people of the world were and are illiterate. It's quite remarkable that the deciples, mere fishermen etc would have been able to read and write. I know the jews are a very studious people, faithfull in their practices and dedicated to their families, but I don't think literacy would have been the norm then.
2007-07-13
13:19:49
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16 answers
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asked by
purplepeace59
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Society & Culture
➔ Religion & Spirituality
Thank you father K. I seem to vaguely remember someone reading the lesson, but was it Jesus. I don't remember the Tora being mentioned though.
2007-07-13
13:57:08 ·
update #1
Also, if Jesus was God, Son of God. He wouldn't need to read anything to know what he knew...so to speak.
2007-07-13
13:58:40 ·
update #2
New Testament scholars are of somewhat divided opinion on this question. Here are a couple examples:
Jesus wrote nothing, so far as we know. We do not know for certain that Jesus could write; we are not even positive that he could read, in spite of suggestions in the gospels that he could. His first followers were technically illiterate, so writing did not become a part of the Christian movement until persons like Paul became involved.
Jesus taught his followers orally. He was a traveling sage .... Jesus taught his disciples as he moved about, and his words were first passed around by word of mouth. ... (Five Gospels, p. 27)
If Jesus was a carpenter ... he belonged to the Artisan class, that group pushed into the dangerous space between Peasants and Degradeds or Expendables [the Artisan class would be persons who had no land to farm]. ... Furthermore, since between 95 and 97 percent of the Jewish state was illiterate at the time of Jesus, it must be presumed that Jesus was also illiterate, that he knew, like the vast majority of his contemporaries in an oral culture, the foundational narratives, basic stories, and general expectations of his tradition but not the exact texts, precise citations, or intricate arguments of its scribal elites. (Crossan, 1994, pp. 24 26)
Marcus Borg feels it is likely that Jesus went to school in a synagogue in Nazareth, where the emphasis would have been on reading and writing, with the Torah as the primary text. Such a synagogue, if it existed, though, was more likely to have been an “assembly” of persons organizing themselves for worship purposes rather than an actual building (Borg, p. 26, with nt., p. 40). Other historians of the period, however, are unsure if the synagogue movement would have reached as far as Nazareth in Jesus' century.
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2007-07-13 13:44:45
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answer #1
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answered by bodhidave 5
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"...He [Jesus] went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to READ. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written..." (Luke 4:16-17).
It's there for you to READ. No, Jesus was literate.
Though the global illiteracy is high -- now, as then -- the local illiteracy of civilized centers (cities, etc.) was low -- then too, as now. Jerusalem wasn't that bad in regards to literacy. Literacy waxed and waned over the centuries, but the Dark Ages probably saw the lowest literacy rate -- when the Catholic Church restrained the Word of God from the people.
2007-07-13 20:49:44
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answer #2
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answered by BC 6
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Jesus was very literate and was able to challenge the intellegence of the Priest on more than one occasion. He made a point not to write anything down he didnt want to be famous for writting a book. He made a point not to travel far so he wouldnt be famous for traveling like Marco Polo. The only thing he is famous for is the he is the Messiah the Savour of the world which is the whole point of discussion here on R&S. Can you dispute that? Huh?
2007-07-13 20:41:31
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answer #3
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answered by Tommiecat 7
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After Jesus' time in the desert, he returned to the region of Galilee in northern Palestine to begin teaching in the synagogues (the places in villages and small cities where Jews met to study the word of God). Sacrifices took place only in the Temple in Jerusalem.
As was the custom in the synagogues, the man in charge of the service gave the scroll containing the lesson to an important person: a visitor or someone prominent in the community. Jesus was returning to his childhood home after a long absence, so asking him to read the lesson was an honor as well as a welcome home.
The Book of Isaiah was a large scroll, containing only the one book. (Shorter books of the Bible were grouped together on other scrolls.)
After he stood to read the lesson (just as pastors nowadays stand to read the gospel), Jesus sat down to preach, instead of continuing to stand as pastors do today.
Since he READ THE LESSON FROM THE HEBREW SCROLL, I would say that the evidence shows that he was quite learned in both Hebrew, Aramaic and probably Greek, the Lingua Franca of the region.
2007-07-13 20:23:32
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answer #4
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answered by Anonymous
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well didn't HE study the torah and allude to it when commenting or elaborating on the commandments?
Sure he could read ! and he wrote something in the sand, so he could write too, but its a mysterious thing why he wasn't supposed to do the writing himself on some document/paper/books or stone that would last, maybe because he didn't want that to become an idol, perhaps its better and more secure to hear it from 11 witnesses instead of just from one person...
2007-07-13 20:25:05
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answer #5
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answered by million$gon 7
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Its obvious from the Scriptures that Jesus could read.
Literacy was not the norm, but Jesus could read.
Jesus at the age of 12 debated with the scholars of the land.
And they marveled at how much he knew.
Read Luke chapter 2, if you don't believe me.
Pastor Art
PS: A better question might be is to ask if everyone on Yahoo is literate?
2007-07-13 20:37:56
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answer #6
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answered by Anonymous
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Well. I guess he could read and write. Probabaly smarter at philosphy than engineering.
I dont think he was a rocket sceintist or space physicist for the bible does say that the centre of our galaxy is Earth. LOL.
Jay
2007-07-13 20:44:16
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answer #7
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answered by Jay M 1
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Are carpenters and stonemasons illiterate? I think not!
Consider the fact that he was debating and conversing with the high priest at the age of six (6).
Consider the fact that he walked at the age of three (3) months.
Consider the fact that by the age of ten (10) he had full knowledge of what we call the Old Testament by memory!
I think not!!!
2007-07-13 20:27:58
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answer #8
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answered by WillRogerswannabe 7
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Socrates was a Greek Philosopher but there is no evidence that he wrote any books. So it is with Jesus. While Socrates taught a lot of people including, it is argued, Plato (Who was prolific in writing), he found no need to bother with that stuff . So Jesus taught his disciples how to read and write and gave them wisdom and basically that is it.
Like Jesus, he was executed.
2007-07-13 20:52:21
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answer #9
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answered by K. Marx iii 5
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He was not illiterate, or at least I wouldn't imagine. I would say that He was the smartest person most had met. In His youth He was found to be Teaching the elders.
In Jesus Name
2007-07-13 20:23:19
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answer #10
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answered by Joel 2 5
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